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MCIC
Situation report Macedonia no. 11/2001 |
August 13th - August 19th, 2001
Skopje, August 20th
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
Displaced persons
The number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)
has doubled in the past two weeks. According to the Macedonian Red Cross,
in Macedonia the number of IDP is 64,397 persons. Of them, 3,735 are accommodated
in collective centers. (addition 1)
Unchanged number of refugees in Kosovo. According to UNHCR, around 27.000
refugees (ethnic Albanians) returned from Kosovo to Macedonia, while around
51.000 persons are still in Kosovo.
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
Food
Aid for the displaced persons
An El Hilal convoy to Shipkovica. On
August 14, after four months of isolation, the humanitarian aid El Hilal
convoy, comprising five lorries (48 tons) elementary food supplies and
medications arrived in the township Shipkovica. The aid is provided for
the villages Shipkovica, Lisec, Gayre, Bozovce and Veshala, where, at
the moment, there are about five thousand citizens, ethnic Albanians.
An ICRC convoy forVratnica, Jazhince and Shipkovica.
On August 15 ICRC delivered aid for Vratnica
and Jazhince including elementary food stuffs (24 tons of flour, cooking
oil, yeast), while for Shipkovica it provided 900 family packs, 80 baby
packs and 21.6 tons of flour.
MCIC delivere elementary food supplies for the needs of the common canteens
in the collective centers "25th May" and "1st May"
in Skopje and for the CC Negorski Banji in Gevgelija.
Health
It is being considered to open ambulances and pharmacies
in other cities in the country (hitherto, there are such in Skopje and
Kumanovo), where the IDP could use free health services and medications.
SAZM (League of albanian women in Macedonia) organizes free medical examinations
for displaced women and children that are accommodated in host-families
in Skopje.
Shelters
IRC/UNHCR have estimated the buildings that could
hold up to 75.000 IDP. At the moment, 40 buildings are being assessed,
and they are concentrated primarily in Gostivar, Tetovo, Kumanovo and
Skopje. The buildings are divided in three groups: immediately ready for
moving in, buildings that require minor interventions and buildings that
require greater interventions.
On the National humanitarian coordination meeting on August 16 the problem
was underlined for the accommodation of 2.532 IDP accommodated in seven
high-school and university boarding schools that have been used as collective
centers. This is because the new school year commences in less than 15
days.
The procedure for assessing damaged buildings was agreed upon on the meeting
with the UNHCR. The assessments will be made by expert teams with the
participation of one member from the Ministry of Transport and Communication,
one member from the township and one member from the donor of the NGO.
At the request of UNHCR, MCIC appointed four architects that are to participate
in the assessment training.
Water supply and sanitation
It is expected that there is a test start
for the pump station for the needs of the Medical
Center in Kumanovo.
Schools and education
Due to the current political-security situation
in the country, there is an uncertainty for the beginning of the new school
year in the crisis regions and for the IDP. The start depends on the situation
on the field, the refurbishment of the school buildings that were damaged
in the crisis regions stricken by military activity.
Humanitarian de-mining
UNICEF, ICRC and MCIC had a meeting where they
considered the possibility for mutual acting to strengthen the awareness
in IDP for the mine hazard. It has been concluded that a mass campaign
is not needed, but a direct approach to the IDP (more training and leaflets).
The ICRC estimates that the main threat is not posed by anti-personal
mines, but unexploded ammunition and UXO. ICRC and UNICEF will accord
the content of the leaflet and consider the possibilities for training
trainers, while MCIC, with its local coordination, will set locations
(collective centers, schools, township offices) for short trainings for
IDP for mine hazards.
Protection and human rights
There are no such activities in this period.
Psycho-social activities
The standard activities of for women's NGOs for
psycho-social help of IDP in collective centers and there information
centers are taking place.
Post-crisis rehabilitation
After a one-week break UNHCR/MCIC resumes the abolished
distribution of tarpaulins in the Skopje village Arachinovo.
HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION
Financing
The ARC (American Refugee Center) gave a presentation
for local NGOs, member NGO coordination, for the possibilities for financing
crisis handling activities.
SDR (Swiss Disaster Relief) will start remunerating 50 DEM per month for
host families, where IDP have been staying for more than two months. This
project will aid host families in the regions of Tetovo, Kumanovo and
Skopje.
Coordination
Fourth meeting of NGO humanitarian coordination.
At the meeting it was announced that Intersos
will disseminate packages in the course of the ensuing six months for
all registered IDP in the third month of their displacement. Due to the
overlapping of food distribution that is granted by local organizations,
it is necessary that the organizations distributing humanitarian aid in
larger quantities are present on the sector meetings on food of WFP, in
order to have an overall view of the aid being distributed to collective
centers and host families.
At the meeting it was agreed that all organizations that have lists of
displaced persons should motivate the registered IDP to sign up at the
Red Cross, and there they would receive a humanitarian package once a
month. Furthermore, the organizations should make a proposal for possible
locations, where, in cooperation with UNICEF, MCKC and MCIC, the training
for protection from mines and explosive materials would take place.
Fifth meeting of the NHC. The
present parties handed in a report for the activities of the organizations
in the course of the past week. The ECHO representative asked for information
for providing electricity in the village Arachinovo. Problems underlined
for the incoming school year were: opening the hospital in Arachinovo
for the returning citizens; dislocating the died animals from the crisis
regions. It has been agreed that all organizations hand in plans to the
Center for handling crisis for the aid they distribute to the crisis regions,
at latest until Thursday.
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