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NAÇÕES UNIDAS UNIDADE DE COORDENAÇÃO PARA A ASSISTÊNCIA HUMANITÁRIA (UCAH) UNITED NATIONS HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE COORDINATION UNIT (UCAH)
Fax : (244-2) 342710 Telefone: (244-2) 344321/348205/341072 Fax: (1-212) 963-3011 (Ext.4523) Fax: (1-212) 963-3011 (Ext. 4523)
Av.Comandante Valódia 206-5o Andar E-Mail: ucah@compuserve.com Luanda - Angola
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN ANGOLA
Reporting period: 2 to 8 July 1999
General Situation
The civilian population of the besieged cities of Huambo, Malange and Kuito continued to be shelled over the reporting period, yet on a more sporadic basis. Meanwhile, the general situation there and in other parts of Angola deteriorated further while humanitarian relief stocks are rapidly shrinking.
As a result of widely spread insecurity over the last agricultural season, most fields have not been properly cropped or harvested. Accordingly, large segments of the population are faced with food problems.
To deal with this food crisis, the Government has announced major agricultural programmes, however these programmes need a minimum of stability to be implemented. For this purpose, special measures need to be taken both at the national and international levels, to respond to these growing humanitarian needs.
Humanitarian Situation and Assistance
The humanitarian situation of more than one tenth of the Angolan population could soon become appalling, as insecurity, distress and hunger are affecting not only the displaced and looted populations but also the resident community living in safer areas of the country. Under the present circumstances, humanitarian operators from UN Agencies, international organisations and national and international NGOs have been continuously trying to assist at least the most vulnerable in every accessible area, regardless of their origin and status.
Humanitarian flights continue temporarily suspended to Kuito and Malange. On 5 July, a WFP vessel carrying 1010 MT of food began off-loading in Luanda, where relief food aid is pacing down to approximately 60% of the scheduled rate in order to sustain stocks longer. The dramatic situation at the nutritional and therapeutic feeding centres in Huambo was slightly improved after five humanitarian food airlifts over the weekend to re-establish WFP provincial stocks.
As of 7 July, 869,302 new IDPs (counted from January 1998) have been confirmed so far in the Angolan territory, of a reported number of 1,242,325. The biggest provincial concentration of confirmed new IDPs is in Huambo (175,098) , followed by Malange (with 121,724) and Moxico (91,715). In Luanda, only 3,500 new IDPs have been confirmed so far, of a reported number of 103,904. However, investigations to confirm these figures are still far from being completed.
Growing reports of people dying due to starvation in Malange have not yet been confirmed and duly assessed by the international humanitarian community, as access is still waiting for the necessary clearances from national concerned institutions.
According to international health sources, Huambo, Kuito and Malange are already facing major problems related to malnutrition. As referred to in previous reports, the resident population is increasingly showing the same destitution and vulnerability as the displaced one and non assisted families are hardly able to eat on a daily basis.
In Huambo province, for instance, humanitarian food stocks must be built up, since quantities delivered are immediately distributed. Relief food distributions are currently being made only at the therapeutic or supplementary food centres located in different bairros of the provincial capital, even though some centres are no longer full operational due to the unpredictable shelling.
During the period covered by the present report, Luena (Moxico Province) has witnessed another influx of IDPs following attacks in various surrounding municipalities. Since 30 June more than 300 families have arrived. Humanitarian operators are assessing the needs of the new-comers, while other assistance continues to be provided to the most vulnerable, with food and non food items, including support to TEP schools and regular ones. A measles vaccination campaign recently carried out was also supported by the international community.
In Kuito, Bié Province, food distributions continue, with 24,905 vulnerable IDPs being assisted, and non-food items (such as kitchen kits, blankets, etc.) distributed. A nutritional survey is being prepared for next week, jointly carried out under the responsibility of MSF-Belgium. The availability of land to be distributed to the IDPs is still under discussion as the already chosen land was too near a minefield needing to be cleared before any action is taken.
In Huíla Province, school material has been distributed by UNICEF in Cacula, Kipungo and Matala municipalities. The re-mining of the road Caconda-Caluquembe has been reported (one mine found and removed last week), and UNICEF trained hospital staff in mine awareness in Chibia municipality.
In Uíge Province, the withdrawal of two international humanitarian NGOs (WVI and IMC) due to lack of funds has reduced the capacity to respond to the local humanitarian needs, and four health posts between Uíge and Negage ceased to have medical supervision after IMC left. In the meantime, a ECHO-EU short term programme at the provincial capital entered into force with the implementing NGO CIC. Following a UN joint mission to Negage to confirm reports on rising numbers of malnutrition, WFP is planning to open collective kitchens for 150 children and 100 elderly people, as well as an extra feeding centre for children and pregnant women. Additionally, the humanitarian community implemented water and sanitation projects sponsored by USAID at three primary schools in Katuhula, Mbembangango and Candombe Velho, respectively.
In early July, armed bandits burnt a feeding centre located at Mutaku village, Namacunde municipality in Cunene Province. This feeding centre operated by MINARS was assisting 50 children with malnutrition through donations of the international community. In addition, five villagers were killed during this vicious attack.
In Bengo Province, the NGO IPMP (Instituto Português de Medecina Preventiva) is planning to undertake soon a trypanosomiasis screening for an estimated population of 1,000 inhabitants in the villages of Tadi and Bela Vista, considered to be some of the most endemic areas of this province neighbouring Luanda.
According to UNICEF, a joint nutrition mission was carried out in Benguela Province, involving local health authorities, UNICEF and some NGOs. It is expected that the results of this survey will be disclosed in the near future to allow for necessary actions.
Considering that rehabilitation programmes should be implemented as soon as possible in parts of the country relatively calm and secure, the European Union is already planning to provide some national and international humanitarian NGOs operating in Angola with seeds (Soya beans, groundnuts, rice and maize) as well as tools. These items, as it has been previously done, should be used over the next agricultural campaign.
Updating on Poliomyelitis cases
The outbreak of poliomyelitis in Luanda Province, which occurred since the month of March 1999 and later spread to other provinces, is almost coming to an end. Now, just occasional cases are being registered. Several emergency measures taken by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with other partners from the international community, as well as the technical support of WHO, were fundamental to the effective control of the epidemic.
As of late June, a total of 1,164 cases have been registered throughout the territory, Luanda having the highest rate with 1,022 cases (88% of the total number of occurrences registered). Benguela registered 82 cases so far, while Bengo registered 16 cases. Cabinda and Huíla registered 2 cases each and just one case has been noticed in Kuando Kubango over the same period (January-June 1999). The total death toll was of 113 (Luanda with 89 deaths, Benguela with 21 deaths and Bengo with 3 deaths). No deaths were recorded from Cabinda, Huíla and Kuando Kubango.
UN Inter-Agency Consolidated Appeal - 1999 State of Funding
The review of the 1999 Consolidated Appeal for Angola will be presented in Geneva on 23 July to the Donor Community, with an updated financial requirement of US$105,516,190. As of 9 June, US$30,866,436 has been received covering 29.3% of the total Appeal revised requirement.
FAO has revised its requirement from US$1,692,500 to US$5,952,000 to cover emergency agricultural interventions. OHCHR (the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) has reduced its requirement from US$1,100,200 to US$550,000 because they have received funds outside of the Appeal addressing their Appeal projects. UNHCR has not changed its financial requirement of US$4,830,732 but has extended their Appeal project until 31 December. To date, UNHCR has received 20.3% of its requirement, while UNICEF has received 20.7% of its revised requirement of US$17,800,000. WHO's Appeal requirement remains the same at US$943,400, of which it has received US$142,653. WFP revised its food aid requirement from US$23,894,390 to 62,077,078 in order to address immediate emergency food aid needs. To date, only US$22,937,040 (or 36% of their revised requirement) has been received.
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Item: irin-extra-185
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Editor: Dr. Ali B. Ali-Dinar, Ph.D
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