United Nations Country  Team Ethiopia

• Members of the UN Country Team, together with the DPPC Commissioner and representatives of the regional administration, visited Mekelle, Adigrat, Axum and Shire to assess the condition of the war displaced and drought affected in Tigray.
• Currently, the total number of internally displaced in Tigray stands at 315,936 with an additional 14,762 officially registered Ethiopians who have returned to Tigray from Eritrea since the start of the war. Compounding the problem of assisting these people is the condition of localized drought, estimated to be affecting 373,013 additional people in the region.
• Most of the displaced are integrated into local communities, although some camp-like settlements have had to be established in view of the large numbers of displaced as compared to hosts.
• Priority needs include food, shelter materials, blankets, water, sanitation, education and health facilities in areas hosting the displaced.
• Proliferation of landmines in the conflict areas prevents the safe return of many of the displaced. Rehabilitation of destroyed or damaged infrastructure will also eventually be necessary to facilitate return.
• Donors and other interested partners are encouraged to evaluate the general needs identified herein in making additional contributions and expediting delivery of relief and rehabilitation assistance to the affected areas.

This mission to Tigray Region, Ethiopia, was undertaken at the request of the UN Resident Coordinator in order to gain a preliminary indication of the current humanitarian situation due to the renewed fighting and the localized drought conditions that Tigray is reported to be currently facing. This mission was particularly important in that it was the first time since the resurgence of fighting in February 1999 that UN representatives were able to travel widely throughout the region. Each of the agency heads raised the issue of the need for regular access to safe areas in their meetings with regional officials.

Mission participants

This was a joint UN Country Team mission led by the UN Resident Coordinator and undertaken together with the Country Representatives of UNICEF and WFP. The mission team also included the OCHA Humanitarian Liaison Office’s representative to the OAU, as well as technical and field staff from UNDP-EUE, UNICEF, and WFP. From the government side, the DPPC Commissioner accompanied the mission, at the invitation of the UN Country Team. In Mekelle the Tigray Regional DPPB Head joined the team, together with the REST Executive Director, as they traveled throughout the region.

Mission itinerary

Despite the suspension of commercial flights to the north of the country that has been in effect since resumption of conflict in February 1999, the team received special permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Regional Government of Tigray, and the military authorities to charter a flight to Mekelle and later to be collected in Shire for the return flight to Addis Ababa.

The Regional Administration presented the team with an itinerary which included a briefing session in Mekelle and visits to Adigrat, Axum, and Shire (also known as Ende Selassie). The mission was advised that it might also be possible to visit Sheraro, but time limitations prevented this from happening. The mission traveled by road, spending the night in Axum and departing by air from Shire at mid-day on 8 April. Despite the time constraints, it was possible to get a limited picture of conditions on the ground in some of the places visited. It was also possible to hold initial discussions with regional and local authorities regarding implementation matters and issues related to access. The mission members greatly appreciated the cooperation of the regional and zonal authorities visited, as well as that of REST whose representative accompanied the team and facilitated many of the meetings.

The mission also visited the new UN Common Premises in Mekelle, which will house the UNICEF, WFP and UNDP-EUE technical staff.
 

BACKGROUND

In May 1998, a long-standing dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea over demarcation of their common border erupted in armed conflict. The fighting lasted for two months and was followed by several months of relative calm, as various attempts at mediation and negotiated settlement were made, most notably by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) but also by bilateral and multilateral organisations. In Ethiopia, the initial fighting resulted in the displacement of civilian populations close to the border conflict zones in both Tigray and Afar regions. In addition, other areas close to the border were evacuated during the last quarter of 1998 in a pre-emptive move by the Ethiopian government to minimize the risk of civilian casualties in the event of a resumption of hostilities. In February 1999, armed conflict broke out again in three main areas of the border: Badme-Mereb (western front), Tsorona/Zelambessa/Alitena (central front/Eastern Tigray border), and Bure (eastern front/Afar Region border).

In June 1998, the DPPC launched an international appeal for assistance for an identified total of 143,000 displaced persons (126,000 in Tigray and 17,000 in Afar) and a potential planning figure of 300,000. Requests were made for 27,000 metric tons of food aid for six months as well as shelter materials, household utensils, clothing, medicines, and medical equipment to serve 150,000 people. The UN responded by sending an interagency mission composed of representatives of the specialist agencies (UNICEF, WFP, UNDP-EUE, IOM, UNHCR, and WHO) and the Ethiopian Government (DPPC) to Tigray and Afar regions to further assess the needs of the displaced. As a result of the government request and the results of the assessment, the United Nations Country Team assembled a balanced programme of immediate interventions valued at US$ 4,102,785. This included both reprogrammed resources and requests for new contributions. The total financial requirements for this amount have now been fully met.

On 25 September, the Government issued details of the relief response and an update of additional assistance requirements. According to this update, the total number of displaced from Tigray was 166,308 (188,690 combined total with Afar Region). At that time the National Fundraising Committee for assistance to the displaced also included a request for resettlement assistance to 25,000 Ethiopians (10,983 from Tigray) who were obliged to leave Eritrea after the start of the conflict. This brought the total number of displaced persons and returnees from Eritrea requiring assistance in Tigray to 177,291. In October 1998, the UN Country Team in Ethiopia formulated a Contingency Plan for assistance in the event that the conflict escalated. The Contingency Plan incorporated the individual operational plans of the specialist agencies within an agreed framework of co-ordination and cooperation with Government, donors, and the NGO community.

In December 1998, the Regional Government of Tigray issued its own "Contingency Plan to Meet the Humanitarian Needs of Displaced People." According to this document, the numbers of actually displaced had grown to 315,936, while another 268,239 were identified as being "at risk" of being displaced. This document identified the main areas of displacement and resettlement and identified the most important needs of the displaced.

Most recently, the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission issued an update on 8 April 1999 estimating the number of people in Tigray in need of assistance due to "man made causes" at 330,245 (both internally displaced and Ethiopians who have returned from Eritrea since the start of the conflict) with an additional 373,030 in need of drought relief assistance. This brings the stated total current food relief needs of Tigray for 1999 to 95,692 metric tons (cereals only).
 
 
REGIONAL BRIEFING

During discussions at the Regional Administration Headquarters, the team was welcomed by Dr. Solomon Inquai, Head of Social Affairs for the Regional Administration. He provided a brief overview of the current situation of the displaced throughout Tigray, and stated that the total number of internally displaced in Tigray now stands at 315,936. A breakdown of this number by zones is given below:

According to the Regional Administration, the number of displaced is not expected to rise much beyond this figure. The main challenges facing the Administration now are to deliver assistance for the next few months to people ahead of the rainy season, expected to begin in mid June, and to encourage and assist people to return to their homes as soon as security conditions allow. The Head of Social Affairs said that the Administration had hoped that people could return to their home areas by June, in time to prepare their fields for cultivation, but that continuation of the conflict is likely to preclude this possibility for most of the displaced. If people are not able to plant their fields, he said, their dependence on food relief may be prolonged by several more months.

Governmental authorities have continued wherever possible to encourage local integration of the displaced into communities outside the conflict area rather than to set up shelters or camps which they know from their experience of the 1984-85 famine to be expensive and a breeding ground for disease and hunger. Still, in some places where the numbers of displaced are much higher than the local population, it has been necessary to establish camp-like settlements. The team was told that such settlements were located in Adi Haregay (people from Badme and Sheraro), Ba’eker (from Humera), and Abakh (from Rama and areas of Central Zone close to the border). In addition, an estimated 1000 people from the Zelambessa area are sheltering in the shadow of "caves" to the northeast of Adigrat town in an area that is technically within the military zone. The team visited this area. 

According to regional authorities, many people have returned to the town of Sheraro from Zeben Gedena which had served as a camp-like settlement for the past several months. The site, which at one time had an estimated population of 35,000 (in and around the settlement) had now reverted to its original (pre-conflict) size.
 

Ethiopians returning from Eritrea

According to the Regional Administration, Tigray has received 14,762 Ethiopians who have been obliged to return to Ethiopia from Eritrea since the beginning of the conflict. This figure does not include an additional 2870 people who arrived in the western border town of Humera in the past week and whose final destinations have not yet been officially registered. It is expected that a significant number of these are Tigrayans who will choose to stay in Tigray. The Ethiopian government is awaiting the arrival of 1400 additional people whom it has been told will be arriving in the Rama area, but thus far have not appeared in Ethiopian territory.
 

Drought affected population

Compounding the problem of displacement is that of drought. Regional authorities said that despite the fact that 1998 was a relatively good growing season for Tigray (with 715,700 metric tons of crops of different kinds produced), chronic drought conditions particularly in the Eastern and Central zones has rendered 373,013 people vulnerable to extreme food shortage.

Normally, those facing household food shortage seek employment on the large commercial farms in western Tigray. This migration has largely stopped due to the added insecurity of the area. The REST Representative warned that the burdens of drought and hosting displaced people has created conditions of "hidden famine" among many communities.

While drought is chronic in Tigray (and northern Ethiopia in general), the combination of war displacement and drought, together with the impending rainy season expected (hoped) to begin in mid-June which will hamper or prevent access to many of the affected areas, creates a precarious situation in which timely mobilization and response to preposition relief items will be essential.
 
Coordination of relief assistance for the displaced

Assistance to the displaced is coordinated by wereda, zonal, and regional committees. The mission met with the Central Zone committee, which is chaired by the DPPB department head for the zone. Members are drawn from the line departments from each sector (water, health, education, etc.). Actual numbers of displaced are derived at baito (local council) level and reported through wereda, zone and region. Prioritisation of available assistance is done through these committees, as is monitoring of actual distribution. The mission team was impressed with the evident experience and familiarity of members of the committee with their responsibilities and the nature of the problem for their respective sector.
 
Assistance thus far distributed

The Regional Administration of Tigray has responded to the needs of the displaced by distributing food, blankets, clothing, and shelter materials and providing medical assistance and improved water and sanitation facilities. Supplies of each of these commodities have been inadequate. Food donated in 1999 by USAID (13,000 MT) and the European Union (2350 MT through the Italian NGO CISP) has been distributed by REST. Of particular concern is the need for food and shelter to carry the displaced through the rainy season.

Prospects for return of displaced persons

The Regional Administration has sent two teams to assess the impact of the war on the border areas and prospects for rehabilitation and reconstruction; their final report is currently being compiled. Preliminary findings of these teams, according to regional officials, are that many of those displaced from the main areas of conflict (Badme, Adi Adiabo, parts of Irob and Gulomakeda weredas) have had their homes completely destroyed and will have to reconstruct their houses. Schools and clinics have also been destroyed, and all water points around the conflict areas have been either destroyed, looted, or contaminated. In addition, forest resources have been used by the military to fortify bunkers and most grinding mills have been looted or taken away from the area.

In areas close to the western front, the single largest obstacle to return of the displaced is said to be the proliferation of land mines. It is not known how many mines have been laid, but regional authorities estimate that the number could be in the hundreds of thousands. Thus far, military personnel have only been able to clear some roads.

Already, the dangers of mines are reportedly being felt by the civilian population. Despite warnings from the government, many accidents have occurred as a result of people trying to return to their homes around Badme to inspect the conditions of their property. It is estimated that at least ten people have already died as a result of mine accidents and many more have been severely injured. The threat to return and resumption of agricultural production in areas close to the western front was echoed by the Western Zonal Administrator who debriefed the team in Shire. He said that local government was already active in promoting mine awareness in the zone.

Access for international agency staff

Concerns expressed by agency heads for ongoing access to project and distribution sites were noted by regional officials though the point was made that such decisions tend to be the responsibility of military and not civilian authorities.
 
 

FIELD VISITS
 
Eastern Zone - Adigrat

Immediately following the debriefing at Regional Headquarters, the team left for Adigrat (2 hours drive from Mekelle). This town, capital of Eastern Zone, is the main area of displacement for those fleeing the central front (Zelambessa/Alitena). Adigrat lies within artillery range of the border, and has been shelled several times, most recently in the week before the mission when six people were reportedly killed and more than twenty others injured.

Where feasible, food distributions have been moved outside the town to minimize the risk of attack. The team encountered one food distribution (of food donated by the European Union through CISP and distributed by REST) just south of Adigrat town, and at least two others along the road between Adigrat and Adwa. Many of the recipients there said they had moved from their homes around Adigrat town for fear of being attacked.

Just northeast of Adigrat town the team was taken to see a small settlement of displaced persons who had fled Zelambessa area and were sheltering in the overhang of cliffs which form semi-caves. They had received little in the way of humanitarian assistance, although UNICEF had relocated its Wereda Integrated Basic Services (WIBS) programme from the area they had fled to the resettlement area, thereby releasing funds for water and sanitation activities through the Bureau of Water and Mines. REST has also made arrangements for the displaced to have access to small-scale loans in addition to food rations. The people said that they have not yet begun income generation activities because they have been anticipating being able to return to their homes any day.

Central Zone - Axum

From Adigrat the team drove to Axum (3 hour drive). Time constraints prevented stopping in some of the other towns hosting displaced populations such as Adwa or Enticho, or from traveling north of Adwa to the area around Abakh where many of the displaced from the border area are reported to be currently living under grass shelters.

The next morning in Axum the team met with the zonal coordinating committee for the displaced. According to the committee chair, the zone’s two border weredas, Mereb Lehe and Ahferom (also known as Enticho) had generated 88,000 displaced people by February, and the number had increased since then. This, he said, has led to a shortage of adequate shelter; even where people are integrated locally with relatives or friends, the houses of the hosts are often not large enough for so many people and the displaced have had to build shelters out of grass and wood for themselves in the areas surrounding their hosts’ houses.

In addition to the problem of shelter, the problem of providing educational assistance to 23,210 displaced students was raised. According to the Central Zone Education Department representative, all schools in Mereb Lehe wereda and most in Ahferom wereda have been closed. Approximately 400 twelfth grade students stayed together with their teachers and were receiving food and nonfood assistance while they prepared for their school-leaving examinations, held just prior to the Ethiopian Easter holidays. Younger schoolchildren have moved with their families to integration areas.

Water resources are also reported to be stretched to the limit in areas hosting displaced, and several areas have been identified to the Regional Water Bureau for construction of shallow wells and boreholes.

Health officials said that three clinics have been closed in Central zone. The EPI programme has been disrupted, and there is a stated need for assistance to transport and ensure cold storage of vaccines to be able to provide coverage to both the displaced and their hosts in the more remote areas.

Of the 122,210 identified people in Central Zone in need of drought assistance, the zone was told by the region that resources were only available for the 20,000 most in need. This food has not been distributed due to shortage of transport (as many transporters have been obliged by the government to provide trucks to transport to the conflict zones – the government pays a standard rate to transporters for such work). Now zonal authorities report that as many as 8000 people may have migrated to other weredas because they have nothing to eat.

Western Zone – Shire

In Shire, the mission met with the Administrator of Western Zone, the zone which has seen the heaviest fighting. Of the 116,000 estimated displaced population, approximately 60,000 have received food assistance through March from REST with food donated by USAID.

The Zonal Administrator noted that compounding the problem of war displacement is that of drought, a cumulative condition chronic to the Mereb river catchment area. He said that the conflict area stretched in a 150 km line from the Mereb to the Tekezze rivers, and that Eritrean forces had at one point occupied areas that he claimed extended as far as 50 km inside Ethiopian territory. The area is now said to be under Ethiopian control, and fighting appears to have subsided there. Return of displaced persons, however, is hampered by the proliferation of landmines and the nearly complete destruction of the social service infrastructure, including schools, clinics and water sources.

Officials are concerned that if return is not possible by the onset of the rainy season, shelter will be a major problem. Currently people living in settlements in Adi Haregay (near Badme) and approximately 35,000 in Ba’eker, Bereket and Mai Kadra (near Humera) are said to be sheltered by grass shades known as "das". These shelters are clearly not adequate to protect from the rains, and may also pose a fire hazard as many areas in the Humera area in particular are prone to violent lightning storms. The mission was not able to visit these areas due mainly to time constraints.

Also in Western Zone, the team was shown a microdam project recently completed by Sustainable Agricultural and Environmental Rehabilitation in Tigray (SAERT). The dam and irrigation scheme provides water to an estimated 60 hectares (90 hectares according to a local farmer) in the catchment area and allows for an additional growing season. Thus far, they are only able to produce maize, as they lack the funds and market to purchase improved vegetable seeds. The region plans to develop 500 such sites (some 35 have been completed) throughout the region in the coming years.

 
GENERAL AREAS OF NEED

The team felt that it would be important to begin to assemble such a picture as quickly as possible. In addition, the UN Resident Coordinator urged agencies to examine any possible reserves or funds that might be reprogrammed to better respond to the situation of drought and displacement in Tigray and for of the donors to consider possible contributions to meeting some of the needs. The chart below is intended to be a first step towards quantifying the needs of the region in the light of the drought and continued hosting of displaced populations. Information is derived from government estimates and discussions of the UN Country Team mission.

GENERAL AREAS OF NEED*
 

Requirements by Sector	UN Country Team Actions So Far **	Timeframe	Remaining Needs
Food Requirement (cereals)   58,802 MT for displaced   36,890 MT for drought affected   95,692 MT total required	WFP EMOP to give 45,351 MT (36,720 MT cereals) for distribution to the displaced for 9 months plus 4707 MT for drought affected	Beginning in April 1999	38,915 MT food cereals
Shelter materials and household items   Plastic sheeting and other shelter materials, blankets, household utensils, and clothing (amounts unspecified)	UNICEF: 80 rolls plastic sheeting   UNICEF: shelter materials, household utensils   UNHCR: 3000 kerosene stoves; also kitchen sets, blankets, plastic sheets, buckets, knives (T&A)   OCHA/Italian Govt (through UNDP-EUE): 341 rolls plastic sheeting/approx. 1700 large plastic sheets (T&A)	1998   Mar.-Aug. 1999   1998      from Aug. 1998	Plastic sheeting, blankets, household utensils, clothing, soap
Water supply support   Rehabilitation of water points and provision of new points, with some piped systems and reservoirs are needed in the areas hosting displaced and (eventually) in return areas.	UNICEF: construction of 8 shallow wells & 2 boreholes with piped distributions systems, water treatment, pump installation, spare parts for drilling rigs	1998   Mar.-Aug. 1999	Additional shallow wells, water treatment, rehabilitation of wells in areas of return
Educational support   Temporary schools required in areas hosting displaced; educational materials. Eventually, schools in areas of return will need to be rehabilitated/reconstructed.	UNICEF: training, distribution of educational materials, advocacy   UNICEF: temporary school construction, school furniture, blackboards, educational materials   UNESCO: support to educational system	1998       Mar.-Aug. 1999       1998	Educational materials, rehabilitation of schools in areas of return
Health sector support   Support to EPI (transport, cold storage), sanitation services in displaced areas, reproductive health and child-delivery services for the displaced population and their hosts	UNICEF: emergency health kits, EPI support, reproductive  health training and support   UNFPA: providing emergency health kits, training, logistics support   WHO: emergency health kits	1998-Aug. 1999       1998- Aug. 1999    1998	Rehabilitation of clinics in areas hosting displaced and areas of return
Demining   Demining will be needed in former conflict areas before return of IDPs will be possible. Full extent of the problem will require specialised assessment mission.			Specialised assessment mission to determine full extent of the problem.
Others   Protection and trauma counseling support to women and children   Agricultural support –need for farm inputs (including oxen) for the next season)   Grinding mills in areas of return	UNICEF and UNFPA: Support to women and children – family reunification, counseling, family planning and reproductive health support	1998   Mar.-Aug.1999	farm inputs, oxen, seeds grinding mills

* UN Country Team information is adapted from the UN Country Team Document "List of International Contributions for the War Affected in Tigray and Afar Regions", March 1999. For a complete listing of UN, donor and NGO responses, please refer to this document. A significant part of these actions have been made possible by the channeling of new donor contributions to the UNCT through UNDP.

** Some of the items are intended for both Tigray and Afar regions, and it was not possible to obtain a breakdown by region. Aggregate numbers are used where noted by "T&A." Most of the assistance is earmarked for Tigray in view of its high numbers of displaced as compared to Afar.

Note: This table indicates needs and responses as of mid April 1999. All information indicated herein is subject to change pending results of monitoring assessments and changing conditions.
 

PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
 

• From the information gathered, there appears to be an urgent need for assistance to reach the displaced and drought affected. At the conclusion of the mission the UN Resident Coordinator said he appreciated the need for fast and effective response to these populations. Agency heads are urged to examine their ongoing and planned programming to determine how best to deliver initial resources and assistance as quickly as possible.

•  It is hoped that the donor community would consider seriously the possibility of assistance in various areas, including increasing food contributions to assist the drought affected populations as well as the remaining displaced for whom there are at present insufficient food stocks.

•  The team took note of extensive reports by members of the Government Administration on the threat posed by land mines in many of the home areas of the displaced as well as information on civilian casualties (often farmers returning to inspect vacated homes) and the major constraints these will place on eventual resettlement of IDP populations. As an initial action, the UN Department of Peace Keeping Operations (UNDPKO) in New York will be officially advised of the situation and requested to offer to send an assessment team to assist both Ethiopian and Eritrean governments to determine the magnitude of the problem and identify feasible de-mining actions. At the local level, UNICEF and UN agencies will continue to support landmine awareness creation and mobilization activities in concert with Ethiopian authorities, NGOs and civil society.

 
• All agency heads recognized the need to work together to ensure continuous follow-up between regional and central levels of government in addition to working closely with zonal counterparts, some of whom they had contact with during this mission. It is also felt that interventions will be in the context of a balanced approach that takes into account both the host and displaced populations.

•   In addition, the UN Country Team, through its technical field staff, will support the regional authorities to quickly develop in the coming days a more detailed needs assessment and breakdown for the nonfood requirements of the displaced (shelter, water, health and sanitation, etc.) so that it may be possible to quantify the needs to donors. Such collaboration may be useful in enhancing the fundraising efforts of the humanitarian assistance operation.

•   As part of the UN Country Team’s follow up to this mission, UNICEF, WFP, and UNDP-EUE staff based in Mekelle will continue to support and monitor ongoing operations and will keep the UNCT and other partners updated with regard to continuing and new humanitarian needs in the region. Given the narrow window of time remaining before the start of the rainy season in June, it is essential that UN agencies are allowed optimal access to safe areas in order to expedite present emergency assistance and that which is in the pipeline as well as to ensure that additional unspecified or unplanned needs are responded to quickly. The cooperation of all concerned authorities in this regard will be highly appreciated.

Mr. Samuel Nyambi UN Resident Coordinator
Ms. Judith Lewis WFP Representative
Mr. Ibrahim Jabr UNICEF Representative
Ambassador Teferra Shawel Kidanekal OCHA Humanitarian Liaison Office Representative to the OAU
Mr. Bob Macarthy UNICEF Emergency Officer
Ato Etsegenet Berhe UNICEF Mekelle Project Officer
Mr. Thomas Thompson WFP Mekelle Project Officer
Ms. Laura Hammond UNDP-EUE Monitoring Officer
 
From the Government of Ethiopia:
 
Commissioner Simon Mechale DPPC Commissioner
Ato Alem Biset DPPB Head, Tigray Region
  
From the Relief Society of Tigray:
 
Ato Teklewoini Assefa Executive Director, REST

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the UN concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.