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.