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MCIC
Situation report Macedonia no. 14/2001 |
September 3 - 9, 2001
Skopje, September 10th, 2001
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
Displaced persons
Total number of IDP.
According to the Macedonian Red Cross, the total number of internally
displaced persons (IDPs) in Macedonia is 76,026. 3,913 IDPs are accommodated
in collective centers.
Increased number of refugees returning from Kosovo. According to the information
from the UNHCR, there are about 34,000 refugees (ethnic Albanians) in
Kosovo, while so far 47,771 have returned to Macedonia.
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
Food
Convoy for Vratnica and Orasje.
The MCIC and Cooperacione Italiana - office for emergency interventions
of the Italian Embassy in Skopje organized a convoy with humanitarian
assistance for Vratnica and Orasje. The humanitarian assistance was composed
of food products, vegetables, cattle food, hygiene products, baby food
and dippers. The MCIC, through its partner Natira, also submitted assistance
composed of food and hygiene products to the Lipkovo municipality.
The El Hilal submitted assistance in food and hygiene products to Lipkovo,
Germo, Neprosteno and Ljuboten.
Health
The WHO equipped
one room in the clinic in Aracinovo, where a mobile medical team from
the clinic in Gazi Baba continuously provides medical assistance.
The UNICEF and WHO continue
providing assistance in medicaments for three pharmacies in Skopje, for
the needs of the IDPs.
Shelters
The UNHCR is
carrying out reparations on the roof constructions in the collective centers
in Kumanovo, and evaluations are being made (IRC) for the needs of other
repairs (including the steam-heating systems.)
Water-supply and sanitation
The Communal Hygiene public enterprise continuously provides water to
the four reservoirs in the village of Aracinovo for the needs of the local
population.
Schools and education
The new school year started on September
10.
The students - displaced persons will continue their education in places
where they are accommodated. The Coordination Body for Crisis Management
will provide organized transportation for the students and pupils from
Jazince to Tetovo and Skopje.
The MCIC completed the reconstruction of the elementary school in the
village of Brnjarci.
The Solidarite started with preparations for reconstruction of the old
school in Aracinovo. One of the three school buildings will be reconstructed
by the end of the week, the second one in two to three weeks and the last
one in 1,5 to two months.
Humanitarian mine disposal
Special mine disposal unit, composed of
60 NATO soldiers, arrived in Macedonia.
An expert from the UN mine disposal department arrived in Skopje. He reported
that the danger from mines in Macedonia is low. The danger from unexploded
mines is biggest in 20-30 villages located in the regions of crisis, but
he believes that this problem could be easily resolved.
ICRC promoted
the program for public awareness of unexploded mines, which according
to the experts are the biggest threat for the civic population in the
villages directly hit by the conflict.
Protection and human rights
There are no such activities at this point
Psycho-social activities
UNICEF's psycho-social
working group is seeking for partners from the local NGOs in order to
realize the planed activities.
Post-crisis rehabilitation
The team for estimation of the damage has made estimation on about 600
buildings in Aracinovo.
HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION
Financing
Minister of Development and Cooperation
of the Kingdom of Holland Eveline Herfkens paid a visit to Macedonia.
She reported that Holland would increase
the financial assistance for Macedonia from Euro 23 million to Euro 46
million, for the current and next two years.
The European Union donated Euro 42,5 million
to Macedonia in a form of grants for various purposes.
These funds are a part of the CARDS program.
Christopher Patten announced additional grant in amount of Euro 50 million
as macroeconomic assistance for Macedonia. This donation is conditionalized
with successful outcome from the negotiations with the International Monetary
Fund. The European Union will also donate Euro 30 million for reconstruction
and rehabilitation of the energy system in the regions of crisis, compensation
of the expenses of the host-families, coverage of the expenses of the
students who could not be accommodated in the student campuses, and for
reconstruction of the damaged houses in the regions of crisis.
Coordination
Seventh meeting of the NGO humanitarian
coordination.
The meeting took place on September 4th, on which the organizations submitted
reports on their work in the previous week. It was decided at the meeting
the MCIC and El Hilal to be permanent representatives in the work of the
NGO humanitarian coordination. It was also decided the number of NGOs
in the humanitarian coordination not to be increased. The work of the
regional coordination body in Kumanovo should be improved. Also, the conditions
for establishment of regional coordination in Tetovo should be reexamined.
It was said at the meeting that contact should be made with UNICEF regarding
the schoolbooks, because many organizations offer the same. In that context,
a question was rose about possibilities for supplying the students with
cloths, footwear, bags etc. It was also pointed to the problem with the
students in the Kumanovo region, because the schools in Kumanovo do not
have capacity to receive new students. A contact should be made with the
authorized ministries for possible usage of one of the kindergartens in
Skopje where specific groups of displaced persons (mothers with children)
would be accommodated. As a conclusion, it was pointed to the need of
joint work by the NGO humanitarian coordination and the local authorities
on the trust rebuilding among the people, with emphasis on repatriation
of the people who are minority in the regions they live in.
Eighth meeting of the National Humanitarian
Coordination.
At the beginning of the meeting held on
September 6th, the representative from the Ministry of labor and social
policy made a short review of the activities realized in the previous
week. He said that in cooperation with the IOM transport was organized
for the displaced persons from Kumanovo area, and there are similar plans
for the displaced persons from Skopje and Tetovo. Representative from
the ministry of transport and communications reported that the questionnaire
for evaluation of the condition of the water-supply system and the system
for waste water and hard waste treatment was completed. The ICRC are making
efforts to reach an agreement with the humanitarian organizations for
making an estimation of the needs of the internally displaced persons
in the collective centers, host-families and those who have returned.
Representative of the Macedonian Red Cross announced that they would temporarily
stop the registration of new internally displaced persons from Skopje
and Tetovo in order to avoid double registration. For that purpose, all
lists with names of displaced persons will be rechecked. It was also pointed
to the need of provision of warm cloths for the IDPs, as well as to the
need of increased food assistance for the displaced persons accommodated
in host-families. The humanitarian organizations were also asked to submit
humanitarian assistance for the villages Gloge, Selce and Prsoje. Representative
of the veterinarian department asked for assistance from the organizations
for provision of fodder and materials for renewal of the cattle fund.
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