MCIC Situation report Macedonia no. 27/2001


December 3 -9, 2001

SKOPJE, December 10th, 2001


HUMANITARIAN SITUATION

Displaced persons

The Macedonian Red Cross announces the number of IDPs (internally displaced persons) once a month. According to the last information, there are 53,797 IDPs in total. The MRC is carrying out the re-registration of IDPs and there are no new data yet.

No changes in the number of refugees returning from Kosovo.
According to the UNHCR, there are about 12,000 refugees (ethnic Albanians) from Macedonia accommodated in Kosovo. So far, 64,000 have returned to Macedonia.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

Food

During November, ICRC distributed food to 26.000 beneficiaries. Food and non-food items for a period of three months were distributed to 600 families in Skopska Crna Gora.

On December 7, El Hilal distributed 20 t of food and clothes in the Municipality of Lipkovo. On December 8, 6 t of food were distributed to Matejce.

Health

No new activities in this period.

Shelters

On December 5, the Embassy of FR Germany, in cooperation with Caritas-Germany distributed winter clothes parcels to 320 IDPs accommodated in "Olympic Village" collective center. Winter clothes will be distributed in the other collective centers as well.

On December 5, the UNHCR distributed parcels for returnees for 80 households in the village of Selce. Cesvi distributes firewood donated by the UNHCR. A total of 26,000 m³ will be distributed. In Tetovo area, firewood for 1,600 households will be distributed. Each family will receive 2 m³ of firewood. Firewood was also distributed in the collective centres Kristal and Dolno Konjare in Kumanovo.

MCIC completed the distribution of construction materials needed for repairing of 648 damaged houses in Skopje, Tetovo and Kumanovo areas.

On December 5, El Hilal's branch from Struga distributed construction material in the Municipality of Lipkovo

Water-supply and sanitation

No new activities in this period.

Schools and education

On December 5, the elementary school in Semsevo village was put in use. This school was reconstructed by the German KFOR contingent.

Humanitarian mine disposal

Mine-cleaning operations in the Kumanovo villages of Otlja and Matejce continue.
In order to provide safe return of displaced persons, the UN Mine Disposal Agency, in cooperation with UNICEF, requested US$ 372,000 from the UN budget for 2002 for its activities in Macedonia.

Protection and human rights

No new activities in this period.

Psychosocial activities

The SOS humanitarian organization from Kumanovo is providing psychosocial assistance for the IDPs accommodated in the collective centers in Kumanovo.

Post-crisis rehabilitation

According to the European Union program, approximately 250 houses in the regions of crisis are to be repaired by February 2002, and the electricity network ought to be replaced.
The Kingdom of Holland, more specifically the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Treasures and Fishing, offered assistance in animal feed worth US$ 600,000 to Macedonia, intended for overcoming the crisis.

MCIC distributed animal feed for 318 households in Slatino, 420 in Neraste and 560 in Otlja. Each family will receive a sack (40 kilograms) of animal feed.


HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION

Financing

The UN agencies in Macedonia have requested US$ 41 million meant for providing assistance to 100,000 internally displaced persons and families in the regions impacted by the crisis. These funds would be part of the joint program of the UN agencies for humanitarian operations in Southeast Europe in 2002, aimed to provide assistance to 260,000 persons who will indirectly benefit from stabilization of the communities, as well as from confidence-building activities.

International representatives conditionalize the donors' conference. The donors' conference for Macedonia will be held if the Assembly adopts the Law on Local Self-government. The Macedonian Government and IMF reached an agreement on December 5. According to this agreement, in the next six months (January 1 – June 30, 2002) the IMF will monitor the realization of the projected macroeconomic policy of the country.

Coordination

18th meeting of the National Humanitarian Coordination. The Head of the Refugees, Displaced Persons and Humanitarian Aid Department at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs chaired the meeting. He informed that Ms. Dosta Dimovska was appointed new co-ordinator of the Governmental Body for Crises Management. Reconstruction of the heating systems in four collective centres is currently going on.

ICRC informed that the process of re-registration is soon to be finished and that the new numbers on IDPs will soon be available. The distribution of food for IDPs in the collective centres will continue.

UNHCR informed that a joint appeal of the UN agencies deployed in the country had been promoted, requesting for 41 million US$ for humanitarian activities in the country and provision of aid for IDPs and refugees.

UNICEF informed that the distribution of school equipment and school textbooks would start the following week. Also, the distribution of winter clothes intended for displaced persons and children refugees (0-18 years) accommodated in collective centres will start.

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