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NATIONAL HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION
1. General overview Mr. Boge Cadinovski briefed
all the present representatives on last week's activities. Teams composed
of national and local representatives and UNHCR had continued with the
damage assessment. Convoys for Tearce, Lesok and Neprosteno were organized
on a daily basis.
Gjorgji Ilievski, Ministry of
education - announced that the school year will start on the 10th
of September and efforts were made especially in Tetovo to allow all ethnic
Macedonian children to begin the school year in their old schools. Because
of the loss of confidence and fear that something may happen to their
children, a group of ethnic Macedonians from Tetovo asked Ministry of
Education to relocate their children in the kindergarten Mladost that
is near by the Sports Center. The Ministry's reply was positive. Toni Kiranziski, Uprava za veterinarstvo said that the death of farm animals were found in Ljuboten. They were surprised because of the fact that nobody informed them officially nor invited them to make a damage assessment. Nevertheless their teams are active in the conflict areas trying to make a health assessment of the remaining animals. They are also preparing detailed information that will be distributed later on. Francois Stamm, ICRC -
ICRC's representatives are present on a daily basis in the conflict areas.
As a direct result of the ICRC assistance, 15 people (4 from Lipkovo,
4 from Radusa and 7 from Tetovo area) were released by the NLA. ICRC is
also making efforts to obtain permission from the Macedonian Government
to visit the detained Albanians. John Ctelissen, Medical Coordinator ICRC - mentioned about the lack of medical supplies in the conflict areas. Dale Scoric, WFP - informed that the Macedonian World Congress blocked the Tabanovce border crossing. His opinion was that the Macedonian Government should react immediately because lots of the international organizations are using this border crossing for the import of the goods necessary for their humanitarian activities. Aldo Biondi, ECHO - ECHO continues with the financial support of its partners that are conducting different humanitarian activities. Marcel Grogan, UN OCHA-
informed the meeting that UN Country team had invited a UN Mine Action
Service expert to come in a 4 months mission. Augustino Mulas, UNHCR - stressed that UNHCR are more present in the field now. Regarding returnees, it is thought best not to encourage a premature return to areas where it's not safe yet. Nevertheless UNHCR is giving support to the people who spontaneously returned. Elke Wisch UNICEF - UNICEF is
continuing with the Vulnerability Assessment of IDPs and host families,
in which 6,000 inquiries will be included and the results are expected
at the end of September. Saso Talevski, Macedonian Red Cross - To date, the Macedonian Red Cross released the figure to the effect that 72,436 people have been displaced; 68,678 are with Host Families and 3,785 are in Collective Centers. MRC together with ICRC will start the distribution of hygiene parcels for IDPs in host families. Bejxulin Seapi, El Hilal- NGO Humanitarian coordination - informed about large number of returnees in the villages of Sar Planina area. Only in Brodec there are 3,000 returnees. According to El Hilal the Albanian children don't feel safe in their old schools and asked free text books to be distributed to the Albanian children too.
All organizations were asked once again to consider assisting in the organization of transport for IDPs locally in Skopje and Kumanovo, as well as on the route Skopje-Tetovo and Jazince. ICRC together with UNICEF will prepare a community-based mine-awareness program. WFP together with other organizations will conduct a food needs assessment next week. MCMS- NGO Humanitarian Coordination - informed that emergency management training will be held in Skopje 5-9 September and representatives from the local NGOs will attend. New issues
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