Kyrgyzstan Revised Flash Appeal to assist 400,000 people

(Bishkek/New York, 27 July 2010): Humanitarian partners in Kyrgyzstan today launched a revised Flash Appeal for humanitarian assistance in the southern regions of the country, where violence in June affected 400,000 people.

The original Flash Appeal was launched in early June to mobilize life-saving assistance. Access was however extremely limited due to violence and insecurity. In late June, the security situation improved enough to allow humanitarian staff and operations on the ground to scale up. Aid workers have since conducted rapid needs assessments in key areas.

"The revised Flash Appeal is based on the findings of the assessments that have been carried out, including in areas such as education, food security, agriculture, health, protection, community restoration and shelter. As a result of this analysis, projects and programmes have been calibrated to deliver humanitarian relief based on assessed needs," said Neal Walker, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan.

Ensuring the protection and well-being of the 400,000 people who have been directly affected by the violence in June continues to be the priority of humanitarian partners. These people include 375,000 people who have experienced displacement internally or across the border. Seventy five thousand people are still displaced, half of them because their houses have been destroyed or badly damaged. Others have not returned home because they continue to fear for their safety. A rapid assessment has indicated worrying food insecurity among the affected population, especially among internally displaced persons (IDPs) who are not staying with host families.

In the revised Flash Appeal, priority is given to those interventions that must happen between now and the end of the year, especially in the areas of protection and shelter. "People in the south need to feel safe again in order to move on to recovery, reconstruction and reconciliation. It is equally important to ensure that people whose houses have been destroyed or damaged have durable shelter before the onset of winter. We are working with the authorities to find solutions," Mr. Walker stressed.

The original Flash Appeal that sought $73 million now requires $96 million and is currently 30% funded. The Kyrgyzstan revised Flash Appeal is available here.

For the latest funding information, please consult the Financial Tracking Service (FTS) at http://ocha.unog.ch/fts/pageloader.aspx?page=emerg-emergencyDetails&appealID=900>

Contact: Gordon Denoon
OCHA Humanitarian Support Unit
Office of the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator
Mobile: 996.779 09 28 44
Email: denoon@un.org