OCHA Humanitarian action in Chechnya and Neighbouring Republics (Russian Federation) 1-16 Jun 2003

I. HIGHLIGHTS
Governments Dismissed in Chechnya and Ingushetia

On 3 June, Head of the Chechen Administration, Akhmad Kadyrov, dismissed the republic's government and heads of regional administrations. He re-appointed Anatoly Popov Chairman of the Government and charged him with forming a new cabinet. On 6 June, several ministers regained their posts, and Bislan Gantamirov was appointed to head the Ministry of Press, TV, Radio and Mass Communications. In addition, Kadyrov appointed several administration heads in raions of Chechnya. Some of them retained their posts. The government of Ingushetia was dismissed on 2 June. According to President Zyazikov, there have been "serious flaws" in the government's work slowing down progress.

Amnesty Comes into Force in Chechnya

On 6 June, the State Duma passed the final reading of the resolution "On Announcing an Amnesty in Connection with the Adoption of the Chechen Constitution." According to the resolution, the State Duma announced the amnesty in order "to strengthen civil peace and harmony." The amnesty came into force after publication on 7 June and is valid until 1 September 2003.

UNHCR Official Discusses Alternative Shelter for IDPs in Ingushetia

On 16 June, the Deputy Director for Europe of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Mr. Robert Robinson went to Ingushetia and North Ossetia on a two-day visit to meet local authorities, representatives of UN agencies, and NGOs. Mr. Robinson visited tent camps and temporary settlements to become acquainted with the situation of IDPs from Chechnya. At a meeting with the Acting Prime Minister of Ingushetia, Timur Mogushkov, he discussed the issue of alternative shelter for IDPs in Ingushetia, which should be made available if tent camps in Ingushetia were closed or if IDPs were evicted from temporary settlements and private accommodation. UNHCR won support for its plan to replace worn out tents with "box-tents" in IDP tent camps. The implementation of this decision is vital for winterisation planning. While meeting local authorities in North Ossetia the UNHCR official discussed the implementation of a joint project of integration of refugees from Georgia in the republic.

II. HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

Protection

UNHCR remains concerned about the de-registration by the migration authorities of IDPs in Ingushetia, in particular those residing in temporary settlements. For instance, the local migration service de-registered 108 persons (21 families) out of the 176 residing in Vainakh settlement, Malgobek raion. UNHCR interviewed the de-registered IDPs and informed the Ingush migration service of the results. In June, 59 persons out of 108 were already re-registered, while other cases are under consideration by the authorities. The Chechen Forced Migrants Committee organised the voluntary return to Chechnya of 44 IDP families (221 persons), of whom 24 families (124 persons) de-registered in Ingushetia and registered for assistance in Chechnya. Vesta, a UNHCR NGO partner, reported 159 "spontaneous" returns to Chechnya and 87 arrivals in Ingushetia through two border crossing points it monitors.

Food

The World Food Programme (WFP), together with its NGO partners, provided 1,800 MTs of food commodities to beneficiaries of the relief distribution in Chechnya and Ingushetia. WFP resumed the distribution of a full basic food basket, including 10 kg of wheat flour, 1 litre of vegetable oil, 0.6 kg of sugar, and 0.15 kg of iodised salt. The food assistance reaches about 139,000 beneficiaries in targeted areas in Chechnya and over 87,000 IDPs in Ingushetia. The school-feeding programme in Chechnya is on hold because of the summer holidays.

Shelter and Non-food Items

On 5 June President of Ingushetia, Murat Zyazikov, signed an agreement with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation/Swiss Humanitarian Unit (SDC/SHA), a Swiss government structure, which provides for a joint programme between the Republic of Ingushetia and SDC/SHA, assisted by UNHCR. The programme is aimed at integrating IDPs from Chechnya who decided to settle down in Ingushetia. Under the programme, the Ingush authorities will provide land plots for individual houses construction and finance the construction works, while SDC/SHA will be responsible for planning and will contribute with construction materials.

Health

On 5 June, the World Health Organization (WHO), together with representatives of the Ingush Ministry of Health, sanitary epidemiological surveillance service (SES), and NGOs, carried out an assessment mission to B tent camp in Ingushetia to identify the number of children in need of measles vaccination. A similar study had been conducted in Satsita camp earlier. Members of the group filled in a specially developed questionnaire for every child. According to the survey, 73% of 642 children under 15 identified in camp B claimed they had not been vaccinated and/or did not know whether they had been vaccinated. Fifty-four children had measles. The Ministry of Health of Chechnya reported 295 measles cases registered in the first four months of 2003. Most of the cases were registered in Grozny, and 53 of those infected reside in temporary accommodation centres (TACs). The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) continued realising its Mother Empowerment Programme in Ingushetia by advocating with IDP mothers for better child health care, and the importance of immunisation and breast-feeding. It completed the distribution of leaflets on acute respiratory infections, control of diarrhoea diseases, breastfeeding, and immunisation among NGOs carrying out medical programmes and state-run health facilities.

Education

UNICEF, in partnership with NGOs, organised in Pyatigorsk (Stavropolsky Krai) a festival "Every Child Has a Right" on the occasion the International Children's Day on 1 June. During the festival 160 affected children from Chechnya and Ingushetia presented dancing and singing performances and participated in drawing, carving, knitting, and sewing competitions. The agency, together with the NGO, Druzhba, launched a joint project aimed at providing IDP children in settlements in Karabulak and Troitskaya, and in B tent camp in Ingushetia with an opportunity to participate in summer recreational activities. The project covers over 480 children. UNICEF continued supporting the replacement of tents with more comfortable "box-tents" to improve the conditions in kindergartens in Ingushetia, run by Caritas Internationalis (CI) and the International Rescue Committee. In addition, UNICEF supported the replacement of 50 school-tents with "box-tents" at tent schools in IDP camps in Ingushetia.

Water and Sanitation

UNICEF continued developing its Water and Environmental Sanitation programme implemented in partnership with the Polish Humanitarian Organisation (PHO) in Grozny. The daily production and distribution of potable water reached 640 m3 (enough for 43,000 people). The number of water distribution points increased to 177 with additional water tankers installed in several health care institutions and residential areas. Another water truck was hired in addition to the 14 already in operation due to the increase in the number of sites serviced. UNICEF, in cooperation with state structures and NGOs, distributed soap, chloramide, and anti-parasite substances to medical and educational institutions in Chechnya and Ingushetia, as well as to IDP settlements in Ingushetia.

Mine Action*

With the beginning of summer vacations at schools, Voice of the Mountains, a UNICEF partner, has shifted the focus of the mine risk education programme to TACs in Grozny, targeting all members of families residing there. 200 people were already covered. In Ingushetia, the NGO conducted mine risk education sessions for 120 IDP children attending psychosocial rehabilitation centres run by Druzhba NGO. The UNICEF/WHO-supported prosthetic centre in Vladikavkaz completed the treatment of 8 mine survivors (children and women). Another 9 disabled patients registered for the prosthetic assistance. In Chechnya, Let's Save the Generation, another UNICEF NGO partner, continued distributing UNICEF-provided sticks and crutches to mine-disabled people. In addition, it provided crutches to two Grozny hospitals.

* Mine action in this report refers to one or a combination of the following activities: mine awareness, victim assistance, and vocational training.

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