Humanitarian Update Timor-Leste
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
OCHA/UNMITOCHA/UNMITOCHA/UNMIT Integrated Humanitarian Integrated Integrated Humanitarian Coordination Humanitarian Coordination Team Coordination Team Team HUMANITARIAN UPDATE TIMOR-LESTE PERIOD FROM 16 NOVEMBER TO 7 DECEMBER 2007 THIS WEEK’S HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN A SNAPSHOT: Food distribution: The General Food Distribution November cycle was completed for 64,493 IDP in 51 IDP Camps in Dili and Tibar (Liquica). The De- cember Distribution cycle started on Tuesday 4 De- cember 2007. Shelter: As of December, the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS) and SLS teams have distributed 1700 replacement tents to 22 IDP camps in Dili. Visit of the UN Security Council delegation to the Hospital IDP Camp, Dili Friday 30 November 2007 Photo Martine Perret/UNMIT UN SECURITY COUNCIL VISIT: During its trip to Timor-Leste from 26 to 30 November, a delegation of the UN Security Council visited the Hospital IDP camp (see picture). Camp managers from Airport, Jardim, Metinaro Sional IDP camps also participated in the meeting with the Security Council Members. On 29 November, the UN Security Council visited Baucau and held a meeting with the local District Administrator. The Security Council delegation also visited a joint UNICEF/WFP School Programme at Baucau School (No. 01). The delegation was introduced to Active Learning Principles (UNICEF) as well as the WFP School Feeding Programme. The UN Security Council delegation also exchanged with Catholic Relief Services, the Site Liaison Support of the IDP camps in Baucau. RAINY SEASON UPDATE: Food: WFP has effectively propositioned 1,600 MT food commodities for Mother and Child Health (MCH), School Feed- ing (SF), and Food For Work (FFW) programmes in the districts, particularly Covalima, Suai, Ermera, Oecusse and Liquica, in preparation for the rainy season. Shelter: In the IDP camps in Baucau, 85 tarpaulins are estimated being needed in order to provide shelter for living and cook- ing space during the coming months of the rainy season. Most of them (50) are needed in SKB camp. A preliminary technical assessment of the requirements to fix the roof of the main building in the Baucau camp was conducted. The Ministry for Social Solidarity was informed of the need to send a member of its shelter group to recommend the way forward (either a permanent repair of the roof or an immediate distribution of tarpaulins). Water and Sanitation: The Water and Sanitation Working Group (WSWG) has agreed that where appropriate and possible, the WSWG will undertake minimum rainy season preparations, including raising tents, securing septic tanks and conducting internal drainage. The WSWG will also prepare an emergency plan to respond to minor flooding in camps and revise contin OCHA/UNMIT Integrated Humanitarian Coordination Team Humanitarian Update Timor-Leste Page 2 -gency plans to prepare for the possibility of major flooding. Given the characteristics of Baucau, the soil and the hilly nature, drainage isn’t a major concern, except for Tri Loca camp, which comprises traditional Timorese style houses, more vulnerable than other buildings to the expected rain. A technical assessment of the camp was done by the WatSan agency and resulted in the need of drainage works up- stream to mitigate impacts of runoff The 4 septic tanks in Baucau need to be secured and emptied before the beginning of the rains: there is no local dump to dispose the excreta in Baucau and the contractor will have to return it to Dili. UNICEF, as WatSan agency for the camps in Baucau, is following the issue with DNAS and the contractors serving the camps in Dili. A truck should be sent as soon as possible. Health: On 20th and 21st November, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Site Liaison Support Baucau team has conducted a health training for 30 camps leaders to raise awareness about the increased health risks during the rainy season. CRS team presented issued related to health promotion, hygiene, water quality and vector control, with specific reference to camp environment and the upcoming rainy season. During the training, points of discussions ranged from request of mosquito nets and of anti-mosquitoes spraying for the camps buildings and makeshift tents. IDPs also lamented the lack of general food distribution. Assessments: Two days of relatively heavy rains, 22nd and 26th November, have caused minor problems in Police Academy and Hosana camps. A joint assessment with the Ministry of Social Solidarity, Catholic Relief Services, and UNICEF was conducted the next day. The Water and Sanitation Working Group has conducted a preliminary assessment of the flooding risk of camps. This information has been circulated to the humanitarian community to assist with contingency plans and shows that some camps have shifted from high to moderate flooding risk, mainly due to works conducted. However, several camps remain at high risk, including: 1.2 Canossa Lecidere, 1.5 National Hospital G Valadares, 2.3 Balide Igreja, 3.2 Farol Escola Primaira, 3.5 Jardim Nicolao Lobato, 3.9 Moteal Church & Clinic, 4.3 Parking Lot Obrigado Bar- raks, 7.1 Central National Pharmacy, 10.4 Airport, 0.1 Metinaro and 0.2 Hera Port (see reference map attached for location). For these camps, the Water and Sanitation Working Group recommends that priority be given to transi- tional shelter and returns programs to reduce the population and/or decommission the camp. Regarding the issue of cleaning the public drains in Dili, the Department of Public Works performed an assessment of 6 priority drainage areas in and around Dili. A Cash-for-Work programme sponsored by the United Nations De- velopment Programme, the International Labour Organisation and the Ministry for Infrastructure - Department of Public Works - has been established in this regard, and will make $150,000 available for the clearance and mainte- nance of public drains. Further to the assessment, the ILO/Department of Public Works drain clearing program has decided to focus on drains in Kaikoli and Bairo Pite. The Water and Sanitation Working Group developed a list of priority drains to be cleaned that affect flooding in IDP camps. Currently the group is developing a combined pro- posal to urgently clear these drains as most fall out side the scope of the ILO/Department of Public Works program. In preparation of the looming La Nina rainy season, WFP carried out investigations on access to remote areas, storage, lines of communication in Lospalos. Assessment of other remote areas such as Suai is ongoing. The NGO Plan international conducted rainy season preparedness assessments of the Motael, Jardim and Primary school IDP camps, and raised tents when required. OCHA/UNMIT Integrated Humanitarian Coordination Team Page 3 Humanitarian Update Timor-Leste SECTOR UPDATE: FOOD: Food Aid Assistance: In a letter dated 20 November, the Ministry for Social Solidarity (MSS) formally requested WFP to provide Food Aid Assistance to: Extend the Food Aid Assistance to IDPs living in Dili camps for 3 months at half IDP ration as from January 2008 (see reference at the end of this Update). Provide Emergency Food Aid Assistance to the victims of natural disasters in Covalima. WFP is currently liaising with the Secretary of State for Social Services and Natural Disasters to define the modali- ties and timeframe of the next food distribution cycles. Recent assessments reveal that there is a likelihood that some villagers in the Hatolia Sub-District might face a short- age of food in coming days due to the bad quality of last year’s crop caused by the shortage of rains and the presence of locusts. There are thirteen villages and 59 sub-villages with a total population of 30192 people in Hatolia SD. Food for Work: The work of 40 Food for Work (FFW) schemes in 32 Aldeas in Manatuto and Baucau initiated late October is ongo- ing. Another 95 schemes for Manatuto, Baucau and Lospalos are in the final stages of the approval process. Imple- mentation expected throughout December 2007. Fumigation: According to standard operating procedure, the WFP warehouse in Colmera was closed for the duration of one week for periodic fumigation. The warehouse will be operational from Tuesday 4 December 2007. SHELTER: The approximately 2000 tents recently purchased by IOM and MSS were mistakenly attributed to UNMIT in recent local media reports. These additional tents will serve the current tent replacement programme in Dili IDP camps. Recent reports highlight an increase in the number of people living at the Jardim IDP Camp over the last few weeks, observation emphasized by the fact that some tents are now being set up outside the fence. This increase could be linked to the announcement by the Government that cash would be granted to IDPs should they return home. EMERGENCY WATER AND SANITATION: The Water and Sanitation Working Group (WSWG) members continue with ongoing activities in the IDP camps, such as trucking water and monitoring water quality, cleaning septic tanks, partnering with health and hygiene pro- motion and the ongoing maintenance of water and sanitation facilities. These services continue to be provided or coordinated by DNAS (National Department for Water and Sanitation), Plan International, UNICEF, Oxfam, Health- Net, CVTL (Timor-Leste Red Cross), CARE, and CRS (Catholic Relief Services). In the last couple of weeks, some bore wells in camps were unable to provide sufficient water to the IDP population. Assumptions are that it is due to the dry season and that the bores’ capacity will increase with the forthcoming rains. Thus, demands on water trucking increase, and may lead to a prioritization of camps receiving water. Since the end of August, no water was trucked to the camps in Baucau. Thus, families purchase as much as needed from a provider other than DNSAS. The situation needs to be unblocked to avoid risks of spreading diseases.