General Coordination Meeting – Sievierodonetsk (Luhansk Oblast) 03 March 2015
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General Coordination Meeting – Sievierodonetsk (Luhansk Oblast) 03 March 2015 Discussion Action Points/Decisions 1. Introduction: objective of the meeting This was the first General Coordination Meeting convened by UN OCHA in the government-controlled area (GCA) of Luhansk Oblast. The overall objective of the meeting was to share the latest information on humanitarian situation in the Oblast and to hear from partners on their activities related to security issues, existing needs of IDPs and challenges faced by humanitarian actors in the area. Other objectives included identification of a platform for further cooperation, as well as the next steps and arrangements to better respond to humanitarian needs. 2. Summary of current information about IDPs in Luhansk Oblast According to information from Luhansk Oblast State Administration (LOSA), the total number of IDPs in Luhansk Oblast is 138,506 persons (as of March 2, 2015). Starting from February 2015, any payment to pensioners without IDPregistration were suspendedthat showed that out of 170,000 pensioners in Oblast actually 100-102 thousand pensioners receive pension that leaves 70,000 elderly people in NGCAs. Besides, this category of people can’t afford paying rent for the flat and they are forced to return back home. This applies to other categories as well. The issue of rent payment becomes a problem for most of IDPs as they have no stable source of income. Vice-Prime Minister of Ukraine commissioned local authorities to find premises that can be adapted as collective centers. These premises will need repair and the state will have to find funding for it. As people start returning home, damaged houses and infrastructure need major repairs and construction materials. E.g., in some areas (Stanichno-Luhanske, Popasna, Krymske) about 30% of houses are completely destroyed and they can’t be restored. Growth in prices caused by economic situation makes access to food for IDPs even worse. It was noted by LOSA that there are some cases of duplication of food kits delivery to certain areas. It happens due to lack of coordination when the partners don’t share information about carried out activities (in 3W/4W format) with other partners or cluster leads. Water supply system is damaged and has not been restored in Zolote and Stakhanovets until now. People OCHA to contact WASH cluster and follow up. have been without water for 2 months. The rehabilitation of the water supply system will take at least 2 weeks. Some alternative arrangements of water supply are required. WASH cluster made presentation and never appeared again. It was informed by WASH partner that water to Zolote, Girske, Tryokhizbenka, Stanichno-Luhanske and Schastya will be delivered by Luhansk Agency for Sustainable Development. United NationsOfficeforthe Coordinationof Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA) | Ukraine Coordination Saves Lives|www.unocha.org Power supply is restored in all areas, the only place with partial power supply is Stanichno-Luhanske. Gas is supplied to all settlements except Tryokhizbenka. The Governor ordered Security Service and Militia of Luhansk Oblast not to interfere into activities of international humanitarian organizations except when there are suspicions of serious crimes. It was caused by the case when SSU arrested humanitarian cargo from WFP that was stored in private warehouse. 3. Access issues The number of actors highlighted the problem of access to non-Government controlled areas (NGCA) as well OCHA will connect SES with DDG to cooperate in as movement of trucks through check-points in Government controlled areas (GCA). This is a difficult issue: demining programme. on one hand the roads to NGCAs from the side of GCAs are hampered physically. I.e. some roads are mined and bridges are damaged, on the other hand the regulations require a package of documents to be prepared for the truck and shipment including recently introduced requirement to have a document from the fiscal service confirming that the cargo directed to NGCAs is a humanitarian aid. In some cases the same document is required on check-points in GCAs though it is against regulation. SES representative informed that they are demining small areas but big mined fields require special military troops to demine the areasing. OCHA informed about Danish Demining Group project in Luhansk Oblast and provided contacts. Also the restrictions are caused by insecurity and possibilities of shelling. OSCE underlined that although they cannot interfere into negotiations they can facilitate the dialogue between Ukrainian authorities and non-state actors. The situation improved after ceasefire announcement, many areas are easier accessible. Recently check-point in Zolote started permitting movement of people in both directions. BakhmutskiyShlyakh after removing some physical obstacles and demining can be used as alternative access road to NGCAs. There are hopes that other corridors will also be opened. It is also expected that with introduction of military-civil administrations coordination for permits will improve IRD proposed that transfer of responsibilities in relation to humanitarian aid permits from Ministry of Social Policy and Fiscal Service in Kiev to their local offices would facilitate this process. MSF highlighted the problem of medication and drug importation due to restrictions provisioned by the new legislation. 4. Obtaining passes for access to NGCAs Deputy Governor will be main contact point in case of As it was voiced by a number of organizations (NRC, ACF, MSF) it is difficult to get passes to NGCAs for any issues faced by aid agency when crossing check points their international staff. ACF was requested by Coordination Centre in Starobilsk (Luhansk Oblast) to provide under condition that the agency has all necessary documents petition from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating that they are in Ukraine with diplomatic mission while MFA for cargo. informed that they won’t issue this document for international NGO (ACF contacted MFA for this). • LOSA will provide contact of the person in the fiscal service for communication in the issues of humanitarian MSF and IRD stated that before it was possible to obtain pass to all zones in Coordination Centre in shipments. Kramatorsk, now it is necessary to apply to Coordination Centre issuing passes to specific zone. Also it was noted that Coordination Centers have different interpretation of regulations. International staff has issues crossing check point on GCAs when they have to explain the reasons of their trips. It was proposed to make lists of international humanitarian organizations operating in the area and United NationsOfficeforthe Coordinationof Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA) Coordination Saves Lives|www.unocha.org leave them on check points or prepare a letter from Oblast Administration confirming their mission. LOSA advised using Memoranda of Understanding signed between LOSA and international organization as one of support documents. 5. Identification of beneficiaries and information exchange • OCHA will send all participants link to It was mentioned by most of participants (NRC, MSF) that they face the issue of identification of humanitarianresponse.info site to have access to beneficiaries. While there are data of officially registered IDPs (by raions and towns) it doesn’t reflect the updated humanitarian information. number of IDPs actually located in GCAs of Luhansk Oblast. Moreover this data doesn’t show the number of • To make further discussion of the need and options for people in need. There is also no centralized information about the needs (how much food, NFI etc. is needed common data base of beneficiaries. and where). IRD proposed for all organizations to share databases of beneficiaries they already have and create a single database that can also include the aid provided to each person, thus avoiding unequal needs coverage. Though it was noted that personal information disclosure is regulated and restricted by specific law. Lack of information exchange and coordination leads to cases of duplication/overlapping of humanitarian aid in some locations. Stronger coordination is required. 6. Early recovery issues SES representative pointed out that in places where people return after shelling there is a big need in construction materials, glass in particular as 50-60% of buildings have damaged windows. Plastic sheets can be used as a temporary solution. UNDP started a project of infrastructure recovery, seven objects have been identified in Svatove, Rubizhne and Lysychansk (kindergarten, Center for rehabilitation of disabled, school, hospital). Another project is aimed at the restoration of buildings to be used as collective centers for IDPs. UNDP economic regeneration programme is planned to promote IDP employment through SME support, training, new jobs creation, public works, temporary jobs. 7. Current situation in NGCAs There is no official information available for humanitarian situation in NGCAs so the evaluation is possible only based on comments from organizations currently present there (IRD, ICRC, Regional Red Cross, OSCE). As stated by Regional Red Cross the situation with medications and drugs, baby and adult diapers, food, baby food in particular, is critical in all towns, especially outside Luhansk (Bryanka, Kirovsk, Stakhaniv). ICRC had an opportunity to preposition some stocks before the access was restricted but it is not enough to cover the entire needs. The situation is worsened by growing food prices resulting from the restricted access and