Kyrgyzstan Unrest and Refugees in Uzbekistan Situation Report #5 17 June 2010
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Kyrgyzstan Unrest and Refugees in Uzbekistan Situation Report #5 17 June 2010 This report was issued by ROMENACA Sub-regional Office for Central Asia. It covers the period 16 to 17 June (afternoon) 2010. The next report will be issued on or around 18 June 2010. I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES Estimated total of 300,000 IDPs in Kyrgyzstan and at least 75,000 refugees in Uzbekistan Security in southern Kyrgyzstan is fragile and areas of Osh remain barricaded by locals 30 flights carrying humanitarian cargo have flown to Osh and Jalal-Abad, carrying 780 tonnes of medical supplies Inter-agency need assessments in Osh/Kyrgyzstan and Andijan/Uzbekistan will provide clearer picture of humanitarian needs in the coming days Funding commitments for almost US$36 million registered so far in Financial tracking Service II. Situation Overview The security situation in southern Kyrgyzstan remains fragile. There have been reports of violent incidents overnight in Jalal-Abad, and several Uzbek areas of Osh city remain barricaded. Access to these areas is extremely difficult for humanitarian workers. Reports from local organizations suggest that thousands of people displaced from other areas of Osh are taking refuge in these barricaded areas, particularly the city district of On Adyr. An inter-agency assessment team led by the Kyrgyzstan UN Resident Coordinator visited Osh today. Local organisations report that both ethnic Uzbek and ethnic Kyrgyz communities in the city are in urgent need of food and medical assistance. The town of Bazarkorgon in Jalal-Abad province has reportedly suffered extensive arson and displacement. A local human rights organization reports that on 17 June there are about 12,000 men at the Seydikum border crossing near Bazarkorgon, and 13,000 women and children on the Uzbek side of the border. A further 1,000 people are currently located in a field next to the town near their burned-out homes. On 17 June, ICRC visited Suzak district near Jalal-Abad and reported that there are 10,000 in the area. Humanitarian organizations have not yet been able to provide substantial assistance to IDP populations in Jalal-Abad province. In the Suratash area between Osh city and the border, there are 18,000 internally displaced people (IDP) many of whom are staying with host families. Another 22,000 IDPs are reported in a nearby area, closer to the Osh airport. ICRC and MSF are working with the IDP communities there. There have been reports of several thousand displaced persons returning to their homes in Nooken district, which appears to have been less damaged, as well as to Kadamjay district of Batken province. Security forces have been on high alert in the capital Bishkek in recent days and have established roadblocks on all roads leading into the city. Interim Government officials have warned of plans by provocateurs to try to destabilize the situation in Bishkek in the coming days. On 16 June, 111 people were arrested in the capital on suspicion of attempting to incite riots. In Uzbekistan, an inter-agency humanitarian need assessment team comprising WFP, UNHCR, WHO, UNICEF, UN-AIDS, UNFPA and OCHA left for the east of the country on 17 June to identify main humanitarian needs of the refugees from southern Kyrgyzstan sheltered in ad-hoc camps, public buildings and with host families. The assessment team is working in close coordination with local authorities and will return to the capital Tashkent 18 June. An inter-agency meeting is scheduled 19 June to analyze the results The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. of the assessment, as well as to agree on an overall response strategy of UN agencies and other humanitarian actors. The strategy is to be presented as a Flash Appeal expected by early next week. According to UN staff in the area, the border between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan was closed again for new refugees arriving from Kyrgyzstan. A previous incident of border-closure was explained as necessary to allow the Uzbek authorities to register refugees who had been waiting in the holding areas close to the crossing. According to UNICEF, 92,000 adult refugees have been registered with the Uzbek authorities to date. However, a clearer estimate of the caseload is expected from the inter-agency mission currently in the area. III. Humanitarian Needs and Response Kyrgyzstan The Cluster system has been activated for the response in Kyrgyzstan. Health (Lead agency WHO), Food Security (Lead agency WFP/FAO), Shelter (Lead Agency IFRC/UNHCR), Protection (Lead Agency OHCHR/UNHCR), Water & Sanitation and Hygiene (Lead Agency UNICEF), Early Recovery (Lead agency UNDP), Education (Lead agency UNICEF) and Logistics and Telecommunications (Lead Agency WFP) Health Medical supplies in hospitals in the affected areas are sufficient for immediate needs, but not for the medium term. Access to health services in several barricaded areas is very difficult. There is a need to provide healthcare to IDPs in border areas. ICRC and Medécins Sans Frontières are currently supporting the Ministry of Health in these areas. Human rights agencies report evidence of high incidence of sexual violence in affected areas. These victims are in need of physical post trauma medical care and psycho-social counseling. ICRC has been able to distribute post-prophylactic kits to some of these victims. UNFPA-procured medicine, hygiene packages and clothes supplies have been delivered to Jalal-Abad and Osh. Food Security The food security group is gearing up to provide more assistance to the affected population in southern Kyrgyzstan but there are transportation and security problems to be addressed and the food security sector has little information about the situation of IDPs. WFP’s warehouse is located in the village of Nariman, which is still barricaded by the local population and humanitarian access needs to be negotiated. However, WFP was able to release about 60 tonnes of food supplies from the warehouse to provide rations for 13,000 people in central Osh for a two week period. WFP is investigating alternative storage options in or near the city. WFP is also bringing in 80 tonnes of high energy biscuits which do not require cooking facilities. Shelter Two UNHCR planes carrying 80 tonnes of shelter and non-food supplies for 15,000 people are due to arrive in Osh on 18 June. The supplies will be transferred to ICRC for distribution. Three UNHCR shelter experts will also arrive shortly. There has been a rise in the number of IDPs seeking refuge in Bishkek. The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Migration has started registering IDPs in the city, finding them accommodation, and coordinating with the international community to address their needs. A group of 90 children was sent to Bishkek from Osh on 16 June to be transported to Issyk Kul Province for the summer. UNICEF is working with the authorities to ensure that they are registered. A further 130 women with infants are being housed in Chuy Province. The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Migration has erected a tent camp for 250 people from the Barak enclave of Kyrgyzstan within the territory of Uzbekistan who have relocated to Ak Tash village in Kara Suu district of Osh Province. The Border Guards Service of Kyrgyzstan have informed UNDP that these displaced people are now willing to return home, because the Government of Uzbekistan has stated it will provide them with military protection. Protection UNHCR is bringing in several protection specialists to work with IDPs. In addition, a local UNHCR partner organization has arrived in Jalal-Abad to assess the humanitarian situation there. OHCHR is supporting local 2 human rights organizations in Osh to begin documenting information on human rights violations. There are many reports of gender-based violence associated with the conflict, including rape of women, men, boys and girls. UNIFEM is coordinating a group developing a strategy to address gender-based violence. Meanwhile, UNICEF is deploying additional child protection staff to address psychosocial and family separation issues. Help lines have been set up for children in Osh and Jalal-Abad to support children. Water & Sanitation and Hygiene There are urgent water and sanitation needs for IDPs in border areas. The population has been drinking irrigation canal water and 253 cases of diarrhea have been reported among IDPs in the Suratash area. ICRC has been trucking in water, and on 17 June installed a water tank in the area. The water supply in Osh and Jalal-Abad cities is reported to be reasonable, but there are concerns that chlorine stocks are running low. UNICEF is seeking to procure chlorine locally. UNICEF has offered chlorine tablet stocks to ICRC to use, but there is no capacity to train people on the ground in safe use, and few receptacles available to purify water in. UNICEF is bringing in a WASH cluster coordinator and technical specialist as surge capacity. Early Recovery Generally, there is a need to rapidly reinstate livelihoods. Restoration of bakeries destroyed in the violence is of urgent concern. Re-establishing inter-community dialogue is also essential. A post-conflict assessment is needed as soon as possible to determine the real needs on the ground. Education The Ministry of Education has reported to the cluster group that Uzbek language schools, where 3,000 children are educated, have been burned down in Osh and Jalal-Aabad. The Education cluster is working to collect information on the learning needs of IDP children. Logistics and Telecommunication There has been a major campaign by local charitable, political, religious, business and other organizations to send supplies to southern Kyrgyzstan.