Ethiopia: Conflict Displacement Situation Report #2 8 February 2018
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Ethiopia: Conflict Displacement Situation Report #2 8 February 2018 Displacements Overview I. Updates Round 8 of the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), a joint displacement data collection exercise by IOM and the Danish Ref- ugee Council (DRC), was conducted between 3 November and 8 December 2017. The teams collected displacement data at the zonal, woreda/district and site level. Data collected at the zones informed the targeting of key woredas, while data collected at the woreda level informed the targeting of key displacement hotspots. DTM Round 8 piloted the use of mobile data collection tools to streamline and accelerate data collection/entry/cleaning processes. Regional and sub-regional findings were reviewed and en- dorsed by Government authorities at woreda, zonal and regional levels. Following a national review by the NDRMC, DTM Round 8 data and analysis was officially endorsed on 31 January 2018. Since mid-December 2017, new displacements were reported in Oromia region. In West Hararge zone, local authorities reported around 44,000 new IDPs (Oromos and Somalis), displaced by localized clashes in Hawi Gudina and Daro Lebu woredas. IDPs are dispersed in around 20 different locations in these two woredas. Some of the new Somali IDPs have reportedly started moving out of Oromia and reached existing IDP sites in Dire Dawa and Qoloji. Similarly, ethnic Somalis are reported to currently be moving out of Negele town in Guji zone and its surroundings, having sold their assets and livestock. Displacements from this area are low- key and were not provoked by specific incidents. Around 400 Somali families have reportedly moved from Negele area to Hudet woreda in January 2018 and some others to other parts of Somali region. In late January, new access between Liban and Dawa zones was provided through the finalization of construction of the Gaaluun bridge. Movement of humanitarian supplies has begun – UNICEF and WFP in Jijiga have already transported relief food and ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) supplies via the bridge. The physical structure of the bridge, however, can only allow trucks with a carrying capacity of up to 40 metric tonnes. The bridge is still a major improvement allowing for access and movement of humanitarian supplies to Dawa zone, which has been a challenge over the past few months, while also reducing transport time. On 28 January, the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) and Under-Secretary-General (USG) for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock announced that US$10 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) would be allocated to complement ongoing Government efforts to help the most vulnerable people displaced due to conflict along the border of the two regions. The announcement was made following the ERC’s three-day mission to Ethiopia where he visited conflict and climate induced IDP sites and collection centers as well as two planned re-settlement sites/ areas for IDPs. The CERF allocation will fund life-saving interventions for IDPs and where feasible, will include activities that also contribute to long-term solutions for displaced people to reestablish their lives. The CERF funds will support emergency shelter, non-food items, and clean water and sanitation services for the IDPs and hosting communities. In the last two years, CERF allocated $49 million to aid operations in Ethiopia. II. Contextual developments a) Government plan The Government of Ethiopia has put in place a plan to respond to the needs of all IDPs in the country, both conflict and climate in- duced. Around 1 million people are displaced by the conflict around the border areas of Oromia and Somali regions (this includes displacements prior to the August-September upsurge). The plan encourages (1) voluntary return to areas of origin; (2) voluntary integration with host communities; and (3) voluntary resettlement to selected areas. While some 584,000 IDPs who were displaced from border areas (and remain close to their areas of origin) will be supported to voluntarily return to their areas of origin until March 2018, others will be provided with alternate integration and resettlement options. The Government of Ethiopia allocated 1 billion ETB (more than US$36 million) – equally transferred to the Oromia and Somali Regional Governments – to implement the plan where the majority of the allocation is expected to fund rehabilitation efforts. This This document has been prepared jointly by OCHA and the National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC), in partnership with Cluster Coordinators, to provide an update on the situation of populations displaced due to conflict on the border between Oromia and Somali regions, and to inform efforts in mobilizing additional international funding and resources in support to the current response. 1 is part of the broader Government allocation of ETB five billion ($182 million) to address natural and man-made disaster-in- duced humanitarian crisis in the country. In Oromia region, the resettlement program is being Oromia Resettlement Sites implemented in a phased manner following an IDP intention survey conducted by Haromaya University, which identified site locations, places of origin, and Sululta Burayu whether IDPs preferred return, reintegration or relo- Lega Tafo Ambo Addis Ababa Sebeta cation. During the first phase, some 86,000 persons Gelan Dukem are scheduled to settle in 11 towns in the region based Debre Zeit (Bishoftu) on the findings of ongoing IDP verifications and a re- Mojo Adama (Nazret) gional committee has been set up to follow up on the Weliso implementation of the plan. To date, a study was con- ducted in four IDP sites in East Hararge zone and pre- SNNPR liminary findings indicate a majority of the IDPs prefer Batu/Ziway Asela to be settled within Oromia region. Oromia Somali regional authorities are exploring a similar ap- proach to that taken in Oromia – as it provides strong Oromia resettlement sites evidence to inform regional policies / planning pro- Shashemene Major roads Bishan Guracha Major towns cesses as well as valuable inputs into the ongoing Fed- Hawassa Region boundary eral Government-led reconciliation process – and plan to conduct an intention survey with Somali IDPs, via Jijiga University, to inform the implementation of rein- tegration and relocation programs. As part of this reconciliation process, the presidents of the two regions, together with community elders from both sides started talks in Dire Dawa on 5 February. The rights of people to live everywhere in the country, guaranteed in the federal constitution (article 23), was reaffirmed in these discussions. b) Qoloji IDP sites – Decisions by Government and EHCT On 29 January, the Government announced its decision to close the Qoloji IDP sites, given the limited possibility to provide lon- ger-term solutions to IDPs located in these sites. Following this announcement and based on prior recommendations put forth by the IDP Advisory Group to the EHCT, the Ethiopian Humanitarian Country Team (EHCT), on 1 February, made the following agreements; 1. To maintain emergency life-saving assistance currently being provided, with the ultimate view of gradual disengage- ment and transfer of responsibilities to Government; 2. That under the leadership of the Somali region Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator (DHC), partners will engage with Somali authorities to understand the plans and support needs for alternative solutions to Qoloji IDPs, and allow the gradual dismantling of Qoloji with informed consent of IDPs; and 3. Apart from sanitation infrastructure, to avoid establishing any new infrastructure in Qoloji 1 and 2. c) Damage and loss assessment Many of the pastoralists displaced in border areas (close to areas of origin) are still lacking shelter and other household basic items. The NDRMC is planning to conduct an assessment in these areas, to assess damage to infrastructure and facilities (health posts, schools, etc.) and to determine the scale of lost livestock. This will inform the actual needs and requirements for the full- fledged implementation of the national IDP response plan, including some compensation for lost livestock. There are however some concerns from humanitarian partners particularly relating to returning IDPs to contested territory as Government only anticipates completing the border demarcation exercise by the end of June – after some of these planned returns will have been completed. 2 d) Humanitarian response to people affected by conflict along the border areas of Oromia and Somali regions A multi-agency Nutrition Cluster monitoring mission to East and West Hararge zones of Oromia region was conducted from 29 to 31 January. Three IDP sites were visited in two woredas of East Hararge, while two IDP sites were visited in two woredas of West Hararge. The assessment reviewed emergency nutrition and health services being delivered by Government and partners in these sites and recommended continued or expanded operational support of Government, NGO and UN partners. In East Hararge zone, the mission found that some structures hosting IDPs were not suitable for habitation (Deder Town IDP Site with 1,250 people), high levels congestion and smoke inhalation, low access to sanitary latrines and showers (high risk for AWD outbreak and other infectious diseases), and the critical need for a site management committee. The team facilitated a screening and reporting system with zonal health and DRM offices to improve TSFP services and targeting, and agreed that the site man- agement committee would be supported by NGOs, where possible, and the committee would be responsible for General Food Distribution (GFD) to IDPs in the sites. In town areas where markets are available – GFD quality cereal /oil needs to be topped up with cash, taking into account that wheat or maize is the preferred cereal over sorghum. In remote areas, a full basket including pulses, salt/spice would be required along with the cereal/oil. In West Hararge, the mission found that zonal, woreda and community in-kind support were adequate and contributed to overall wellbeing of IDPs in the areas monitored so far.