Higher Relief Commission Daily Situation Report

Sitrep No: 65 Date: 04/10/2006 Lebanon under siege http://www.lebanonundersiege.gov.lb offers up-to-date information on relief efforts and diplomatic initiatives. The site lists locations of shelter and Aid distribution, along with a tally of damage, casualties and official statements. Significantly, the site is available in three languages. This site is the official Lebanese government source of information.

1-General situation.

• The spelled out Tuesday the rules of engagement of its peacekeepers, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said it could resort to the "use of force beyond self-defense" but did not give details on practical means to prevent "hostile activities" in the area. The statement said "should the situation present any risk of resumption of hostile activities, UNIFIL rules of engagement allow U.N. forces to respond as required.”UNIFIL commanders have sufficient authority to act forcefully when confronted with hostile activity of any kind," it said. Their mandate is "to protect U.N. personnel, facilities, installations and equipment; to ensure the security and freedom of movement of U.N. personnel and humanitarian workers; and to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence in its areas of deployment, within its capabilities." UNIFIL said its troop numbers on the ground has risen to around 5,200, plus an Interim Maritime Task Force, compared to a pre-war total of around 2,000. It said UNIFIL, whose task is to support the Lebanese army which has been deployed in the south for the first time in almost four decades, "has set up temporary checkpoints at key locations within its area of operations". Lebanese troops are establishing "permanent checkpoints ... to stop and search passing vehicles," it said, and would act if "specific information is available regarding movement of unauthorized weapons or equipment.

Tuesday's announcement appeared to signal a new UNIFIL strategy for establishing security and assisting the Lebanese army in patrolling an 18-mile weapons-free zone between the Israeli border and the Litani River. On Monday, Lebanon's army commander, Gen. Michel Suleiman, told about 500 soldiers the army will not allow any attacks from Lebanon that could undermine the cease-fire.

Meanwhile, A Lebanese army statement said four Israeli jets flew over southern towns and villages as well as areas in northern Lebanon. UNIFIL has asked Israel to end this practice.

• Israel should be held to account for possible war crimes during its offensive in Lebanon, the United Nations' rights expert said. Jean Ziegler, who reports to the U.N. Council, called for an international probe to determine whether Israel was responsible for "grave breaches" of the Conventions and "possibly, war crimes" under the rules of the International Criminal Court. He is due on Wednesday to present his findings to the 47-nation Council, which is currently in session. In his report, Ziegler said that during its July 12 to August 14 offensive Israel appeared to have forgotten that the Geneva Conventions which govern conflicts bar warring parties from attacking food and water supplies. "According to international jurisprudence, the government of Israel should be held responsible under international law for any violation of the right to food of the Lebanese civilian population," Ziegler said. He added that victims of such breaches should receive compensation for the losses suffered during the conflict as well as the post-war impact of the disruption of livelihoods. The Israeli military destroyed roads and barred aid convoys, hampering efforts to supply the population of southern Lebanon, which bore the brunt of the offensive, Ziegler said. The immediate destruction of the war is set to have a longer- term effect because of the unexploded cluster bombs that litter farmland, he said. In addition, the Lebanese fishing industry has been hit by an oil spill sparked by Israel's bombardment of fuel depots. Israel should pay the Lebanese government for the clean up and compensate fishermen for their economic losses, said Ziegler. He also called on the Lebanese government and aid organizations to ensure that the post-war effort to rebuild the country includes programs to help farmers, agricultural laborers and fishermen. "The right to food and water must be a central part of the reconstruction effort," Ziegler said. He added that the Lebanese authorities should institute a moratorium on debt for small-scale farmers to reverse the cycle of poverty that is set to be caused by the loss of this year's harvest. The Lebanese government, with support from donors, should also accelerate efforts to clear cluster bombs from farmland, and Israel should provide full details of where it used such munitions, Ziegler concluded.

Meanwhile, four human rights experts have accused both and the Israeli army of violating humanitarian law during their recent conflict, a report released Tuesday said. In documents circulated prior to the official release of the report on Wednesday, the experts who visited Israel and Lebanon call on international bodies to investigate the conduct of all parties during the month-long conflict. The 40-page report was drawn up by Philip Alston, Paul Hunt, Walter Kaelin and Miloon Kothari, who act as independent experts to the U.N. Human Rights Council. The four traveled to Israel and Lebanon in September on their own initiative to investigate the impact of the month-long conflict on the civilian population. A separate report, commissioned by the council, will be published later this year and may draw on some of the findings of the rights experts. This latest document describes as "serious violations of both human rights and humanitarian law" instances where Israeli forces appear not to have distinguished between civilian and military objectives, failed to have acted proportionality, or didn't taken all feasible precautions to minimize damage to civilians.

• The European Union is ready to help Lebanon with a range of security issues from border control to policing and prison security following a request from the government in Beirut, officials said on Tuesday. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora requested assistance from EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana earlier this week and the bloc's defense ministers approved preparations for such a mission at talks in northern Finland, EU officials said. "We are looking at the details of a possible EU mission in support of the Lebanese army," Solana told the meeting. "We need to know the needs which the Lebanese government wishes us to take into account," he added, according to his speaking notes. He added that a team would go to Lebanon as soon as possible to get more information.

EU nations agreed in August to provide the core of the U.N. force, UNIFIL, which will have up to 15,000 troops at full strength.

• Social workers and psychologists say that children need more time to fully regain their sense of security. “The level and magnitude of what happened was such that it will take some time for children to feel totally safe again,” says Yousef al-Barodi, a UN Children’s Fund Child protection officer. For Barodi, that sense of security which comes from being with parents, family and community has been totally shattered by the recent conflict. The sustained images of destruction and violence on television and in children’s every-day lives make the mental healing process more difficult. Children are constantly reminded of horrific visions of war. Another aggravating factor is the widespread presence of un-exploded ordnance around the houses and in the courtyards of the southern towns and villages, which prevent children from playing normally. “This feeling of danger is evident in the way children express their fears, whether directly or indirectly. Some might suffer from nightmares or other sleeping and eating disorder,” Barodi said.

• The Higher relief commission has distributed Tuesday total of 22,070 food baskets to the towns and villages in the Northern part of the country, total of 769,018 food baskets have being distribute since the beginning of HRC humanitarian operation started after the latest conflict with Israel

Meanwhile, the third convoy of The Saudi Popular Campaigns arrived to Beirut loaded with 35,000 food baskets, The Saudi popular Campaigns has started running a series of convoys loaded with food supplies and other aid materials to help alleviate the suffering of the Lebanese people. Total of 250,000 food baskets will be delivered by the Saudi Popular Campaign.

• Beirut water authority announced Tuesday that all water supplied to Beirut city and mount Lebanon are safe for drinking and do not contain any type of contamination of bacteria that may effect the health of the users.

• A Russian military plane landed in Beirut on Tuesday loaded with vehicles and equipments for troops to repair bridges destroyed during the war. The rest of the deployment numbering some 300 troops in total is due to land by sea on October 10 at Jiyeh, south of Beirut, near six Israeli-bombed bridges that the soldiers aim to repair in the Sidon region, the embassy said. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the "small deployment of engineers" was being sent under an agreement between Moscow and Beirut, with the approval of all parties. It is the first Russian military intervention in Lebanon since the early 1770s, when Russia, under Empress Catherine the Great, defeated Ottoman forces during a revolt and a naval detachment landed in Beirut.

2- Casualties:

The Cumulative figures of casualties are showing hereinafter. Estimated No. of Death: 1,191

Estimated No. of Injured: 4,405 3-Movement of Displaced Population:

The overall estimated figures of displaced population in Lebanon are shown here bellow.

Displaced Other Information

Unallocated (Estimated) 200,000 Sheltered with host families, friend etc.

4- Food and non-food items distributed by the higher relief commission. The cumulative figures of distributed aids by the higher relief commission described herein after. Description Cumulative distributed up to date. Food 769,018 Basket/Family/week. Food Basket/children/week 26,019 Blankets 134,210 Mattresses 130,054 Hot meal/family/day 583,988

Cleaning-detergent Kit 11644 Tent 1792 Generator 415 Water tank 377 Kitchen Utensil 2252 Kitchen equipments 500 Pillow 22270 Bed sheet 10838 Mineral water (liter) 98065 Fresh Milk (carton) 17787 Powder milk (Kg) 6952 Biscuit 39234 Fresh Juice (Liter) 5458 Flour (Kg) 492389

Food basket/family/5persons/week Children basket under 2 years Rice 3kg , sugar 2kg , tea 1/2kg , cheese 2kg, Children milk 3 small cans, cerelac 2 cans, 1 tuna cans 185g, meat 500g , spaghetti 3rolls , baby milk bottle , 1 biscuit box, pampers 1 peas 2kg , ghee 1kg oil 1.5L , jam 2kg , bag ,children powder 1 can , underwear 2 milk1.8kg sets, 2 pairs of socks, children soap 2 bars.

5- In kind donations. The followings In-kind donations were received by the higher relief commission. Date Description Unit QTY Donated by. NA NA NA NA0

6-Destruction/damages: The cumulative figures of Israel destructions in Lebanon are shown hereinafter (Preliminary figures). Description QTY Units

3 No Airports (including Rafik Hariri international airport)

Roads (445,000 M2) 137 Roads Fuel stations 25 No Bridges and overpasses 107 No

Private houses/ Apartments. (Destroyed) 30,000 No Private houses/ Apartment (Major damage). 30,000 No Private Houses/ Apartment (Minor Damage). 70,000 No Commercial sector (factories, markets, farms and medium size 900 No enterprises etc). No Small Size enterprises 2,800 No Government institution (Buildings) 66 No Schools (Destroyed/Damaged) 350 No Hospitals (Major damage). 2 No Health care buildings (destroyed). 12 No Health care building (severely damaged) 38 No Power plant 1 No Power generation stations 14 No Transformers 150 No Main Electrical power supply network 50 No Secondary power supply network 250 No Telecommunication main net work 44 No Telecommunication Sub net work 52 No Telecommunication tower 18 No Mobile transmission station 13 No Radio transmission station 2 No Main Water distribution net work 45 No Secondary water distribution net work 285 No Water purification Units 42 No Water Pumping stations 40 No Main water storage tanks 42 No Water Chlorination Units 62 No Water dam 1 No Main Fuel storage tank 3 3 Sea port 4 No Sewage treatment plant 1 No Main Sewage Disposal system 38 No Secondary sewage disposal system 120 No Radar 4 No Army brigade 4 No

7- Constraints: • Estimated total losses had reached 10 billion USD up to date. • Targeting factories has drastically stopped all kind of local production for food and non-food items. • Unemployment rate has reached an approximate figure of 25%. • Lack of safe drinking water and sewage disposal system in the war affected areas. • Lack of electrical power supply in most of the towns and villages of south Lebanon. • Cluster bombs have contaminated 70% of land in the war affected areas.