Mission Report Joint Assessment Mission to Chinaksen Woreda East Hararghe Zone 20-21 June 2020
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Mission Report Joint Assessment Mission to Chinaksen Woreda East Hararghe Zone 20-21 June 2020 June 2020 Contents 1. Background................................................................................................................................................. 3 2. Participants................................................................................................................................................. 3 3. Mission Objectives ..................................................................................................................................... 4 4. Assessment’s methodology ........................................................................................................................ 4 5. Key findings ................................................................................................................................................ 4 6. Discussion with the woreda authority ....................................................................................................... 5 7. Field visit to IDP returnee sites .................................................................................................................. 6 8. Identified sectoral gaps .............................................................................................................................. 8 9. General Key recommendations ................................................................................................................ 11 10. Annexes ................................................................................................................................................ 12 10.1 Assessment team ............................................................................................................................. 12 10.2 Expected IDP returnees distribution to the different kebeles ......................................................... 12 10.3 IDP returnees arrived so far ............................................................................................................. 14 10.4 Health facilities damaged ................................................................................................................. 14 10.5 Schools damaged ............................................................................................................................. 15 10.6 Seed requirement............................................................................................................................. 16 10.7 ESNFI requirement ........................................................................................................................... 17 10.8 WASH facilities damaged need rehabilitation.................................................................................. 17 10.9 Food needs ....................................................................................................................................... 18 10.10 Some photos-with oral consent ................................................................................................... 19 1. Background Intercommunal conflict between the Jaro clan of Oromo and Geri clan of Somali used to be recurrent as well as seasonal across this border mainly due to resource competition for their livestock.However,since the year 2015, the nature of the conflict started changing to a type of border expansion and occupation of land. Following the mass expulsion of the Oromos from urban cities of Somali region in September 2017, about 5179HHs(24370 individuals) Jarso clan were displaced from Tulu Guled woreda including Tulu town and hosted in different kebeles of Chinaksen woreda.Moreover,over 2422HHs(13898 individual) Jarso across the border kebeles with Tulu Guled woreda were also retreated back within Chinaksen woreda and hosted in adjacent kebeles of Chinaksen. On the other hand, over 8979HH (42,535 individuals) Giri clans of Somali were also displaced from 52 kebeles of Chinaksen (including 3 kebeles of Chinaksen town) and sheltered in Tulu Guled, Qologi, Jijiga and other adjacent kebeles of Chinaksen as well as Somali region. In consequent, several causalities and physical injuries, burning of living houses, damages to basic services like health facilities, schools and water schemes were among the major damages during the conflict. Following several negotiations particularly after the change of the Somali government, significant improvement in security has been reported despite there are issues in some pocket kebeles of both sides. Majority of the internal IDPs across the border kebeles have returned. These IDPs used to get humanitarian assistance mainly food at their displacement locations through WFP. According to the information obtained on 15 June 2020, both regions have made agreement to settle the issues of IDPs across the border of Chinaksen and Tulu Guled. According to the report from Chinaksen woreda DRMO head, there was discussion between the elders ,religious leaders and IDP representatives to come to an agreement to return to their original places willingly.Reportedly,the movement of the returnees started on 14 June 2020 and so far 534HHs(2887 individuals) have been moved from Qologi,Jigjiga and adjacent kebeles to Chinaksen woreda and 480HHs(3519 individuals) have been moved from Chhinaksen to Tulu Guled woreda.Those moved to Chinaksen woreda are sheltered in a school for overnight for registration case and moved to their respective kebeles the following days. The woreda DRMO disclosed that partners were not involved during this time movement as the return was made in a hurry to comply to the pressing request from the IDPs as well us to use the good moment of peace negotiation. The movement was led by administration from both sides including the woreda DRMOs. Reportedly, Ethiopian Defense Force is playing a crucial role in maintaining the safety and security of the returnees and to stabilize the areas. After receiving the information that IDPs are returning, a quick observation mission was organized by OCHA to see the overall return process and have a preliminary overview of humanitarian response preparedness and possible challenges/gaps beforehand. 2. Participants The participants on the mission included staff members from OCHA, WFP, UNICEF, CARE, IMC,AAH,LWF,ZOA and ZDRMO. 3. Mission Objectives After receiving a report that IDPs across the border of Chinaksen and Tulu Guled are returning, OCHA is convinced to conduct an observation mission with other partners to: • To have discussion with the woreda authorities to understanding the overall return process • To see and discuss with the IDP returnees on the entire return process and whether the return was voluntarily or not • To evaluate the humanitarian response preparedness and possible gaps/needs. • Based on the observation, to make recommendations and the way forward 4. Assessment’s methodology The observation mission used several methodologies to achieve the intended results, this included discussions with the woreda authorities, direct observation to the returnee areas, interviews with IDP returnees, small focused-group discussion and secondary data collection from the Woreda’s sector offices. All the methods are in accordance to the assessment guideline during covid-19. 5. Key findings ✓ Almost all the returnees reported that the return process was consultative and voluntarily following series of meetings for over years and speeded up now. The government said this time return was due to the pressure from the returnee themselves and in fear of Covid-19 expansion in a congested site at areas of displacement. ✓ So far, a total of 534HHs (2887 individuals) have returned to 14 kebeles of Chinaksen.Moreover,8445HHs (39,648 individuals) are expected to come soon. ✓ The team identified that there are huge gaps with regards to humanitarian responses and the preparedness as well as capacity of the government to address the needs is very poor. Moreover, damage to the basic services infrastructure will compromise the returnees’ access to basic services particularly health, WASH and education services ✓ Despite relative peace has been observed recently, the peace building process is yet to be finalized. Community to community, village level and neighborhood level reconciliation process and peace building activities are crucial for sustainable peace in the areas of returnees ✓ Shelter and food needs are identified as the most critical gaps. The IDP returnees didn’t get any food response from the government for the last one week of their arrival. Any further delay in food response will eventually hinder the return process and could be a point of disagreement with the woreda authorities at some point. However, the zonal DRMO reported that urgent request has been made to the regional DRMC and expecting food arrival in a short period of time ✓ Returnees have accessed their farming lands, but farm tools and seeds are critical gaps identified and requested by the returnees. Urgent response is required in less than two weeks’ time to be used for the Meher sowing windows ✓ Huge need for rehabilitation of basic services (schools, health posts and water schemes). Interim MH&NT and Water trucking are urgently needed and temporary learning space when school opens are the proposed responses ✓ Support from humanitarian partners with life saving responses is highly required. ✓ Critical need for Food, WASH, ESNFI, Health and Nutrition cluster at regional and national level to make sure that cluster specific needs