HUMANITARIAN SITUATION REPORT N°2/06 16-31 January 2006 United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. GENERAL HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT

According to the UN Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS), the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) are now widely dispersed in small groups and are operating in Apac, Lira, Kitgum, Gulu and Pader districts. During the reporting period, there were 18 security incidents including abductions, ambushes/raids, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF)-LRA clashes and LRA sightings. There were 42 civilians abducted in these districts. There have been no reported incidents or sightings of the LRA rebels in Teso region (, , and Amuria districts).

In , the UN continue to use military escorts to internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in Aromo, Ogur, Okwang, Apala, Adwari, Orum and Olilim sub-counties. Most NGOs use escorts if visiting Aromo sub- county or Otuke county. Action Contre la Faim (ACF) are accessing all but one camps in the district without escort while MSF access six camps without escort.

Camps and settlements in Katakwi and Amuria districts are accessible, although local militia escorts are used in some areas, particularly in the Karimojong belt. In Kapalebyong camp, ; Opeuro Aodot and Acanga in Ngariam sub-county, , the displaced persons are escorted to graze their herds. According to the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS), apart from the security concerns caused by their presence, Karimojong and their animals are exerting a lot of pressure on the water points (boreholes and valley dams) in Orom, Namukora and Omiya Anyima sub counties in . In , Karimojong herdsmen are in Paimol, Lapono, Adilang, Parabongo and some parts of Lukole. District officials from Pader and Kotido met with Karimojong kraal leaders to draw up a memorandum of understanding on the utilisation of water sources and prevention of animal infectious diseases. The army has allowed Karimojong to graze their animals under close monitoring by the military. According to the Pader District Internal Security Officer (DISO), the Karimojong are being encouraged to return their guns or hand them in.

In the Teso region, clashes between Karimojong warriors and Arrow militia continued in Amuria and Katakwi districts, though with no reported casualties. According to the Interim Local Council V Chairperson of Amuria District, the Karimojong have moved with their animals to the border with Amuria. A large group is camped at Ogwete dam less than 3km from Angicha in Obalanga Sub County, Amuria District. This has become their base from which they are reportedly terrorizing/ affecting over 5,963 displaced persons. Also affected are families in Angicha and Amotoom camps in Obalanga Sub County who had moved from Obalanga main camp and other areas to settlements nearer to their ancestral land.

II. POPULATION MOVEMENT

Camp decongestion. Site preparation at Biira, the only official decongestion camp in , is ongoing. According to the Sub County Chief, three land owners have voluntarily offered land for the camp, but a formal agreement is yet to be signed between land owners and sub-county authorities. By 24 January, 1,909 families (9,837 persons) had registered with the Sub-County Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) for relocation. The exercise is planned for 15,000 individuals. So far, land demarcated can accommodate 630 huts or about 310 families. The UPDF, although still building barracks, are permanently deployed at the Biira site. In Pader, IDPs who were to resettle in Paiula, one of the IDP decongestion sites along the Pader-Pajule road, have refused to relocate to the site for unknown reasons. Eight additional sites of Acuru, Lakoga, Kokil, Tyer, Bolo, Ogonyo, Toroma and Agora were approved by the military for decongestion. The St. Mary’s site, which is west of Lapul is awaiting approval from the army.

Return. In Lira, IDPs continue to return to villages around the areas of Amugu, Alanyi and Abako, but exact numbers are not yet known. In Katakwi and Amuria districts, return in the areas close to the border with Lira and Kotido, namely northern parts of Obalanga, Orungo and parts of Morugatuny sub-counties, has been affected by the influx of Karimojong herdsmen and their animals. In addition, most return areas are experiencing water shortage as several water sources and swamps have dried up. In , 95% of the displaced

OCHA Uganda Humanitarian Situation Report N° 2/06 from 16 – 31 January 2006 1/4 15A Clement Hill Road Ruth Towers . Tel (+256 31) 242 804 / Fax 242 801 For more information contact Christophe illemassene or Jane Namulindwa at [email protected] / [email protected] population has returned to their homes of origin, with the exception of Anyara Sub County, which still has two IDP camps hosting 2203 people. In Soroti dictrict, 95% of displaced families from the district have returned.

Assistance to Formerly Abducted Children. Ten Children were received at the Christian Children Fund (CCF) Pader reception centre from the UPDF Child Protection Centre (CPU). The children were rescued during clashes between the UPDF and LRA from various parts of Pader district. The Demobilization and Resettlement Team under the Amnesty Commission launched the Amnesty programme in Pader district on 19 January. So far 852 children have received the packages.

Night commuters.

District Oct 05 Nov 05 Dec 05 Jan 06 Gulu 8,500 7,869 - 6,583 Kitgum 13,419 11,219 9,027 - Pader - - - 2,910* *There are two centres in Pader district. The above figure corresponds to headcount by GOAL for one of the centres, Kalongo, only. Patongo centre figures are unavailable yet. OCHA is working with local authorities for an updated headcount there.

III. SECTORAL ACTIVITIES

Food Security · WFP undertook general food distribution in four camps in Kitgum and 20 camps in Gulu district. The agency also distributed 1,569 metric tonnes of food to 76,896 beneficiaries (37,848 male and 41,110 female); verified school and hospital caseloads in six IDP camps; and sensitized communities in 12 IDPs camps in Pader district · The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and Light Force International (LFI) distributed food packs to 1,500 families in Walala in Lira district, on 29 January · ICRC carried beneficiary list updates for agricultural seeds distribution in six camps in Pader district

Water and Sanitation IDPs in Gulu, Kitgum, Pader, Katakwi and Amuria have to contend with severe water shortage. Due to insufficient rainfall in 2005, most water sources (shallow wells, unprotected springs and boreholes) have either dried up or have a very low yield, causing very long queues. In Gulu and Pader, the water problem has persisted for three months. · ICRC is sinking a new motorized bore hole in Pabbo IDP camp; the agency also distributed latrine construction materials in Geregere and Alim IDP camps in Pader district; ICRC and AVSI are drilling boreholes in Namukora and constructing latrines at Namukora vocational and primary schools in Kitgum. · IRC has ongoing hygiene promotion and construction of household latrines in four IDP camps and drilling of motorised deep well in Orum camp. · In Lira district, CEASOP installed 13 blocks of mobile toilets in Aromo (8) and Agweng (5); COOPI repaired six bore holes in Agweng and Amugu; UNICEF placed mobile toilets at Ayago and Ngetta Primary Schools.

Heath and Nutrition An epidemic of meningitis was declared in north-eastern Uganda on 18 January. As of 24 January there were 175 cases of meningitis, with 11 fatalities, reported in the country. · WHO and MSF have provided medications to treat some 800-1000 meningitis patients, with WHO also providing intravenous fluids and case management guidelines. · MoH/WHO/UNICEF are working on health education to alert communities, increase awareness, and effect quick referral of suspected cases to designated health facilities. · WHO and the Ministry of Health (MoH) are reinforcing surveillance and continuing search and investigation in affected districts. With MSF, they are working to put in place a daily reporting mechanism on cases · WHO estimate that between 200,000 - 230,000 doses of meningococcal vaccine, and an equivalent number of syringes, are needed to immunize approximately 133,000 people. Other health and nutrition activities included:

OCHA Uganda Humanitarian Situation Report N° 2/06 from 16 – 31 January 2006 2/4 15A Clement Hill Road Ruth Towers Kampala. Tel (+256 31) 242 804 / Fax 242 801 For more information contact Christophe illemassene or Jane Namulindwa at [email protected] / [email protected] · In Kitgum district, Malaria Consortium, DDHS and MoH launched the US presidential initiative for fighting malaria at Labuje IDP camp. WFP conducted community sensitisation at Orom and Akilok on the expansion of school feeding programme to Chua County. · In Pader district, ICRC started preparations for de-worming campaign in Alim, Porogali, Lagile, Awere-Gulu, and Awere-Pader IDP camps. · In Lira, UNICEF supplied therapeutic feeding formulas to three Therapeutic Feeding Centres (TFCs) in the district. UNICEF, together with DDHS, MSF-H and CCF formulated an epidemic and preparedness response plan as well as organising a district rapid intervention task force.

Human Rights and Protection · OPM, Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), OHCHR, OCHA and DDMC launched the District Human Rights and Protection Sub-Ccommittee in Kitgum on 25 January · UNICEF conducted a four-day workshop on sexual gender-based violence (SGVB) for 50 participants from NGOs, Government, UPDF, police and IDP representatives in Lira.

Education · Salvation Army is constructing of 16 Early Childhood Development (ECD) sites (9 in Agweng and 7 in Ogur) and training of facilitators who will then train ECD care givers. · IRC carried out three sensitisation meetings on child labour and importance of education with block leaders, camp leaders, head teachers and Local Council III (LC3s) in Aloi and Apala IDP camps.

Family Shelter and Non-Food Items (NFIs) · ICRC distributed insecticide treated nets in Awere IDP camp in Gulu district. · Camp fires continued despite the well coordinated emergency responses and amid efforts by humanitarian workers in to find preventive measures to the occurrence.

District Camp # Affected Households Response Gulu Pabbo 1,387 Parabongo 47 ICRC and NRC supported the 2,040 camp- Unyama 19 fire affected families with NFIs. Opit 199 Olwal 388 Lira Abia 30 Aloi 19 COOPI, UNICEF, URCS supported the Agweng 754 1805 affected families with NFIs Omoro 386 Ogur 421 Walala 183 Orum 12 Pader Pader TC 15 ICRC responded with NFIs to all affected Pader TC 2 households in Pader TC Pader TC 85 Pader TC 56 GOAL and CESVI to respond with NFIs in Kalongo (huts)53* Kalongo Kitgum Padibe (people) 1200* ICRC responded with NFIs Total 4,003** *Number of affected households not available. Numbers refer to burnt huts or total affected persons. **Excluding Kitgum Padibe IDP camp and Pader Kalongo IDP camp

Coordination · On 18 January, OCHA chaired the bi-monthly Contact Group meeting in Kampala, focusing on security and access, and humanitarian issues including the phasing out of night commuter centre activities in Gulu, the prolonged dry spell in affected districts, WFP-proposed food ration reduction and issue on follow-up of the WHO-MoH mortality survey done in July 2005.

OCHA Uganda Humanitarian Situation Report N° 2/06 from 16 – 31 January 2006 3/4 15A Clement Hill Road Ruth Towers Kampala. Tel (+256 31) 242 804 / Fax 242 801 For more information contact Christophe illemassene or Jane Namulindwa at [email protected] / [email protected] · A joint mission by WFP Kampala and UNIDO visited Soroti and Kaberamaido districts to explore training possibilities for IDPs and the returning population in appropriate technologies. Areas identified were food processing, bee keeping and textile improvement.

Schedule of District Coordination Meetings – 1-16 February 2006 District Meeting / theme Date Time Venue Gulu NFIs and Relief 1 February 10.00 a.m. Community Service B/R Food Security 3 February 10:00 a.m. CARE Water and Sanitation 2 February 10:00 a.m. Engineering Boardroom Child Protection 6 February 10:30 a.m. OCHA Mine Action 7 February 09:00 a.m. OCHA Health and Nutrition 8 February 09:00 a.m. DDHS Boardroom Decongestion 9 February 2:30 p.m. Community Service B/R Return and resettlement 14 February 10:00 a.m. Community Service Boardroom Security meetings 3, 10 , 17 08:15 a.m. ICRC, WHO, OCHA February

Kitgum DDMC Meeting 2 February 10:00 a.m. District Council Hall Humanitarian Coordination 7 February 09:00 a.m. OCHA/UNICEF Health and Nutrition 8 February 09:30 a.m. DDHS Boardroom HIV/AIDS 10 February 09:30 a.m. DDHS Boardroom Human Rights and Protection 10 February 09:30 a.m. OCHA/UNICEF Security Core Group 13 February 10:00 a.m. OCHA/UNICEF Humanitarian Coordination 14 February 09:00 a.m. OCHA/UNICEF Production 15 February 10:00 a.m. OCHA/UNICEF Water and Sanitation 16 February 09:30 a.m. OCHA/UNICEF

Pader HIV/AIDS, Health and Nutrition 2 February 11:00 a.m. DDHS Office DDMC Meeting 3 February 10:00 a.m. District Council Hall Weekly Security Meeting 6 February 09:00 a.m. Pader NGO Forum

Lira Water and Sanitation 1 February 10:30 a.m. IRC Office Education 2 February 09:00 a.m. District Resource Centre Health and Nutrition 7 February 09:00 a.m. DDHS Office DDMC 16 February 09.00 a.m. District Resource Centre

Soroti Protection Sector Working Group 1 February 10:00 a.m. HQ Water and Sanitation Committee 3 February 10:00 a.m. Obuku Camp

Kaberamaido Return & Recovery (with CAO, 2 February 10:00 a.m. Kaberamaido District HQ DDPC and District Planner) Health Units Monitoring and Data 2 February 10:00 a.m. Anyara Health Units collection on staffing and drug availability Anyara S/County Mgt Committee 6 February 10:00 a.m. Sub-County HQ

Katakwi Ad hoc Food & Production SWG 2 February 10:00a.m. DDPC Office, Katakwi planning meeting for rapid District HQ assessment on the food situation in the district Health SWG 8 February 10:00a.m. DDHS Boardroom

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OCHA Uganda Humanitarian Situation Report N° 2/06 from 16 – 31 January 2006 4/4 15A Clement Hill Road Ruth Towers Kampala. Tel (+256 31) 242 804 / Fax 242 801 For more information contact Christophe illemassene or Jane Namulindwa at [email protected] / [email protected]