Report on IDP Verification Assessment in of Region and Town

Partners Involved: IOM, IRC, CARE and Zonal/Woreda Representatives

Date of Assessment: 2-7 October 2017

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IDP verification assessment in East Hararghe zone and Dire Dawa

1. Background East Hararghe zone is one of the 20 zones of Oromiya region, the zone is located to the Eastern part of the region with a total population 3,493,680.The zone is divided in to 20 woredas of which the inhabitants in 5 of them are pastoralist mainly 100% lowlands and the remaining 9 woredas also have lowland kebeles with mixed farming (agrarian and livestock). East Hararghe zone share zonal as well as regional boundaries with Harari Regional state, Somali Regional state and Diredawa city council. Among these boundaries, the zone shares very long boundary covering about 1410 km with the Somali Regional state. Among the 20 woredas, 9 (, Gusum, Babile,Midhega Tola, Meyu, Kumbi, , Metta and ) share boundaries with .

2. The current disasters in the zone East Hararghe zone is recurrently affected by drought with its major impacts on food and livelihood security of the community, water and pasture for livestock. During the drought years, competition over resources is very common among communities within the zone and across the areas bordering with the Somali region. In most cases, such competition leads to conflicts which normally last for short period and is solved as per the existing cultural methods of conflict resolution mechanism mainly lead by the community elders from both community.

Unlike the conflicts happening in the past time, the recent conflict that started on 22 September 2017 has resulted in loss of life, loss and destruction of properties and mass displacement. In addition, it has separated families and family members resulting to trauma and psychosocial issues. The conflict is related to border issues, which led to removal of most Oromos from Somali region particularly from the towns of Jijiga, Kebribeya,Tulu Guled, Wuchale, Bike and Erer as well as deportation from Hargessa town in Somaliland.

3. Origin of the IDPs In early September 176 HHs (880 people) were displaced from Tullu Guled woreda of Fafan zone of Somali region to Jarso woreda and settled in Anano Mite Kebele. Following the September 2017 conflict on the border, quite a large number of people were displaced from Somali region ( Jijiga, Kebribeyah, Togocale, Tuluguled Bike and Erer). Additional Oromo community members were deported from Somali Land (Hargeessa and Berbara area).

4. Date of displacement Following the border conflict between Somali and Oromo communities, the flow of the IDPs started on September 22, 2017 at 11:30 AM and continued with arriving in different displacement sites.

5. Number of people affected by the disaster and field observation to IDP sites:

A total of 20,309 HHs and total population of 72,861 displaced persons relocated to East Hararghe zone in two rounds, first round 67,803 people arrived and second round 5,058. In addition, a total of 12,431 IDPs were sent to other zones of Oromia. (Please see Annex -1 for IDPs location and number)

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During the mission, the team visited three IDP sites in Diredawa and four sites in East Hararghe zone (, Gursum, Babile and Harar town/Hamaressa). The methodology employed were discussion with woreda officials, observation of the IDP situation, interviewing selected IDPs including women, men and IDP committees. This methodology was used to gather information and verify information provided on the situation by zonal and woreda level authorities.

5.1. IDPs residing in woredas of East Hararghe zone Report from E/Hararghe zonal DRMC shows government has started to provide food and non-food items with support from regional/federal government, ERCS/ICRC, community and private groups. Considering the number of IDPs, the assessment team has visited two of the woredas hosting IDPs in the zone, Fedis and Gursum.

5.1.1. Fedis woreda:

As per the woreda officials, the provided support so far are limited in terms of quantity and variety to address the need of displaced individuals and family members. They have also mentioned as an example some of the items they received such as 150 pcs of cooking pots are kept at warehouse level with challenge to prioritize and distribute the limited number of items.

IDPs in Negaya Bobasa kebele of Fedis woreda Currently, Fedis woreda is hosting up to 7,421 displaced individuals who returned from Jijga, wuchale and Fafan areas in Somali region with nothing other than the clothes they are wearing. In the absence of other clothes, they reported that they urgently need clothing and soap, food, full ES/NFI kits; and dignity kit items for the women and girls. There are many infants with a few delivered after the displacement and therefore a need for diapers. In one of the kebele the team visited the IDPs are hosted in teachers and development agent houses. In this house the IDPs do not have cooking materials and are living in worse

Page 3 condition. Mainly With serious food gap, lack of shelter and non-food items, some of the children were also observed to have signs of malnutrition.

“Our life is fully dependent on the community who are hosting us, they are sharing with us what we want including clothing, cooking items, water container. But we are returning the items as they also want for their day to day activities, hence the sharing is now and then. We are in difficult situation, we had nothing except food”. A mother of 4 children among the IDPs living in Negaya Bobasa kebele

The team learnt from discussion with zonal officials that even though there is ongoing support to IDPs, the resource are limited and the situation in other woredas hosting displaced persons from Somali region, who are living in similar condition and in serious need of basic humanitarian service.

The zonal DRMC and Fedis woreda officials have encouraged the use of cash based intervention to provide support to the displaced persons as it feasible especially for the IDPs to procure clothing and other household non-food items.

5.1.2. IDP sites in Gursum woreda Gursum woreda is one of the woredas hosting high number of IDPs from Somali region. As in other woredas the IDPs started arriving Gursum in the third week of September 2017. According to head of the woreda DRMO, there are 642 HHs (1942 people, 918 F and 1024 Male) are in the woreda. The number of the IDPs decreased from the initial record as some of them left the area willingly to unify with their relative in different parts of the region, for those the woreda has covered transportation and other expenses by providing 400 to 600 ETB depending the distance of the location they wanted to travel. And the influx of the IDPs continued and still an average of 20 to 50 people arriving on daily basis. Majority of the IDPs are located in Oda Negeya and Maiwa kebeles, and the rest are located in various kebeles. According to the woreda, it is due to lack of support and lack of capacity to provide food and other nonfood items that the IDPs are located in different kebeles.

Except food items, the IDPs had no support at all from the woreda, some interviewed IDPs indicated that the hosting community is providing shelter and other utensils temporarily. “I am living in one of the resident house for three weeks since I arrived with 6 of my children, but this days they want us to leave their house. I appreciate their support they did a lot for me and my children. Now I am worried of where to go and what to feed my children, we have no shelter, no food and no cooking items. Living a life with full of stress”. A mother of 6 children The assessment team observed that most of the IDPs are living in the host community house, in government buildings, and some men also reported nowhere to go.

5.1.3. IDP sites in Babile woreda In Babile woreda around 1,145 households are displaced here from Somali region starting in September 2017. The number of individuals displaced and coming to the woreda did not stop. The IDPs are received in kebele administration building. And most of the IDPs have been moved to join their host community in both rural and Babile town. However, there are still 91 individuals or 32 households living in government

Page 4 owned kebele admisntration center as they do not have relatives and family members and have nowhere to go. All of those who have been returned have reported needs of emergency shelter and non-food items.

5.1.4. IDPs in Harar town: For those IDPs in Harar town warehouse, according to East Hararghe zonal DRMC, support has been provided for 950 HHs or 3,520 people (1894 M, 1626 F) by different partners including NGOs, IDP hosting communities, Harari Regional State and others in coordination with government.

IDPs using plastic bottle as cup and washing clothes on floor by using plastic bags

As per the assessment team observation, the situation in the Harar Warehouse – with a total of 3400 people who are crowded in a small space could deteriorate further. They currently have access to two shared latrines and no place for bathing and/or cleaning the few clothing currently owned by the IDPs. There are both households and individuals displaced into this location. Just like Diredawa sites, the people are under armed guard and cannot leave the warehouse which is also leading to increased frustration. The warehouse is not subdivided and therefore men, women and children are sleeping in the same space.

“What do you think I should do with food items without cooking materials, our children are starving? We need clothes, cooking items, night clothes, washing basin, and everything that a family need. Since we came here with nothing”. Mom of 6 children in Hamaressa IDP site

5.2. Dire Dawa IDP sites There are 3,675 IDPs located in three sites in Dire Dawa town. IDP site I or Kera IDP site II or Chat maber, and Youth center building which are used as temporary location for the IDPs, 483 Somali IDPs are reside in the Youth center and there are 3,192 IPDs of Oromo community in the other two sites. The sites are

Page 5 guarded/protected and IDPs are not allowed to leave the compounds unless special case are provided and willing to go back to their home or relatives leaving the temporary shelter. According to Dire Dawa DRMC, IDPs are not allowed to move out of the compound for a number of reasons including - to minimize safety and protection issues, to provide support to IDPs brought by government Officers from known places and to protect entry of unknown people to the compounds. In all the sites, the Dire Dawa administration is providing support to the IDPs through DRMC. Part of the assistance (mainly food, water and mattresses) has been donated by the Dire Dawa business community.

5.3. Current services provided for IDPs Harar and Dire Dawa town: ➢ Water - is being provided through trucking in two sites and the third site (Youth center) is already connected to the town water supply system. Water containers are installed at site level to distribute the waters. However, there is no Jerry cans and drinking cups distributed to individuals for household level use. The IDPs are sharing and using the non-food items are communal resource. ➢ Hygiene and Sanitation the team has observed poor hygiene and sanitation practice. There is limited number of latrines in all the IDPs sites and open field defecation and absence of solid waste disposal system is observed. Most of the IDPs are observed while using limited number of washing basin to wash their items as well using other locally available items. We have received information that some soaps have been distributed by government and the IDPs have expressed that they are in dare need of soap for their personal hygiene. ➢ Food - local community and traders are providing food items like rice, pasta and macaroni for the IDPs through DRMC. DRMC is mobilizing members of the host community to prepare food for the IDPs by turn. The food preparation and feeding is conducted at communal level. There is limited or no supplementary feeding activities to support children mostly exposed to malnutrition. ➢ NFIs only plastic mats and mattresses have been provided though in very limited number in Kera and Chat maber sites. IDPs in the Youth center have received relatively adequate amount. In addition, few number of cooking pots (approximately 50 liters capacity) are available, plates and cup are provided by cooperatives or CBOs like Edir through loan. Few sanitary pads have also been provided by DRMC though it is for some women and girls. ➢ Health service - there is temporary health facility in all the centers.

Of the three sites visited, Kera site has a higher number of IDPs (2,629 people) and the services being provided are very minimal. There is only 3 cooking pots, 476 small size plates, 742 cups and few mats; hence due to shortage of the items, IDPs forced to wait for long hours to eat food and cutting plastic bottle to use cups. Besides, most of the IDPs had no clothes and are sleeping on floor. Although the situation is seems severe in Kera site, IDPs in the other sites are facing similar challenges. Women and children are among the most affected by the situation due to lack of supplies and other necessary items.

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Meeting with IDPs at Kera site, Dire Dawa

6. Conclusion and recommendation East Hararghe zone DRMC identified 5 priority woredas where the IDPs are located in terms of IDPs number and existing response gap, except food items. The woredas include Gursum, Fedis, Babile, Jarso and woredas. These are the priority woredas where partners are expected to respond immediately especially with emergency clothing, shelter and non-food items (ES/NFI) including dignity kits and children’s diapers. Except Jarso woreda, where ICRC is planning to respond, Fedis where the zone is mobilizing some items donated by local communities; IDPs in the rest woredas like Gursum, Babile and Deder are in critical need of clothing, ES-NFI and dignity kit response. There is need to monitor the response in Fedis and ensure that the displaced receive timely response as its one of the most affected woredas with children showing signs of malnutrition.

As a result, the zonal DRMC has written a letter requesting for ES/NFI to ES/NFI cluster members (IOM/IRC/CARE and the cluster), dated 4 October 2017 by including the need in the five woredas namely Gursum woreda ,Fedis, Babile, Jarso, and Deder woredas.

In all the visited sites, the assessment team observed that, the IDPs are in need of immediate assistance, though some of them are getting food items and insignificant support of NFIs. Therefore, considering the request from the zone and the observed gap at the IDP sites, the assessment team recommended the ES/NFI cluster to immediately respond in the following woredas:

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6.1. Immediate Response for shelter and non-food items sector:

S.N Woredas Needs Total Time Responsible agency Remarks number frame among the team of HHs (IRC/IOM/Care /others) 1 Gursum Full ES/NFI Kit for all 642 HHs As soon IRC in coordination Cash is also feasible displaced households as with Government in the woreda or individuals possible Dignity kit for women 300 As soon IRC in coordination The number of Women and girls as with Government and girls are more than 800, currently available possible resource is 300 kit. Any other organization is welcome to add 500 dignity kit 2 Babile Full ES/NFI Kit - either 1145 As soon IOM in coordination With the cash in Cash or in-kind for HHs as with Government beneficiaries will all displaced possible option to buy households or clothes, shoes, individuals mattress etc Dignity kit for women 1448 As soon IOM in coordination and girls, through in as with Government kind possible 3 Jarso Full ES/NFI Kit - either 1071 As soon ICRC with government 1354 dignity kits in Cash or in-kind for HHs as started responding required, ICRC all displaced possible should confirm if households/ they provide. individuals Dipper and clothes for infant need to be provided. Cash based resource transfer can be considered 4 Fedis Full ES/NFI Kit for all 1748 As soon Haerarghe Catholic Cash based displaced households HHs as Service or any other resource transfer or individuals and possible responding agency to can be considered dignity kit for women confirm as soon as for the and girls and diapers possible. Otherwise households/individu for infants. due to the high need als to purchase another organization clothing, shoes, should plan to mattress etc. respond

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5 Deder Full ES/NFI Kit - either 1664 As soon Care Cash based in for all displaced HHs as Ethiopia/government resource transfer households or possible can be considered individuals for the households/individu als to purchase clothing. Dignity kit for women 2104 As soon To be confirmed from and girls and diapers as Care Ethiopia the for infants. possible soonest possible

In addition the team also verified that, IDPs located in the three sites of Diredawa and Hamarressa that also need ES-NFI as the provided support is not yet satisfactory. However they are in relatively better condition compared with those who are located in the above mentioned five woredas of East Hararghe. Therefore the team recommended to let the IDPs, considered by ES-NFI following responses in the five woredas. The following are some of the most critical need that the IDPs in Diredawa and Hamarressa should have immediately:

• Shelter and nonfood items are critically needed, especially kitchen utensils (communal cooking pot - 50-100 liter, plates and cups), blankets, mattress, mat, washing basin, soap, clothes, jerry cans, kettle and Dignity Kit (DIK). 10 pcs of cooking pot, 50 washing basin, 2 cup per HH, 2 plates per HH, 1 blanket and 1 mattress per HH for all the three sites. • There are also likelihood of protection issues to happen especially in the IDP center, since men and women are living in a block without a partition. • Strengthen hygiene and sanitation service through increasing number of toilets and organizing awareness raising and compound clearing campaigns. • Strengthen provision of food distribution and availability specifically for children and mothers or pregnant women • Psycho social support for traumatized and separated families.

7.2. Recommended long term response: • To support construction of shelter for displaced households with priority for the most vulnerable elderly, disabled persons, female headed households etc. The displaced indicated that they are willing to provide labor for their shelter construction and in turn make some little money that they can use to purchase food for their families (Cash for Work). • To support with livelihood options through provision of livestock, business startup capital • Provision of access to hygiene and sanitation service and awareness raising immediately.

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Annex-1

Table 5.1. Number of people displaced on first round in September 2017: S.N Woreda HH Total IDPs

Total Male Female Total

1 Dadar 7384 5168 5380 10548

2 Haromaya 1213 777 840 1617

3 Qarsaa 1096 766 736 1502

4 M/Balloo 1031 702 730 1432

5 Kur/callee 456 332 320 652

6 Baabilee 1822 1335 1232 2567

7 1041 708 737 1445

7 Cinaaksan 5688 3767 3920 7687

8 Mettaa 1989 1290 1397 2687

9 G/Gutuu 1075 1382 1439 2821

10 Goro muxii 865 608 628 1236

11 Gurawa 3280 2323 2232 4555

12 Fadis 3476 5001 6587 11588

13 M/ Tola 564 1040 1218 2258

14 Jarsoo 2116 3915 3643 7558

15 Gursuum 601 1277 1127 2404

16 Mayuu 31 55 59 114

17 Baddannoo 386 775 712 1487

18 Gola Odaa 31 62 63 125

Total 19064 33494 34309 67803

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Table 5.2. Number of people displaced on second round in September 2017: S.N Woreda Number of Total number of IDPs IDP HHs Male Female Total

1 Dadar 170 314 269 583

2 Haromaya 45 123 74 197

3 Qarsa 55 106 142 248

4 M/Balo 33 55 52 107

5 Kurfachale 3 3 9 12

6 Babile 475 1105 1164 2269

7 Kombolcha 16 26 25 51

8 Chinaksan 159 276 170 446

9 42 78 104 182

10 G/Gutu 7 15 10 25

11 Gurawa 19 53 33 86

12 Fadis 54 135 99 234

13 M/ tola 64 138 92 230

14 Jarso 27 43 45 89

15 Gursum 41 112 103 215

16 Bada 30 30 36 66

17 5 6 12 18

Total 1245 2618 2439 5058

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