Vector4Peace № 2 17/06/2015 The tragedy in Tbilisi – a flood State Security and Crisis Management Council published a data of Tbilisi flood death toll of 17th June, 2015. It has increased up to 19 people, their personality is ascertained. As a result of the flood, according to the official statements 19 people were dead, personality of 17 was identified, identification of 2 is in progress, and the number of missing counts for 6. Animals of Tbilisi zoo died, some of them were killed by the flood, and some were killed by intelligence services, justifying it with the fact that animals posed threat to the population. Lions, tigers, cheetahs, crocodiles … Elephants and hippopotamuses … All wandered around the city and its vicinities. At the moment the location of five animals still is not known. Considering the fact that species are not being specified, there remains a threat that some of them can be dangerous predators. Responsibility for the tragedy which happened in Tbilisi, as a result of a flood, lies on those who made contradicting decisions to elementary standards of safety. These are specific representatives of specific structures. Because of that, the prosecutor's office will investigate these issues. And somebody will bear responsibility for it 1 Assistance to the flood-affected population The Georgian Foreign Ministry wishes to express its deep grief over the disaster that hit Tbilisi, the Georgian capital leaving people dead, injured and missing. The flood that swept through Tbilisi in June 2015 inflicted heavy damage on the city destroying part of its infrastructure – Tbilisi Zoo, the main road across the Vere River, houses in the adjacent streets. The Georgian Foreign Ministry conveys its condolences to the families of disaster victims. The Ministry in team with the Georgian Embassies abroad and the foreign missions accredited to Georgia continue to coordinate with relevant government agencies to overcome the consequences of the disaster and to effectively conduct reconstruction works. Employees of the Ministry, as well as representatives of Georgia’s diplomatic missions abroad and their foreign friends are eager to financially assist the affected population in the difficult time like this. By decision of the Ministry of Finance, special donation accounts both in national and foreign currencies have been set up at the State Exchequer. A separate account has been opened at the State Exchequer for budgetary funds that will go towards the flood-affected population. Account numbers, through which donations can be made, can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. http://www.mfa.gov.ge/ Administration of Tbilisi Zoo spreads the list of materials and goods which are mostly needed at the moment. Administration of the Zoo thanks all the volunteers who participate in ongoing reconstruction works. "Tbilisi Zoo appreciates and thanks all people and volunteers who worked very hard during the reconstruction and cleaning works on the territory. Many people contact us who expresses a willingness to help and assist, we cannot even answer all of them, and for purposeful and effective support we publish a list of what is needed at the moment. Those willing to help please, contact us or you can bring the listed goods directly to us on the spot, in educational centre of Zoo”, - is marked in the announcement of the administration of the zoo. 2 Below is the list: paddling inflatable pool for penguins - 2 pieces; children’s bathroom for water - 20 pieces; basins - 50 pieces; brooms - 200 pieces; scoop - 100 pieces; buckets (iron of plastic) - 100 pieces; rake - 50 pieces; strong, big locks - 30 pieces; green, recycle and trash bins - 50 pieces; veils - 1000 pieces; gloves - 1000 pieces; drinking water – as much as possible; angle grinder - 2 pieces (230 mm stone 50 pieces); 3 mm electrode - 200 pieces. ALEXANDER RONDELI’S DEATH IS A GREAT LOSS FOR GEORGIA Information about the death of Alexander Rondeli was spread on June 12. He passed away at the age of 73. Dr. Alexander Rondeli was the President of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies. He held a Ph.D. in Geography from Tbilisi State University (1974). From 1997 to 2001 he served as a Director of the Foreign Policy Research and Analysis Center at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. Prior to that, in 1991-1996, Dr. Rondeli was a Chair of an International Relations Department at the Tbilisi State University. Dr. Rondeli was a Research Fellow at London School of Economics and Political Science (1976-77), a Mid-career Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University (1993-94), a Visiting Professor at Emory University (1991), Mount Holyoke College (1995) and Williams College (1992, 1995 and 1997). Dr. Rondeli held a diplomatic rank of an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Vector4Peace expresses deep condolences and profound sorrow on the passing of the famous Georgian scientist, political scientist, professor and public figure, Alexander Rondeli. Alexander Rondeli’s death is a great loss for the country. 3 Consequences of the conflict: numbers of refugees. The first wave of internal displacement occurred in March IDPs in Ukraine 2014 and in one year the official number of By Andriy Tolstous registered internally displaced persons (IDPs) has climbed to over 1.3 million. Any Unfortunately there are 50 countries government faced with such a rapid and in the world with significant numbers of large-scale population displacement would be people displaced by conflict and thus a wealth hard-pressed to respond quickly and of experience in approaches and programs effectively. This study is intended to provide that work and those that do not. guidance to the readers to respond to the Internal displacement is a new challenges of IDPs, both in the emergency phenomenon in Ukraine. Until March 2014, phase and in the longer-term. And the country’s experience with forced unfortunately experience suggests that migration had been limited to relatively small displacement is likely to become long-term. IDPs have fled from two areas of Ukraine: around 20,000 have fled Crimea (State Emergency Service, 2014), while 1,295,600 have fled eastern Ukraine (OCHA, 29 May 2015). IDPs have been displaced to every region in the country, although Crimean IDPs have mainly fled to western areas while those from eastern Ukraine were mainly displaced within the east of the country (OCHA, 23 January 2015). The latest rise in the figure is due to new displacement as well as registration of previously displaced persons. The figure 1,332,600 includes an estimated 17,000 IDPs displaced within Crimea (UNHCR, October 2014). 4 In Crimea, IDPs began to flee in March 2014 prior to a referendum in which the Crimean authorities reported more than 96 per cent of voters favored the republic becoming part of Russia. A second wave of displacement followed Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Many pro- Ukraine activists, journalists, officials as well as Crimean Tatars, an important ethnic minority in the peninsula, fled Crimea out of fear or because of threats, intimidation and discrimination on account of their ethnicity or political opinions (UNHCR, 18 August 2014). In eastern Ukraine, displacement is a result of the conflict between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian gangs aligned with the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. The vast majority of IDPs fled the area after June as fighting in the east intensified following referendums on self-rule and stepping up of the Ukrainian army’s so-called Anti- Terrorist Operation in May 2014. People continue to flee despite two ceasefires. Following the 15 February ceasefire an estimated 2,000 IDPs returned to Debaltseve (OCHA, 27 February 2015). IDPs have settled across the country, with the most vulnerable living in collective centers, their numbers fluctuate between 30,000 and 40,000 (HCT, December 2014). However, the eastern regions of Kharkiv (171,500), Donetsk (483,100), Luhansk (184,100), Zaporozhia (92,300), and Dnipropetrovsk (74,200) accommodate more than half of the IDP population (OCHA, 29 May 2015). Disaggregated data is only available for IDPs displaced from eastern Ukraine. As of 27 April, 12.6 per cent of IDPs are children, 4.2 per cent are people with disabilities and 60.2 per cent are receiving some type of pension (UNHCR, 27 April 2015). It is possible that there are some overlaps such as disabled persons being included in the figure for persons receiving pensions. Sex disaggregated data is no longer available following the transition of reporting on IDP registration figures from the State Emergency Services (SES) to the Ministry of Social Policy (MoSP) which took place on 21 January 2015. Many men have stayed behind to look after their properties (UNHCR, 18 August 2014). Some IDPs may have been counted more than once as they move around the regions. However, UNHCR estimates the number of IDPs is likely higher, as many IDPs are believed not to have come forward to the authorities or NGOs. This is due to fear of reprisals against their families, that their property will be confiscated or because they have the means to address their situation on their own (UNHCR, 21 July 2014). Others lack information on available assistance, do not have the documents required to access assistance or still hope their displacement will be temporary. The present situation in Ukraine, with over 1.3 million IDPs and a simmering conflict, has all the ingredients for protracted displacement that could last years or even decades. The governments of virtually all the 50 or so countries with protracted IDP situations lament, at least privately, that they didn’t get around to thinking about solutions until several years into the crisis, at the earliest.