TOPICS FROM UNHCR

TOPICS FROM UNHCR

By Adrian Edwards / UNHCR Spokesman

TOPICS

1 – UNHCR condemns bombing of refugee camp in South Sudan
2 – Poor weather, conflict further exacerbating situation for civilians in Somalia
3 – UNHCR thanks Italian navy for rescuing boat in distress packed with refugees
from Libya

This is a summary of what was said by the UNHCR spokesperson at todays Palais des Nations press briefing in Geneva. Further information can be found on the UNHCR websites, www.unhcr.organd www.unhcr.fr, which should also be checked for regular  media updates on non-briefing days.

 

1 – UNHCR condemns bombing of refugee camp in South Sudan

UNHCR strongly condemns the bombing of a refugee site in Unity State, South Sudanyesterday (Thursday). Several bombs dropped by an aircraft in the Yida area impacted a temporary camp that shelters over 20,000 refugees who have recently fled violence in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan’s Southern Kordofan State.

Two of the bombs fell within the Yida camp, including one close to the school. Fortunately there were no casualties in the camp and we are verifying the situation of surrounding communities.

UNHCR had been readying new refugee sites away from the border when the incident occurred in Yida yesterday. We had hoped to begin the relocation of refugees but ourefforts have so far been hampered by heavy rains which have made the road to the camp impassable.

UNHCR is concerned by the escalating tensions in the border areas between Sudan and South Sudan where hundreds of thousands of civilians have been uprooted since June as a result of fighting.

There are also reports this week of bombing in New Guffa village of South Sudans Upper Nile state resulting in civilian casualties. As many as 55,000 civilians originating from the Damazine and Kurmuk areas are said to be moving southwards in Sudans Blue Nile state.

Some of these people are heading to Chali within Blue Nile state. Others are crossing into New Guffa village, 9 kilometers from the border or Bunj, the capital of Maban county in South Sudans Upper Nile state. Others may be moving into neighboring Ethiopia where more than 30,000 Sudanese have already found refuge and are being helped by UNHCR and its partners.

New arrivals who reached safety in Maban county describe completely empty villages south of Kurmuk town on the other side of the border. The new arrivals are being registered in Bunj town where UNHCR already has a way station, as well as warehouse that currently holds enough supplies for 15,000 refugees.

UN assessment teams are planning to travel to Maban over the weekend to assess the humanitarian conditions of new arrivals. Meanwhile, local authorities have been identifying temporary reception sites as more arrivals are anticipated amid heightened tensions.

2 – Poor weather, conflict further exacerbating situation for civilians in Somalia

Continuing conflict and bad weather in Somalia are further aggravating the already dire humanitarian situation. Our staff in the south-western border town of Dobley tell us that fewer refugees are crossing into Kenya. Rains which have made roads impassable and fear of being caught up in conflict are being cited as the main reasons.

In Dobley itself, which is just 18 kilometres from the border, people are continuing to arrive. They tell our staff that they fled rumored impending military clashes in the area, and threats of forced return by Al Shabaab to their places of origin. Last weekend, six trucks containing almost 180 displaced people from Afgooye district, the majority from the K50 IDP camp, arrived in Dobley after traveling for 27 days on flooded roads. They said that they had been instructed by Al Shabaab to return to their farms but opted instead to travel to Dobley in search of humanitarian help.

In Mogadishu, UNHCR, in conjunction with partner agencies, is finalizing an assessment of the internally displaced population in the Somali capital. The assessment mapped the location of IDP settlements and obtained basic demographic and household size data. GPS coordinates of all settlements in 14 of Mogadishus 16 districts were recorded (two were not accessible for security reasons) and a survey of 7,000 households was undertaken by over 500 enumerators. The preliminary results reveal that there are almost 300 IDP settlements of varying sizes, with GPS sweeps of two districts yet to be completed. The cumulative Mogadishu IDP population figure will be presented to Transitional Federal Government (TFG) officials in Mogadishu next week before being shared with the humanitarian community.

Meanwhile in Nairobi, a UNHCR-supported report was launched yesterday, looking into civilian harm caused by the military conflict and the means by which it can be addressed. The report was compiled by international NGO CIVIC from over 100 interviews with Somali civilians, humanitarian agencies, the UN and international donors and AMISOM personnel between February and July in Mogadishu, the Dadaab refugee complex, and among Somali diasporas around the world. Civilian Harm in Somalia: Creating an Appropriate Response focuses on assistance for civilians harmed in warfare. There is currently no international legal obligation for parties to conflict to make amends to civilians adversely affected by military operations.

UNHCR stresses the moral imperative of compensating civilians for losses of property, limb or life due to military activities. We also call upon donors to provide the necessary financial support to fund implementation of the recommendations in the report, so that an effective policy on making amends can be established by AMISOM.

Among the recommendations in the 60-page report is the establishment of a mechanism to track, analyze, investigate and respond to all incidents of civilian harm. The report is also calling for all parties to the conflict in Somalia to immediately cease attacks targeting civilians and humanitarian agencies.

3 – UNHCR thanks Italian navy for rescuing boat in distress packed with refugees  from Libya

After two days of sending out distress calls from a satellite phone in the Mediterranean Sea, 44 people, mostly sub-Saharans, were rescued by an Italian military vessel last night. UNHCR is grateful that the Italian navy took this initiative despite the fact that the boat was in Maltese search and rescue waters.

UNHCR was alerted that relatives of some of the passengers onboard the boat called from a satellite phone on Tuesday evening. A full 48 hours later, the boat was rescued in the middle of the night. The delay in rescuing the boat led to huge risks to the lives of the people on board the boat in distress. Risks included drowning, dehydration and exposure. A woman with a small baby was evacuated by helicopter to Sicily from Lampedusa.

This is the first boat originating from Libya that has arrived in Europe since August 17th.

©Typologos.com 2011