| 2004-11-04
14:12 Sect members to be kept away from Beslan children MOSCOW, Nov 4 (RIA Novosti) - North Ossetia has become the first Russian region to place "untraditional" religions' missionary activities under firm state control. Stanislav Kesayev, a deputy speaker of North Ossetia's parliament, told Vremya Novostei that "all missionaries who intend to engage in their activities in our republic will have to obtain all the required documents and permits that prove their authority and competence." The relevant law also stipulates venues for authorized missionary activities, according to Mr. Kesayev. The need for the bill arose from various totalitarian religious groups stepping up their activities after the Beslan hostage crisis, according to Alina Levitskaya, North Ossetia's education minister. Immediately after the tragedy, local law enforcement bodies began receiving complaints against totalitarian group members, primarily scientologists, from psychologists, local Health Ministry and Education Ministry officials, and ordinary people. "Missionaries were recruiting new members under the guise of psychological aid, taking advantage of people's suffering," said Ms. Levitskaya. "This is absolutely unacceptable as this does psychological damage to the victims, especially children. We have done our best to shield the victims' loved ones from such contacts. The first step we took was to ask the scientologists to leave Beslan," said Ms. Levitskaya. Once the law has been approved, law enforcers will find it easier to counter the scientologists and other religious groups in the republic, above all the activities conducted by Jehovah's Witnesses and the International Society of Krishna's Consciousness, the North Ossetian Interior Ministry's press service reported. Environment Antara News, Nov 5, 2004 14:05 Chechnya ecological situation dramatically affects birth rate. GROZNY, - Chechnya's ecological situation has an extremely adverse impact on the birth rate. According to the regional Health Ministry, 2,229 out of 3,200 infants who were born in Chechnya last year have health disorders, and the infant mortality in the republic is one of the highest as compared to other regions of Russia, The chief physician of Grozny's maternity house, Zargan Mutsayeva, told Itar-Tass in Thursday that "only six out of ten newborn infants on an average survive in Chechnya". She said illegal oil production has an especially bad effect on heath of women. The Health Ministry said makeshift mini-refineries and clandestine productions of gasoline condensate impair health of people. More than 2,000 such facilities operate in the capital Grozny alone. Specialists of Grozneftegaz say that the primitive productions turn out up to 3,000 tonnes of oil products a day. Local ecologists see as a major cause of environmental pollution Grozny's industrial enterprises that were bombed out during the military campaign, at which sources of radiation still remaining under the rubble. Rights Group Blasts Russia for Forcing Chechen Refugees to Return Home Created: 05.11.2004 11:51 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 11:56 MSK, MosNews A leading refugee rights group accused the Russian government on Friday of pressuring Chechen refugees to return to their homes in Chechnya, sometimes using threats of eviction or withholding humanitarian aid. The Norwegian Refugee Council denounced the measures by the Russian government to bring an appearance of stability to the breakaway region, Reuters reported. In view of the lack of security and the shortage of adequate housing and sanitation, nobody should be pressed to return to the war-torn region, its report said. "There continues to be serious concerns about the authorities pressuring displaced Chechens into returning to Chechnya despite the high security risks in the republic," Reuters quoted the report as saying. "Security checks in internally displaced persons' (IDP) settlements, eviction threats, the removal from humanitarian distribution lists, and the suspension of utilities ... contributed to spreading the feeling among IDPs that return was the only solution," it added. Some 150,000 Chechens, who have fled two conflicts in the past decade, are scattered across Russia, according to the independent Geneva-based body. They include 43,000 in neighboring Ingushetia where authorities closed the last of six tented camps last June. Russia, which says the conflict is all but over, has made improving living conditions in Chechnya a key plank in attempts to undermine separatists. Russia urged to stop pressuring Chechen refugees 04 Nov 2004 23:00:00 GMT Source: Reuters By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA, Nov 5 (Reuters) - A leading refugee defence group accused Russia on Friday of putting pressure on Chechen refugees to go home, sometimes even threatening them with eviction or withholding humanitarian aid. In view of the lack of security and the shortage of adequate housing and sanitation, nobody should be pressed to return to the war-torn region, the Norwegian Refugee Council said. Some 150,000 Chechens, who have fled two conflicts in the past decade, are scattered across Russia, according to the independent Geneva-based body. They include 43,000 in neighbouring Ingushetia where authorities closed the last of six tented camps last June. "There continues to be serious concerns about the authorities pressuring displaced Chechens into returning to Chechnya despite the high security risks in the republic," it said in a report. "Security checks in internally displaced persons' (IDP) settlements, eviction threats, the removal from humanitarian distribution lists, and the suspension of utilities ... contributed to spreading the feeling among IDPs that return was the only solution", it added. Within Chechnya itself, some 209,000 uprooted people lived in precarious conditions, the report said. Suicide attacks in Moscow and elsewhere, blamed on Chechen separatists, have also exacerbated "xenophobic and anti-Chechen feelings". Russia, which says the conflict is all but over, has made improving living conditions in Chechnya a key plank in attempts to undermine separatists blamed for attacks including the siege of a school in Beslan in September, in which more than 330 people died. In all, some 3 million people in Europe have been driven from their homes by conflict or persecution, according to the report presented to a conference in Vienna of the 55-member Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Most live as "second class citizens on the margins of society with little or no access to adequate housing, education, jobs or health care", it said. Turkey, with 1 million displaced people, mostly ethnic Kurds, has the largest number in Europe, it said. Village guards who set up checkpoints and deny Kurdish returnees access to their fields and sometimes occupy their homes are the greatest obstacle to their return, it added. Lack of security, discrimination and confiscated property were also preventing people from returning to their homes, such as in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH Human Rights Watch Honors Russian Activist Civil Society in Russia Under Assault (New York, November 5, 2004)— On November 9, Human Rights Watch will honor Natalia Zhukova, the head of the Soldiers’ Mothers Committee of Nizhnii Novgorod and a leading activist in a decade-long battle against rampant and brutal hazing in Russia’s armed forces. Human Rights Watch said that honoring Ms. Zhukova sends a signal that individuals can make a difference in fighting for basic human rights. In the Russian military, every year hundreds of thousands of new recruits face grossly abusive treatment at the hands of more senior conscripts. As a result, dozens die annually, and thousands sustain serious — and often permanent — damage to their physical and mental health. Hundreds commit or attempt suicide and thousands run away from their units. While the government stands by as hazing takes its toll, a powerful network of soldiers’ mothers’ groups has emerged throughout Russia that works tirelessly to end the abuses. “Natalia Zhukova and her colleagues have heroically taken on the powerful Russian armed forces over their abysmal human rights record,” said Diederik Lohman, senior researcher for Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia division. “And they manage to save countless young Russian men from violence and possible death everyday.” Human Rights Watch said that soldiers’ mothers’ groups also make an important contribution to changing the Russian public’s suspicion and even hostility toward human rights. The Kremlin’s persistent anti-rights rhetoric has led many Russians to believe that human rights are a Western political tool for bashing Russia, create chaos and do not benefit ordinary Russians. In recent years, Human Rights Watch has documented massive abuses in Russia’s campaign in Chechnya. The work of the soldiers’ mothers proves to many thousands of Russians that human rights organizations work to protect them and their families every day. While violent hazing in the military may be on the margins of the human rights agenda in most Western societies, the Russian public widely views it as their country’s top human rights problem. A 2004 Center for Strategic and International Studies opinion poll said that 94 percent believe that officers who tolerate hazing practices should be prosecuted. Seventy-five percent of the Russian population knows of the soldiers’ mothers’ groups, and 66 percent approve of their work. “Top Russian military officials are afraid of the Russian mothers. Ms. Zhukova regularly calls military commanders to tell them off,” said Lohman. “The soldiers’ mothers’ campaign has helped show ordinary Russians that human rights activism can help improve their lives and has built a constituency for human rights in Russia.” Human Rights Watch is honoring Ms. Zhukova at a time when Russian civil society, and its human rights movement in particular, is increasingly under attack from the Kremlin. In its drive to consolidate power, the Kremlin has obliterated independent television, marginalized the political opposition, and sought to re-establish executive control. In May, President Putin gave the opening shot in an assault on civil society with a vicious critique of human rights groups; since then government officials have lashed out at human rights groups, including soldiers’ mothers’ committees, and harassment of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) has rapidly increased. Recently, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against the head of the soldiers’ mothers’ committee in Vladimir, a city near Moscow, for helping two victims of ill-treatment be declared unfit for further service. “The Kremlin’s turn towards authoritarianism is now endangering the last remaining large, growing and independent sector of public life in Russia: the nongovernmental organizations,” said Lohman. “We must act now to prevent the Kremlin from destroying a flourishing and effective movement.” Background on Natalia Zhukova Natalia Zhukova was born in 1947. She is a graduate of Nizhnii Novgorod Technical University and worked for more than 20 years as an engineer at a ship construction company. In 1995, Zhukova’s son, then a conscript in the Russian army, was sent to Chechnya, and was captured by rebel fighters there. Frustrated with the government’s indifference to her son’s fate, Zhukova traveled to Chechnya herself, tracked him down, and rescued him from captivity. Following this experience, Zhukova decided to dedicate her life to defending the rights of conscripts. She joined the Soldiers’ Mothers Committee of Nizhnii Novgorod, helping hundreds of victims of violent hazing and continuing to travel to Chechnya to look for captured conscripts. In 1998, Zhukova became the chairperson of the Soldiers’ Mothers Committee of Nizhnii Novgorod. Zhukova is, among others, the author of a book on soldiers from Nizhnii Novgorod region killed in the 1994-1996 Chechnya war. From: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/11/05/russia9609.htm © Copyright 2003, Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA ------------------------------- I suggest to take a look at the picture of a graph appearing on this site (link at the end of the document), which shows what the UN calls "the most significant humanitarian development in 2004", i.e. the population movement in 2003-2004. It compares the "spontaneous return" to Chechnya with the "organised" one. Interesting is also how they put it that the "three IDP tent camps in Ingushetia were closed-efficiently, if sometimes indelicately", and how the "movement out of the camps was largely voluntary, without major incidents of undue pressure exerted, for example, through disconnected utilities." What a wonderful sequence of euphemisms! Nevertheless the appeal/report contains interesting data. M. M. ------------------------------ Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Date: 11 Nov 2004 Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP): Humanitarian Appeal 2005 for Chechnya (North Caucasus - Russian Federation) Kindly note that the documents attached are embargoed to the media until 11 November 2004, 11:00 AM New York time 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This United Nations Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal presents the framework for the joint humanitarian operation of dozens of Agencies in Chechnya and its neighboring republics in 2005. The document presents a common analysis and strategy, as well as planned programmes and budgets by sector and Agency. Nine UN Agencies and 20 NGOs are appealing for funds directly through this Appeal. The general tenor and scale of this Appeal are comparable to the 2004 Consolidated Appeal, as the lingering impact on civilian life of the 1994-96 war and the 1999 military operations in Chechnya has changed very little. Hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced and the entire population of Chechnya suffers in other ways from the destruction of infrastructure and social-support systems. A climate of human insecurity, including impunity for most acts of violence, affects a population still deeply traumatized by the recent history of violence and lawlessness. This insecurity, as well as the socioeconomic strain of hosting large numbers of displaced persons over several years, is felt in the republics of Dagestan and Ingushetia, and even in other republics. An unprecedented attack against a school in North Ossetia-Alania (including seizure of over 1100 children, teachers, and parents as hostages, and the tragic, deadly conclusion to this three-day drama) drew national and global attention to the wider insecurity in September 2004. Three positive developments in 2004 are reflected in the 2005 Appeal. Firstly, a larger than expected number of IDPs hosted in Ingushetia returned to Chechnya-estimated to be 19,000 registered returns by the end of 2004. Secondly, more daytime missions into Chechnya by UN staff and international humanitarian workers were made possible through security arrangements supported by CAP donors and the Government. Thirdly, a very constructive dialogue took place with government officials about the aims of the humanitarian operation and ways in which the operation could more closely support the government's own rehabilitation and development plans for the North Caucasus. The Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) and Agency projects in this Appeal build upon these signs of gradual improvement in the humanitarian situation, but also remain realistic about the scale of the emergency and the working environment. Participating Agencies have set the following goals to guide their 2005 activities under the Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal Process. * Protection of the affected civilian population; * Humanitarian relief and emergency support to meet the most basic social and physical needs; * Support for the capacity of local government and NGOs to provide needed public services; * Assistance that contributes to recovery and rebuilding livelihoods. These goals are being pursued jointly by the 29 Agencies directly appealing through this Appeal, plus many more implementing partners. They are also the subject of a continuous dialogue with other humanitarian partners, such as the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, government, donors, and civilians whose needs are being addressed. A table in Section 6 of this document indicates, for easy reference, how the goals are translated into sector-specific objectives and promoted through projects. The participating Agencies recognize that the Russian authorities hold the primary responsibility for the welfare of their people, and therefore they are careful to complement, not interfere, with the Government's activities. Agencies also count on the Government to fulfill its responsibility for the safety and security of aid workers, whose neutrality and right to host-State protection are enshrined in international humanitarian and human rights law. The total amount of funding requested in this 2005 Consolidated Appeal is nearly US$ 60 million. Among the agencies, DRC is appealing for the largest share, approximately one-fourth of the total. Projects in the food sector, principally the large food-relief programme, amount to 30% of the Appeal. The total budget for 2005 is about the same as the 2004 Appeal, which by 15 October was funded at a level of 67% of the overall requirements. Full funding of the Appeal is, of course, of crucial importance in order to meet the program objectives. This Consolidated Appeal is split into two volumes. The first volume contains the overall situation analysis and the 2005 Common Humanitarian Action Plan (Sections 2 and 3). Sections 4-6 and the Annexes in this volume are supporting information, ranging from background information on NGOs, to supplemental information about the planning process behind the CHAP. The second volume entitled "Projects" contains a single-page project description for each project included in the Appeal. 2. 2004 IN REVIEW 2.1 The Context and its Effect on the Humanitarian Situation In 2004, the fifth year of this Consolidated Appeal Process, the situation in Chechnya and its neighbouring republics continued to be complex and unstable. A staggering and unpredictable series of violent confrontations and acts of terror hit the North Caucasus during the first nine months. Among them were an attempt to assassinate the President of Ingushetia in April, the killing of the President of Chechnya in May, a large-scale attack against security forces and government offices in Ingushetia in June, intensified fighting in Chechnya in August, and finally the disastrous hostage taking (including over 1100 children, teachers, and parents) at a school in North Ossetia-Alania in September. As a result of the attacks, hundreds of people were killed and injured, including many civilians as well as law enforcement officials and non-state combatants. Apart from these major acts of violence, human rights violations, including arbitrary arrest, extra-judiciary executions and torture, continued to be reported by human rights organisations and eyewitnesses in Chechnya. This unstable environment limited improvements to the humanitarian situation. The Federal Government attempted various measures to stabilise the situation and rehabilitate the infrastructure of Chechnya. In February the functions of Federal Minister for the Coordination of Socioeconomic Development of Chechnya were handed over to the Administration of the recently elected President of the Republic, Akhmad Kadyrov. However, soon thereafter President Kadyrov was assassinated, and this brought further adaptation of Federal programs. Russian President Putin visited Chechnya in the wake of the assasination and observed that "although something is being done there, it looks terrible from a helicopter." This came amid public accusations of mishandled federal resources meant for Chechnya reconstruction. President Putin announced that the Federal Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT) would take over supervision of the financing of Chechnya's recovery and rehabilitation. On 16 July, the MoEDT proposed that 5.8 billion roubles (US $200 mln) be allocated for the Federal program in 2004, 2.3 billion (US $80 mln) more than initially budgeted. Details of program changes are yet to be shared with the humanitarian community. While important in the medium- and long-term they are unlikely to quickly impact the humanitarian situation. On the political side the Government organized extraordinary elections of the President of Chechnya, with Alu Alkhanov, the former republican Minister of the Interior, being elected on 29 August. The early-September Beslan crisis brought to light at about the same time other delicate political equations in the surrounding republics. President Putin announced on 13 September a series of initiatives to consolidate state administration, including changes in appointment/elections procedures and in residency processes. A new Government Commission for coordinating Federal activities in the Southern Federal Region was established under a Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative, and complementary appointments were made to reinforce state capacity. Unemployment and poverty remained very high in Chechnya. According to the Federal Service of State Statistics, there were 334,500 unemployed in the republic as of June 2004, equivalent to some 80% of the total employable population. At the same time the cost of the government-indexed subsistence food basket in Chechnya was 14% higher than the average in the Russian Federation. Nevertheless, the overall economic situation has improved in 2004, allowing the humanitarian community to undertake re-targeting of beneficiaries and to further the process of linking humanitarian programmes with longer-term recovery programmes. The increased rate of IDP return to Chechnya was the most significant humanitarian development in 2004. The UN estimates that during the first eight months of 2004, 17,200 IDPs chose to leave Ingushetia and return to Chechnya. During the same period in 2003 this amounted to 10,500 IDPs. On the whole the number of IDPs in Ingushetia decreased from a high of 240,000 in January 2000, to an estimated 46,498 as of 31 August 2004. The last three IDP tent camps in Ingushetia were closed-efficiently, if sometimes indelicately and on rushed deadlines-by 10 June. Alternative shelter options were made available, and many IDPs availed themselves of the opportunity to remain in Ingushetia. The Government continued opening Temporary Accommodation Centres (TACs) in Chechnya, although their capacity was still limited and their conditions sometimes sub-standard. The programme of compensation for destroyed housing and lost property, launched by the Government in mid-2003, made only modest progress in 2004. According to one official, only 8,000 out of 88,000 applications had been accommodated by early August. The Audit Chamber claimed that in the first quarter of 2004 only 362 million roubles (US $13 million) were paid to beneficiaries, as compared to 13.2 billion (US $455 million) planned for disbursement. Still, eligibility for compensation was used by the authorities as an inducement for IDPs residing outside Chechnya to return back to the republic and the Government recognized the need to improve claim settlement. The operational environment for the humanitarian community remained highly challenging throughout the region. While the Government facilitated more frequent access to Chechnya in 2004 than in previous years, security significantly constrained the movement of humanitarian workers in the republic. Most of the missions of UN and NGO international staff were to Grozny. The security situation in Ingushetia deteriorated throughout the year. On 22 June, international staff from the UN and most international NGOs left Ingushetia temporarily due to the previous night's raid on Nazran. Further incidents and threats throughout the summer made full access within Chechnya and Ingushetia problematic. However, the humanitarian operation in the North Caucasus was able to continue, albeit on a limited scale, thanks to the work of national staff. International NGO staff were gone from Ingushetia only a few days, and UN international staff returned as soon as security clearance was given in July. 2.2 Financial Overview The Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Chechnya and Neighbouring Republics (North Caucasus - Russian Federation) initially sought US $ 61.9 million in funding for UN Agencies and NGOs to provide assistance and protection in 2004. During the Mid-Year Review of the Appeal, the requirements rose to US $ 62.1 million. As of 15 October, the donor community had contributed US $ 41.6 million toward the Appeal, or 67% of the overall requirements (see Annex I). The total amount of funding compares favourably with that of past years, showing that donor countries and international organizations remain committed to the aid operation in the North Caucasus. At the same moment in 2003, the CAP funding was US $ 26.3 million, and in 2002 only US $ 18 million. On the other hand, to put it in perspective, the percentage of the Appeal covered in October 2004 is significantly lower than each of the past four years. This is because the inclusion of NGO projects for the first time in 2004 greatly increased the total requirements. The NGO projects, like those of other members of the humanitarian community not included in this Appeal, are an essential part of the overall humanitarian operation. Their inclusion in the Appeal is a sign of greater coordination, and full funding of the total amount of the Appeal is required if the CAP is to achieve its goals. 2.3 Monitoring Report The most likely scenario developed in November 2003 for the 2004 Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) has proved itself. As anticipated, insecurity in the region increased while the socio-economic situation improved slightly. Tent camps in Ingushetia were closed, the Government promised housing compensation, and a larger number of IDPs returned to Chechnya. Progress has been made toward the three strategic goals of the 2004 CAP: 1. To enhance the protection of, and respect for, legal and social human rights of the civilian population as long as insecurity in Chechnya determines the need. Material assistance and protection services were provided to IDPs and many other vulnerable civilians. The principle of voluntary return of IDPs to Chechnya, an issue of serious concern in previous years, was recognized and largely adhered to by local officials. The Agencies participating in this CAP continued their advocacy as well as active protection. Humanitarian organisations that planned alternative shelter for IDPs faced bureaucratic obstacles early in the year, but when the tent camps were finally closed, these had been resolved and IDPs deciding to stay in Ingushetia had options. Movement out of the camps was largely voluntary, without major incidents of undue pressure exerted, for example, through disconnected utilities. 2. To help civil society groups and local NGOs gain the confidence, skills, and capacities to contribute to the development of society. Despite poor funding for such activities, participating Agencies implemented an increased number of projects giving civilians opportunities to obtain skills, gain employment, and expand small businesses. Some projects, such as in mine action, helped communities build self-reliance. Most (approx. 70 %) of the CAP humanitarian operation was conducted inside the republic of Chechnya. International Agencies worked (and will continue to work) closely with local NGO partners in project planning and implementation, intentionally aiming at capacity building, which both sustains the programs' impact and supports the renewal of civil society. 3. To support governmental structures, especially in legal, health, education, and other social spheres, to function effectively. Participating Agencies coordinated their assistance projects with the competent government bodies and conducted many activities to support the authorities. Training for local officials was conducted in a variety of health-related topics including mother and child health and HIV/AIDS control and prevention, as well as in education administration and health-system and school rehabilitation, among other areas. Technical assistance on legal and protection issues also was provided to the judiciary branch in Chechnya. 2.4 Lessons Learned Some key lessons were drawn from and/or reinforced by the experience of 2004. * The relationship with the host government at all levels is crucial for accurate planning, effective implementation, and reliable monitoring of the humanitarian program. We aim for a mutually transparent and trusting relationship, supported by constant dialogue; * Humanitarian access is perhaps the greatest challenge in this humanitarian operation. Participating Agencies are dependent upon the Government for clearance and security to operate in certain areas. On the other hand, each also places its own restrictions according to conditions of security and safety at any given moment. Local NGOs tend to have better access than international NGOs or the UN; * Instability and unpredictability still impact civilian life greatly in Chechnya and its neighbouring republics. The North Caucasus is prone to natural disasters in addition to the complex emergency risks. Contingency planning and flexibility for response to new developments (positive and negative) must be built into the humanitarian program; * It is not too early to develop a CAP exit strategy. A greater focus on local capacity-building and livelihoods will raise the effectiveness of this humanitarian operation in the short-term while also providing the basis for its reduction in the coming years. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Table I. Summary of Requirements - By Appealing Organisation and By Sector 2. 2004 IN REVIEW 2.1 THE CONTEXT AND ITS EFFECT ON THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION 2.2 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW 2.3 MONITORING REPORT 2.4 LESSONS LEARNED 3. THE 2005 COMMON HUMANITARIAN ACTION PLAN 3.1 THE CONTEXT AND ITS HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES * 3.1.A The Context * 3.1.B The Humanitarian Consequences 3.2 SCENARIOS 3.3 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE * Roles, Responsibilities, and Complementarity 3.4 RESPONSE PLANS * 3.4.A Protection/Human Rights/Rule of Law * 3.4.B Food * 3.4.C Family Shelter and Non-Food Items * 3.4.D Health * 3.4.E Water and Sanitation * 3.4.F Education * 3.4.G Mine Action * 3.4.H Economic Recovery and Infrastructure * 3.4.I Coordination and Support Services * 3.4.J Security 4. STRATEGIC MONITORING PLAN 5. CRITERIA FOR PRIORITISATION OF PROJECTS 6. SUMMARY: STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE Table II. Listing of Project Activities - By Appealing Organisation Table III. Listing of Project Activities - By Sector 7. ANNEXES ANNEX I. DONOR RESPONSE TO THE 2004 APPEAL ANNEX II. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION ON HUMANITARIAN ACTION IN THE NORTH CAUCASUS ANNEX III. PROGRAMME OF SDC/SHA ANNEX IV. NGO COMMUNITY ANNEX V. LIST OF ASSESSMENTS ANNEX VI. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS PROJECT SUMMARY SHEETS ARE IN A SEPARATE VOLUME ENTITLED "PROJECTS" Note: The full text of this appeal is available on-line in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format and may also be downloaded in zipped MS Word format. [...] For additional copies, please contact: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Palais des Nations 8-14 Avenue de la Paix CH - 1211 Geneva, Switzerland Tel.: (41 22) 917.1972 Fax: (41 22) 917.0368 E-Mail: cap@reliefweb.int http://www.reliefweb.int/w/Rwb.nsf/480fa8736b88bbc3c12564f6004c8ad5/6d2c081f7bc08494c1256f3f0052944d?OpenDocument UN-sponsored group urges Russia, Turkey, others to help displaced people 03:04 PM EST Nov 06 VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Russia should stop pressuring displaced people to return to Chechnya, while Turkey must remove pro-government guards from areas displaced Kurds have returned to, a UN-sponsored group said in a report released Friday. Europe has about three million internally displaced people - people who have fled their homes but not crossed any international borders - the Global IDP Project said in a new report. Turkey's displaced population is about one million, mostly Kurds who have fled conflict in the country's southeast, said the group created by the Norwegian Refugee Council at the request of the United Nations. Azerbaijan is home to 575,000 displaced people, while Russia has 360,000, Bosnia has 320,000, Georgia has 260,000, Serbia-Montenegro has 250,000 and Cyprus has 210,000, it said. "Governments must ensure that the displaced can go back to their homes in safety and dignity," said Raymond Johansen, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council. "But where return is not yet possible or not wished by those affected, states must do more to ensure that the displaced can freely settle and integrate elsewhere in the country, without being subjected to discrimination or other restrictions of their rights," he said. The number of displaced people in Europe hasn't changed in the past year because returns were often impossible, said Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher, the group's communication co-ordinator. In Azerbaijan, Georgia and Cyprus, a failure to resolve conflicts led to a lack of progress, while the absence of security and economic opportunities were obstacles in other areas. Eschenbaecher said about a third of internally displaced persons in Europe would not be able to return home in the foreseeable future, adding that the number of those suffering the same plight is even higher in Kosovo. "Governments have, quite understandably, been reluctant to acknowledge this, but it is important that IDPs are not held hostage by the political agenda," he said. He presented the report Friday at a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, a 55-country group with headquarters in Vienna. The report urged the OSCE's member countries to "make all necessary efforts to enforce the right of IDPs to return home voluntarily in safety and dignity." However, it also cautioned that "return should not be promoted to areas where minimum conditions of safety are not met." In Russia, people who have fled war-ravaged Chechnya face increasing insecurity, discrimination and pressure to return although their home area remains dangerous, the report said. It called on Russia to stop pressuring people to return to Chechnya "until adequate conditions of physical, material and legal safety are created." The Geneva-based group said the biggest obstacle for Turkey's displaced people to return was the roughly 58,000 armed village guards the government keeps in the southeast to control Kurdish rebels. "Village guards hinder return by setting up checkpoints, denying displaced villagers to access their fields and pastures and attacking or intimidating those attempting to return to their homes without official permission," the report said, adding that some guards had occupied displaced people's homes and property. |