User:Ihosama/OCHA Lybia0412

Source & comment

Source: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Full_Report_152.pdf

Appeal by Ihosama: Please do not edit this page!

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya • Crisis Situation Report No. 24 12 April 2011

This report is produced by OCHA Libya in collaboration with humanitarian partners, covering the period of 10 to 12 April. The next report will be issued on or around 14 April.

I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES

• An International Organization for Migration ship will evacuate 1,000 people from Misrata to Benghazi on 13 April as part of efforts to evacuate 6,000 third-country nationals from Misrata.
• There are continued concerns regarding the killing of medical personnel and children due to indiscriminate shelling, sniper fire and intensified hostilities in Misrata and Ajdabiya.
• Seven Clusters have been activated for the response to the crisis in Libya: Emergency Telecommunications, Food Security, Health, Logistics, Protection, Shelter/Non Food-Items, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).
• The US$ 310 million Flash Appeal for the Libyan Crisis is currently funded at 39 per cent with US$ 120 million committed and $US 1.4 million in pledges.

II. Situation Overview

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) plans to evacuate up to 1,000 third-country nationals by ship from Misrata on 13 April. The ship will pick up medical equipment, food and other supplies provided by aid groups in Benghazi on 12 April for delivery to Misrata. The Libyan Red Crescent reports 6,000 third-country nationals are unable to leave Misrata due to continued hostilities. The humanitarian situation there is dire as violent hostilities between pro-Qaddafi forces and opposition forces continue for the fifth consecutive week.

On 11 April, UNICEF reported that intensified fighting and indiscriminate shelling had led to an increased number of children being killed in Misrata. At least 20 children have been killed and many more injured, due to wounds from mortar shrapnel and bullets. There have been confirmed reports of sniper fire hitting children in Misrata. Almost all reported child casualties occurred in the past three weeks, with a majority of child victims below 10 years of age. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on 10 April that Government forces had been repeatedly targeting a medical clinic in Misrata since 23 March, and notably on 7 April. Aid organizations and medical personnel have also reported being targeted in Misrata and Ajdabiya. Arab Medical Union (AMU) reports the deaths of two doctors and the kidnapping of four others since 21 February.

The Cluster approach for the coordination of humanitarian response has been activated for the Libyan Crisis. The following Clusters have been activated for the response to the crisis in Libya: Emergency Telecommunications, Food Security, Health, Logistics, Protection, Shelter/NFI and Water and Sanitation (WASH).

III. Humanitarian Needs and Response

EMERGENCY SHELTER/MIGRATION/POPULATION MOVEMENTS

Libya: During this reporting period, higher numbers of Libyans crossing into Egypt and Tunisia have been reported, while inside Libya there has been an increased number of reports of internal displacement. In Misrata, reports of internally displaced persons continue while thousands of third-country nationals remain in need of evacuation assistance. Humanitarian needs include food, water, medicine, medical services and personnel.

OCHA Situation Report Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are reported in both the east and west of Libya. OCHA has received information that 3,500 to 4,000 families (average household is six persons per family) have moved from the periphery to the centre of Misrata to escape the fighting. In Benghazi, the Libyan Committee for Humanitarian Aid and Relief, (LCHAR) from the Libyan Transitional Council, has been working with local religious authorities and the Scouts to obtain and analyze data on local families and IDPs who need assistance. According to their registry, the number of IDPs changes daily. LCHAR and the Libyan Association for Humanitarian Relief have distributed food to both residents and IDPs of Benghazi and its environs. Over 48,000 resident families are receiving food to date.

Aid organizations report that around 6,000 third-country nationals require evacuation assistance from Misrata including 5,000 from Egypt and unspecified numbers from Chad, Iraq, Somalia and Sudan. Many lack shelter and basic necessities. In addition to the evacuation on 13 April, evacuations of third-country nationals are planned elsewhere.

Tunisia: Libyan families continue to cross at Dehiba, south of Ras Ejdir, staying in the towns of Dehiba and Rmeda. UNHCR reported on 12 April that these families are ethnic Berbers who have fled the Foussa mountain region which has been under attack in the past week. UNICEF reports 268 people in a camp in Dehiba, run by a youth centre and 780 people in Rmeda, run by UNHCR. Another 50 families are reportedly arriving to these areas from Zintan, where fighting has also been reported in the past week. Humanitarian organizations are providing food, medicine, infant formula, tents, hygiene kits and water to the families. International Medical Corps has established a support hub in Dehiba and will continue assessing the health situation of the families. UNICEF and WHO are supporting the Tunisian Ministry of Public Health to provide WASH and health services for these families. On 11 April, 3,211 people crossed into Tunisia. Between 5,800 and 6,200 people remain at transit points and at the Choucha and United Arab Emirates camps. The majority of those stranded are Sudanese and Chadian nationals. UNHCR reports 1,500 people of concern, mainly from Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Palestine and Somalia are among the stranded. The trend of families arriving at camps continues. As of 10 April, 900 families, including over 900 children, were staying at the camps, an increase in 26 families from the previous reporting period.

Egypt: About 150 Palestinians remain in an area on the border between Libya and Egypt, unable to enter Egypt because they lack documentation. Mostly families including women and children, they are receiving support from UNHCR, UNICEF, and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and most of their needs are met. Once documentation is finalized they will continue on to Rafah, Egypt. As an increased number of Libyans cross the Egyptian border daily, OCHA reports that many originate from Benghazi. Mostly those crossing to remain overnight in Egypt are staying with relatives, and have sufficient supplies and medicines. IOM evacuated 941 people on 10 April and plans the further evacuation of 931 on 11 April. To date 3,574 people, including persons of concern, remain at the border. IOM has conducted two previous evacuations from Benghazi to Alexandria, Egypt by ship and over 89,000 evacuations.

Other countries: Nothing significant to report.

Gaps & Constraints: Third-country nationals continue to require assistance for evacuation, and additional resources are needed to support organizations conducting evacuations. IOM needs assistance in funding for the evacuation of up to 6,000 third-country nationals by boat from Misrata.

FOOD SECURITY

Humanitarian organizations continue delivering food assistance inside Libya, particularly inside Misrata in western Libya, which has seen ongoing fighting for over seven weeks. Islamic Relief and World Food Programme (WFP) are coordinating a shipment of humanitarian supplies to Misrata. In Benghazi, reports indicate that food prices are stable and basic food items are available for purchase in shops. The falling value of the Libyan dinar has resulted in increased prices for some food items imported from Egypt. Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) has sent a cargo ship carrying nine containers, 141 tons of humanitarian aid including medication, food packages, infant formula, milk powder, hygiene kits and clothing. The ship set sail from Turkey and is docked in Malta, awaiting permission to dock at Benghazi Port. To continue responding to needs of people staying at the Ras Ejdir crossing point in Tunisia, WFP and Secours Islamique-France are upgrading a kitchen that will provide breakfast for families. Separately, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has advised it is handing over its operations at the Choucha Camp to the Tunisian Red Crescent.

WFP and other humanitarian agencies continue to distribute food to people stranded at the borders with Libya, in cooperation with the Egyptian Red Crescent. Since 24 March, WFP has supplied over 42,500 cooked meals for third-country nationals at the Saloum border. A total of 1,650 cartons of fortified date bars (equivalent of 13.2 metric tons) have also been provided to supplement these meals.

Gaps & Constraints: Nothing significant to report.

HEALTH

International Medical Corps (IMC) continues to respond to emergency medical needs, completing a delivery of supplies to Misrata, Nalut, Albenthan and areas in the Foussa Mountain region. A second shipment of medical kits will be sent to Misrata from Benghazi and Tubruq on 15 April, including drugs for the primary health care of a population of 50 000 for 3 months, and for 500 cases of chronic diseases such as diabetics, hypertension, chronic chest diseases and cardiac diseases. Working since 21 February in Libya, Arab Medical Union (AMU) have eight doctors and 21 nurses and have brought in 20 tons of supplies into Libya. AMU teams are located in Ben Misyat, Tubruq, Derna, Bidiya, Ajdabiya, Ras Lanouf, Benghazi and Misrata. Medical teams are mobile and visit areas where needs are greatest, at times along the front lines of fighting. The ICRC has delivered medical kits to the opposition. Charity institutions of Qatar (Qatar Charity, Qatar Red Crescent and the Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani Ruff and the Sheikh Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani Charity) sent a second shipment of medical aid to Libya several days ago. The aid included supplies and special needs of orthopedic surgery operations. Qatari charities will provide more medical aid and relief during the coming period. UNICEF’s psychosocial team continues supervision and follows up with birth registration at the Ben Guerdane Hospital in Tunisia. Psychosocial and child protection activities are ongoing at the Egyptian border as well.

Gaps & Constraints: A system is urgently needed to inventory, dispatch and track medical aid delivered to avoid gaps and duplications of humanitarian supplies in Libya. WHO has established the LSS (Logistics Supply System) at the Egyptian border and is working on establishing the system in Tubouq and Benghazi. Supply requests should be discussed at the next health coordination meeting in Benghazi. In Benghazi. the Medical Centre, a 1200 bed hospital, has resources but lacks supplies and personnel. In Misrata, drugs for treating tuberculosis, meningitis and measles as well as vaccines are needed. Arab Medical Union doctors at Al Hekma Hospital in northeast Misrata continue to treat patients with gunshot wounds, fractures and burns on a daily basis. IMC reports that additional nurses are needed between Ajdabiya and Benghazi, but a sufficient number of doctors are available in that area. AMU reports intensive care nurses and surgical nurses are urgently needed.

PROTECTION

Amnesty International (AI) reports on 12 April that captured opposition Libyan fighters have been found shot in the head with their hands tied behind their backs. AI has collected substantial evidence supporting the The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. http://ochaonline.un.org

OCHA Situation Report claims that other human rights abuses have been committed, including when forces loyal to Qaddafi deliberately killed unarmed protesters and attacked civilians fleeing fighting past six weeks. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on 10 April that Government forces had been repeatedly targeting a medical clinic in Misrata since 23 March, and notably on 7 April. At least 250 civilians had been killed during fighting between forces loyal to Qaddafi and the opposition in Misrata in the past weeks. There are also numerous reports of indiscriminate shelling and shooting in populated areas, as well as of civilians targeted by forces loyal to Qaddafi.

Reports of journalists being detained for days and being kidnapped continue. Aid organizations working in Libya report extremely limited press freedom, while international journalists report being limited in their ability to cover stories in certain places.

Gaps & Constraints: The intensity of hostilities in Misrata precludes humanitarian access to conflict-affected populations. Due to the fighting, many children are traumatized and lack food and potable drinking water both in Misrata and in other areas of intense hostilities.

WATER SANITATION HYGIENE (WASH)

WASH activities are meeting the needs of people at transit points and camps in Tunisia and Egypt. At Ras Ejdir, UNICEF and the Tunisian Ministry of Health continue to provide sanitation activities such as sanitation services at WASH facilities. Islamic Relief continues to deploy labourers for maintenance at Choucha Camp. Needs at the Saloum border in Egypt are largely met. As in the previous reporting period, UNICEF continues delivering 100,000 litres of water per day to people stranded at the border. 80 toilets are fully functional and with two portable toilet caravans dedicated to women and children. Chlorine levels in drinking water at the border have been increased to reduce the risk of water-borne diseases. Gaps and constraints: In Misrata and some other towns water has been cut off for over 40 days. Access to these areas to assess the situation for WASH needs is necessary to determine the level of humanitarian response.

LOGISTICS

A map detailing the logistics corridor from Cairo to Benghazi was published and includes contact information for transport suppliers. On 10 April, 43 cubic meters of shipments of medical items from two NGOs were dispatched by road to Libya. A customs snapshot for Tunisia which includes new information on importation of medicines can be found at: http://www.logcluster.org/ops/northafrica/tunisia_customs_overview/view OCHA and the Logistics Cluster have launched the Global Mapping of Emergency Stockpiles (http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/stockmap), a dynamic platform, collecting and providing accurate and updated information on relief items available in the world. Based on immediate needs, humanitarian partners can, amongst several key research tools, find information and customize reports on 'Who has What Where', within and for the region.

Gaps & Constraints: Limited access to large areas of Libya including major urban centres such as Misrata continues, even as several organizations have managed to reach Benghazi with relief supplies.

IV. Coordination

Six United Nations agencies have set up in Benghazi and are on the ground in Libya conducting a needs assessment. A report that will identify priorities for humanitarian response will be available shortly. For more information on the humanitarian response to the Libyan crisis the following website is being maintained: http://libya.humanitarianresponse.info/

End sections

Redacted - there were just a bunch of contacts and references.