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ReliefWeb (press release), Switzerland
Georgia: Situation Report on the Conflict - No. 5, 12 Aug 2008
(20:00 local time)
General Situation:
There were sporadic air strikes conducted last night and during the
day throughout Georgia on military installations including Gori town
and in the vicinity of the military base in Vaziani in the outskirts
of Tbilisi. Russian tanks continued the ground operation entering
Georgia proper both from the Abkhazia zone of conflict and South
Ossetia (SO) directions.
Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, announced this afternoon the
cessation of Russian military operations in Georgia.
French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, visited Moscow today and is
expected to arrive in Tbilisi later this evening.
The Presidents of Ukraine, Poland, Estonia and Lithuania, also arrived
in Tbilisi today.
A UNHCR staff member in Tskhinvali, whose whereabouts were unknown
since Friday, has now been accounted for.
UNOMIG confirmed that today the overall situation in Abkhazia, was
calm apart from Abkhaz troops entering Khurcha and Ganmukhuri in the
Kodori valley.
The situation in Tbilisi is calm today; there are only a few cars and
people in the streets. As a result of the uncertain and tense
situation yesterday, people began stockpiling basic goods. However, a
rally estimated at 50,000 people in support of Georgia was held
outside the Parliament building in the afternoon
As was announced by the Prime Minister yesterday, all banks were
closed today. It is envisaged that a decision to reopen the banks
tomorrow will be communicated later today..
Tbilisi International Airport is reported to be operational, although
it seems that commercial flights continue to be suspended (except
flights operated by Airzena-Georgian Airways).
Today, a UNHCR flight with 34 tonnes of humanitarian supplies arrived
at Tbilisi airport, as well as a flight from France containing
carrying relief supplies. It is expected that another UNHCR flight,
and a WFP plane with 31.6 tonnes of high energy biscuits will arrive
tomorrow.
During the Security Management Team meeting, the UNRC reiterated that
Georgia remains in Phase II and, once again, he encouraged the
voluntary departure of international non-essential UN staff and all
dependants. In consultation with DSS and the UNCT, no decision to move
to Phase III has been taken. Phase IV has been approved for South
Ossetia.
Three UNHCR and two UNICEF staff members' dependents departed Georgia
today heading to Yerevan, Armenia. As of 12:00 today there are 42
International Staff members including one in Zugdidi zone of conflict
and 10 dependents in the country.
Humanitarian situation:
The Government confirms that the planning figures for IDPs stand
currently at 58,000 (40,000 from Gori, 15,000 from S. Ossetia, and
3,000 from Kodori).
The main immediate problems quoted by the Government in dealing with
IDPs are registration (currently undertaken in Tbilisi, but not
elsewhere), and transportation.
International Response:
Norway announced humanitarian assistance to Georgia amounting to 5 mn
kroner (about USD 1 mn). The funds are reported to be channeled
through the Norwegian Red Cross.
It was announced that the USA will support the delivery later this
week of two plane loads of humanitarian supplies.
ECHO confirmed it was making available ?¬1 mn to aid agencies
for the emergency.
Coordination:
Mr. Ruslan Abashidze, Deputy Minister for Reintegration, attended
today the Humanitarian Coordination Group meeting. He announced his
appointment as the Government liaison officer for all IDP-related
issues. Also, Mr. Abashidze inquired if any organization could assist
in transporting civilians from S. Ossetia and Vladikavkaz, as well as
returning corpses from the conflict zone.
The composition of the joint emergency assessment teams will be
defined later today, and they will be deployed as soon as the security
situation allows.
Mr. Abashidze agreed to ensure improved coordination on the Government
side in terms of identifying and prioritising humanitarian goods and
supplies that are most urgently required.
Food Aid:
Today WFP continued supplying food assistance to 1,300 IDPs
concentrated in 3 shelters in Tbilisi with six tons of wheat flour,
vegetable oil, sugar, beans and salt.
Since August 9th, a total of 4,500 beneficiaries were provided with
food assistance, including 3,256 by UN agencies.
A food aid coordination meeting was held today with participation of
WVI, Care, NRC, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, WFP as well as the
representative from the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation and the
Ombudsman's Office, that will be coordinating humanitarian assistance
provided by the private sector.
The Embassy of Greece confirmed their contribution of ?¬ 80,000
to support WFP's emergency food assistance programme to IDPs.
Water and Sanitation:
UNICEF chaired the first meeting of the water and sanitation working
group within the framework of the HCG. Joint assessments were agreed
and conducted yesterday and earlier today, targeting primarily
collective centers with newly arrived IDPs.
Assessments, including those conducted by UNICEF, show that although
majority of collective centers have running water the existing
infrastructure is in such condition that access to water and
sanitation is a problem. In addition, the people are in need of
different hygiene items. UNICEF mobilized its available resources in
order to start distribution of bottled water and hygiene items to
collective centers for 500 people.
Protection:
The following issues were discussed: preliminary assessment of key
protection needs, humanitarian access, the dimension and locations of
displacement, registration issues, the situation of children and
Georgian import rules and procedures. It was also agreed that mobile
teams to assess specific needs of the newly displaced will be
established. The Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation confirmed
their intention to systematically register all the newly displaced.
Assessment in collective centers conducted by UNICEF, in coordination
with the MRA and other UN agencies, including UNHCR, continues to show
that hygiene and water supply is in urgent need. In some cases it has
also been noted that people have not been registered.
Analysis and possible scenarios:
The UNRC requested OCHA yesterday to identify candidates for the
following three functions: (a) Reporting Officer; (b) Coordination
Officer to support the Government setting up a coordination mechanism;
and (c) Expert to assist in developing a flash appeal and a subsequent
consolidated appeal.
Given the announcement by the Russian President to cease military
operations in Georgia, it is hoped that, once guarantees for safe
passage are obtained, humanitarian agencies will be able to access the
conflict zones and undertake rapid needs assessments. This would allow
providing accurate information for a follow up flash appeal by the UN
agencies.
It should be noted, however, that most South Ossetians have sought
refuge north into the Russian Federation and the Russian authorities
have declared they do not require any international assistance for
this population. Inside Georgia, assistance is required for the 58,000
displaced from Gori, South Ossetia, and Kodori, in addition to the as
yet unquantified numbers of civilians whose homes have been destroyed
in the fighting.
Robert Watkins UN Resident Coordinator
Georgia: Situation Report on the Conflict - No. 5, 12 Aug 2008
(20:00 local time)
General Situation:
There were sporadic air strikes conducted last night and during the
day throughout Georgia on military installations including Gori town
and in the vicinity of the military base in Vaziani in the outskirts
of Tbilisi. Russian tanks continued the ground operation entering
Georgia proper both from the Abkhazia zone of conflict and South
Ossetia (SO) directions.
Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, announced this afternoon the
cessation of Russian military operations in Georgia.
French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, visited Moscow today and is
expected to arrive in Tbilisi later this evening.
The Presidents of Ukraine, Poland, Estonia and Lithuania, also arrived
in Tbilisi today.
A UNHCR staff member in Tskhinvali, whose whereabouts were unknown
since Friday, has now been accounted for.
UNOMIG confirmed that today the overall situation in Abkhazia, was
calm apart from Abkhaz troops entering Khurcha and Ganmukhuri in the
Kodori valley.
The situation in Tbilisi is calm today; there are only a few cars and
people in the streets. As a result of the uncertain and tense
situation yesterday, people began stockpiling basic goods. However, a
rally estimated at 50,000 people in support of Georgia was held
outside the Parliament building in the afternoon
As was announced by the Prime Minister yesterday, all banks were
closed today. It is envisaged that a decision to reopen the banks
tomorrow will be communicated later today..
Tbilisi International Airport is reported to be operational, although
it seems that commercial flights continue to be suspended (except
flights operated by Airzena-Georgian Airways).
Today, a UNHCR flight with 34 tonnes of humanitarian supplies arrived
at Tbilisi airport, as well as a flight from France containing
carrying relief supplies. It is expected that another UNHCR flight,
and a WFP plane with 31.6 tonnes of high energy biscuits will arrive
tomorrow.
During the Security Management Team meeting, the UNRC reiterated that
Georgia remains in Phase II and, once again, he encouraged the
voluntary departure of international non-essential UN staff and all
dependants. In consultation with DSS and the UNCT, no decision to move
to Phase III has been taken. Phase IV has been approved for South
Ossetia.
Three UNHCR and two UNICEF staff members' dependents departed Georgia
today heading to Yerevan, Armenia. As of 12:00 today there are 42
International Staff members including one in Zugdidi zone of conflict
and 10 dependents in the country.
Humanitarian situation:
The Government confirms that the planning figures for IDPs stand
currently at 58,000 (40,000 from Gori, 15,000 from S. Ossetia, and
3,000 from Kodori).
The main immediate problems quoted by the Government in dealing with
IDPs are registration (currently undertaken in Tbilisi, but not
elsewhere), and transportation.
International Response:
Norway announced humanitarian assistance to Georgia amounting to 5 mn
kroner (about USD 1 mn). The funds are reported to be channeled
through the Norwegian Red Cross.
It was announced that the USA will support the delivery later this
week of two plane loads of humanitarian supplies.
ECHO confirmed it was making available ?¬1 mn to aid agencies
for the emergency.
Coordination:
Mr. Ruslan Abashidze, Deputy Minister for Reintegration, attended
today the Humanitarian Coordination Group meeting. He announced his
appointment as the Government liaison officer for all IDP-related
issues. Also, Mr. Abashidze inquired if any organization could assist
in transporting civilians from S. Ossetia and Vladikavkaz, as well as
returning corpses from the conflict zone.
The composition of the joint emergency assessment teams will be
defined later today, and they will be deployed as soon as the security
situation allows.
Mr. Abashidze agreed to ensure improved coordination on the Government
side in terms of identifying and prioritising humanitarian goods and
supplies that are most urgently required.
Food Aid:
Today WFP continued supplying food assistance to 1,300 IDPs
concentrated in 3 shelters in Tbilisi with six tons of wheat flour,
vegetable oil, sugar, beans and salt.
Since August 9th, a total of 4,500 beneficiaries were provided with
food assistance, including 3,256 by UN agencies.
A food aid coordination meeting was held today with participation of
WVI, Care, NRC, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, WFP as well as the
representative from the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation and the
Ombudsman's Office, that will be coordinating humanitarian assistance
provided by the private sector.
The Embassy of Greece confirmed their contribution of ?¬ 80,000
to support WFP's emergency food assistance programme to IDPs.
Water and Sanitation:
UNICEF chaired the first meeting of the water and sanitation working
group within the framework of the HCG. Joint assessments were agreed
and conducted yesterday and earlier today, targeting primarily
collective centers with newly arrived IDPs.
Assessments, including those conducted by UNICEF, show that although
majority of collective centers have running water the existing
infrastructure is in such condition that access to water and
sanitation is a problem. In addition, the people are in need of
different hygiene items. UNICEF mobilized its available resources in
order to start distribution of bottled water and hygiene items to
collective centers for 500 people.
Protection:
The following issues were discussed: preliminary assessment of key
protection needs, humanitarian access, the dimension and locations of
displacement, registration issues, the situation of children and
Georgian import rules and procedures. It was also agreed that mobile
teams to assess specific needs of the newly displaced will be
established. The Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation confirmed
their intention to systematically register all the newly displaced.
Assessment in collective centers conducted by UNICEF, in coordination
with the MRA and other UN agencies, including UNHCR, continues to show
that hygiene and water supply is in urgent need. In some cases it has
also been noted that people have not been registered.
Analysis and possible scenarios:
The UNRC requested OCHA yesterday to identify candidates for the
following three functions: (a) Reporting Officer; (b) Coordination
Officer to support the Government setting up a coordination mechanism;
and (c) Expert to assist in developing a flash appeal and a subsequent
consolidated appeal.
Given the announcement by the Russian President to cease military
operations in Georgia, it is hoped that, once guarantees for safe
passage are obtained, humanitarian agencies will be able to access the
conflict zones and undertake rapid needs assessments. This would allow
providing accurate information for a follow up flash appeal by the UN
agencies.
It should be noted, however, that most South Ossetians have sought
refuge north into the Russian Federation and the Russian authorities
have declared they do not require any international assistance for
this population. Inside Georgia, assistance is required for the 58,000
displaced from Gori, South Ossetia, and Kodori, in addition to the as
yet unquantified numbers of civilians whose homes have been destroyed
in the fighting.
Robert Watkins UN Resident Coordinator