UNHCR Daily Report on Emergency operation in Georgia – 09 Sep 2008

UNHCR advises against return to Upper Kodori Valley before winter
On Sunday, UNHCR conducted a joint mission with UNOMIG to Upper Kodori Valley in north-east Abkhazia, a region taken over by Abkhazian forces during the military operation on 12 August 2008. As a consequence, 2,500 individuals, mainly from the ethnic groups of Svans, fled over the mountains into Georgia proper.

So far, Kodori Valley has been inaccessible for UNHCR due to security concerns. The purpose of the UNHCR-UNOMIG exercise was to assess conditions of possible return.

The mission found the area deserted. Private houses were mostly found intact, but completely emptied whereas communal buildings are destroyed to a large extent by bombing. Cattle and horses are roaming freely feeding on the harvest in the fields.

UNHCR managed to find five inhabitants and talk to them in confidentiality. They reported that there are no more than 20 – 30 mainly elderly people still living in the upper part of the valley and that Russian peacekeepers supply them with food rations. Occasionally male displaced come back to check on their property and leave again.

The remaining inhabitants do not feel safe in the area, having the impression that they live in an uncontrolled territory and that military clashes might reoccur any time.

UNHCR concluded that the return of displaced persons before the coming winter is not advisable both for security reasons and for lack of means of subsistence. With mountain passes blocked from November onwards, it would not be possible to provide enough food and fire wood before winter sets in.

Nights are getting colder for refugees
Over 2,000 persons are currently registered in the tented camp of Gori. During the past weekend the Gori camp saw a significant numbers of new arrivals (100 per day) but the trend has slowed down with some 30 new arrivals today.

Three factors trigger this movement:
– A certain host family fatigue can be observed mainly in Tbilisi.
– IDPs that were placed in schools and kindergartens in Tbilisi tend to move to Gori.
– A general strong pull factor for coming to Gori is the possibility of reunification of families and friends in the town.

The basic needs of inhabitants are covered. However, due to dropping temperatures during the nights, 550 sleeping bags were provided for children from 0 – 18 years of age by various operational partners. An additional 1,450 bags are needed to supply the entire camp population. UNHCR is trying to organise thermos flasks with the help of the Israeli Relief Group.

In order to protect the camp that is situated on a football field, Georgian authorities have established access control and erected a police tent in the camp.

In collective centres, the distribution of mattresses is ongoing. Seven out of 28 centres have received them so far.

There is an increasing need of supporting host families in Gori to avoid fatigue. UNHCR strongly encourages the distribution of relief items to families hosting IDPs. As of this week, Caritas is distributing UNHCR/MRA (Ministry for Refugees and Accommodation) ration cards to host families. Distribution points for assistance will be the churches in Gori.

Still no UN access to buffer zone
The UN including UNHCR is continuing its efforts to get access to the buffer zone north beyond the checkpoint of Karaleti but has not succeeded so far. At the same time it is transpiring that an increasing number of private cars keep entering that area without major difficulties.

Initial rapid assessments at village level within the eastern and north-eastern sectors of the buffer zone have revealed that most of the IDPs from that area have already returned, UNHCR is now assessing which type of assistance they will need to resume their lives.

Need for a better overview over IDP situation in Tbilisi
Exact figures and profiles of IDPs have so far only been established for western Georgia and partly for Gori town and region. The situation in the capital of Tbilisi is more complex, given the multitude of collective centres and host families as well as the ongoing movements between host families, collective centres and Gori. As winterisation and shelter rehabilitation require detailed planning figures, UNHCR has negotiated with the government that site managers be appointed in each collective centre that will gather numbers and profiles of inhabitants and keep track of changes.

Also, UNHCR is developing a program to monitor the enrolment of IDP children in schools in Tbilisi. Schools in the Georgian capital will only start between 15 September and 1 October as some buildings are still being used as collective centres. The IDPs are gradually moved to other locations in Tbilisi such as kindergartens. The Georgian Government has assured UNHCR that IDPs will not be coerced to return in order to vacate the schools and UNHCR is monitoring the voluntary nature of returns to Gori and to safe villages in the Gori region.

DAFI Scholarships awarded to four refugees
UNHCR Georgia has awarded four candidates with a university scholarship in the framework of DAFI (a German government-funded programme providing support for refugee students). Four young refugees of Chechen and Kist origin will receive bursaries that will cover costs for tuition, textbooks and subsistence for the duration of their studies, provided appropriate academic performance. Three male and one female candidate were selected. They will study law, business and pedagogy at various universities in Georgia.

UNHCR Representation in Georgia
0160 Tbilisi
2a Kazbegi Ave
tel.: ++995 32 152 054
fax +995 32 385 422
e-mail: geotb@unhcr.org 

Media contact:
Melita H. Sunjic, Spokesperson
Tel. +995 95 115460
e-mail:sunjicG@unhcr.org