ACT Rapid Response Payment: Preah Vihear Border Conflict, Cambodia 27 Apr

ACT Rapid Response Payment: Preah Vihear Border Conflict, Cambodia 27 Apr

2009 15:45:00 GMT
Source: Action by Churches Together (ACT) - Switzerland
Elisabeth Gouel
Website: http://www.act-intl.org
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.

Rapid Response Payment Request No. 7/2009

Funds Sent To: Church World Service - Cambodia

Amount Sent: US$ 22,453

Date: 27 April 2009

Details of Response

Emergency: Preah Vihear Border Conflict

Date of Emergency: 24 April 2009

Implementing Member: Church World Service Cambodia with implementing partner, Kumnit Thmey (KNTO)

DETAILS OF THE EMERGENCY:

On 3rd April, fighting was re-ignited on the Thai-Cambodia border near the mountain-top Preah Vihear Temple, which is escalating to other areas in the north of Cambodia. The temple and the 800 km. (500 mile) shared border have been the source of a long-standing dispute between Cambodia and Thailand.

Over 500 families have been displaced with numbers rising, reports ACT member Church World Service's Cambodia office. According to the Cambodian provincial authorities, over 520 displaced families (1,660 individuals) are currently taking shelter in a camp in Sa-Em village, about 20 kilometers from Preah Vihear. These displaced persons include 277 families from Prasat village whose houses were burned to the ground, and another 243 families from Kor Mouy village. Many of these families are vendors from a market located burned to the ground in the initial fighting. With military movements on both sides of the border, the populations of villages in neighboring districts are also fleeing the fighting.

CWS staff on the ground report that their rapid assessment of the situation for the most affected displaced families (as of April 13th) reveals urgent needs which include emergency shelter, food, non-food relief items, hygiene promotion, latrines and health services. Continuous rainfall in the IDP camp areas over the last few days has compounded the situation for people, especially those currently living out in the open. Other are using thatch or plastic sheeting as temporary cover.

The district governor has reported that due to insecurity caused by continuous conflict along the border, the daily lives of local population are being severely disrupted and their resilience weakened. Eighteen (18) school-age children are without schooling, and a food shortfall is expected in about two weeks time, especially impacting on women and children. CWS is currently conducting a further assessment of the situation.

ACTIONS TO DATE, AND EMERGENCY NEEDS:

The following assistance by other Organizations/Departments to these border conflict IDPs is reported by CWS as follows:

- Cambodian Red Cross distribution to 520 families on 07 April 2009- 1 family received 25kg of rice, 10 packs of instant noodle, 10 cans of canned fish, 5 plates, 2 soup plates, 2 cooking pans, 5 spoons. Food relief to cover a 2 month period.

- Oxfam GB distribution to 277 families from Prasat village- plastic sheets (temporary shelter)

- Provincial Department of Health distribution of 200 mosquito nets to 200 families from Prasat Village on 04 April 2009

- Provincial Department of Social Affairs distributed 400kg of rice to those who are from Prasat Village and 100kg of rice for those who are from Kor Muoy Village.

Assistance currently being planned by CWS response complements assistance already provided by other organizations and government authorities. However, the rapid analysis found that there is a shortage of food and clean water and urgent support is needed in the next two weeks:

- Food shortage: A family, that has 5 members as an average, consumes about 1.5kg rice/day. Based on this calculation, all the 520 families will challenge with the food shortage in next week and next few weeks. Currently, there are only about 5% of men in the camp are able to make some income by selling their labor nearby.

- Lack of shelter: Insufficient space for settling in the roof of the under construction local market. Only 200 tents were distributed by OXFAM and most of those use it to cover the ground and sleeping on it.

- No water store: Water is enough but all families do not have water container to store water for domestic use.

- Unclean/unsafe water: Water which people use for drinking (without boiling), cooking and personal use is strongly contaminated by iron and lime.

- Malnutrition: Malnutrition of about 286 children and mothers will probably face with malnutrition from time to time.

- Access to health services: There is only 1 medical doctor in the camp. Approximately 20 patients visit the doctor every day. 2 women were reported had delivered their baby with that doctor recently. There is no separate medicine for adult and children. A functional Health Center located about 2km from the camp and would cost US$2.5 to visit one time; and that cost is completely not affordable by most of the IDP. Fever, cold, vomitting and diarrhea are reported the most met diseases.

- Human waste management: There is only 1 toilet is there. Very small amount of the IDP at the edge nearby that toilet uses it. The rest including children, women, men, disable and so on do open defecation.

PROPOSED EMERGENCY RESPONSE

OBJECTIVE(S) OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE:

To assist IDPs arising out of conflict between Cambodia and Thailand along the border area with immediate food and non-food needs.

TARGET POPULATIONS: 520 displaced families. (For breakdown, kindly visit the ACT site. Thank you.)

PROPOSED ASSISTANCE:

Provision of food:

- 15,600 kg of rice plus some other cooking ingredients such as oil, salt, fish source, soya source and canned fish will be required in the coming few weeks. With that amount of food items, people will be fed from 1 to 2 months (depending on family size).

- Basic package per family will be:

Rice: 30 kg

Vegetable oil: 0.5 liter

Salt: 2 kg

Fish source: 1 bottle

Soya source: 1 bottle

Canned fish: 10 can

Provision of non-food item (need description):

- 320 tent (plastic sheet), 661 mosquito nets, 520 water containers, 520 ceramic water filters are required.

IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS:

KNTO is a local NGO that was founded on April 24, 2001, in which there were 5 founders, including 2 females. Presently, KNTO has 8 staff with 4 females. In February 2002, KNTO became full partner of CWS in implementing Integrated Community Development in 18 villages in Banteay Meanchey and Odor Meanchey provinces focus on SHGs, health emergency assistance, agriculture, capacity building for existing groups and villages. Development committee supports and cooperates with commune councils and help upgrade the living conditions of the poorest. Fund for the same program is continued every year by CWS Cambodia until present.

For the implementation of this emergency response in the north-west provinces, CWS and KNTO have conducted a joined assessment and implementation.

For the response of Sa-Em IDP camp, CWS will directly implement by coordinating with Cambodian Red Cross and district local authority. CWS will:

- Conduct meeting with district CRC and commune leader to clarify role and responsibilities among them and CWS's ERP team, before starting to re-do survey.

- CWS ERP staff Coordinate with district CRC, community leader and village leaders in the three villages to verify the existing beneficiaries list, through direct re-survey with the people in the camp village by village.

- Agreeing on the plan for providing assistant support to the victims by producing the coupon before providing assistant support.

- Conduct quotation to purchase food and non food items for providing to the victims.

COORDINATION:

Most of NGOs or UN Agencies provide their assistance through Cambodian Red Cross and its Provincial Office. CWS considers also using that structure to assist IDP in cooperation with the Red Cross and Provincial Committee for Disaster Management as well as the local authority. Other NGOs and ACT members in Cambodia were contacted to ensure that the emergency response is properly coordinated and that duplication in supplying relief goods is avoided. The initial outcome of the coordination is:

- UNICEF is looking to deliver water container or water filter through Red Cross. But the Provincial Red Cross does not have any plan yet with UNICEF.

- Caritas had done an initial assessment but implementation is unclear.

COMMUNICATIONS:

CWS Cambodia's disaster team is working closely with its Communication Office. All the information along with the pictures will be shared with Communication Office for making up-dates on the flood affected areas. These up-dates will be shared with the donor communities as well as with UN clusters and rest of the international community. Communication Office will accompany program staff at the time of the distribution, and then will release media briefs. Communication Office will upload the information on CWS website. In addition; there will be a constant sharing of information with ACT Communication Office for transparency and accountability.

CWS Cambodia will ensure to have a logo on non-food items and also will introduce ACT and CWS in the community beneficiaries meetings. Visibility actions will be taken whenever deemed possible.

Planned Implementation Period:

Activities / Time frame

Appointment with district CRC and commune leader about the coordination / April 24

Meeting with district CRC and commune leader to clarify role and responsibilities among them and CWS's ERP team, before starting to re-do survey / April 27

CWS ERP staff Coordinate with district CRC, commune leader and village leaders in the three villages to verify the existing beneficiaries list, through direct re-survey with the people in the camp village by village / April 27-28

Agreeing on the plan for providing assistant support to the victims by producing the coupon before providing assistant support / April 29

Conduct quotation analysis before purchase food and non food items for providing to the victims for the first priority / April 30

Start first assistant - distribution support to the victims / May 7

Start second assistant - distribution support to the victim / May 28

BUDGET: US$ 22,453 (For the detailed budget, kindly visit the ACT site. Thank you.)

ACTION

The ACT Co-ordinating Office has approved the use of US$ 22,453 towards the budget from its Rapid Response Fund and would be grateful to receive contributions to wholly or partially replenish this payment.

(ends)

ACT is a global alliance of Churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.


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