FRAGILE SECURITY SITUATION IMPEDES URGENTLY NEEDED HUMANITARIAN AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION OPERATIONS IN EAST TIMOR

Press Release
SAG/58

FRAGILE SECURITY SITUATION IMPEDES URGENTLY NEEDED HUMANITARIAN AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION OPERATIONS IN EAST TIMOR

ROME, 28 September (FAO) -- Since the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Special Alert on East Timor earlier this month, the deployment of United Nations peace enforcement forces has brought uneasy calm to Dili, the capital, but the overall security situation remains highly volatile, with sporadic killings and armed infringements continuing. Although the multinational force is gaining more access, the situation outside Dili still remains highly dangerous, hampering urgently needed humanitarian operations.

The full extent of earlier massacres and destruction still remains unclear, but there is growing evidence that large numbers of people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced from homes. Currently, it is estimated that 400,000 people remain hidden in mountain areas or are housed in makeshift camps in East and West Timor. The majority of the displaced, up to 60 per cent, are from rural areas. The plight and food security of these people, especially the old and children in hostile areas, give grave cause for concern. Many are said to be living in fear and scavenging for food, while there is desperate need for drinking water as the height of the dry season approaches.

The food situation is becoming increasingly critical. The extreme shortage of food has meant that a number of government food stores have been rampaged by desperate and hungry people, with over 8,000 tonnes of food looted so far. The World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and several other humanitarian organizations, are making concerted efforts to provide food and relief assistance, but are being impeded by logistical and security hazards.

It is provisionally estimated that as many as 80 per cent of the population of some 900,000 people will need food assistance for an indeterminate period, once the security and transport situation allows. To date, some 130 tonnes of food aid and blankets have been airdropped by the WFP to areas considered most at risk of shortages. Various pledges for international food and humanitarian assistance have already been made, which will be channelled through the United Nations, bilateral agencies and non-governmental organizations). A WFP emergency operation for 4,488 tonnes of food aid for 150,000 displaced people for two months was approved on 15 September. It is understood that the ICRC also recently delivered a shipment of food for 100,000 people to Dili.

- 2 - Press Release SAG/58 28 September 1999

In West Timor, an estimated 215,000 displaced East Timorese, some deported forcibly, are under serious threat from renewed violence by the militia. Of these, there are an estimated 42,000 children under five and 6,000 pregnant women who are at particular risk of poor living conditions. There are also fears that many of the 31 refugee camps in West Timor are controlled by the militia, who are reported to be seeking reprisals. The main camps at Atambua, Kupang, Belu and Timor Tengah Utara are also grossly overpopulated and lack vital supplies of food, medicine and water. At present, the food situation in West Timor is not considered as desperate as that in East Timor. However, if the security situation worsens and humanitarian operations are delayed, the situation could deteriorate rapidly.

The effects of severe food shortages have been exacerbated by mounting health problems, with diarrhea, respiratory infections and malaria being the principal concerns. There are fears that many health problems could result in chronic illnesses as the health sector has been crippled by the devastation and large numbers of doctors and health workers have left.

The short-term outlook for agriculture and food production in East Timor is bleak, due to the scale of destruction and civil disruption. Many farmers have had to abandon farms and, together with traders, have lost vital stocks of seeds and fertilizer. At this time of year, land preparation should normally be under way for the main planting season to commence in the next few weeks to coincide with rains from the north-east monsoon. The scale of the crisis, however, almost certainly means that this will not be possible, which will compound food shortages over the next year. In addition to food, therefore, once the situation allows there will also be urgent need for rehabilitation assistance with seeds, fertilizers and tools.

A United Nations interagency mission, including the FAO, is currently visiting East and West Timor to undertake a multi-sectoral assessment of humanitarian needs and formulate a flash United Nations appeal to address the most urgent needs. In addition, a fuller FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission is to be fielded as soon as the security situation permits.

For further information, please contact: John Riddle, Media Officer, Tel.: (39) 06 5705-3259, e-mail: john.riddle@fao.org Please note that this special report will be available on the Internet shortly as part of the FAO World Wide Web at the following URL address: http://www.fao.org/giews/.

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