DATE=3/3/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=UNHCR / CHECHNYA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-259808
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Refugee Agency, U-N-H-
C-R, says thousands of people in the Chechen
capital, Grozny are in desperate need of
humanitarian assistance. Lisa Schlein in Geneva
reports the agency says people are living in
terrible conditions.
TEXT: The United Nations Refugee Agency
successfully distributed 10 truckloads of aid to
Grozny earlier this week. This was the first
time the inhabitants of Grozny have received
international assistance since Russia invaded
Chechnya more than five months ago.
U-N-H-C-R spokesman Ron Redmond says U-N and
private aid agencies are now doing an assessment
of the convoy, which was a trial run. He says
they will decide next week whether more convoys
will be sent to Grozny.
/// REDMOND ACT ///
Judging from the initial reports from our
monitors who accompanied this convoy, the
needs inside Grozny are tremendous. The
monitors describe a devastated and still
insecure wasteland where only 21-thousand
civilians remain, this is according to
local registration lists. The monitors
reported continued fighting in certain
parts of Grozny.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Redmond says bodies of civilian casualties
are still being recovered from collapsed
buildings. And mines, unexploded grenades and
shells are a problem in many areas.
The United Nations delivered 45 tons of food to
Grozny. Mr. Redmond calls this "a drop in the
bucket" (insignificant) considering what is
needed.
/// 2ND REDMOND ACT ///
The remaining inhabitants said that in
addition to the lack of security, their
greatest problems are a lack of food,
health concerns, in particular
tuberculosis, and a shortage of warm
clothing. Food is supplied every day at
four soup kitchens and at distribution
points in the city, but officials and local
residents told our monitors that there is a
huge demand for more supplies.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Redmond says the food was delivered to a
district of Grozny where some 14-thousand people
are registered. Most of the people there are
women, elderly and young children. He says there
is no regular gas, electricity or water supply in
the city. Therefore, he says the food was not
delivered to individuals. Instead, he says the
food was brought to soup kitchens, hospitals and
bakeries, which could prepare and distribute it.
(Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/KL
03-Mar-2000 09:47 AM EDT (03-Mar-2000 1447 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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