DATE=7/4/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=W-F-P / CHECHNYA (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-264060
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The U-N World Food Program, W-F-P, says it
plans to distribute food aid to tens of thousands of
people in the breakaway Russian republic of Chechnya.
Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports this is the first time
W-F-P will be distributing food in Chechnya since the
start of the latest fighting between Russian troops
and Chechen rebels.
TEXT: The World Food Program says it plans to
dramatically increase its emergency operation in the
northern Caucuses. It says it will provide food
assistance to about 325-thousand people affected by
Russia's military campaign in Chechnya. This includes
an estimated 170-thousand people in Chechnya and
another 155-thousand Chechen refugees who fled to the
neighboring republic of Ingushetia.
W-F-P spokeswoman Christiane Berthiaume says the
situation in Chechnya is precarious, with an estimated
100-thousand people in the Chechen capital, Grozny, in
urgent need of help.
/// BERTHIAUME ACT ONE ///
Those people are handicapped, elderly people,
single mothers, sick people who haven't been
able to go and who have received probably, if
any, very little relief. Life is still very
difficult for people inside Grozny. There's no
electricity, no clean water, and no
medication. Houses are still destroyed or
heavily damaged. So, there's a lot of problems
and a lot of people suffering in Grozny.
/// END ACT ///
W-F-P hopes to send the first shipment of aid into
Chechnya this month, although no date has been set
yet. The agency says it is still completing
arrangements with private aid agencies in Chechnya
that will actually distribute the food.
U-N and international agencies are not working
inside Chechnya because of the security risks. As a
consequence, Ms. Berthiaume says W-F-P will rely on
private groups which have a presence there to locate
those in need of help.
/// BERTHIAUME ACT TWO ///
What we are going also to tell them is to target
women, to make sure that the food is given to
women, and that they would have control of the
food ration because that's one of the most
important measures to make sure that food goes
to people in need. Experience has shown us that
food that is delivered through women has much
more chance to stay within the family.
/// END ACT ///
The World Food Program says it will open two offices
in the region -- in Vladikavkaz, the capital of North
Ossetia, and in Nazran, in Ingushetia. The agency
says food will be taken to the two cities and convoys
to Chechnya will originate from there.
The U-N food agency is appealing for 14-million U-S
dollars to run the humanitarian operation in the
northern Caucuses through the end of the year.
(Signed)
NEB/LS/JWH/KL
04-Jul-2000 11:40 AM EDT (04-Jul-2000 1540 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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