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WFP Emergency Report No. 26 of 1998: Yugoslavia and Region: Kosovo crisis

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Albania
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WFP
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This report includes: A) Angola B) Guinea Bissau C) Sudan D) Rwanda E) Yugoslavia and Region: Kosovo crisis F) Democratic People's Republic of Korea G) Central America - report on El Nino regional operation as supplement.
From Manuel Aranda da Silva, Chief, Technical Support Service. Available on the Internet on the WFP Home Page at http://www.wfp.org/ or by electronic mail from Deborah.Hicks@wfp.org (fax 39 6 6513 2837). For information on resources, donors are requested to contact Aleesa.Blum@wfp.org or Claudia.VonRoehl@wfp.org at WFP Rome, telephone 39 6 6513 2004 or 6 6513 2504. The address of WFP is Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici, Rome 00148.

PART I - HIGHLIGHTS
(Details below in Part II)

E. YUGOSLAVIA AND REGION: KOSOVO CRISIS

1. WFP response to the Kosovo crisis - information as of 29 June

a) WFP food delivered to Montenegro for internally displaced persons from Kosovo; influx of IDPs continues.

b) In Kosovo, joint WFP/UNHCR/ICRC convoy delivers relief supplies to village of Junik, in first delivery of humanitarian aid to the area since the crisis began.

c) In Albania, WFP food is in place in Bajram Curri for distribution in July. WFP high-energy biscuits provided to MSF/Belgium for distribution to refugees arriving at their reception centre at top of mountain pass.

d) Refugees from Kosovo in Albania are leaving northern Albania for cities in other parts of the country; influx of refugees from across the border ceases after 20 June.

PART II - DETAILS

E. YUGOSLAVIA AND REGION: KOSOVO CRISIS

1. YUGOSLAVIA - information as of 29 June

1.1 Montenegro

a) Following a request for food aid to Kosovan internally displaced persons in Montenegro on 19 June, 145 tons of WFP food (125 tons wheat flour, 10 tons oil and 10 tons pulses) arrived in Podgorica, Montenegro on 24 June. This is the first significant support to arrive in Montenegro. The food came from ECHO contingency stocks in Bosnia Herzegovina and Croatia.

b) The influx of IDPs from Kosovo into Montenegro continues, especially with the closure and mining of the Kosovo Albanian border. At the time of the request for food aid, UNHCR stated there were 8,000 IDPs in Montenegro. By the arrival of the food, four days later, there were 10,000 IDPs. The ration of WFP food aid will be dropped to ensure as wide as possible coverage of IDPs.

c) Montenegrin authorities have maintained an open-door policy for IDPs. The influx is continuing unabated with daily arrivals of approximately 300 people. The community-based host family support system is stretched beyond its coping limit and more IDPs are being accommodated in collective centres.

1.2 Kosovo

a) A joint WFP/UNHCR/ICRC convoy took relief supplies to the village of Junik on 25 June. This was the first time humanitarian aid reached the area since the crisis erupted. The area recently suffered heavy fighting. WFP delivered 5 tons of wheat flour for distribution through the Mother Teresa society. UNHCR provided laundry soap and ICRC provided hygiene packs and medical supplies.

2. ALBANIA

2.1 A total of 547 tons of WFP food has been transported to Albania. Eighty-seven tons is in Bajram Curri where the refugees are gathered, ready for distribution in July. WFP provided MSF/Belgium with high-energy biscuits for distribution to refugees arriving at their reception centre at the top of the mountain pass.

2.2 The Albanian government had registered 6,659 refugees from Kosovo by 23 June. This is lower than UNHCR figures due to a large number of refugees leaving northern Albania to other cities and their reluctance to be registered. Agencies estimate 100-200 refugees are leaving daily in search of better conditions. A number of refugees are being registered in Durres, Tirana and Skhoder.

2.3 The influx of refugees from across the border ceased after 20 June due to actions by the Yugoslav army and Serbian police units and reports that the border is mined.

(End WFP Emergency Report No. 26 of 1998 - June 26, 1998)