ReliefWeb

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The multi-sectoral Response Plan targets 818,250 recently displaced people. A total of $117.7m is urgently required, of which approximately $6.99m has already been mobilized by Government and partners, primarily through diverting resources that were originally intended for important response elsewhere in the country.

There has been a major surge in displacement between these zones since 3 June 2018. The Plan is based on a working scenario of the displacement situation continuing for the coming six months and focusses exclusively on the immediate needs of IDPs. It does not include planning for longer-term rehabilitation / durable solutions.

The needs and response actions presented here were not featured in the Humanitarian and Disaster Resilience Plan (HDRP) for 2018; following the completion of the spring/ belg assessment this plan is expected to be reconciled with the mid-year revision of the HDRP (anticipated to be issued in late July/August 2018).

Donors are encouraged to immediately mobilize global stocks of emergency shelter / non-food items, along with new funding.

Donors able to provide new funding are encouraged to be in touch with OCHA and Cluster Coordinators for the latest updates on specific gaps and priorities, and to consider funding via the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund (EHF).

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Renewed violence along the border areas of Gedeo and West Guji zones since early June 2018 has led to the displacement of over 642,152 IDPs in Gedeo zone of SNNPR region and 176,098 IDPs in West Guji zone of Oromia region. In Gedeo, IDPs are dispersed across Bule (38,459 IDPs in one site), Dilla Zuria (12,751 IDPs living with host communities), Gedeb (306,572 IDPs in three sites), Kochere (82,423 IDPs living with host communities), Wonago (32,784), Yirgachefe (106,832 IDPs in four sites) woredas and Dilla Town (62,511 IDPs in one “collective” type center). In West Guji, some 176,098 IDPs remain in Abaya (9,377 IDPs), Birbirsa Kojowa (9,767 IDPs), Bule Hora (15,330 IDPs), Gelana (43,224 IDPs), Hambela Wamena (29,086 IDPs) and Kercha (69,264 IDPs) woredas. This is the second large-scale wave of violence that has hit the area since April 2018 – where at least 274,548 people were initially displaced in Gedeo and some 84,000 people in West Guji. Around 33% of the IDPs in West Guji are ethnic Gedeos.

Within the initial two weeks of displacement in April, the Oromia and SNNP regional authorities agreed to facilitate the return of the IDPs to their respective areas of origin and conduct relief and rehabilitation efforts in areas of origin. Despite peace and reconciliation efforts led by traditional elders, there were continued reports of secondary displacements of those IDPs who were earlier returned. The security situation has been challenging despite the deployment of the Ethiopian Defense Forces in the area, with reports of continued destruction of houses, other assets and service infrastructure.
The Federal Government has set up a commission to look at the challenges arising from the current regional boundaries and explore better ways of addressing them and has committed to work with Regional Governments to work promote reconciliation efforts.

Whilst the situation remains dynamic and requires close monitoring, as of 20 June, the UN has started to relax travel restrictions for the movement of staff and relief items in most of the affected areas; suspended programmes are restarting and despite the environment being challenging, response is feasible.