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Inter-agency field mission report – Siraro woreda West Arsi zone, Oromia Region

27-31 May 2020

GOAL, SCI, CDI, OCHA, UNICEF/ABH, ZDRMO and ZHD

Balela 01 kebele, Kella IDP site in Siraro woreda, 27 May 2020

1. BACKGROUND

According to zonal and woreda disaster risk management offices (DRMOs), in May 2019, a long-term Sidama-Oromo clan conflict escalated causing more than 170 casualties (including 40 fatalities), displacement of 36,000 people and destruction of around 600 homes in six kebeles along the administrative boundaries between Sidama and West Arsi zones. The escalation was preceded by a two-year deterioration of security situation between Sidama’s Hawassa Zuria, Bilate Zuria woredas and West Arsi’s Siraro woreda. Zonal and woreda authorities reported then new displacement to the Oromia regional DRMC (ODRMC) and key humanitarian partners.; Cconsequently, four rounds of emergency food were delivered to the IDPs. In the course of 2019, some 15,406 IDPs returned to their homes and 20,774 IDPs have remained with host community and scattered across six kebeles in Siraro woreda as follows:

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Kebeles Number of IDPs Current locations

1. Shello Illacho 2. Shello Balela 3. Shello Abore 4. Balela 01 5. Onoko 6. Different kebeles

(Kella,Bilito,Shasha,and Gayo) Total:

7,425 4,860 1,080 1,610 3,519 2,280

20,774

Host community Host community, and kebele office Host community Host community Host community Host community

Source: Siraro woreda DRMO

2. SITUATION OVERVIEW

The assessment team consulted around 200 IDPs residing in three clusters, from Finchaha area (from

about 50 Gute or sub-kebele) in Shello Balela kebele. About 20 households have lived in the kebele’s

office space, improvising room divisions among themselves for the past one year, without the prospect of

a safe return home. The IDPs are in need of comprehensive humanitarian assistance; their situation has

been especially aggravated in the last five months due to the suspension of emergency food distribution.

Women, children and elderly people are mainly affected by economic hardship as the community members

are mostly daily labourers with insufficient livelihood opportunities and limited access to local markets (due

to security issues). Local community cannot address IDPs’ needs as their own resources are depleted.

In the second visited site Balela 01, around a hundred IDPs of all ages gathered to provide information

about their current status. Until six months ago, they had received only emergency food and a few families

got some night cloths. The conflict resulted in the complete damage of all their belongings, including

agricultural outputs, and the community has not recovered since. The IDPs reside with host communities

and in vacant houses under construction around the entry of Balela 01.

Ato Batiri Jinjimo (38) with his eight children (four girls) and a wife lives in partially constructed house around the entry of Balela 01. His hands got burnt during the conflict when he was attacked in his home, and he is not able to use them anymore. He mentioned food, shelter and cloth among his family’s major needs. He is not able to adequately provide for his family because of the disability, and the quality of his life has been worsening. Batiri and his family need their own living space, to have some privacy and not to feel like a burden for their hosts. Balela 01, Siraro woreda

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An IDP representative in Balela 01 reported about 9,000 IDPs having been recorded during the initial registration; reportedly, very few households have returned, and others mostly resettled in other areas. All The IDPs’ primary and urgent needs include food, shelter, NFI (including also clothes), and WASH (including also WASH-related NFI); their health concerns amid the COVID-19 emergency are considered secondary to the food/water needs, especially as women spend long hours seeking water/food, not being able to purchase or otherwise secure it from the market (one jerrycan of water costs 12 ETB). Cooking supplies are among the top priority needs. Before the conflict, the IDPs were farmers, pastoralists and merchants and mostly leading independent lives – unlike at present. They live in highly overcrowded small huts or public facilities (e.g. more than three households or over 15 people in a very small kebele office in Kella site, Shello Balelal kebele) and without night gowns, access to sanitation and hygiene or household items. They remain at high risk of contracting communicable diseases. Due to precarious security situation, local authorities could not provide meaningful assistance for IDPs to adequately sustain their lives and build resilience. Kebele-level conflict is a recurrent event, with the latest major escalation in May 2020 in Honogo kebele, that resulted in nine casualties (including two fatalities). Women, children and elders have become entangled in social tensions as young male groups focus on ensuring local security rather than trying to seek income generation opportunities. Zonal and woreda administration reconciliation and peacebuilding efforts are ongoing though, reportedly, without much effect – allegedly, due to Sidama zone’s authorities not giving sufficient attention to the matter. The EDF has been deployed to ensure security in the kebeles. 3. PRIORITY NEEDS

Food: The last time IDPs received food was at least five months ago. They mentioned that women/mothers continue to beg and children are working as daily laborers in nearby villages; some youth relocated in search for work opportunities to support their families. Due to general local economic hardship, local/host communities cannot provide support to the IDPs. Elders, children, pregnant and lactating women are reportedly the most affected by the limited food. Interviewed women expressed frustration at the lack of assistance to address their. Consequently, women have largely been affected by psychosocial issues caused by the lack of assistance and care for their children. A 70-year-old father in Shello Illancho kebele said that they are “still alive because of God, but food is [their] immediate need for survival at the moment”. Ms Katari Abe, a single mother of five children living in Kella kebele office site, said that life has been highly frightening after all her belongings had been destroyed or damaged when her home was burnt. She currently lives in the kebele office together with other four households. She spends most of the time begging but can get only negligible or no support, thus failing to feed her children.

Shello Balela, Kella site (20 households in the compound), 27 May 2020

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Health: The nearest health facility is a partially functional Shello Balela Health Centre. Most IDPs travel from 20 minutes to two hours to reach the centre. Even though motor bicycle is an available travel means, the IDPs have no money to pay for it. Because of the distance and limited functionality of health posts the communicable diseases like diarrhoea, scabies and measles are occasionally reported. The health post building is damaged and health workers cannot deliver basic health service, especially for women and children. When the IDPs fall sick, it is difficult to get treatment also because they cannot afford the drugs. Health workers sometimes provide health education and screening service, but availability of Target Supplementary Feeding Programme (TSFP) services is only occasional. Children have been vaccinated through different catch-up campaigns – not through routine immunization services. The lack of safe WASH and food reduces their immunity against infections. Most of the visited children were coughing.

Shello Illancho, Kella site, living room, 27 May 2020

Shelter / NFI: The team visited IDPs living in overcrowded kebeles’ office. Seven families lived in one room; few rooms were shared with livestock. Their living condition were appalling, with no available basic shelters and NFIs; they do not have blankets, mattresses, clothes nor items for cooking, washing, drinking and collecting and storing water. The IDP representatives in Kella mentioned that two other compounds located nearby (Chinga and Bologe sites) of total estimated 7,000 families have had similar issues.

WaSH: There are no natural rivers flowing through all of the 32 kebeles of Siraro. There is no available safe water source in the vicinity of the displaced communities. People either fetch water from an unprotected pond (Harro) or they buy unsafe water for 12-15 ETB per jerrycan. and use it for drinking and domestic purposes. The hygiene and sanitation situation is critical as there are no latrines (open defecation), handwashing facilities, nor water treatment chemicals in the whole area. The risk of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases is very high due to overcrowded living condition and low WASH facilities coupled with limited awareness of the risks.

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Education: In 2019, 11 schools with around 6,000 students closed due to heavy security situation in at least six kebeles. Some schools were partially damaged and looted. In 2020, 10 schools recorded the highest dropout in West Arsi zone. One school with around 600 students has not been opened yet. The schools require substantive rehabilitation, as well as scholastic materials for normal operations. The IDPs disclosed that their children have practically stopped attending school since the initial displacement (May 2019) due to the school’s distance from the displacement area, lack of affordable school materials and clothes; also, minors are involved in supporting their families by attending local business and doing daily labour. Child protection: Physical and emotional maltreatment is reported and unaddressed due to the disruptions of family and friendships ties, daily routines and the wider community dysfunction. Reportedly, a lot of students dropped out from school fearing insecurity in the kebeles, opting to stay with their families despite the neglect and inconveniences.

Shello Balela kebele, Kella site, 27 May 2020

4. RESPONSE AND GAPS

A few humanitarian partners are present in West Arsi and, particularly, Siraro, despite it being among priority 1 woredas. The lack of presence is attributed to the precarious security situation in the affected kebeles along the administrative boundary with Sidama zone. Siraro is in the hard-to-reach part of the zone, while IDP-hosting kebeles are among the most remote ones within the woreda (e.g. 40-50 km from the woreda’s centre); NGOs working in the woreda do not significantly cover these kebeles. Currently, GOAL, World Vision (WV), and MCS/CRS run limited humanitarian and development projects; SCI and UNICEF/ABH provide nutrition support.

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Food: Woreda and zonal DRMO reports that, in 2019, total 36,180 IDPs in five areas received four rounds of JEOP’s emergency food. In 2020, zonal DRMO distributed only 250 kg of emergency food and 50 kg of TSFP supplies to a few families. At present, around 20,700 IDPs are reportedly in urgent need of emergency food need; however, the data needs to be further verified.

2019-distribution of emergency food for 36,180 IDPs

Kebeles IDPs

Shello illacho 7,770

Shello Balela 7,155

Shello Abore 4,484

Balela 01 1,610

Honogo 3,519

Other (Kella,Bilito, Shsha, Gayo)

11,642

Total 36,180 Source: Siraro woreda DRMO

WaSH: Water treatment chemicals are urgently needed, as well as community mobilization for it utilization, to ensure the availability and use of clean and safe water as a prerequisite for disease prevention, including with regard to COVID-19. Construction of public latrines and handwashing facilities is required, along with WASH NFIs, as well as awareness raising on hygiene and sanitation, including COVID-19 prevention. Temporary sanitation hygiene kits (including enough soap) and dignity kits should be provided to the affected community. Supportive supervision by the zonal water and health authorities over woreda and kebele ones should be strengthened. Health and nutrition: Access to basic health service and TSFP delivery is one of the crucial needs. Infection prevention and treatment support is needed. Mobile health service and an increased nutrition coverage is required. ES/NFI: ES/NFI remains a major gap for about 20,700 individuals (per DRMO information). While only a few families reportedly obtained some clothes in 2019, the authorities and humanitarian partners have not provided any such assistance.

Kella site, Illacho Balela kebele, 27 May 2020

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5. AUTHORITIES’ FEEDBACK

The woreda Task Force sectorial members confirmed the information about displacement, human and

property losses and damages, and the limited assistance provided. Authorities in charge of women, children

and youth have reportedly requested government and humanitarian assistance without receiving any

feedback. Malaria was mentioned among major threats and support in this regard is ongoing. WV allegedly

donated a few medical items. Due to insecurity and distance (health workers must travel cca 15 km daily),

basic health service is effectively unavailable. Several hectares of land are not cultivated and sowed as a

result of displacement.

Woreda administration clearly indicated that the IDPs have been neglected for past one year. The

administration is working with EDF and Sidama zone’s side (Hawassa Zuria and Bilate Zuria woredas) to

reconciliate communities and restore peace, aimed at facilitating safe, voluntary and dignified return of

IDPs; the return timeframe is not disclosed. The Oromia DRMC emergency food suspension for the last

five months needs to be reconsidered. Woreda and zonal authorities pledged to jointly advocate for the

resumption of food assistance for the IDPs.

The Task Force (sectorial heads) ask for joint facilitation of humanitarian aid (primarily food) after the IDP

population data (20,700 reported by DRMO) is verified.

Zonal Task Force sectoral leads confirmed the highest school dropout numbers in 2020 in the zone, as

well as the 2019 damages to 11 schools and students’ reluctance to follow the curriculum, mostly due to

lack of attention, future prospects and lack of assistance. There were multiple reports and requests from

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woreda-level authorities about the IDPs’ problems that were not successful due to zonal authorities’ other

priorities. IDPs were being visited for three months with eventually confirmed status; however, COVID-19

emergency halted the intended response. It remains unclear how emergency food distribution ceased when

the IDPs have not returned nor been reported as returnees. Regional administration has been repeatedly

requested to provide food but has not provided feedback. The team recommended sectoral leads to

internally discuss the matter and deploy any available government assistance until humanitarian support

can step in based on credibly verified numbers of people in need.

The zonal taskforce agrees to push woreda authorities to verify IDP numbers (primarily, whether the total

IDP population lesser or greater than 20,000). Zonal meeting minutes will be released to Oromia DRMC

very soon to ensure proper information sharing and, eventually, coordinated response by all stakeholders.

*****

Inter-agency field mission participants:

S.N Name of the organization Name of participant Position Contact no.

1 UN OCHA Yomif Worku HAO 0911981085

2 UNICEF/ABH Dereje Batu Advisor 0912290800

3 GOAL Ethiopia Tilahun Leulseged Area Manager 0930014816

4 Center for Development Initiatives (CDI)

Negash Geleto Area Manager 0916857522

5 Zonal DRMO Mustefa Kedir Head 0911744919

6 Zonal DRMO Esmael Ayano EW focal point 0910295557

7 Save the Children Mohammed Taha GTN advisor 0912123645

8 Zone Health Department (ZHD) Haji Kediro PHEM focal 0913198822

9 Woreda DRMO Jemal Boru Head 0916609379