Number of victims in south of Kyrgyzstan reaches 179.

16/6 Tass 94

BISHKEK, June 16 (Itar-Tass) - The number of the killed in the recent
mass disorders in the south of Kyrgyzstan has increased to 179 people,
according to specified data of the republic's Health Ministry that reports
that the number of the killed in the Osh region is 132 and in the
Jalal-Abad region - 47.
A total of 1,879 people have applied for medical aid from the two
regions, 840 of them have been hospitalised and 914 wounded got outpatient
treatment.
The Health Ministry does not rule out that the death toll may be
higher as "the relatives often bury the killed without taking the bodies
to a medical institution or mortuary."
Meanwhile, the UN said in a press release on Tuesday that UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke with the head of Kyrgyzstan's interim
Government on June 15 regarding the crisis in the country's south, as
United Nations agencies launched operations to assist the thousands of
civilians affected by the violence.
Mr. Ban told Roza Otunbaeva that the UN is closely coordinating with
governments and regional organizations to respond to the crisis, in which
more than 100 people have reportedly been killed and at least 1,300
injured as a result of the clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks that
erupted last week. The Uzbek Government estimates that around 75,000
people from Kyrgyzstan have crossed over and are seeking refuge on its
territory, the release says.
The Secretary-General voiced deep concern about the violence,
especially given the inter-ethnic character of the unrest, in a separate
phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. He also thanked
Russia for its efforts to address the humanitarian situation.
In light of the security situation in the south, UN political chief B.
Lynn Pascoe on June 14 stressed the need to create a humanitarian corridor
in Kyrgyzstan for the UN and others to deliver assistance to people in
need. "What we need above all is an improved security situation on the
ground around [the southern city of] Osh to prevent further loss of life
and to allow access so that humanitarian needs can be properly assessed
and tackled," said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John
Holmes. "It is essential that the safety and security of humanitarian
staff is assured so that we can reach all those in need," he added. "It is
also vital that the border with Uzbekistan remains open.
Mr. Holmes, who is also UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said food,
medicine, shelter and protection are critical issues at this stage. Flash
appeals are being prepared to cover the most urgent initial needs for
displaced people, those both in Kyrgyzstan and in Uzbekistan.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has launched an emergency operation to
provide logistics and feed civilians caught in the crisis, while calling
on all sides to allow the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian supplies,
according to the UN release. "This crisis is unfolding rapidly and WFP is
mobilizing its global expertise to ensure that the vulnerable -
particularly women and children - do not suffer," said Executive Director
Josette Sheeran. "We implore all sides to ensure humanitarian access to
the vulnerable, trapped by the crisis."
The agency noted that transporting aid from the capital, Bishkek, is
difficult, as roads are not safe and commercial trucking companies are
reluctant to risk their vehicles. WFP currently has 3,000 metric tons of
food pre-positioned in Kyrgyzstan - enough to feed 87,000 people for two
months.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) offered its assistance
to Uzbek authorities who are already dealing with needs of the displaced.
The agency's spokesperson Andrej Mahecic told reporters in Geneva that the
first of six planned cargo flights, each carrying 40 tons of UNHCR relief
supplies for refugees fleeing the violence, is scheduled to leave Dubai
tomorrow morning.
According to the UN, the first UNHCR-chartered flight will be loaded
with 800 lightweight tents to meet rapidly growing shelter needs, Mr.
Mahecic said. The subsequent five flights will be loaded with blankets,
sleeping mats, kitchen sets and plastic sheeting for emergency shelters.
"In total, we plan to deliver some 240 tons of humanitarian assistance
from our central emergency stockpile in Dubai. Upon arrival in Uzbekistan
the supplies will be loaded onto trucks and taken immediately to various
sites hosting refugees in close coordination with the Government," he said.
Part of the UNHCR emergency team was travelling in advance of these
flights and includes field officers as well as experts on operations, site
planning and logistics. The agency is preparing a separate airlift and the
deployment of an emergency team to Kyrgyzstan.
UNHCR said it was "alarmed" by the rapid escalation of violence since
10 June, which has led to the displacement of an estimated 200,000 people
within the country, in addition to those who fled to Uzbekistan. "We fear
that unless peace and order is restored swiftly more people could be
displaced as they flee to the countryside or try to cross the border to
Uzbekistan," Mr. Mahecic stated, appealing for a halt to the violence and
efforts to ensure the protection of civilians.
-0-ezh/gor


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