Spring edition 2014

A quarterly update on disasters and emergencies around the world.

Includes: Syria, South Sudan, Philippines, Central African Republic, Namibia, Bolivia.

CAFOD Crisis Watch Report

Syria

15 March marked three years since the beginning of the Syria conflict. In the run-up to the anniversary, CAFOD supporters held candlelit vigils and prayed for peace as part of the global #WithSyria campaign. #WithSyria brought together more than 130 organisations in 27 countries to launch a joint plea for world leaders to commit to ensuring that the war does not last another year.

As part of the campaign, prominent landmarks around the world – including Nelson’s Column and the Eiffel Tower – were illuminated with an image by the artist Banksy. The image, entitled “There is always hope”, featured a young Syrian girl reaching for a red balloon. In cities around the world, thousands of red balloons were released to carry a message of hope to Syria.

A huge range of political leaders endorsed #WithSyria and pledged their commitment to working to end the bloodshed, including David Cameron, William Hague, Nick Clegg, foreign ministers in France and Germany, the Prime Ministers of Belgium and Luxembourg, the President of the Czech Republic and US National Security Advisor Susan Rice.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Syria remains catastrophic. 6.5 million people have been forced from their homes within Syria, while a further 2.5 million have fled to neighbouring countries as refugees. In 2013, an average of 127,000 people fled the country every month.

Within Syria, 9.9 million people – approximately half the country’s population – are facing severe food shortages, and the lack of healthcare, particularly for chronic diseases, continues to exacerbate the crisis. According to government figures, 41 of Syria’s 91 public hospitals are now out of service, along with 674 medical centres, and 416 ambulances.

It remains extremely difficult for aid agencies to access some of the worst-hit parts of the country. While some local truces and ceasefires have been agreed, the humanitarian situation remains dire in besieged areas.

On 22 February, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2139, demanding that all parties allow the provision of humanitarian assistance. CAFOD is continuing to call on members of the Security Council and other governments to do everything in their power to ensure that the resolution is implemented.

21 March marked a year since the formal launch of our Syria Crisis appeal. During that time, the Catholic community in England and Wales has donated more than £2.5 million, enabling us to deliver food, water, shelter and emergency supplies to thousands of families in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq.

Find out more at cafod.org.uk/syria

“Although the Geneva

peace talks have not

produced many results

so far, we ask the

international community

to keep up the pressure to

bring all sides to the table.

After three years of war,

we cannot expect results

overnight, but in the end

all sides will surely have to

listen to each other.”

Najla Chahda, Director of CAFOD partner Caritas Lebanon Migrant Centre

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CAFOD Crisis Watch Report: Spring Edition

South Sudan remains engulfed in a major humanitarian crisis, the result of fighting between the government and rival political factions. An estimated 4.9 million people – more than 40 per cent of the country’s population – are in urgent need of aid. To date 931,000 people have been forced from their homes, including 222,000 who have fled to neighbouring countries. Many desperately need food, shelter, clean water, sanitation and healthcare. Thousands have been killed.

Since a ceasefire was brokered on 23 January, the capital Juba has been relatively calm, but parts of the country – particularly in Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile states – are still in need of humanitarian relief. Peace negotiations have made slow progress. The situation remains complex, with informal groups, often aligned to one political side or the other, involved in the fighting.

Sister Elena Balatti, a Comboni Missionary, describes how the city of Malakal, home to 250,000 people, was deserted following three waves of attacks from opposition groups:

“After each attack the inhabitants gradually abandoned the city. Many are refugees in neighbouring villages, others headed to the north of the State, some even to Sudan.

“I still recall the image of the city market with Christmas decorations, shortly before the attack on 24 December. Now the market no longer exists. All government facilities were looted and have been set on fire.

“I wish those that started this conflict could come and see the suffering; the sadness at the needless loss of life they have inflicted on their own people. Then perhaps they might think twice about grabbing the gun to settle their political differences.”

The fighting, alongside poor roads and an early start to the rainy season, means that it is extremely difficult for aid agencies to deliver assistance. But CAFOD has continued to work with local Church partners to support those most in need. Churches have provided shelter from those fleeing the violence, and we have also supplied food, water, sanitation, household items and health services.

In a statement released in February, the Catholic Bishops of Sudan and South Sudan said:

“Fundamental choices must be made about how we deal with our past and present history, about how we govern ourselves as a nation, about how state institutions serve the poor. We must seize from the present crisis an opportunity to re-found our nation on democratic principles of dialogue, inclusion, and respect for diversity… We proclaim our hope and expectation that the people of South Sudan can and will rise above the crisis.”

Find out more at cafod.org.uk/southsudan

South Sudan

“I do not know what the

future holds for me and

my children...I do not know

what my life will become.”

Stella was eight months pregnant when the shooting began in December. CAFOD’s partners at St Theresa’s Catholic Cathedral in Juba are helping her care for her family

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CAFOD Crisis Watch Report: Spring Edition

Philippines The typhoon that hit the Philippines on 8 November 2013 was one of the most powerful ever to make landfall, tearing apart the lives of more than 14 million people. More than one million houses were damaged or destroyed, and, at the time of writing, 4.1 million people remain homeless.

In a country where 80 per cent of the population is Catholic, the Church played a leading role in the emergency response. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, local priests and volunteers provided food, water and shelter to people in areas that were hard to reach.

In the first weeks after the typhoon, one of CAFOD’s main priorities was preventing the spread of disease on Leyte and Samar, the two worst-hit islands. Working with our partner Catholic Relief Services, we set up and regularly refilled 17 water bladders, which ensured safe drinking water for thousands of families; provided 50,000 people with hygiene kits, including soap and water purification tablets; and worked with local communities to clear the debris and promote good sanitation.

Over the coming months, we will continue to focus on water and sanitation, to rebuild permanent homes and schools, and to work with communities to reduce the risks from future disasters. Our projects will also help communities make a living again. An estimated 5.9 million workers lost their sources of income as a result of the typhoon, and many used up what savings they had to buy food and short-term shelter.

Across the country, small-scale farmers and fishing communities were particularly badly affected. An estimated 33 million coconut trees were torn down or damaged. With six out of ten coconut farmers already living in poverty, and with replanted trees unlikely to bear fruit for five to seven years, coconut farmers urgently need help in finding new sources of income. Fishing communities also need new boats and equipment to replace those that were damaged.

We are currently supporting thousands of farmers on Leyte and Samar islands, providing cash transfers in exchange for clearing productive farmland, training people on short-term vegetable production, and running agricultural fairs: farmers are given vouchers so that they can choose which tools and seeds are most appropriate for their circumstances. We are also working with partners in Palawan to provide new boats to fishing communities.

Find out more at cafod.org.uk/philippines

“I am very grateful to all the

people who donated.

We thank you for what you

have given us with all our

hearts. We can now start

to rebuild our house on our

own. In the future I hope

to have a small business

to support me.”

Violeta, Bantayan Island

CAFOD Crisis Watch Report: Spring Edition

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Crisis update

Central African Republic

With violence continuing across the Central African Republic, an estimated 2.5 million people are in need of aid. The country has been in crisis since a coalition of rebel groups known as ‘Séléka’ seized power in March 2013. In December, militias known as ‘Anti-balaka’ launched counterattacks, often targeting the minority Muslim population. Many schools, hospitals and government buildings have closed, and thousands of homes have been looted or burned down.

Over the last two months, Archbishop Dieudonné Nzapalainga, President of CAFOD partner Caritas Central African Republic, and Imam Omar Kobine Layama, leader of the country’s Muslim population, have travelled across the country as part of an inter-faith platform to promote peace.

Archbishop Dieudonné said: “We saw villages that have been burnt down and wiped off the map, towns emptied of their Muslim residents, and many others that are dealing with insecurity. People are still living with fear in their hearts.

“Today one group – the ‘Anti-balaka’ – has decided to take revenge. They have seen killings, acts of violence and human rights abuses by Séléka. Now these youngsters are striking Muslim communities. They know Muslims aren’t Séléka and Séléka aren’t Muslims. Similarly we have always said Christians aren’t Anti-balaka and Anti-balaka aren’t Christian. If people are going after Muslims, it’s for plunder, revenge and hatred.

“Christians and Muslims have always traded together and lived alongside each other in harmony. The country cannot rebuild itself in the absence of one of these two communities. Not only must peace be built, but the Muslims who’ve fled the country must also be welcomed back home.”

In the east of the country, especially in Bangassou, Muslims and Christians still live alongside each other in peace: there are mosques open for prayer every day, Muslim markets operating freely, and towns with female Muslim mayors.

In other parts, however, particularly in the north-west, Muslim quarters are deserted. In towns like Berberati and Bossemptelé, Catholic churches and missions often provide the only place of safety for Muslims who have fled for their lives.

The exodus of approximately 312,000 people to neighbouring countries is also creating a regional crisis: the population of some border towns in Cameroon has almost doubled, while refugees in Chad are in need of food, tents, water-distribution points and sanitation facilities.

CAFOD continues to work with our local Church partners to deliver aid to those in need, including food, clean water and medicine.

Find out more at cafod.org.uk/centralafricanrepublic

“You can’t call yourself a

Christian if you kill your

brother. You can’t call

yourself a Christian if you

hunt him down.”

Archbishop Dieudonné Nzapalainga, Archbishop of Bangui and President of Caritas Central African Republic

CAFOD Crisis Watch Report: Spring Edition

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Crisis update

Namibia

Namibia is recovering from a serious food crisis, caused by recurrent drought. In 2013, after a second year of failed rains, almost half the population of 2.3 million experienced crop failure and food shortages.

According to an assessment by CAFOD partner Caritas Namibia, families coped with last year’s drought by eating less food, selling cattle, and eating wild berries and fruit. 40 per cent of those surveyed said that they were avoiding spending money on healthcare so that they could afford food. Some families reported that it was the worst drought they had faced for 30 years.

In January, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, approximately 780,000 people were facing food shortages, of which 464,000 required food aid.

CAFOD has worked with CRS and Caritas Namibia to distribute extra food to supplement government food rations, particularly targeting those who are most vulnerable – including widows, older people and unemployed people.

In May 2013, Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba attributed the food crisis to climate change. He said: “It has now been established that climate change is here to stay and humanity must find ways and means of mitigating its effect.” In September 2014, CAFOD will launch a major campaign on climate change.

“I really appreciated the

support from the church.

The food made a real

difference, especially

because the crops

completely failed last year

and we had nothing to

harvest and store.”

Leticia, Anamulenge

CAFOD Crisis Watch Report: Spring Edition

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Hidden emergencies

Heavy rains since November have caused severe flooding in the Amazon region of northern Bolivia. The swell in the Mamore, Madera and Beni rivers has forced tens of thousands of people from their homes, particularly in and around cities like Trinidad, Santa Ana de Yacuma and Riberalta. In total, more than 340,000 people have been affected by the floods and 64 people have been killed.

In the city of Riberalta, over 10,000 people have been forced from their homes. With food supplies from Brazil cut off, there are shortages of vegetables, milk and dairy products, while some fish and beef stocks are contaminated with salmonella and other diseases. The floods have also caused severe disruption to education, with public schools being used as emergency shelters. Children and young people in shelters have little or no privacy, which increases the risk of violence and sexual abuse.

While the government has improved its ability to respond to disasters since the floods of 2007, local organisations argue that it has underestimated the likely cost of reconstruction after the flood waters recede. Many families have lost their homes, crops and cattle, as well as their means of earning a living. Given the scale of the flooding, production is unlikely to return to normal for a whole year. In the meantime, alternative ways of making a living must be found, including for the indigenous communities that had to be evacuated.

CAFOD’s Church partner CEPAS Caritas is responding to the floods by providing food and household kits to families living in temporary shelters. As the waters recede, they will focus on food, water, hygiene, improving shelters, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Even though floods are relatively common in the region, local people do not remember a flood of this magnitude. In the last five years two mega dams were built by the Brazilian government for power generation in the Madera and Beni rivers, and the role these dams have played in worsening the emergency is currently being investigated by the Bolivian government.

We have been working in Bolivia, one of the poorest countries in South America, for more than twenty years, working to ensure that natural resources are transparently managed, that the voices of the most disadvantaged Bolivians are heard, that human rights are respected and that people are able to cope with the impact of climate change.

Find out more at cafod.org.uk/bolivia

Bolivia

“The intense rains that

have damaged roads,

settlements and crops

have also affected the

lives of many families,

particularly those in rural

areas. These families

have been completely cut

off. They have very little

access to drinking water

or food and are now at

risk of serious health

problems if measures are

not taken promptly.”

Arturo Rivera, CEPAS Caritas Emergency Coordinator

CAFOD Crisis Watch Report: Spring Edition

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Hidden emergencies

In Focus

Disaster Risk Reduction Between 1992 and 2012 a staggering 4.4 billion people were affected by natural disasters – the equivalent of nearly two thirds of the world’s population.

Huge amounts of money were spent responding to those crises, and yet less than one per cent of all overseas aid is spent on reducing the risk of disasters. This is despite the fact that the United Nations Development Programme estimates that every dollar spent on disaster risk reduction saves around seven dollars in economic losses.

Whenever CAFOD responds to an emergency, we aim to ensure that communities are better prepared for future disasters. In total, we are supporting more than 30 disaster risk reduction initiatives around the world, helping to ensure that more than 500 communities in poor countries are better prepared.

After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, we trained local masons to build houses with steel support through the walls, designed to withstand future hurricanes and earthquakes. In the run-up to the 2011 drought in Kenya, we helped communities build water dams and find new ways of earning a living, so they were less reliant on erratic rains.

In Bangladesh, we have worked in poor villages that are regularly hit by floods and cyclones to help people manage the risks. Today, individual families raise their houses on plinths, so they’re less likely to be damaged by floods; they also raise their vegetable gardens, so their crops aren’t washed away.

In all our disaster risk reduction work, we coordinate with scientists and climate experts. We are currently working with University College London to devise a sophisticated hazard-mapping and scenario-planning tool to support communities in Cambodia as they plan for the next big emergency. We are also working with experts from King’s College London and with the UK Met Office to ensure that our partners and local communities are as well prepared as possible for future disasters.

While national and regional governments have an important role to play in preparing for disasters, we believe that it is crucial that local communities lead the way in planning how to reduce the risks: successful projects help people to live with dignity, and to take more control of their own lives.

CAFOD Crisis Watch Report: Spring Edition

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Between 1992 and 2012, 1.3 million people were killed in natural disasters.

Over 90% of deaths from natural disasters occur in developing countries.

Less than 1% of overseas aid is spent on disaster risk reduction.

“We can’t stop natural

disasters, but we can

try to keep the damage

low. I show the other

women how they can

prepare by wrapping

precious possessions in

plastic paper and storing

them high up; collecting

a first aid kit, dry foods,

a torch, fresh drinking

water, oral rehydration

salts and a portable stove

for cooking; and keeping

ducks and chickens in a

high and safe place.”

Sabita, Bangladesh

CAFOD Crisis Watch Report: Spring Edition

A View from the field

As the wedding season begins in Britain, you will hear St Paul’s familiar invocation of “faith, hope and love”. In the country where St Paul found his faith – Syria – the enduring virtues he

wrote about to the Corinthians have rarely been in greater need.

Aleppo, the city where I have been bishop for 25 years, is now devastated. We don’t know where the next rockets will fall: on our homes, on the streets or on our churches. We have somehow got used to managing the daily dose of death and destruction, but it is exhausting.

Most people here are now unemployed, and - without work - daily life lacks a purpose. Aleppo used to have a reputation for order and cleanliness, but now there is dirt everywhere. We have almost no electricity in the city, and on winter evenings the night falls early, creating an atmosphere of depression, especially for young people who aren’t able to study in the dark.

How does one maintain St Paul’s faith when the darkness takes over each evening? It is not just the Bible that sustains me, but the daily acts of solidarity from my brothers and sisters around the world - including those from the British Church and its aid agency CAFOD at the fore – with their prayers and their donations.

But make no mistake, the Christian faith in Syria is under threat. There are 45 churches in Aleppo, but most of the Christians who could afford to leave have already fled for Lebanon. Those who remain are mostly from poor families: they live in fear of persecution; and their old churches stand empty, exposed to bombardment and desecration.

Until the war began, Syria was one of the last remaining strongholds for Christianity in the Middle East. We are afraid now that the faith in our country will continue to decline and eventually disappear, the same sad pattern we have seen in neighbouring Iraq.

Syrians lived together for many years before 2011 without hate or violence; most ordinary people here are not interested in sectarian divisions. Our priority is simply to work and live as we did before the war, when people of all faiths and sects co-existed peacefully.

Syrian Christians may face great peril, but we have a crucial role to play in restoring peace: we have no interest in power; we have no stake in the spoils of this dreadful war. We have no objective but a future of peace and stability; to rebuild our society and restore the bonds between the people fighting now.

As President of Caritas Syria, I am coordinating emergency relief for tens of thousands of people of all faiths, who desperately lack food, medical care and shelter. We work in areas held both by the government and by armed opposition groups, sometimes through Muslim partners in places where it is difficult for us to operate ourselves.

It is dangerous work. Like everyone else, the Caritas aid workers in Aleppo face many risks. Five months ago, two rockets hit our offices, and it was truly a miracle that no-one was killed.

As for me, I have to be careful walking around the city because of the risk of snipers and kidnapping. But I cannot work unless I am in the streets to understand the suffering of the people. As I walk through the dust and the rubble, I am not afraid. I have faith and hope in God’s protection, and my love of this country and all its peoples will outlast this war. I must pray that you in Britain will stand with us as long as our struggles endure.

Bishop Antoine Audo is President of Caritas Syria.

CAFOD works with local partners in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq, providing food, shelter, healthcare and psychosocial care, supporting people in need, regardless of their faith, nationality, gender or background

To find out more at cafod.org.uk/syria

Bishop Antoine Audo

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“It was shocking to see how people really are living day to day, hand to mouth, and to hear what a struggle it is for some people just to find enough food to stay alive. Access to food is such a basic human right, but when crops fail or the rains don’t come, people like Otyang can find themselves on the brink of starvation.”Coronation Street actor Ben Price meets 78 year old Otyang in the Ugandan village of Lomunyen Kiryonon

cafod.org.uk/emergenciesCAFOD is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.Across the world we bring hope and compassion to poor communities, standing side by side with them to end poverty and injustice.

CAFOD, Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7JB Tel: 020 7733 7900

Photography: Nick Harrop/CAFOD, Joseph Kabiru/CAFOD, Robert Schofield/CAFOD, Simon Rawles/CAFOD,

Matthieu Alexandre/Caritas International, Shea Bradley/CAFOD.

Registered Charity No. 285776

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