§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have received information about the numbers of Chechnyans currently displaced from their homes; and how many are in (a) Chechnya, (b) Ingushetia, and (c) elsewhere. [HL1837]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalIt is difficult to get precise information on the number of people displaced as a result of the fighting in Chechnya. Best estimates suggest about 150,000 are displaced within Chechnya itself, including some 60.000 former residents of Grozny. A further 150,000 are estimated to be displaced in Ingushetia, while some 30,000 are believed to be living in other southern Russian republics, including Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia and Dagestan.
§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which international and voluntary organisations are now assisting displaced Chechnyans; and what information they have received about conditions in the camps, particularly those named Ali na, Sputnik and Karabulak. [HL1838]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalThe Russian Disasters and Civil Defence Ministry (EMERCOM) remains officially responsible for co-ordinating the humanitarian effort of both the Russian ministries and international response for the North Caucasus.
The UN, through the Consolidated Inter-agency Appeal for the North Caucasus, is providing assistance in the following sectors: food, agriculture, shelter and non-food items, health, water and sanitation, education, mine action and economic recovery and infrastructure.
The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) is providing assistance through the Moscow Regional Delegation Appeal. The appeal for 2001 was issued in December 2000 for a programme of assistance and protection, including the newly granted opportunity to visit prisoners detained by the Russian/Chechen authorities.
A number of NGOs, including the Danish Refugee Council, Islamic Relief, Hilfswerk (Austria), Medecins Sans Frontieres and Action Contre la Faime, are also providing assistance in Ingushetia and Chechnya.
Alina, Sputnik and Karabulak are official camps situated in Ingushetia. International assistance is provided to all these camps through United Nations programmes, the ICRC and NGOs. The World Food Programme is providing assistance through the Danish Refugee Council in Karabulak and through Islamic Relief in Sputnik.
In the last financial year, DfID contributed £3.2 million to the UN Consolidated Inter-agency Appeal and £2.25 million to the ICRC Moscow Regional Appeal. We have also provided assistance through our contributions to the ECHO's humanitarian operations in the North Caucasus which have totalled 25.6 million euros since the outbreak of the conflict in 1999.
175WAWe are waiting for more detailed information on conditions in the camps. I will write to the noble Lord when this is available.