The human rights situation in Nicaragua as observed by the Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in relation to the violent events that have been taking place since the State repressed the protests on April 18, 2018, and subsequent events over the following weeks. According to figures gathered by the IACHR, the State’s repressive action has led to at least 295 deaths, 1,337 persons wounded as of June 19, and 507 persons deprived of liberty as of June 6, and hundreds of persons at risk of becoming victims of attacks, harassment, threats and other forms of intimidation.  According to the government on July 28, the deaths were 195; it has been very difficult to keep an exact count since the revolt began in Nicaragua.

According to the Nicaraguan Association for Human Rights (ANPDH)) in its report as of July 11 indicates that there are 351 deaths (306 were civilians, 28 paramilitaries, 16 polices and a soldier one from the Army), 2,100 injured and 329 kidnapped. According to the Nicaraguan Foundation for Economic and Social Development (FUNIDES), there are two possible scenarios:  The first scenario assumes that the government accepts to leave, thus achieving a framework of understanding focused on issues of justice and democratization, ending repression, violence and citizen insecurity. In this scenario, the economic growth rate for 2018 would contract to -0.03 percent in relation to 2017 and the economy would face losses of US $638 million.  The second scenario assumes that there is no interest from the government to seek a negotiated solution to crisis, which leads to a prolonged and intensified crisis for the rest of the year. In this scenario, the economic growth rate would contract to -5.6 percent in relation to 2017 and the economy would face losses of US $1.4 billion. There are approximately 1.3 million people in risk of falling into poverty in the coming months. Likewise, the crisis has disrupted the daily routines and the collapse of the protection mechanisms of society, including the loss of the organizational referents of society, which has affected the physical and mental health of people.

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On 22 June 2018, the Peruvian government through its Council of Ministries issued the Supreme Decree N° 062-2018-PCM declaring 122 districts from the  high Andean areas from nine departments in state of emergency due to the damages caused by frost,  snowfall and heavy rains, causing negative effects on  health, education, as well as in agriculture and livestock activities. The severe weather significantly increased the cases of pneumonia and respiratory diseases; 556 cases of pneumonia among children under 5 years have been reported, as well as 185 fatalities.  According to the National Center of Epidemiology, Lima has the highest number of influenza AH1N1, followed by Piura, Puno, Cuzco, Madre de Dios and Tacna.  This season’s frost arrived earlier than usual and has already affected more than 104,579 Peruvians in 11 regions of the country.

In some areas, such as San Antonio de Putinas in Puno, temperatures plummeted to – 15 °C (5 °F), causing deaths of at least 6 children According to the Office of the Ombudsman, 15 schools were close as well as 02 health centers. 1,327 houses have been affect.  As of July 09, 2018, in Puno, people were affected by the cold snap,  12,027 animals have died and 1,224,426 were affected;  whereas in Cusco, there are 74,225 affected people, 18 affected houses, one affected school, 30 km of road were damaged, 2,287 animals have died  and 192,844 were affected. There are 5,059 hectares of damaged crops.

Due to the situation,  the ACT Alliance Forum in Peru through its local member DIACONIA  is preparing a RRF proposal  to provide humanitarian relief to the affected population.

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In the afternoon  of Wednesday the 13 June 2018, the districts of Branicevo, Kolubara, Sumadija, Podunavlje and Pomoravlje in Serbia, were affected with sudden heavy rainfall, hailstorm, downpour and in some parts incessant rain. On Friday 15 June, the Hydro-Meteorological Service of Serbia (RHMZ) announced more bad weather for the coming weekend. Over the week, hailstorms and heavy rain caused damage to crops and households in western, central, and eastern Serbia, prompting authorities to declare an emergency situation in several municipalities. A dam on the Busur River burst on 15 June, affecting areas in the east (Source: B92, Tanjug).

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As of 25 May 2018, Sub tropical storm Alberto, with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/hour, has passed over Cuba and brought torrential rainfalls (4 inches of water in 24 hours) causing overflowing of rivers and streams. According to Ministry of Interior, Flood waters swept away a bridge and damaged roads and other infrastructure, leaving many communities cut off and nearly 60,000 people without electricity. More than 51,000 Cubans have been evacuated in the affected area.  11 people reported dead, historical figure in Cuba, and 2 disappeared respectively across the affected territories.  Approximately 1,384 homes have been affected, with 174 totally collapsed. Reports on damages are still being completed.

An oil spill – which is now under control – was caused by heavy flooding at one of the nation’s main oil refineries in Cienfuegos. It has been controlled by local authorities. There has also been substantial damage in the agricultural sector, with crops such as rice, beans, tobacco and bananas particularly affected.  Concerns have also been raised about possible waterborne disease outbreaks.

Consejo de Iglesias de Cuba (CIC), an ACT Alliance member is going to provide emergency response to the affected population.

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During the night of Wednesday the 30th  May 2018, the town of Marwa, Ruvu Mferejini and Ruvu Jiungeni in SAME District, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania, was severely hit by overflow of river Ruvu and Nyumba ya Mungu Dam. On this night an overflow caused displacement of households, interrupted communication, swept away termed animals and crop fields. According to the RVA done by two members of ACT Tanzania Forum (ELCT and TCRS), the overflow caused floods that displaced 450 Households that had a range of between 10 to 20 persons in each household making a total number of 5,780 homeless people.

Findings indicate that 890 acres of farmed land (tomatoes, onions, maize and beans) submerged in water, 300 houses were swept away and or covered with mud and about 135,000 kilograms of foodstuff from the registered 450 households were swept away.

Number of domestic animals and birds died was not yet established as all men and youths with their animals vacated the area leaving behind their wives and children unattended. According to the SAME District Commissioner’s report, nine primary schools and one secondary school from the ward had to be closed before the term end and therefore interrupted school calendar.

The floods have put the town in a state of crisis. The flood affected persons find themselves in a desperate situation, with many unmet vital humanitarian needs such as access to: food, safe drinking water, school and scholastic materials, housing, washrooms and other sanitary services.

The regional and District commissioners of Kilimanjaro Region, Same and Mwanga Districts through their structured response divisions are closely working with the displaced families. Through the evacuation team, the Government has shifted the affected families to safer areas and have provided land for residential construction (each family given a plot of size 15X25 meters). The Government has also provided Water guard tablets to cleanse water. A team scouts and police are helping in putting in place temporary latrines.

Norwegian Church Aid has committed TZS 22 million for purchase of water purification tablets, water storage facilities per each of the registered 450 households.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) conducted the Response Vulnerability Assessment, availed accommodation for women with U5 children in its nearby church premises. Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service donated 340 boxes of youth clothes, 15 bales of baby blankets and 10 bales of quits. Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT) through its WAMA offices in Dar es Salaam are sorting out how to engage /participate on the movement/activity.

ELCT and TCRS are responsible for the project implementation. The staff of ELCT and TCRS shall be very involved, as well as volunteers from affected communities.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania is submitting a Rapid Response Fund Proposal to support those in need.

Tanzania- Flood Emergency (Alert).

In the evening of Saturday the 26 May 2018, the district of Gamo Goffa zone and Sidama Zone in SNNPR and Oromia Regions  in Ethiopia, was affected by a landslide which caused 34 deaths (20 female and 14 male) and seriously injured 6 people. At least 21 houses were destroyed, and more than 50 livestock are reported dead.  The landslide has displaced 654 persons (380male/274 female) and disrupted vital livelihoods area of 95.6 hectares of land. Affected communities and seek urgent life-saving assistance of relief food, shelter, WASH and NFIs.

The landslides have put Chire district in a state of crisis. The affected population find themselves in a desperate situation, with many unmet vital humanitarian needs such as access to: food, shelter, and WASH.

ACT Ethiopia forum is planning on submitting a funding proposal to provide relief food, water trucking, water purification substances and essential non-food items such as (cooking utensils and sanitation materials) depending on the availability of RRF fund to ensure that the landslides affected persons’ basic needs are met with regards to Food, Water and NFI.

The emergency response is currently being coordinated by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) regional disaster risk management Bureau and district administrative office. To ensure that the humanitarian response is well coordinated and complementary, the ACT forum will take part in meetings with all relevant sector stakeholders (respective clusters on food, WASH and shelter and NFIs) and establish an open line of communication with crisis affected persons and communities to ensure a humanitarian response based on participation and feedback.

Ethiopia- Landslide Emergency (Alert)

The Fuego Volcano, located 27 miles southwest of Guatemala City, erupted around noon on Sunday, June 3, 2018. According to CONRED Guatemala’s national civil protection authority, the death toll has reached 65. The agency says that in addition, 46 people were injured, an unknown number is missing, and an estimated 3,271 people have been evacuated from the affected zone by Monday morning, with further evacuations planned. 1,916 people are currently in shelters. Authorities expect the death toll to rise as more bodies are discovered. As many as 1.7 million people may be affected mainly through ash intoxication and acid rain.  Emergency response teams from the Guatemala Red Cross are giving medical and psychosocial support to villages on the slopes of the volcano, which were buried in volcanic ash, mud and rocks as the volcano erupted for 16 ½ hours. Disaster response personnel and the military are conducting search and rescue operations. On Monday 4 June, a declaration of State of Calamity was made for the departments of Chimaltenango, Escuintla and Sacatepéquez in the central part of Guatemala, as well as three days of national mourning. Wounded and traumatized survivors are being rushed to hospitals by the Red Cross, as urgent work continues to evacuate communities from the danger zone.

So far preliminary needs have been identified in health, food security, shelter, psychosocial support, and WASH sectors.

ACT Guatemala Forum members Centro Evangélico de Estudios Pastorales en Centro América (CEDEPCA),  Consejo Ecuménico Cristiano de Guatemala (CECG), Christian Aid (CA), and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) are coordinating for this emergency. The Forum is currently monitoring the situation and is preparing a response proposal based on a quick needs assessment. Coordination meetings are taking place at country level, in coordination with ACT Secretariat Regional Office and with humanitarian officers from LWF and CAID respectively.

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On the morning of Sunday, the 20th of May 2018, with the provinces of Ratnapura, Kurunegala, Gampaha and Puttalam in particular (in total 19 provinces) being affected, Sri Lanka was flooded due to the onset of heavy monsoon rains. According to the situation update by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) of Sri Lanka, as of 1200 hours on the 27th of May 2018, over 166,228 people (43,604 families) in 20 districts have been affected. As per the Report, 23 people have died, 13 have been injured and 1 person has been reported missing as a result of the heavy rains. More than 19,519 families have been evacuated into 339 welfare centres in 8 districts including the districts of Puttalam, Kegalle, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Gampaha and Colombo.

The ACT Sri Lanka forum is planning on submitting a funding proposal to provide cooked meals, dry rations, safe shelter and basic non-food items, basic health services and facilities to ensure that the floods affected persons’ basic needs are met with regards to persons in the most affected areas. ACT Alliance is ready to respond, by providing humanitarian assistance (shelter, and WASH), to affected populations through the ACT Appeal Mechanism in the coming weeks.

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