Georgia: Population Movements Making It Difficult To Number Displaced, UN Says.
New York, Aug 21 2008 4:10PM
The United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137=2907">WFP) has noted a substantial movement of populations between South Ossetia in Georgia and Russia’s North
Ossetia region, making it difficult to establish the exact number of people displaced by recent hostilities.
Heavy fighting broke out in South Ossetia between Georgian and South Ossetian forces more than a week ago. Russian
forces became involved there and in the separate region of Abkhazia in north-western Georgia.
The Russian Ministry for Emergencies (EMERCOM), which has been coordinating Russia’s aid efforts for the displaced from
South Ossetia, including the provision of food aid, has said it would welcome a contribution of food assistance from
WFP.
The food will be distributed in coordination with the Ministry and local authorities to the displaced population in
North Ossetia, where some 30,000 South Ossetians have been taking refuge.
Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) António Guterres – who is on a four-day mission to Georgia and
Russia to review his agency’s humanitarian operation – is expected to be in North Ossetia today, following meetings with
Georgian officials in the capital, Tbilisi.
The UN refugee agency estimates that nearly 160,000 people have been forced to flee their homes as a result of the
recent fighting.
2008-08-21 00:00:00.000
ENDS