HIGHLIGHTS
• In December, the number of people who crossed the ‘contact line’ increased by 30 per cent. Bureaucratic impediments, poor services, long queues to cross the line persist.
• Since November, the UN delivered around 2,500 MT of humanitarian aid to NGCAs of Donetsk and Luhansk.
• Since April 2014, the conflict caused almost 30,000 casualties in eastern Ukraine, according to HRMMU.
Challenges for civilians crossing the ‘contact line’
Since the Government put in place a ‘pass system’ for people to cross the frontline on 21 January 2015, humanitarian partners continue to advocate for a simplification of the procedures for people to cross the ‘contact line’, in an attempt to minimise undue hardships for civilians. Once the documentation is obtained, people then have to wait many hours without protection from the elements in order to cross the ‘contact line’.
In November 2015, official statistics indicate that some 550,000 people crossed the ‘contact line’ through five operational official checkpoints. The number of crossings in December has increased by 28 per cent to nearly 700,000 people. While the Government has made some improvements, including setting up an electronic system to obtain the passes in September 2015, increased a number of staff and expanded some of the crossing points, the situation remains of serious concern. The residents of the so-called ‘grey areas’, including those living in the ‘no man’s land’ or close to the ‘contact line’ in Government controlled areas (GCAs), are also subject to the same restrictions.
On 22-24 December, an inter-agency team led by OCHA, with the participation of UNHCR,
OHCHR, WHO, UNICEF and Danish Demining Group (DDG), visited “Hnutove”, “Mariinka”, “Novotroitske” and “Zaytseve” checkpoints (see map) in Donetska oblast and confirmed that the majority of people crossing the ‘contact line’ into GCAs are elderly, many with restricted mobility, single women, families with children and a few single men. People have to stand in long queues for many hours in the cold, with no access to services, in areas contaminated with landlines and often insecure. Most of them travel to GCAs in order to receive their social payments, pensions, access their savings, buy food and other goods which are much more expensive and of poorer quality in non-government controlled areas (NGCAs). Some people have to spend the night in order to cross the ‘contact line’. Facilities are very limited at all the checkpoints assessed, and this makes people’s crossing experience in the harsh winter months almost unbearable. In June 2015, the Government issued an order prohibiting movement of commercial goods and public transport across the ‘contact line’. As a consequence, many people are forced to walk long distances to go through the checkpoints.
Even though there are heating points at all crossing points in GCAs, some of them are too far from the actual checkpoints and have limited capacity, usually no more than five beds (with a possibility to expand though), with only basic facilities. Some of them have no lavatories, and those that have them are not suited for people with disabilities or are situated far from the heating or crossing point. No heating points are present in ‘no man’s land’ where the majority of the people are queuing.
According to the assessment, medical services are limited and too far to be reached on foot, making it impossible to get urgent medical assistance at or near checkpoints, with the exception of Zaytseve-Mayorsk where the NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is operating. The State Border Guard Service reported on 17 December, that one elderly woman died, waiting for her turn to cross the checkpoint “Hnutove.” The ambulance came only sometime after the death, which the doctor on the scene said was caused by physical and emotional exhaustion. Limited access to medical services and drugs, common in areas beyond government control, coupled with undue difficulties in crossing the frontline, exacerbates the risks for elderly, people with chronic diseases and the many vulnerable
waiting in lines for hours.
As the checkpoints are located in insecure areas, the Government has set up some bomb shelters. However, these are insufficient to cater for the average number of civilians passing through on a daily basis. Mine contamination is another challenge as existing warning signs are not in accordance with International Mine Action Standards (IMAS), and those located in the fields are not visible from the road or are too far apart.
The inter-agency mission recommendations include the immediate increase of the number of crossing points, especially in Luhanska oblast, a significant simplification of procedures to obtain the passes and to go through checkpoints, increase of staffing at checkpoints to minimize the queues. Opening hours of checkpoints should also be increased as should the public awareness on functioning of checkpoints and complaint mechanisms. Clear responsibility for security of civilians at check points would go a long way to address some protection concerns as the trenches do not offer enough protection to civilians in case of shelling, and the available bunkers are insufficient. Restrictions of the weight and amount of goods transported should be waived, and commercial and public transport traffic restored. No requirements should be put in place for civilians residing in grey areas. Local authorities should ensure the provision of water, basic medical and sanitary services at checkpoints. To handle mine risks, MRE, demarcation and removal of mines are needed urgently not only near the logistics centres and the checkpoints, but also along the way where people wait in lines and often step out of the tarmac for sanitary purposes. Guarantees for full and unimpeded access for humanitarian organisations through the checkpoint into no-man’s land, including, in case of shelling or insecurity, to ensure some basic services to people queuing, are also warranted.