Rapid Response Payment No. 10/2007

Funds Sent To: Middle East Council of Churches

Amount Sent: US$ 50,000

Date: 7 June 2007

Details of Payment

Emergency: Displaced Palestinian Refugees following armed clashes in Palestinian camp, Lebanon

Date of Emergency: Ongoing since the 20 May 2007

Implementing Partner: Middle East Council of Churches - MECC / Inter Church Network for Development and Relief in Lebanon - ICNDR

Details of the emergency: On 20 May 2007, as a result of the attack on the Lebanese army from the group "Fateh Al-Islam", the Lebanese army launched a military operation on the group. For more than a year, this group settled its armed personnel in one of the Palestinian camps in north Lebanon called Nahr Al-Bared (Near Tripoli). The clashes between the army and the militants lasted for three days. A cease-fire was implemented on 23 May 2007, but clashes are continuing on a daily basis. 25 Palestinian civilians were reported to be killed during the clashes. Since the implementation of the cease-fire, an estimated 4,850 families, about 27,000 residents, have left the camp and took refuge in neighbouring camps and the cities of Tripoli and Beirut. These families, in particular women and children, are in urgent need of assistance. According to the information gathered by MECC/ICNDR from other NGOs and individuals, most urgent needs are blankets, mattresses, pillows, children diapers, milk and clothes for women and children.d children.

The Lebanese Red Cross, the Palestinian Red Crescent, the UNRWA and other relief NGOs are helping refugees to evacuate to other places nearby. It is estimated that the displacement will not end soon, since safety and security is not available in the home camp.

Purpose of Response: To assist the displaced Palestinian refugees following the recent armed clashes in the North of Lebanon.

Beneficiary information and location of response: MECC/ICNDR aid will focus on supporting 1,000 families, representing more than 5,000 persons, targeting especially women, children and elderly people. The internally displaced families are primarily located in Al-Badawi camp, Tripoli, Sabra and Shatila Camp, and Burg Al-Barajneh near Beirut.

Proposed assistance: The MECC/ICNDR is setting up an emergency relief operation. MECC/ICNDR relief workers have established an emergency "task force" to assess the needs, plan and prepare tasks and issue the RRF.

MECC International Ecumenical Relations office (IER) is supporting the MECC/ICNDR staff in logistics and communications with partners. MECC/ICNDR is in communication with the Ministry of Health, the United Nations Relief and the Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the National Association for Vocational Training & Social Services, the Lebanese Red Cross, the Palestinian Red Crescent, and other relief NGOs in order to coordinate the relief work and identify locations for distribution of the relief items. MECC/ICNDR, as well as the MECC Department of Services to Palestinian Refugees, have staff in the north of Lebanon, who monitor the situation and send regular program updates. MECC/ICNDR will buy the items from local providers and will directly distribute them to the beneficiaries on the basis of the needs assessment. One of the ICNDR staff in the North of Lebanon will be in charge of monitoring the distribution and doing the reporting.

Based on information provided by MECC/ICNDR staff in the field, the following items will be provided to Palestinian refugees:

 Food supplies: Rice, sugar, canned food, staples, oil, powdered milk, salt, pasta. The package will cover the nutritional needs of a family for a week.

 Diapers for infants and children. The number of infants and children among the affected population is high.

 Sanitary napkins for women

Implementation Period: 7 June 2007 - 20 June 2007

TOTAL ESTIMATED BUDGET: US$ 50,000

(For the full budget details, kindly visit the ACT site. Thank you.)

ACTION

The ACT Co-ordinating Office has approved the use of US$ 50,000 towards the budget from its Rapid Response Fund and would be grateful to receive contributions to wholly or partially replenish this payment.

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ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.