Restoring Donbas: main events November 16-22

12:59 / 22 Nov. 2015 / 1224

On uncontrollable part of Donbas reduce water supply, on the Internet opened a crowd funding platform for IDPs’ business, and OSCE does not confirm withdrawal of arms by both sides of conflict on Donbas. We will tell about these and other important events in our review of last week’s key news.

The situation on Donbas territory under Ukrainian control

On territories under Ukrainian control recovery and repair works are being continued. This week experts made replacement of Donbas power supply system air-lines which were the damaged as a result of military operations. As the source reports, inclusion of the main power lines will allow to increase reliability of power supply of the North Lugansk region.

Besides, repair works on power lines restoration between cities of Artemovo and Gorlovka have to begin soon. However the beginning of work is interfered by the danger, which caused by the mined sites between settlements. In total, since the beginning of the year on extensions, mines and other unknown explosive devices in Donetsk region 25 civilians were undermined and were killed. 4 children, 8 women and 13 men — report in police. 70 people (5 children, 28 women and 37 men) were wounded. Thus, all 95 people suffered.

Elimination of the fire in a warehouse of ammunition in the city of Svatovo proceeds. The Cabinet of Ministers allocated 52,65 million hryvnias for these purposes. Among these means, 307,5 thousand hryvnias will be directed for the disposable monetary help to injured citizens and a family of the killed person. Besides, this week the Cabinet of ministers has paid debt to doctors from the city hospital in Svetlodarsk, who wasn’t paid last 11 months. More than 7 million hryvnias which redistributed from the budget of uncontrollable Debaltsevo for repayment of the debt.

This week public brought up the question of ensuring the rights of children from Donbas. According to their data, concerning Donetsk and Lugansk children requirements of the Convention of the UN about the rights of the child, are not observed including Art. 38-39 about special protection of children victims of armed conflict. Their rights for healthy development and safe life, the rights for protection from the state are violated. Thus, experts emphasize the inaction facts from the state, and place emphasis on unauthenticity of data, which are published today by the state statistics on Donbas children subject.

On the uncontrolled territory of Donbas

On the territories of Donbas controlled by “republics” difficult economic and social situation remains. Remain not resolved the problems of water supply on these areas. In particular, in Luhansk region plans to reduce water supply by 60%. Such decision will affect the cities of Kirovsk, Bryanka, Stakhanov, Anthracite, Krasniy Lych, Pervomaisk, and also partially Perevalsky area and Alchevsk.

In addition, problems with transport connection in these areas remains. Only in Donetsk today from 363 routes 115 suburban and long-distance function. Thus, according to local “authorities”, expansion of the international transport connection is planned. At the moment there are 29 routes, 63 of them function. In development creation of bus routes for the connection with Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Abkhazia.

At the same time representatives of “local administration” is trying to restore the infrastructure, damaged during military operations. In Gorlovka last week was started the gas pipeline. The new highway built bypassing the most dangerous sites of the line of demarcation will provide supply of gas to the front settlement of Golmovsky. The gas pipeline will provide with natural gas 2 thousand 690 subscribers, the hospital and a number of municipal objects.

This week there were also important changes in education. At the meeting of the Ministry of Education of Ukraine Accreditation commission is made decision on deprivation licenses for educational activity implementation of higher educational institutions which remained on uncontrollable territories. Thus the commission has not published such list of higher education institutions.

IDPs from Donbas

IDPs from the anti-terrorist operation zone continue to arrive on territories, which under control to Ukraine. This week to Slavyansk in Donetsk region arrived 369 displaced persons. Also on different questions, 2350 people addressed to Management of social protection of Slavyansk.

Various international organizations and volunteers still give help to displaced persons. So, in Mariupol, Danish council for the rights of refugees starts the new program of grants for IDPs and victims of the conflict in the east of Ukraine business projects. In total 70 grants for the sum from 250 to 2000 dollars will be given out on improvement of already existing business or on start of the new. Besides, IDPs from the Crimea and Donbas now have opportunity to raise funds for their own projects implementation on the Internet. Such opportunity is given on the site “Nation UA”.

Work of the international organizations

Last week representatives of the German organization GIZ transferred humanitarian aid to IDPs from Donbas. 46 tons of food and 9 thousand units of heaters and bed goods are a part of humanitarian freight.

Psychological injuries of children who endured military operations on Donbas — it is from pressing problems, which exist in Ukraine. In this regard, the European Union and Children’s fund UN (UNICEF) started implementation of the new project “Children of the World”, key components are an access to education and rendering psychological support to children in the east of Ukraine. The service of the European Commission will take part in humanitarian aid and civil protection. 800 thousand euros allocated for implementation of the project in which over 50 thousand children.

The international organizations also give financial support on business activity on part of Donbas, under Ukrainian control. So this week charitable organization Mercy Corps provided 200 grants on development of small business in Lugansk region.

International situation

This week took place the next meeting of representatives Contact group in Minsk. During negotiations, the parties managed to agree about an exchange of all data on mine clearing in Lugansk and Donetsk areas. The special OSCE Representative in tripartite contact group on settlement of a situation in Donbas Martin Saydik told about it.

Besides, special Donbas monitoring mission this week recorded decrease in cases of ceasefire regime violation on Donbas. Representatives of SMM OSCE wrote about it in the report about a situation on Donbas. Nevertheless, less than 100 mm caliber continue to remain, which isn’t settle a question of arms withdrawal. According to OSCE, both warring sides still didn’t confirm full withdrawal of these arms from the front to intended places.

This week it became known that the European Union doesn’t see need to direct the mission to Donbas. It was declared by the European Commissioner for expansion and the European neighbourhood policy Johannes Khan. According to him, the OSCE Mission is more suitable for the solution of regional security questions in Donbas.

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