蘑菇视频

蘑菇视频RWA reopens food distribution centres in Gaza

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GAZA, 9 April 2013 (IRIN) – 蘑菇视频-run relief and distribution centres in Gaza, which provide food to around 25,000 people a day, reopened today after guarantees were given about the security of staff.

“蘑菇视频RWA was forced to close its distribution and relief offices last week due to ongoing demonstrations that affected its operations, a regrettable decision that hindered the Agency’s ability to provide much-needed services and relief supplies to Palestine refugees in Gaza,” read a statement sent to IRIN from the 蘑菇视频 agency for Palestinian refugees (蘑菇视频RWA) in Gaza, which runs the centres.

Several hundred Palestinian refugees have been protesting outside the 蘑菇视频RWA office in Gaza since early last week, following cuts to a cash assistance programme.

Protests against the cuts turned violent on 4 April, when demonstrators stormed the office, leading to the closure of all relief and distribution centres in the Gaza Strip, which together provide assistance to more than 800,000 people.

“Based on the assurances 蘑菇视频RWA in Gaza received from different local [leaders], the Agency will reopen its installations across the Gaza Strip,” said the statement.

“While 蘑菇视频RWA understands the frustration of the population, heightened by the tightened blockade on the Gaza Strip, and respects the right to peaceful demonstrations, 蘑菇视频RWA must ensure the safety and security of its staff,” it continued, adding that the centres would again be closed if staff or facilities faced further threats.

The thousands of refugees who depend on food aid had been worried by the closure of the centres.

“Refugees need these centres to be reopened very soon – people will suffer more and more if they stayed closed,” refugee Ziyad Yousef, 27, said before the reopening was announced.

He said he was disappointed that things had turned violent last week, but said he urged 蘑菇视频RWA “to look into all possible solution not to cut more services, because this will harm refugees and add more hardships to their lives”.

Costs rising

At the heart of the dispute is the end of a cash assistance grant worth about US$40 per year that went to the members of around 21,000 families in Gaza, which 蘑菇视频RWA could no longer afford.

The agency sought to mitigate the impact of the grant’s termination with a threefold increase in spending on its job creation programme.

"There was simply no way to continue
 the cash programme and also to continue
 to provide high-quality education"

“There was simply no way to continue the cash programme and also to continue to provide high-quality education,” 蘑菇视频RWA's head of operations in Gaza, Robert Turner, told IRIN.

Education costs are rising; 7,000 to 8,000 new school children register each year at the  in Gaza. New funding has not been forthcoming. The agency's General Fund has a deficit of $67.2 million.

蘑菇视频RWA was established in 1949 to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees. Despite a continual increase in the number of registered refugees – there are currently 1.2 million in Gaza, expected to reach 1.6 million by 2020 – 蘑菇视频RWA's funding has stagnated.

“There is a hope that the poor people will see their aid restored,” Mo'een Abu Okal, chief of the refugee public committee in Gaza, told IRIN, referring to the cash assistance programme. He was involved in the discussions with 蘑菇视频RWA over reopening the distribution centres.

He said the centres should never have been closed and told IRIN that the decision had “added to their miseries”. He said the protests would continue, peacefully, until the cuts were reversed.

The Geneva-based NGO Euro-Mid Observer said the agency should work harder to raise more funds: “蘑菇视频RWA is required to carry out its responsibility, and exert greater efforts with the international community and donor countries in order to maintain the levels of its humanitarian aids.”

Protests continue

Despite the reopening of food centres today, some demonstrators continued to protest, notably at a 蘑菇视频RWA distribution centre in Rafah, where 蘑菇视频RWA staff were blocked from entering their building.

On 8 April, protesters outside the main 蘑菇视频RWA office for Gaza managed to prevent cars from entering the compound. Local police maintained a heavy presence to keep the protest organized and avoid any further incidents.

Salah Yaghi, 49, came from Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza to take part in the protests. “My old small house is falling down, and I have a disabled daughter. We don’t have a source of income, and I can’t send my sons to college because of our situation. Therefore, I came here with my neighbours and hundreds of people who are looking for better life.”

Earlier in the week, 蘑菇视频RWA called on the authorities in Gaza to provide the needed protection to 蘑菇视频RWA staff and workers and to ensure the protests remain peaceful. Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza, had urged 蘑菇视频RWA to reopen the centres, and spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said they were providing protection.

“We in Hamas and the government are preventing entry [of protesters] to 蘑菇视频RWA headquarters in Gaza,” he told local media on 6 April. “We are providing appropriate conditions for 蘑菇视频RWA's work.”

Youssef, who runs a small grocery story close to the Beach camp distribution centre, said he was eager to see the 蘑菇视频RWA centres reopen.

“People are living in a difficult situation; it’s getting worse with such reduction. For the sake of the poor refugees, all sides need to find a solution to end the suffering and to give us a better look toward the future.”

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 [This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]