The overview of the current social and humanitarian situation, within the territory of the Donetsk People`s Republic as a result of hostilities between 19 and 25 May 2018

News Overview of the social and humanitarian situation

 

The Maidan events changed not only the policy of Ukraine, they changed the conscience of people, and their destinies. People who came to power under the slogans of European values, respect for human rights and freedoms, unleashed a civil war and began to kill and wound civilians in Donbass because they did not recognize the new regime. For more than four years Poroshenko’s yellow-and-blue-flag regime has been pursuing  a genocidal policy against the population of the region, cynically shooting civilians and destroying the infrastructure of cities and towns of the Republic.

The Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Alexander Zakharchenko repeatedly put forward the initiative to declare a cease-fire and to introduce additional measures to control its observance to stop the violence in Donbass and protect civilians. These measures were designed to be termless and comprehensive, but they failed to silence the weapons. A day after the ceasefire was declared, JCCC representatives reported cases of shelling against the territory of the Republic by the AFU. Gorlovka, Dokuchaevsk, Yasinovatsky and Novoazovsky districts were shelled. The fire aimed civilian infrastructure objects that were not military targets, damaging multi-storey houses, a school was shelled. Civilians were also harmed; they had to hide from shelling in basements.

Even OSCE Monitoring Mission representatives documented escalation of the conflict, compared to previous years.

In violation of all agreements, Kiev deliberately attacks the Donetsk Filter Station, trying to provoke an ecological and humanitarian catastrophe in Donbass.

“Neither the importance of providing water to the civilian population, nor the threat of an ecological catastrophe in the event of shells falling into the chlorine storage inclined the Ukrainian side to constructive dialogue. The Ukrainian side rejects the idea of withdrawing troops in the vicinity of the station,” Mr Pushilin stressed.

It is regrettable to see, the recent events bring us back to the most acute phases of the hostilities in 2015. With its armed provocations, Kiev does everything possible to resume full-scale hostilities. This will inevitably lead to destruction and victims, including victims among civilians.

The right to life is the inalienable right of every person, protected by law. Article 3 of the Constitution of the Donetsk People’s Republic guarantees that Human beings and their rights and freedoms are the supreme value. Recognition, observance and protection of human and citizen’s rights and freedoms are the responsibilities of the Donetsk People’s Republic, its state bodies and officials.

The post of the Human Rights Ombudsman has been established in the Donetsk People’s Republic to ensure the state protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms, to prevent any form of discrimination regarding the exercise of their rights and freedoms.

Citizens can apply to the Ombudsman in any suitable way. Now, the majority of applications are still verbal and submitted through personal reception either with the Ombudsman or the heads of the Office, addressing the Public Complaints and Appeals Department, via hotlines and via web-reception on the Website of the Ombudsman. There is a possibility to file a written complaint that may be submitted either in person or via e-mail.

Since the beginning of 2018 the Ombudsman received 2559 appeals. In the period of work between 19 and 25 May 2018, 13 persons visited the Ombudsman in person, 65 persons received counselling by the Appeals department, 13 citizens received counselling by the Working Group on Issues of Temporary Displaced Persons, and 6 persons received legal counselling. 8 written appeals were approved for consideration, 14 – have been reviewed among those received earlier. 32 calls were received via hotlines, 15 applications were received via e-mail.

All appeals received can be divided into six categories: violations in criminal law – 158 appeals, violations in civil law– 206 appeals, administrative and legal violations against the DPR citizens – 0 appeals, social and humanitarian issues – 1213 appeals, issues connected with hostilities – 343 appeals, other issues – 639 appeals (diagram 1).

 

 

 

 

 

The number of appeals (complaints, applications) from citizens,  submitted to the Office of DPR Ombudsman as of 25.05.2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

Violations in criminal law

Issues of social and humanitarian affairs

Violations in civil law

issues connected with hostilities

Administrative and legal violations against citizens

other issues

 

 

 

 

 

 

Among all incoming correspondence to the Ombudsman of DPR, the one which deals with the issues of exercise of social rights of citizens and violations of these rights is the most frequent.  These issues are: pension and social payments, benefits, disability, humanitarian aid – 292 appeals, temporary accommodation – 378 appeals, issues of housing legislation, protection of consumers of housing and public utility services – 101 appeals, migration legislation issues – 197 appeals, labour legislation issues – 86 appeals, healthcare issues – 76 appeals, guardianship and family law issues – 31 appeals, issues of education, culture and sport – 12 appeals, activities of public associations, organizations and trade unions, religious organizations – 20 appeals, land use and tenure – 2 appeals, the rights of servicemen and law enforcement officials – 18 appeals. (Diagram 2).

The number of appeals (complaints, applications) from citizens on social and humanitarian issues, received by the DPR Ombudsman`s Office as of 25.05.2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pension and social payments, benefits, disability, humanitarian aid

migration legislation issues

guardianship and family law issues

temporary accommodation

labour legislation issues

issues of education, culture and sport

issues of housing legislation, protection of consumers of housing and public utility services

healthcare issues

activities of public associations, organizations and trade unions, religious organizations

land use and tenure

the rights of servicemen and law enforcement officials

 

 

 

 

 

 

The majority of complaints are traditionally received from Donetsk, by territory (Diagram 3).

 

The number of appeals (complains, applications) from citizens, received by the DPR Ombudsman`s Office as of 25.05.2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donetsk

Dokuchaevsk

Kirovskoye

Torez

Ilovaisk

Amvrosyevka region

Starobeshevo region

Gorlovka

Yenakievo

Makeyevka

Hartsysk

Shakhtyorsk

Maryinka region

Telmanovo region

Debaltsevo

Zhdanovka

Snezhnoye

Zugres

Yasinovataya

Novoazovsk region

Other settlements

 

  1. Estimates of mortality, wounds to civilians and soldiers as a result of hostilities in the territory of the Donetsk People`s Republic.

Almost every day the DPR Ombudsman’s Office records cases of violations of Donbass citizens’ rights by Kiev authorities: right to life, to security of the person, to inviolability of the home.

18 May, as a result of shelling of Gorlovka a civilian man born in 1958 sustained multiple shrapnel wounds to the knee, a man born in 1985 sustained shrapnel wound to the hand.

19 May as a result of shelling in Debaltsevo a civilian man of 36 years old sustained mine-blast trauma, shrapnel wounds to the chest.

As a result of shelling in Novoazovsk region a DPR serviceman of 62 years old sustained gunshot bullet wound to the left forearm.

20 May, two civilian men of 38 and 42 years old sustained mine-blast traumas, shrapnel wounds of varying severities as their automobile ran over an explosive device.

As a result of a sniping fire in Staromikhailovka urban-type settlement, a civilian woman born in 1967 sustained gunshot wound to the lumbar region, penetrating into abdominal.

As a result of shelling in Leninskoye village, Novoazovsk region, DPR servicemen born in 1996 and 1997 sustained shrapnel wounds.

As a result of shelling in Zaitsevo settlement, a civilian man born in 1942 sustained shrapnel wounds of the right hand and lower limbs.

21 May, as a result of shelling in Gorlovka by Ukrainian forces a man born in 1980 sustained shrapnel wounds to the left shoulder joint; a civilian woman born in 1936 sustained face bruises, damage to auricles, shrapnel wounds; a man born in 1935 sustained shrapnel wounds to left temporal region; a civilian woman born in 1954 sustained superficial wounds to the chest (refused hospitalization).

22 May as a result of shelling in Yakovlevka village, Yasinovataya region, a civilian woman born in 1943 sustained concussion and hypertonic crisis.

24 May as a result of hostilities in Novoazovsk region a DPR serviceman born in 1989 sustained mine-blast trauma, shrapnel wounds to elbow joint and the abdominal wall; a DPR serviceman born in 1961 sustained perforating bullet wound to the left ankle joint.

 

Within the period between 18 and 25 May 2018, 17 persons sustained injuries in the territory of the DPR as a result of armed aggression of the Ukrainian side. Among them, there are 6 DPR servicemen, 4 civilian women, 7 civilian men.

Within the period between January 1 and May 25, 2018, 145 persons sustained injuries of various severities in the territory of the DPR. Among them, there were 89 DPR servicemen, 36 civilian men, 19 civilian women and an underage child.

Within the period between 18 and 25 May 2018 – 9 persons died in the territory of the DPR. Among them, there are 6 DPR servicemen, 2 civilian women, and one civilian man.

Within the period between January 1 and May 25, 2018, 68 persons died in the territory of the DPR, including 57 DPR servicemen, 7 civilian men and 4 civilian women.

To be specific, since the beginning of the armed conflict   4635 persons died. Among them, there are 610 women and 4025 men, including 76 children under eighteen.

Officially confirmed information on individuals, who have been wounded since the beginning of the conflict continues to be reported to the Ombudsman’s Office in DPR.

  1. Register of the prisoners of war, missing soldiers

and civilians

This week the Ombudsman’s Office in the Donetsk People’s Republic didn’t receive any appeals on arrest.

Based on the updated figures as of 25.05.2018, 290 persons are held by the Ukrainian side including:

85 of those whose presence on the territory of Ukraine had been confirmed.

205 persons whose whereabouts are unknown or are being clarified by the Ukrainian side.

This week the Ombudsman’s Office in the Donetsk People’s Republic didn’t receive any appeals on missing persons.

As of 25 May 2018, 452 persons are considered missing. There is a possibility that they are held in Ukrainian captivity.

 

  1. Register of forcibly displaced persons.

At the time of the armed conflict, civilian population living in the zone of fighting and near the contact line is often affected. With the view to protect human right to life and security of the person, and to provide assistance to victims as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine, Temporary Accommodation Centres (TACs) have been opened in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Any person can receive temporary accommodation there if they need it.

1221 IDPs now live in temporary accommodation centres of the Office, including 228 underage children. Since the beginning of the conflict 5380 referrals for temporary accommodation have been issued, 137 of them – in 2018. All the TACs are under the DPR Ombudsman’s inspection. The staff of the Office monitor the TACs on a weekly basis, with the view to respond promptly to the citizens’ needs. The Ombudsman makes every effort to improve social and living conditions for people who live in the TACs.

During the period of work between 19 and 25 May 2018, 14 persons have applied to the Ombudsman’s Office on the issues related to internally displaced persons. Two of them received referrals for temporary accommodation in Donetsk. There are currently 1198 housing spots available for IDPs. Among them: 1198 – in DPR Temporary Accommodation Centres (including TACs of Ombudsman`s Office); 288 – in TACs of the Ombudsman`s Office.

It is necessary to remind that there are 7502 persons, including 1867 children under the age of eighteen registered since the beginning of the conflict. 63 temporary accommodation centres have been established within the territory of DPR. 55 of these TACs operate, 8 of them are held in reserve. The Ombudsman Office is in charge of 11 TACs.

Currently, 1482 individuals live in the centres, including 283 underage children, 4799 persons live in the housing fund of the DPR, including 1356 children under eighteen.

 

  1. Employment of DPR citizens

The Republican Employment Centre is the main institution responsible for providing jobs to the population.

According to their data, 23.3 thousands of vacancies were available in the common database as of 25.05.2018. As of 25 May, 2018, there were 22.1 thousand individuals who seek for job, registered in the Republic Employment Centres. Among them: 16.3 thousand have been employed (8.7 of them – on permanent positions, 7.6 – temporarily).

Donetsk Centre of Vocational Education of The Republic Employment Centre organises regular free public workshops to train practical skills, such as work with personal computers; technique and mechanization of trade accounts (work with cash register machines); the program “1C: Accounting 8.2.”; fundamentals of entrepreneurship; processing and decoration of textile and clothing products etc. 84 persons participated in such seminars.