The overview of the current social and humanitarian situation, within the territory of the Donetsk People`s Republic as a result of hostilities between 27 May and 2 June 2017

 

Children are our treasure and our future. We live and work for children, we make ambitious plans. To make children’s dreams come true, we, adults, should surround them with care and love, teach them to be kind, humane, to respect our history, each other and family traditions.

As a member of society, every child has his/her rights. There are specifics of enforcement of these rights due to the fact that his physical and mental immaturity requires special protection and care, including adequate legal protection. A full and effective protection of the children’s rights is the responsibility of the state.

On June 1, the whole world celebrates a holiday dedicated to the care of the younger generation – the International Children’s Day. The decision to establish the holiday was adopted by the Women’s International Democratic Federation at a special session in November 1949. The United Nations (UN) supported this initiative and declared the protection of children’s rights, health and life one of the priorities of its activities. In 1959, the UN adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which called on parents, government bodies, local authorities and governments, non-governmental organizations to recognize children’s rights and freedoms as set forth in the document and to strive to respect them.

Between 1979 and 1989, the UN Commission on Human Rights, which engaged specialists from many countries, prepared the text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In comparison with the Declaration (1959), where there were 10 short, declarative provisions (principles), the Convention has 54 articles that take into account practically all aspects related to the life and status of a child in society. It not only specifies, but also develops the provisions of the Declaration, imposing responsibility on the states-parties for actions against children.

The Convention provides for equal rights for all children of the Earth. Here are the main provisions:

• States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child.
• The child shall have the right to freedom of expression;
• Parents have primary responsibility for raising the child;
• Parties shall render appropriate assistance to parents and develop institutions for the care of children;
• States Parties shall protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence;
• States Parties recognize the right of the child to education;
• States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion;
• States Parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure that persons who have not attained the age of fifteen years do not take a direct part in hostilities;
• No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation.

Unfortunately, life and health of Donbass children are endangered every day. In disregard for the Minsk ceasefire agreements, Ukrainian security forces shell residential districts, schools, hospitals using heavy weaponry with cruelty and cynicism. Thus, the Ukrainian side directly violates the fundamental rights of children, as well as all citizens of the Republics.

The main documents guaranteeing respect for the rights of children in the legislation of the Donetsk People’s Republic, are the Constitution, the Family Code, the Civil Code. The Ombudsman’s Office is the main human rights body in the DPR.

Citizens can apply to the Ombudsman in any suitable way. Now, the majority of applications is 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 2017 the Ombudsman received 2511 appeals. In the period of work between 27 May and 2 June 2017, 25 persons have visited the Ombudsman in person, 52 of the claims were accepted by the Appeals department 44 calls were made via hotlines. 22 applications were received via e-mail, 5 written appeals were taken into consideration, 8 – have been considered among those received earlier, 26 citizens were provided with legal counseling.

All appeals received can be divided into four categories: violations in criminal law – 130 appeals, violations in civil law– 257 appeals, administrative and legal violations against the DPR citizens – 2 appeals, social and humanitarian issues – 2122 appeals (diagram 1).

 

 

The number of appeals (complaints, applications) from citizens,  submitted to the Office of DPR Ombudsman as of 26.05.2017

 

 

 

 

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 – 292 appeals, temporary accommodation – 293 appeals, the order of a complaint submission and paperwork in case of property destruction – 50 appeals, humanitarian assistance – 122 appeals, employment – 92 appeals, paperwork on travelling documents – 7 appeals, search of the missing – 77 appeals, loss of IDs   – 225 appeals, housing issues – 144 appeals, temporary residence permit – 125 appeals, other social and humanitarian issues – 695 appeals (diagram 2).

 

 

 

The majority of complains 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 26.05.2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Statistics and analysis of destroyed infrastructure objects

Targeted shelling by Ukrainian forces causes destruction of private property and infrastructure – this is the reality of the front-line regions of the Donetsk People’s Republic.

As of 1 June 2017 more than 11345 infrastructure objects were partly destroyed (damaged) as a result of hostilities.

More than 6807 objects have been destroyed in Donetsk, 268 units in Debaltsevo, 526 units in Gorlovka, 83 units in Dokuchayevsk, 306 units in Yenakievo, 91 units in Zhdanovka, 75 units in Kirovskoye, 1111 units in Makeyevka, 54 units in Snyezhnoye, 118 units in Torez, 750 units in Khartsysk, 74 units in Shakhtyorsk, 577 units in Yasinovataya, 278 units in Amvrosyevka region, 3 units in Volnovakha region, 24 units in Maryinka region, 17 units in Novoazovsk region, 57 units in Starobeshevo region, 93 units in Telmanovo region, 33 units in Shakhtyorsk region.

Destroyed objects by branches:

– 6208 houses;

– 769 power lines and points of distribution of electricity;

– 175 heating supply facilities;

– 46 water supply facilities;

– 2669 gas supply facilities;

– 14 wastewater and sewerage facilities;

– 102 healthcare facilities;

– 512 general educational institutions (schools, kindergartens);

– 59 vocational and technical educational institutions;

– 62 higher educational institutions;

– 26 physical and sport education institutions;

– 54 cultural institutions;

– 240 road and transport infrastructure objects;

– 59 industrial objects;

-89 trade objects;

– 261 objects in other spheres.

 

According to the official data as of 5 May 2017 there are 2809 objects of governmental and communal ownership damaged, 520 – rebuilt and 2289 – are to be rebuilt.

 

2. 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 rights of Donbass citizens by Kiev authorities: right to life, to security of the person, to the inviolability of the home.

On May 25 in late evening as a result of shelling in Staromikhailovka village of Kirovskiy district a woman born in 1941 sustained shrapnel wound of the right shin.

On May 26 as a result of military operation  in Donetsk a DPR serviceman born in 1987 sustained gunshot wound of left part of lumbar region, penetrating in abdominal.

On May 27 as a result of shelling in in Donetsk a civilian man born in 1952 sustained injury to acromial clavicular articulation.

A civilian man of 45 years old sustained shrapnel wounds of the left foot fingers, left shin, perforating wound of the right shoulder and avulsive wound of left elbow joint in Nyjnyaya Krynka village, of Sovetskiy district of Makeyevka He stepped on an explosive device when he was cutting grass.

As a result of explosion of an unidentified object in Kazatskoye village of Novoazovsk region, a civilian man of 65 years old sustained multiple shrapnel wounds of the face, penetrating wound of left eye.

On May 28 as a result of massive shelling in Mineralnoye village of Yasinovataya region, a civilian woman born in 1988 sustained shrapnel wound of the upper third of the shoulder in the yard of her house.

As a result of hostilities in Avdeyevka industrial zone a DPR serviceman born in 1970 sustained mine-blast trauma, shrapnel wound of the right shoulder.

On May 29 as a result of hostilities in Bezymennoye village, Novoazovsk region, a DPR serviceman born in 1964 sustained mine-blast trauma, shrapnel wounds of left shoulder and the scalp.

On May 30 as a result of shelling by Ukrainian forces against Kominternovo village a civilian woman born in 1978 sustained gutter wound of the left third of the thigh.

On June 1, during the shelling near Maryinka urban-type settlement, a DPR serviceman born in 1969 sustained shrapnel wound of the right infraorbital region region.

As a result of hostilities in Sakhanka village, Novoazovsk region, a DPR serviceman of 38 years old sustained mine-blast trauma, blunt shrapnel wound of the sacrum.

Also, it was reported that a DPR serviceman born in 1979 sustained mine-blast trauma, shrapnel wound of the thigh as a result of hostilities in Avdeyevka industrial zone on May 9, 2017.

 

Within the period between 26 May and 2 June 2017, 11 persons sustained injuries of various severities in the territory of the DPR as a result of constant shelling from Ukraine.  Among them, there were 5 DPR servicemen, 3 civilian women, 3 civilian men.

Within the period between 1 January and 2 June 2017 335 persons sustained injuries of various severities in the territory of the DPR. Among them, there were 188 DPR servicemen and 147 civilians, including 8 children under 18.

Within the period between 26 May and 2 June 2017, 2 DPR servicemen died.

Within the period between 1 January and 2 June 2017, 153 persons, including 139 servicemen and 14 civilians died in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

To be specific, since the beginning of the armed conflict   4442 persons died. Among them, there were 599 women and 3843 men, including 75 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. The information is being processed at the moment and it will be included into general statistics of the injured individuals.

 

3. Register of the prisoners of war and missing soldiers and civilians

Each serviceman is someone’s son, someone’s brother, someone’s father, pride and honor of the family. This is the person who decided to defend his home and his Motherland, which has incredible courage and bravery. Every child is proud of his\her father, who took part in hostilities or somehow contributed to the establishment of the Donetsk People’s Republic.

For three years now, the Ukrainian side has been manipulating the exchange lists, coming up with new conditions and hindering the negotiation process. For the three years, families of servicemen are living in constant fear. Many know about the monstrous conditions in which their relatives are kept, and some still live in ignorance, because Ukraine responds to information requests with reluctance. It is hard to imagine what kind of emotional stress the children of captured servicemen get.

“We are ready for the exchange and we call upon to perform it in the very near future. I suppose, on June we will certainly raise this issue. We will talk with the Ukrainian side in this perspective, and insist that the exchange should be performed as soon as possible”, – the Ombudsman said.

 

This week, no appeals on capture or missing persons were received by the Ombudsman’s Office in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Based on the updated figures as of 26.05.2017, 729 persons are kept by the Ukrainian side including:

– 426 of those whose presence on the territory of Ukraine had been confirmed;

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

– 8 persons, for whom the request to the Ukrainian side has been submitted.

As of 2 June 2017, 450 persons are considered missing.

The Ombudsman`s Office continues to clarify information about the individuals, who were detained by the Ukrainian side, the statistics may change.

The DPR Ombudsman`s Office will no longer publicly categorize the detainees by “serviceman”, “arrested for political reasons”, “civilian irrelevant to the conflict” due to safety considerations.

 

4. Register of forcibly displaced persons.

Since its establishment the Donetsk People’s Republic takes care of its citizens, protects their rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Unfortunately, not all residents of Donbass can fully enjoy state guarantees for the protection of human rights. These are people who live in the areas near the delimitation line, controlled by the Ukrainian government.

Small settlements and villages are literally forgotten by the Kiev authorities. People who live in such areas feel abandoned. Residents do not even have the opportunity to register as temporarily displaced persons and receive payments, because their settlements are not included in the list approved by the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1085. About 70 villages situated in the so-called “ATO zone” were not included into the list.

Citizens of Zaitsevo village, who endure all the hardships of war faced such a problem. The village is situated in the line of fire, there are constant cuts of electricity and water, infrastructure is not restored. Ukraine did not provide an opportunity for these people to obtain the IDP status and receive temporary accommodation in a safer place. Zaitsevo is not included into the list of settlements situated in the delimitation line.

Every resident of Donbass region, including those living in areas temporarily controlled by Kiev, can apply to the Office and receive assistance. The body has temporary accommodation centres (TACs) at its disposal available for people who need temporary accommodation.

1276 IDPs now live in temporary accommodation of the Office, including 250 underage children. Since the beginning of the conflict 5117 referrals for temporary accommodation have been issued, 223 of them – in 2017. All the TACs are under the DPR Ombudsman’s inspection. The staffs of the Office monitor the TACs on the 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 27 May and 2 June 2017, 61 persons have applied to the Ombudsman’s Office on the issues related to internally displaced persons, 6 of them were accommodated in the TACs of the Ombudsman`s Office in Donetsk.

There are currently 1381 housing spots available for IDPs. Among them: 1325 – in DPR Temporary Accommodation Centres (including TACs of Ombudsman`s Office); 438 – in TACs of the Ombudsman`s Office; 56 – in housing fund of the DPR.

It is necessary to remind that there are 8272 persons, including 2130 children under the age of eighteen registered since the beginning of the conflict. 68 temporary settlements have been established within the territory of DPR, 57 of them operate today, 11 of them are held in reserve. Currently, 2899 individuals live in the centres, including 564 underage children, 5373 persons live in the housing fund of DPR, including 1566 children under eighteen.

 

5. Employment of DPR citizens

Coal industry is one of the leading branches in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Today, miners risk their lives more than ever before doing their job. Now it’s dangerous both underground and above the ground. To be a miner is a dedicated work. Miners get coal, which is necessary in production, industry and to heat our houses. The miner’s profession demands much courage, it is hard and dangerous. It requires certain knowledge, strong physical health, self-control, patience, endurance and willpower. Miners bring warmth to our Motherland, getting an emerald black coal from the depths of the earth every day.

Even in times of war, the coal industry of the Republic forges ahead. The Ministry of Coal and Energy performs the preparation and commissioning of new mining faces in the framework of the Development of the Coal Industry of the Donetsk People’s Republic Program. The fulfillment of this program is the basis of the energy security of our Republic.

On May 31 in the Lutugin Mine Administrative Department of “Torezantratsit” state enterprise put into operation a new face. It is the fourth one opened since the beginning of 2017 in the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The State Commission rated it as “excellent”, which indicates a high level of preparatory work, and compliance with safety norms and standards.

Due to the development of the coal mining industry, the level of employment in the Republic is increasing, as well as the well-being of citizens. On May 31, in one of the district employment centers, an auction of applicants for vacant positions was held: “raw material crusher”, “machinist (burner) of mine furnaces”, “unloader of mine furnaces”, “excavator driver”. 67% of applicants have been employed after the interviews.

The Republic Employment Center is the main state organ responsible for providing jobs to citizens. According to their data, 14,6 thousands of vacancies were available in the common database as of 26.05.2017. As of 26 May 2017, there were 26,1 thousand individuals who seek for job, registered in the Republic Employment Centers. Among them: 21,1 thousand have been employed (8,5 of them – on permanent positions, 12,6 – temporarily).

Donetsk Centre of Vocational Education of The Republic Employment Centre organizes 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. Since the beginning of 2017, 175 persons participated in those workshops.