The overview of the current social and humanitarian situation, within the territory of the Donetsk People`s Republic as a result of hostilities between 4 and 10 November, 2017

 

Exactly one hundred years ago overnight into November 8, 1917 an event occurred that changed the course of history and led to creation of a new state. The right of nations to self-determination proclaimed by the Soviet government became the foundation on which many sovereign states were built. This is one of the main international principles that represent the right of every person to establish the structure of government, to be independent in choosing a political status and a vector of economic and cultural development.

The history of the Donetsk People’s Republic also began with the realization of the people’s right to self-determination. In April 2014, Donbass residents decided to choose their own future and defend the inalienable right to speak their native language.

From 1996 to 2004, the Day of Accord and Reconciliation had been celebrated in the Russian Federation on November 7. The holiday reminded all residents of the huge state to be tolerant and helpful towards each other, regardless of nationality, class, religion and other grounds. To find a compromise, to end all disputes and disagreements, and to re-establish justice are the true aspirations of every resident of the Donetsk People’s Republic. We have to be united to achieve our goals, and we’ll see our young state prosperous and developed, ensuring the welfare of all its residents. Accord and reconciliation are the necessary conditions for establishing peace in Donbass.

November 7 is a holiday of our history, and everyone must know and remember the history of their Motherland. Our ancestors fought for peace with love for their native land, giving their lives for the well-being of future generations. Our task is to honor, appreciate and protect this heritage.

The post of the Human Rights Ombudsman was 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 2017 the Ombudsman received 5310 appeals. In the period of work between 4 and 10 November, 2017, 1 person visited the Ombudsman in person, 45 claims were accepted by the Appeals department 32 calls were made via hotlines. 3 applications were received via e-mail, 3 written appeals were taken into consideration, 18 – have been reviewed among those received earlier, 31 persons have been given legal assistance.

All appeals received can be divided into four categories: violations in criminal law – 313 appeals, violations in civil law– 654 appeals, administrative and legal violations against the DPR citizens – 17 appeals, social and humanitarian issues – 4326 appeals (diagram 1).

 

 

The number of appeals (complaints, applications) from citizens,  submitted to the Office of DPR Ombudsman as of 10.11.2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 – 609 appeals, temporary accommodation – 510 appeals, the order of a complaint submission and paperwork in case of property destruction – 501 appeals, humanitarian assistance – 177 appeals, employment – 168 appeals, paperwork on travelling documents –11 appeals, search of the missing – 183 appeals, loss of IDs   – 330 appeals, housing issues – 738 appeals, temporary residence permit – 710 appeals, other social and humanitarian issues – 386 appeals (diagram 2).

 

The number of appeals (complaints, applications) from citizens on social and humanitarian isses, received by the DPR Ombudsman`s Office as of 10.11.2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 10.11.2017

 

 

 

 

 

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 September 28, 2017 more than 11413 infrastructure objects were partly destroyed (damaged) as a result of hostilities.

More than 6845 objects have been destroyed in Donetsk, 268 units in Debaltsevo, 528 units in Gorlovka, 91 units in Dokuchayevsk, 312 units in Yenakievo, 91 units in Zhdanovka, 75 units in Kirovskoye, 1113 units in Makeyevka, 56 units in Snyezhnoye, 122 units in Torez, 750 units in Khartsysk, 75 units in Shakhtyorsk, 582 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:

– 6247 houses;

– 770 power lines and points of distribution of electricity;

– 176 heating supply facilities;

– 52 water supply facilities;

– 2669 gas supply facilities;

– 14 wastewater and sewerage facilities;

– 102 healthcare facilities;

– 519 general educational institutions (schools, kindergartens);

– 59 vocational and technical educational institutions;

– 62 higher educational institutions;

– 26 physical and sport education institutions;

– 55 cultural institutions;

– 241 road and transport infrastructure objects;

– 63 industrial objects;

– 89 trade objects;

– 269 objects in other spheres.

 

According to the official data as of 3 November, 2017 there are 2837 objects of governmental and communal ownership damaged, 666 – rebuilt and 2171 – 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 Donbass citizens’ rights by Kiev authorities: right to life, to security of the person, to inviolability of the home.

On November 3 as a result of shelling in Petrovskiy district of Donetsk a woman born in 1986 sustained a gunshot wound to the left foot with debris.

On November 5 a shell hit the yard of school No. 110 in Petrovskiy district of Donetsk. A child born in 2007 sustained shrapnel wounds to both shins and to both feet. A child born in 2007 sustained open fracture of both shins, multiple shrapnel wounds of lower limbs. Another child born in 2007 sustained multiple shrapnel wounds of the neck, chest and legs. The child died of injuries sustained.

During the shelling of Kievskiy district of Donetsk a civilian man of 65 years old sustained penetrating wound of the right eye.

On November 7 as a result of sniping fire in Debaltsevo a DPR serviceman of 34 years old sustained gunshot wound of the neck.

On November 7 as a result of shelling in Kievskiy district of Donetsk a man born in 1974 sustained shrapnel wound to the left side of the back.

On November 8 as a result of shelling in Petrovskiy district of Donetsk a DPR serviceman of 50 years old sustained shrapnel fracture of both shins, another DPR serviceman of 33 years old sustained shrapnel fracture to the right shin and to the right side of femur.

On November 9 as a result of hostilities in Bezymennoye village, Novoazovsk region, a DPR serviceman born in 1977 sustained shrapnel wounds to the left occipital region of head, shrapnel wounds to both shins and left hand.

 

Within the period between 3 and 9 November, 2017, 9 persons sustained injuries in the territory of the DPR as a result of constant shelling from Ukraine. Among them, there were 4 DPR servicemen, 1 civilian woman and 2 civilian men and 2 underage children. 

Within the period between January 1 and November 9, 2017, 538 persons sustained injuries of various severities in the territory of the DPR. Among them, there were 316 DPR servicemen and 222 civilians, including 14 children under 18.

Within the period between 3 and 9 November, 2017, 3 persons died in the territory of the DPR as a result of shelling. Among them there were 2 DPR servicemen and one child born in 2007, who died in Petrovskiy district of Donetsk.

Within the period between January 1 and November 9, 2017, 250 persons, including 220 servicemen and 30 civilians died in the Donetsk People’s Republic, including an underage child.

To be specific, since the beginning of the armed conflict   4539 persons died. Among them, there were 605 women and 3934 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. 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, missing soldiers

and civilians

        This week no appeals on arrest were received by the Ombudsman’s Office in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Based on the updated figures as of 10.11.2017, 462 persons are kept by the Ukrainian side including:

– 264 of those whose presence on the territory of Ukraine had been confirmed. The Ombudsman’s Office was reported that one person has served his sentence and has been released. The whereabouts of another 13 persons were confirmed, so they were excluded from the list of persons whose whereabouts are unknown or are being clarified by the Ukrainian side.

– 195 persons whose whereabouts are unknown or are being clarified by the Ukrainian side. It was found that one person has served his sentence and has been released.  13 persons have been transferred to the list of persons, whose presence has been confirmed in the territory of Ukraine.

– 3 persons were requested from the Ukrainian side for the first time.

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

As of 10 November 2017, 509 persons are considered missing. Hypothetically, they might be in Ukrainian captivity.

 

4. Register of forcibly displaced persons.

Temporary Accommodation Centres (TACs) have been opened in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Any person can receive temporary accommodation there if they need it. 1172 IDPs now live in temporary accommodation of the Office, including 225 underage children. Since the beginning of the conflict 5235 referrals for temporary accommodation have been issued, 341 of them – in 2017. All the TACs are under the DPR Ombudsman’s inspection. The staffs 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 4 and 10 November, 2017, 36 persons have applied to the Ombudsman’s Office on the issues related to internally displaced persons, one of them was accommodated in the TACs of the Ombudsman`s Office in Donetsk.

There are currently 1390 housing spots available for IDPs. Among them: 1390 – in DPR Temporary Accommodation Centres (including TACs of Ombudsman`s Office); 496 – in TACs of the Ombudsman`s Office.

It is necessary to remind that there are 7799 persons, including 2011 children under the age of eighteen registered since the beginning of the conflict. 64 temporary settlements have been established within the territory of DPR, 56 of them operate today, 8 of them are held in reserve.

Currently, 2755 individuals live in the centres, including 525 underage children, 5044 persons live in the housing fund of DPR, including 1486 children under eighteen.

 

5. Employment of DPR citizens

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

According to their data, 37.8 thousands of vacancies were available in the common database as of 10.11.2017. As of November 10, 2017, there were 47.6 thousand individuals who seek for job, registered in the Republic Employment Centres. Among them: 39.9 thousand have been employed (22.7 of them – on permanent positions, 17.2 – 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. Since the beginning of 2017, 349 persons participated in those workshops.