The overview of the current social and humanitarian situation, within the territory of the Donetsk People`s Republic as a result of hostilities between July 29 and August 4, 2017

Being a doctor is a feat,

It requires dedication,

purity of soul and thoughts

A.Chekhov

 

On August 6 Physicians for Peace international day is marked. This is an international day proposed by the organization   International Physicians for Prevention of nuclear War. It is observed on the anniversary of the bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and calls on the international community for peace as a mark of tragedy. This day is a reminder of the human tragedy and innocent victims, the role of doctors in the struggle for peace and in the prevention of war.

This day is very symbolic and extremely relevant for Donbass, where the fratricidal war has been going on for the fourth year already. Some of the medical workers left their homes as soon as the war started, some gained an ill repute, telling Ukrainian journalists about the lethal doses of medicines for the injured defenders of the Republic, but most of them stayed in Donbass, showing true humanism and professionalism, saving human lives almost every day.

During the war, doctors are in a state of perpetual danger, because they have to appear in the thick of military operations, in order to provide first aid to seriously wounded DPR defenders and civilians. They have to do surgery, sometimes even under heavy fire, with insufficient medicine and in challenging conditions. During the armed conflict, doctors of Donbass have been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian security forces. The last time, in February 2017, the 27th ambulance brigade of Donetsk was going for a callout to “Motel” area and came under heavy shelling of Ukrainian forces. There were also cases when medical workers were detained by the Ukrainian side, and they had to endure all the hardships of captivity.

The Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols provide comprehensive coverage of the status of medical personnel. The protection of medical workers has always been recognized by the international community as extremely important, since they are called upon to provide assistance to the wounded and sick on the battlefield.

Healthcare staff, as defined by Additional Protocol I, 1977, are persons appointed by a party to the conflict solely for solving medical problems, administrative and economic support of medical units or working on medical transport and providing technical support for it. Such appointments can be either permanent or temporary.

Healthcare staff may be sent to a besieged or surrounded area to provide medical assistance, deliver medicines or evacuate the wounded and sick, as well as civilian disabled people, the elderly, children and women in childbirth.

The humanitarian law protects all staff whose work is necessary to provide effective assistance to the wounded and sick, but only while this person is part of the medical service. A medical staff is the guarantor of the protection of the wounded and sick, so he/she enjoys certain rights. The foremost one is the right to protection. This right is the only safety guarantee for healthcare staff.

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

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 3782 appeals. In the period of work between July 29 and August 4 2017, 12 persons have visited the Ombudsman in person, 37 of the claims were accepted by the Appeals department 42 calls were made via hotlines. 19 applications were received via e-mail, 13 written appeals were taken into consideration, 9 – have been reviewed among those received earlier, 37 citizens were provided with legal counseling.

All appeals received can be divided into four categories: violations in criminal law – 221 appeals, violations in civil law– 379 appeals, administrative and legal violations against the DPR citizens – 2 appeals, social and humanitarian issues – 3180 appeals (diagram 1).

 

 

The number of appeals (complaints, applications) from citizens,  submitted to the Office of DPR Ombudsman as of 4.08.2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 – 446 appeals, temporary accommodation – 393 appeals, the order of a complaint submission and paperwork in case of property destruction – 78 appeals, humanitarian assistance – 164 appeals, employment – 144 appeals, paperwork on travelling documents –11 appeals, search of the missing – 138 appeals, loss of IDs   – 292 appeals, housing issues – 173 appeals, temporary residence permit – 186 appeals, other social and humanitarian issues – 1155 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 4.08.2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 4.08.2017

 

 

 

 

 

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 August 3, 2017 more than 11391 infrastructure objects were partly destroyed (damaged) as a result of hostilities.

More than 6828 objects have been destroyed in Donetsk, 268 units in Debaltsevo, 528 units in Gorlovka, 91 units in Dokuchayevsk, 309 units in Yenakievo, 91 units in Zhdanovka, 75 units in Kirovskoye, 1113 units in Makeyevka, 55 units in Snyezhnoye, 122 units in Torez, 750 units in Khartsysk, 75 units in Shakhtyorsk, 581 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:

– 6241 houses;

– 769 power lines and points of distribution of electricity;

– 176 heating supply facilities;

– 49 water supply facilities;

– 2669 gas supply facilities;

– 14 wastewater and sewerage facilities;

– 102 healthcare facilities;

– 513 general educational institutions (schools, kindergartens);

– 59 vocational and technical educational institutions;

– 62 higher educational institutions;

– 26 physical and sport education institutions;

– 55 cultural institutions;

– 240 road and transport infrastructure objects;

– 60 industrial objects;

– 89 trade objects;

– 267 objects in other spheres.

 

According to the official data as of 27 July 2017 there are 2823 objects of governmental and communal ownership damaged, 531 – rebuilt and 2292 – 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 28 July as a result of shelling by Ukrainian forces against Krutaya Balka village, Yasinovataya region, a DPR serviceman born in 1995 sustained a mine-blast trauma, blunt shrapnel wound of the right shoulder and a blunt shrapnel wound of the chest.

As a result of shelling in Staromikhailovka, near Donetsk, a civilian woman born in 1939 sustained shrapnel wound of the chest, of both thighs; a civilian man born in 1957 sustained shrapnel wound of the chest, right shoulder and thighs.

On 29 July as a result of hostilities in Novoazovsk region, DPR servicemen born in 1982 and 1988 sustained shrapnel wounds.

On 1 August as a result of hostilities in Kominternovo, Novoazovsk region, a DPR serviceman of 26 years old sustained mine-blast trauma, which has led to amputation of the right shin.

On 2 August as a result of hostilities in Novoazovsk region, DPR servicemen born in 1973, 1991, 1982 and 1994 sustained mine-blast traumas, multiple shrapnel wounds.

Overnight into 3 August, DPR servicemen born in 1973 and 1971 sustained mine-blast traumas, shrapnel wounds of the chest as a result of hostilities in Novoazovsk region.

 

Within the period between July 28 and August 3, 2017, 12 persons sustained injuries of various severities in the territory of the DPR as a result of constant shelling from Ukraine.  Among them, there were 10 DPR servicemen, 1 civilian man and 1 civilian woman.

Within the period between January 1 and August 3, 2017, 463 persons sustained injuries of various severities in the territory of the DPR. Among them, there were 279 DPR servicemen and 184 civilians, including 10 children under 18.

Within the period between July 28 and August 3, 2017, 2 DPR servicemen died.

Within the period between January 1 and August 3, 2017, 191 persons, including 167 servicemen and 24 civilians died in the Donetsk People’s Republic, including an underage child.

To be specific, since the beginning of the armed conflict   4480 persons died. Among them, there were 605 women and 3875 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

On July 31, a meeting of the humanitarian subgroup was held via videoconference. The participants discussed the details of visiting by the OSCE representatives of penitentiary institutions, where detainees are kept by the Ukrainian side. The Ombudsman’s Office continues to be reported about the use of unlawful methods of inquiry to detainees, as well as the poor detention conditions, the lack of medical assistance. The discussion focused on the list of persons confirmed by both sides.

 

“Much of the discussion focused on details of the exchange list of persons, confirmed by both sides. I reminded the Ukrainian representatives that they did not provide any official response for 61 requests to confirm the presence of persons in the territory of Ukraine. At the same time, the Ukrainian side continues to openly manipulate the lists of detainees, combining the names of supporters of both Republics, thereby reducing the total number of persons. Kiev representatives deliberately sidetrack the preliminary agreement to make an exchange of “all established for established persons,” commented Daria Morozova.

This week the Ombudsman’s Office received three appeals on capture.

On August 2, a woman born in 1960 was detained at “Novotroitskoye” checkpoint as she was going to visit her parents who live in the Republic. In October 2016, and in July 2017 two men born in 1965 and 1996 correspondingly were detained by the Ukrainian side.

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

Based on the updated figures as of 28.07.2017, 504 persons are kept by the Ukrainian side including:

– 231 of those whose presence on the territory of Ukraine had been confirmed. As reported to the Ombudsman’s Office, 7 persons were excluded from the list. They received suspended sentences and were released;

– 270 persons whose whereabouts are unknown or are being clarified by the Ukrainian side;

– 3 persons for whom the requests were made to the Ukrainian side for the first time.

As of 28 July 2017, 509 persons are considered missing.

 

4. Register of forcibly displaced persons.

With the outbreak of hostilities in 2014, many residents of the Donbas had to leave their homes to escape the devastating artillery fire. Relatives and friends who lived in a safer area welcomed them. The fighting continued and there was no end in sight. Then, displaced people realized that they would have to start from scratch.

In Ukraine, displaced persons must register as IDPs allegedly in order to organize assistance and improve their situation in every possible way. In fact, the IDP status in Ukraine means no more than Donbass residents are a special category of citizens who differ from other Ukrainians. This is confirmed by constant cases of discrimination against IDPs – from social payments to renting and employment.

When the Ukrainian Government decided to issue biometric foreign passports, the President, the “guarantor of the constitution,” spoke against issuing passports to displaced persons. His speech was immediately criticized by human rights activists, as this is a direct discrimination on the grounds of territory.

This problem has not been completely solved. Now, IDPs from Donbass are required to provide additional documents for identification procedure to obtain biometric passports. That is, this procedure, like many others, has been complicated with “special conditions” for displaced persons. The measures of this kind will hardly improve the situation of IDPs, they will rather create additional problems.

1255 IDPs now live in temporary accommodation of the Office, including 244 underage children. Since the beginning of the conflict 5179 referrals for temporary accommodation have been issued, 285 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 July 28 and August 3, 2017, 16 persons have applied to the Ombudsman’s Office on the issues related to internally displaced persons, one of them was accommodated in the TAC of the Ombudsman`s Office in Donetsk.

There are currently 1332 housing spots available for IDPs. Among them: 1332 – in DPR Temporary Accommodation Centres (including TACs of Ombudsman`s Office); 461 – in TACs of the Ombudsman`s Office.

It is necessary to remind that there are 7779 persons, including 1986 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. One of the TACs was closed due to its dangerous location, Bezymennoye village, Novoazovsk region. The building was damaged as a result of shelling by the Ukrainian side. Other two TACs in Yasinovataya have also been closed. One of them will be used as a dormitory for university students. Another one was closed because its residents left the TAC and due to its location in a dangerous area. One TAC has been opened in Starobeshevo region. Two TACs in Gorlovka previously held in reserve have been closed: one TAC will be used as a dormitory for staff of community services and socially vulnerable citizens; the other one will be used as a Centre of tourism, local lore and excursions for adolescents to prepare children for sport contests.

Currently, 1889 individuals live in the centres, including 566 underage children, 4890 persons live in the housing fund of DPR, including 1420 children under eighteen.

 

5. Employment of DPR citizens

It is quite difficult to find employment, but, handled properly, this process gives the desired result, which positively affects the spiritual condition and finances of the applicant. It is necessary to take a serious and constructive approach to the issue, since the future career, financial position and, possibly, a destiny depend on employment. As in any other endeavour, when starting to search for employment, you need to arm yourself with a positive attitude, look at the change of job as the beginning of a new and better stage in life.

There are a lot of articles in the mass media on the issues “How to write a CV?” and “How to behave in an interview?” But there are no information on how to correctly organize the job search process, so that it is as effective and short-term as possible.

Such information can be found on the website of the Republican Employment Centre, where materials useful for applicants are published periodically. The one can find legislation on employment in the DPR, and specific recommendations: how to decide on future profession, how to formalize a legal job, how to search for work etc. The up-to-date list of vacancies in the DPR is available to anyone in the offices of the Republican Employment Centre and on its website.

The Republic Employment Center is the main state organ responsible for providing jobs to citizens. According to their data, 23,2 thousands of vacancies were available in the common database as of 4.08.2017. As of August 4, 2017, there were 34,4 thousand individuals who seek for job, registered in the Republic Employment Centers. Among them: 28,5 thousand have been employed (13,5 of them – on permanent positions, 15 – 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, 265 persons participated in those workshops.