New York, (18 June 2010) -- Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for joining us here today to discuss the situation in Kyrgyzstan and the influx of refugees into Uzbekistan. Our first thoughts have to be for the many victims of the violence and their families, and for the hundreds of thousands of affected and displaced as they struggle to cope with what has happened to them.

I welcome this opportunity today to take stock briefly of the humanitarian situation, to brief you on the humanitarian community’s response thus far, to set out the main points of today’s Flash Appeal for the response in Kyrgyzstan, and to outline some of the priorities for the weeks and months ahead. Let me make clear that we will also be launching a separate Flash Appeal early next week for the refugees in Uzbekistan. 

New York, (18 June 2010) -- The United Nations and its partners in Kyrgyzstan today launched a humanitarian Flash Appeal to assist more than one million people suffering from the acute consequences of violence and displacement over the last week in Kyrgyzstan.

The Appeal calls for US$71,145,639 million to provide life-saving assistance over the next six months to an estimated 300,000 people who have been internally displaced by the conflict in southern Kyrgyzstan, and up to 765,300 people who have been otherwise affected, such as those in communities hosting the displaced or in towns and villages devastated by the violent unrest.

"I have been shocked by the extent of the violence and appalled by the deaths and injuries, widespread arson, sexual violence, looting of state, commercial and private property and destruction of infrastructure," said John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

WFP has distributed food to thousands of people affected by the humanitarian crisis in Kyrgyzstan and is calling on all sides to allow the delivery of food and medical supplies.

BISHKEK (18 June 2010) – WFP has distributed a two-week ration of food to a group of 13,000 people in the southern city of Osh, the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan and epicentre of the fighting which broke out last week. With the help of local partners, WFP gave out 100 metric tons of wheat flour and three metric tons of oil to people trapped in their neighbourhoods by the violence.

“This crisis is unfolding rapidly and WFP is mobilizing its global expertise to ensure that the vulnerable –  particularly women and children – do not suffer,” said WFP’s Executive Director Josette Sheeran. “We implore all sides to ensure humanitarian access to the vulnerable, trapped by the crisis,” she said.   

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at the press briefing, on 18 June 2010, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Geneva, (18 June 2010) --  UNHCR's airlift into Kyrgyzstan is scheduled to launch this weekend. Two chartered Ilyushin-76 cargo planes carrying 80 tonnes of relief items are expected to arrive in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh. This initial assistance will help cover the immediate needs of about 15,000 people. The first flight, with 800 tents, is expected to land in Osh on Saturday 19 June, while the second plane carrying other aid from our emergency stockpile in Dubai is expected to be arriving on Sunday 20 June.

The situation in southern Kyrgyzstan remains fragile and tense. There are continued sporadic reports of violence. Access for humanitarian workers to many parts of Osh and southern Kyrgyzstan is extremely difficult and limited. We estimate some 300,000 people are internally displaced in Kyrgyzstan, while an additional 100,000 are estimated to have taken refuge in Uzbekistan.

Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF’s Head of Office in Krygystan said that 40 tonnes of lifesaving water and sanitary supplies would arrive in the capital Bishkek tomorrow.

“However we are concerned that we will be unable to easily and quickly distribute the supplies to the most affected. Security is an issue, particularly as we are transporting valuable material,” he noted.

The situation is exacerbated by criminal activity along roads leading to the south and in Osh and Jalalabad.

“There has been a serious breakdown in infrastructure and security in the south,” Vietch said.     

UNITED NATIONS, New York (17 June 2010) — UNFPA has been gearing up to meet the humanitarian needs of those who have fled their homes in Kyrgyzstan as a result of the violence engulfing the country since 11 June. The Fund is particularly concerned about the fate of pregnant women who will deliver their babies in shelters and refugee camps.

Some 400,000 people have been uprooted by the violence, reported UNHCR, citing figures provided by governmental and non-governmental organizations on the ground. In addition, the latest estimates by the Interim Kyrgyz Government show that more than 180 people have been killed and more than 1,900 people have been injured. There are also reports of deliveries in refugee shelters, with eight successful deliveries reported on 17 June alone.     

BISHKEK, (17 June 2010) – Violence in southern Kyrgyzstan has forced an estimated 300,000 people to flee their homes and seek shelter elsewhere in the country. This is in addition to some 100,000 people who have fled to neighbouring Uzbekistan since June 10.

Most of the internally displaced are being sheltered by family and host communities, but some 40,000 people are in need of shelter. The figures for internal displacement have been provided by the Kyrgyz Interim Government and non-governmental organizations on the ground.   

BISHKEK (16 June 2010) --  UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund, has sent humanitarian assistance for more than one million soms to people in Osh and Jalalabad.  Humanitarian assistance will be sent to medical and non-governmental organizations in Osh and Jalalabad for further distribution. 

The humanitarian shipment contains medical supplies, hygiene and detergent products and clothes for adults and babies. 
Currently UNFPA is mobilizing additional humanitarian assistance from abroad for more than three million soms.

The humanitarian shipment is planned to arrive next week.