The conflict in the east has resulted in the displacement of nearly 2 million persons, including more than 1.2 million in Ukraine itself. These numbers continue to grow as Russia continues to fuel the fighting and the conflict itself expands.
Inside Ukraine displaced persons are primarily concentrated in regions adjacent to the conflict zone. Out of sight of officials and diplomats in Kyiv, they are placing a great strain on local communities, governments and public services, who are doing their best with very few resources.
Neither the Ukrainian government nor the international community was well prepared to respond to this humanitarian crisis when it first developed in March last year. The initial response came from local volunteers, businesses and church organizations, which provided up to 95 percent of all humanitarian support to Ukraine’s internally displaced persons (or IDPs) through the spring and summer. This resilient civil society is one of Ukraine’s hidden strengths.
With so many other challenges facing the country, the Ukrainian government was slow and uncoordinated in addressing the IDP problem. It did, however, adopt legislation in November to recognize the rights of IDPs and provide benefits, which we welcome. Russia’s response came in the form of uninspected white convoys of “humanitarian assistance,” and proved little more than political theater and the apparent resupply of separatists. It did not provide substantial relief to the population in the separatist-controlled area.
In the fall of 2014, significant international assistance began to arrive. This was critical in preparing the IDP population for the winter season which, thankfully, turned out to be relatively mild.
To date, the U.S. government has provided $43.5 million in humanitarian assistance and early recovery activities. However, the humanitarian needs of Ukraine’s IDPs remain enormous.
A recent United Nations humanitarian appeal called for $316 million in new assistance for 2015 to provide aid to the estimated 3.2 million vulnerable people displaced or residing in or near areas of conflict. Donors have provided less than a fifth of that amount.
While this is a crisis manufactured in Moscow, the February Minsk Package of Implementation measures clearly states that both sides must “provide secure access, delivery, storage and distribution of humanitarian assistance to those in need on the basis of an international mechanism.” The international community and the Ukrainian government must work together and do more to respond to the humanitarian needs of these people, needs that are likely to continue well into 2016.
I applaud the work that the government of Ukraine has already done to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, including the resolution passed by the Verkhovna Rada regarding the provision of international humanitarian assistance.
I encourage the Ukrainian government to continue to work with international organizations and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations to strengthen the legal framework on humanitarian assistance, removing the remaining tax obstacles, to get the word out to the public about the rights and benefits now available for IDPs, and facilitating the delivery of assistance in the conflict areas. We all should help to relieve the suffering of people in the Donbas, who did not ask for the war that has been brought to their lands.
Geoffrey R. Pyatt is the United States ambassador to Ukraine.
