Health action in crises

Health as a Bridge for Peace - HUMANITARIAN CEASE-FIRES PROJECT (HCFP)

List by Country and Date of application (Draft)

List’s aim and scope: providing general information on main cases of application of Humanitarian Cease-fires or similar events. It is meant to be an evolving list, updated as new information is found. Any contribution would be highly appreciated.

Main concepts: Humanitarian Cease-fire: Cease-fires agreed to by the protagonists in an armed conflict to allow the provision of health and humanitarian assistance, such as immunization campaigns and food supplies.

Days of Tranquillity: truces negotiated to allow the provision of health and humanitarian assistance as well as allow for other activities not possible during hostilities. (World Summit for Children, 30 Sep. 1990)

Corridors of Peace:transit routes designated for safe passage for non-combatants and humanitarian supplies. (World Summit for Children, 30 Sep. 1990)

Safe Havens:term used in the Balkans conflict to identify villages that were only for civilian inhabitants and not to be attacked.

Sanctuaries of Peace:health/medical institutions, e.g. hospitals and clinics, not to be affected by war.

Children as 'Zones of Peace' or as a 'Conflict-free Zone': 'Children need special protection in situations of armed conflict' (World Summit for Children, 30 Sep. 1990). Nils Thedin of Sweden formulated the concept in 1983 in a proposal to UNICEF.

Health as a Bridge for Peace: term coined in the '80s by the Pan American Health Organization. It is a multidimensional and dynamic concept, based on the integration of peace-building concerns and strategies into health relief and health sector development in post-conflict transitions. As a programme, it was adopted by WHO in August 1997 in countries like Mozambique, Croatia, Bosnia, Sri Lanka, and Angola.

I. List of countries with DOCUMENTED Humanitarian Cease-fires. (See Abbreviations List below)


Country Date Remarks
Afghanistan 16–19 Apr. 2001 The second of five three-day rounds of Polio NIDs to be held this year (next one planned in May) began after Afghanistan's ruling Taliban Islamic Movement and the opposition Northern Alliance agreed to a week-long cease-fire, with particular emphasis on internally displaced children in all Afghan districts that border Pakistan.
13–19 Mar. 2001 The Taliban and Northern Alliance agreed to respect a HCF following a request by UNICEF and WHO, in order to allow the immunization campaign.
2000 Limited agreed cease-fires for Polio NIDs (May/June, 14-16 Oct.-13-15 Nov.), added to social mobilization activities and the adoption of a house-to-house strategy, contributed to a higher vaccination, with almost six million Afghan children having been successfully immunized.
Afghanistan 1997 Limited agreed cease-fire for Polio NIDs.
1996 The 1996 Atlanta Olympics inspired UNICEF-brokered a six Days of Tranquillity (3/5 million children were vaccinated, during Polio MICs), with the support of WHO.
1994 Limited agreed cease-fire for Polio MICs.
1988/89 Health teams permitted to operate in Government and rebel-held areas, raising vaccination in some areas above 80%.
Angola 1999 Days of Tranquillity, with three millions children immunised during Polio NIDs.
1998 Renewal of conflict.
1996– Polio NIDs and SNIDs.
1995 Locally arranged Days of Tranquillity in Northwest region for immunisation program. No published record.
20 Nov. 1994 Lusaka Peace Protocol, including humanitarian provisions.
Bosnia 1995 Cease-fire and Dayton Peace Agreement.
1994 Forced ‘Corridors of Peace’: UN humanitarian assistance combined with military intervention by NATO.
Chechnya/ Russia 2000 MSF gained access to Grozny for humanitarian activities. In 2001 MSF suspended its operations for security reasons, after one of their workers was captured.
13 Aug. 1996 Agreed cease-fire, valid not only for Grozni but also for Gudermés and Argún, includes the exchange of prisoners and dead and the opening of a humanitarian corridor for the assistance to civilian victims.
Democratic Rep. of Congo (DRC) 11 Jun. 2000 Day of Tranquillity: agreed 24-hour HCF facilitated by UNMOC and MSF. Polio NIDs by WHO/UNICEF, whose Directors praised ‘supportive’ role of ‘the negotiations for the Days of Tranquillity [in 1999 and 2000] for the overall peace accords’. Total of 11 million children immunised.
17–20 Aug. 1999 Three Days of Tranquillity for Polio NIDs, after joint appeal of WHO-UNICEF to UN SG. They reached an estimated 80% of the approximately 10 million children.
7 Jul. 1999 Lusaka (Zambia) Peace Accord signed, broken later on. Establishment of ‘Humanitarian Corridors’ for ‘the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance’.
Nov. 1996 Temporary HCF. Polio eradication activities, NIDs (since 1998) and SNIDs hindered by civil unrest.
El Salvador 1991 Days of Tranquillity (formal truces): as many as 20,000 health workers got 250,000 children immunised against polio, measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and other diseases. Food and essential medicines were delivered to civilian populations threatened by famine or ‘food blockade’. Process generally facilitated by ICRC and the Catholic Church, with the support of Rotary Club, UNICEF and PAHO/WHO.
1990 Days of Tranquillity.
1989 Days of Tranquillity.
1988 Days of Tranquillity.
1987 Days of Tranquillity.
1986 Days of Tranquillity.
Spring 1985 First registered case of Days of Tranquillity for immunisation purposes.
Guinea-Bissau 26 Aug. 1998 HCF agreement for ‘the provision of humanitarian aid and the logistical support to the cease-fire observation mission and the return of refugees and displaced persons’. Polio NIDs. Cease-fires broken into new conflict.
Indonesia/ ACEH Jan. 2001 Agreed ‘moratorium on violence’. Unstable situation.
2 Jun. 2000 ‘Humanitarian pause’ for humanitarian and political reasons. Originally signed in May for a 3-month period, then extended until 15 January 2001. Partially ignored (more than 500 violent deaths).
Iraq 1998– Polio NIDs and SNIDs.
Iraq/ Kurdistan Oct. 1996 US-sponsored cease-fire between Kurdish factions.
1996 The 1996 Atlanta Olympics inspired UNICEF-brokered truces between warring factions in Kurdish areas of Iraq for immunisation campaigns (66,000 vaccinated).
Jan. 1991 Corridors of peace to allow truck shipments of medicines for children. An important role in that was played by WCRP, which, in co-operation with UNICEF, invited the world's religious communities to write to the UN urging humanitarian aid to children and non-combatants.
Lebanon 1987 Days of Tranquillity: Polio NIDs, brokered by UNICEF, along with the opening of "Corridors of Peace" to provide vaccines and other assistance.
Philippines 1995 Polio NIDs.
1994 Agreed cease-fires for Polio NIDs, considered as important steps on the road to a permanent solution of the conflict.
1993 Community-based "zones of peace, freedom and neutrality", including respecting a cease-fire within a certain geographic area, no military encampments nearby, no intimidation or harassment, no public display of firearms except by police, strict enforcement of a firearms ban for off-duty personnel, dismantling of private armies and paramilitary forces, prohibition of death squads or vigilante groups, safe passage and sanctuary for the wounded and pluralism of political parties and ideologies.
Santo Domingo 1965 Joint efforts of ICRC, local Red Cross, UN and OAS succeeded in halting the fighting for 24 hours in order to collect the wounded; during that time negotiations were held that put a final end to the armed clashes.
Sierra Leone Mar. 2001 Planned SNIDs in RUF-controlled Area. Cooperation amongst UNICEF, WHO, USAID and Rotary International in negotiating with RUF.
10 Nov. 2000 30-day cease-fire, agreed in Abuja (Nigeria), with ‘unimpeded movement of humanitarian workers’. ECOWAS-sponsored synchronised Polio NIDs in the whole country and in Liberia.
Jul. 1999 Lomé (Togo) Peace Agreement: Polio immunisation campaign (NIDs).
24 May 1999 Agreed cease-fire in order to ‘guarantee safe and unhindered access by humanitarian organizations to all people in need; establish safe corridors for the provision of food and medical supplies to ECOMOG soldiers behind RUF lines, and to RUF combatants behind ECOMOG lines’.
1998 Separated (in Government and RUF-controlled areas) Polio SNIDs, ‘disrupted’ by war.
Sudan 2001 Ongoing activities aimed at facilitating a HCF. Role of OCHA, Ambassador Tom Vraalsen (UNSG’s Special Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan and Norwegian Ambassador to the United States), IGAD Partners Forum. CAP launched by OCHA. Planned NIDs in April.
2000 Agreed period of tranquillity in Southern Sudan (facilitated by UNICEF), broken by both parties (with mutual accusations). Polio NIDs.
1999 -(15 July) The Government decides not to extend the HCF but calls the SPLA for a general and comprehensive cease-fire in the whole country in order to ‘facilitate peace negotiations’. SPLA doesn’t accept.
-The Sudanese government appears to have taken advantage of the three month humanitarian cease-fire organized under the auspices of the East African regional group IGAD to rearm using oil revenues.
-Separated unilateral cease-fires, by both sides.
-System of ‘quick cooling’ and immediate transport for vaccines. Training programmes on immunisations for more than 5.000 Sudanese. Use of oral vaccines.
-Polio SNIDs, through house-to-house strategy, hindered by lack of security.
Jul. 1998 HCF in the state of Bahr-El-Ghazal (Southwest). Agreed Security Protocol and Minimum Operational Standards for use of rail and cross-line corridors for aid workers. NIDs started.
Apr. 1997 Khartoum Peace Agreement between the Government and the South Sudan Independence Army (which broke away from the SPLA in 1991).
1996 Safe access for humanitarian agencies.
1995 Ex-President Carter brokered the "Guinea worm cease-fire", which lasted almost six months, and brought health workers to more than 2,250 Guinea worm endemic villages.
1994 Safe access for humanitarian agencies.
1989 "Operation Lifeline Sudan" (OLS) (UN-led consortium of relief organizations both international and national, governmental and non-governmental) started: arrangements were made for eight "corridors of peace" so that relief supplies and vaccines could be delivered during relative lulls in the conflict. No real cease-fire, only ‘relief corridors’ for food, immunisation and drugs.
Sri Lanka Sep.–Oct. 1999 Days of Tranquillity for children immunisation. In the Batticaloa District the process of organizing those Days in the war zone cultivated important informal channels of communication and co-operation across political and ethnic divides. These channels have been central to the negotiations, which finally brought electricity back to the region.
1997 Formal truce for polio eradication.
1996 Agreed suspension of hostilities for NIDs.
1995 Agreed suspension of hostilities for Polio NIDs.
Tajikistan 1997 Peace Accord
1995 Formal truces for polio eradication (according to BMJ).
Uganda 1986 Corridor of peace, facilitated by UNICEF and Red Cross, to transport food and medicine to civilian populations threatened by famine or "food blockade". Air bridge from Kampala to Kasese.

II. List of countries WITHOUT PROVEN evidence of Humanitarian Cease-Fires.


Country Date Remarks
Armenia/ Azerbaijan 1994 Cease-fire and Peace Agreement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, with humanitarian provisions.
Burundi 1998–2001 Limited NIDs, hindered by on-going conflict.
Cambodia One source mentions a HCF. Not found in any other source.
Colombia Mar. 2001 Agreed exchange of prisoners between the Government and the FARC.
1999– Debate on the opportunity of a ‘Humanitarian Pact’ amongst the Guerrillas (FARC, ELN), the Paramilitaries (AUC) and the Government/Army to allow exchange of prisoners and other humanitarian needs to be addressed. The proposal is shared by local Civil Society organizations (Asamblea Permanente de la Sociedad Civil por la Paz), ICRC and OHCHR.
Congo 1999 UN Call for cease-fire for NIDs, not accepted.
1998– Polio NIDs, hindered by conflict
1997 UN Call for cease-fire, not accepted by warring parties.
Croatia/ FRY 1997 Polio SNID (7-8 May, 18-19 June) in Eastern Slavonia by WHO, in collaboration with UNICEF, UNTAES, UNHCR, MSF, CRF. Nearly 90% of children received two polio vaccine doses.
1996 After the creation of UNTAES, WHO was leading the Health Coordination Task Force, including mainly UNICEF, UNHCR, ICRC, IFRC, and MSF. Establishment of a ‘safe and fair space for health providers’.
1992– WHO’s HBP initiatives in Eastern Slavonia.
East Timor Intention of the Australian government to actively promote the inclusion of child centred actions in relief operations and peacekeeping actions.
Eritrea/ Ethiopia Jun. 2000 Agreed cease-fire signed in Alger. Humanitarian provisions.
Guatemala 1996/97 Unilateral suspension of hostilities of both sides on 19 Mar. 1996. Formal definitive cease-fire on 2 Mar. 1997. Part of peace negotiations, which included humanitarian concerns.
1990s Corridors of Peace to provide vaccines and other assistance to children caught in armed conflict.. Two sources mention, with no detail or indication of date.
Guinea 2001 UNHCR’s Call for ‘safe corridor’.
1998– Polio NIDs, hindered by conflict.
Indonesia/ Muluku 2000 HBP activities in Muluku islands, ravaged by conflict.
Liberia Nov. 2000 ECOWAS-sponsored synchronised Polio NIDs, disrupted by military attacks.
1999– Polio NIDs.
Macedonia (FYROM) 12 Mar. 2001 Temporary cease-fire brokered by NATO was signed between the UCPMB (Ethnic Albanians) and the Government of FYROM.
Mozambique Corridors of Peace to provide vaccines and other assistance to children caught in armed conflict. Only US Dept. of State mentioned it.
Niger Sep. 1997 Peace Accord with Tuareg rebels.
Apr. 1995 Cease-fire with Tuareg rebels, with humanitarian provisions.
Papua New Guinea 30 Apr. 1998 Agreed cease-fire between the central Government and the Boungainville separatist rebellion, with humanitarian provisions.
Peru Formal truces for Humanitarian purposes. (Mentioned only in Polio News and DFID website; no indication of date)
Rwanda 1998– NIDs since 1998; no info on cease-fire.
1996 Temporary cease-fire: 200 dead bodies of civilians rescued.
Senegal Mar. 2001 Peace deal signed by Government and Casamance Forces.
Dec. 1999 Cease-fire with Casamance Forces (MFDC). Renewal of conflict in 2000.
Somalia Case of humanitarian assistance combined with military intervention: forced "corridors of peace" to distribute supplies. The demand from local population that their children be immunized led local leaders to de-mine roads to permit access for vaccination teams.
Turkey 28 Aug. 1998 Unilateral cease-fire declared by PKK.
Yugoslavia 1996 Outbreak of Polio wild virus

HCF country List 19, 07 May 2001

Abbreviations:


Abbreviation Definition
(S)NID (Sub-)National Immunisation Days
AUC Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia
BMJ British Medical Journal CAP Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal
CRS Catholic Relief Service ECOMOG ECOWAS’ Monitoring Group
ECOWAS Economic Commission for Western Africa
ELN Ejército de Liberación Nacional de Colombia
FARC Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia
FYROM Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia
HBP Health as a Bridge for Peace HCF Humanitarian Cease-fires ICRC International Red Cross Committee
IFRC International Federation of Red Cross
IGAD Inter-Governmental Authority on Development
MFDC Mouvement des forces démocratiques de Casamance
MIC Multi-antigen Immunization Campaign
MSF Médecins sans Frontières
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization OAS Organization of American States
OCHA United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
OHCHR United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
PAHO Pan American Health Organization
PKK Party of Kurdistan’s Workers
RUF Revolutionary United Front
SPLA Sudan’s People Liberation Army
UNSG United Nations Secretary General
UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
UNMOC United Nations Mission in Congo
UNTAES United Nations Transitional Administration of Eastern Slavonia
USAID Unites States Agency for International Development
WCRP World Conference on Religion and Peace
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