USAID/DCHA/OFDA RESPONSE TO DISASTER

UNCLAS STATE 138933

SIPDIS

AIDAC RANGOON FOR SAMANTHA CARL YODER, BANGKOK FOR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS:
SUBJECT: USAID/DCHA/OFDA RESPONSE TO DISASTER

DECLARATION FOR DETERIORATING HUMANITARIAN CONDITIONS
IN BURMA

REFS: (A) RANGOON 00952
(B) STATE 165530 (OFDA FY 2007 GUIDANCE CABLE)

RDMA WHELDEN, CONTROLLER, AND OFDA DOLAN, KATHMANDU
FOR BERGER AND MCINTYRE, GENEVA FOR KYLOH, NSC FOR
MARCHAM


1. IN ACCORDANCE WITH POST'S REF A DISASTER
DECLARATION AND REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE,
USAID/DCHA/OFDA IS ESTABLISHING A MISSION ALLOWANCE OF
USDOLS 50,000 AS A CONTRIBUTION TOWARD IMMEDIATE
HUMANITARIAN NEEDS OF AFFECTED POPULATIONS IN BURMA.
USAID/DCHA/OFDA UNDERSTANDS THAT THESE FUNDS WILL BE
AWARDED TO SAVE THE CHILDREN/BURMA BY USAID'S REGIONAL
DEVELOPMENT MISSION FOR ASIA (RDMA) IN BANGKOK, IN
CONSULTATION WITH EMBASSY RANGOON AND OFDA'S
BANGKOK-BASED SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR.


2. USAID/DCHA/OFDA APPRECIATES POST'S ONGOING
CONSULTATION WITH USAID/DCHA/OFDA REGIONAL ADVISORS
AND RDMA REGARDING UTILIZATION OF THESE FUNDS AND ANY
POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
REQUIREMENTS.


3. NOTE: BASED ON THE MULTIPLE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING
TO DETERIORATING HUMANITARIAN CONDITIONS IN BURMA (REF
A),INCLUDING FOOD INSECURITY AND CIVIL UNREST,
USAID/DCHA/OFDA IS CATEGORIZING THIS ASSISTANCE AS
RESPONSE TO A COMPLEX EMERGENCY.


4. FISCAL DATA WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE TRANSMITTED
WITH THIS CABLE IS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO THE FISCAL YEAR
TRANSITION AND WILL BE PROVIDED SEPARATELY BY EMAIL TO
RDMA FOR AWARD OF FUNDS TO SAVE THE CHILDREN.


5. INFORMATION ON NUMBER OF PEOPLE AFFECTED AND
DISPLACED IS IMPORTANT FOR OFDA RECORDS. THIS
INFORMATION IS ALSO NEEDED TO RESPOND TO CONGRESSIONAL
AND PUBLIC INQUIRIES.


6. THESE FUNDS ARE TO BE USED FOR IMMEDIATE DISASTER
RELIEF EFFORTS.
RELIEF ASSISTANCE IS THAT AID WHICH IS PROVIDED TO
SAVE LIVES AND REDUCE HUMAN SUFFERING AND MAY BE
PROVIDED FOR AS LONG AS THE CONDITION OF THE VICTIMS
RESULTING FROM THE DISASTER REQUIRES THIS SUPPORT.
USAID/DCHA/OFDA WILL CONSIDER THE RELIEF PHASE ENDED
NINETY DAYS AFTER A SUDDEN EVENT, UNLESS POST REQUESTS
AND USAID/DCHA/OFDA APPROVES A CONTINUATION OF THIS
PERIOD. RELIEF ASSISTANCE FOR ONGOING DISASTERS SUCH

AS DROUGHT AND CIVIL STRIFE CAN LAST MORE THAN ONE
YEAR DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT WILL REQUIRE
ANNUAL DISASTER DECLARATIONS.


7. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT ANY ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE
BEYOND THAT DETAILED IN THIS CABLE REQUIRES PRIOR
APPROVAL FROM USAID/DCHA/OFDA PER THE GENERAL GUIDANCE
PROVIDED IN REF B.


8. ACCOUNTABILITY FOR FUNDS OR RELIEF SUPPLIES,
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY USAID/DCHA/OFDA
RESTS PRIMARILY WITH THE RECIPIENT U.S. MISSION. THE
U.S. MISSION IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING AND
RETAINING RECEIPTS FOR ALL PROPERTY TRANSFERRED TO
HOST AGENCIES AND PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS.
TITLE TO THE PROPERTY TRANSFERS TO THE RECIPIENT
INSTITUTION AT THE TIME THE PROPERTY IS PHYSICALLY
TRANSFERRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE U.S. MISSION IS
ACCOUNTABLE FOR ENSURING THAT THE RELIEF GOODS, EITHER
PROVIDED BY USAID/DCHA/OFDA OR PROCURED LOCALLY, REACH
THE INTENDED DISASTER VICTIMS. SIMILARLY, THE U.S.
MISSION IN THE AFFECTED COUNTRY IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY
AND ALL FUNDS PROVIDED BY USAID/DCHA/OFDA. ALL
ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY USAID/DCHA/OFDA IS SUBJECT TO
THE SAME AUDIT RIGHTS AS OTHER TYPES OF U.S.
ASSISTANCE.


9. USAID/DCHA/OFDA ACTION OFFICER FOR THIS DISASTER
IS ROB THAYER. THAYER CAN BE REACHED DURING BUSINESS
HOURS AT (202)712-1257. MOBILE PHONE NUMBER FOR
THAYER IS (202) 294-8424. AFTER CLOSE OF BUSINESS,
USAID/DCHA/OFDA PERSONNEL CAN ALSO BE REACHED THROUGH
THE OFDA DUTY OFFICER AT (301)675-5953.


10. PLEASE DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING FORTHCOMING
FISCAL DATA FOR THIS AWARD TO JOHN PEYREBRUNE AT
(202) 712-4193 OR EMAIL AT JPEYREBRUNE@USAID.GOV.


11. SECTION 2110 OF THE EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL
APPROPRIATIONS ACT FOR DEFENSE, THE GLOBAL WAR ON
TERROR, AND TSUNAMI RELIEF, 2005, PROVIDES THAT NO
INTERNATIONAL DISASTER AND FAMINE ASSISTANCE (IDFA)
FUNDS MAY BE OBLIGATED TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT FAILS
TO ADOPT A CODE OF CONDUCT THAT PROVIDES FOR THE
PROTECTION OF BENEFICIARIES OF IDFA-FUNDED ASSISTANCE
FROM SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE IN HUMANITARIAN
RELIEF OPERATIONS. THIS PROVISION APPLIES TO FUNDS
OBLIGATED FOR FY 2005 AND FOR SUBSEQUENT FISCAL YEARS.
TO THIS END, THE FOLLOWING SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN ALL

AWARDS UTILIZING OFDA'S IDFA FUNDS:

"CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE PROTECTION OF BENEFICIARIES
OF ASSISTANCE FROM SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE IN
HUMANITARIAN RELIEF OPERATIONS

AS A CONDITION FOR THIS AWARD, THE RECIPIENT CERTIFIES
THAT IT HAS ADOPTED A CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE
PROTECTION OF BENEFICIARIES OF ASSISTANCE FROM SEXUAL
EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE IN HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
OPERATIONS. SUCH CODE OF CONDUCT MUST BE CONSISTENT
WITH THE INTER-AGENCY STANDING COMMITTEE (IASC) TASK
FORCE ON PROTECTION FROM SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE
IN HUMANITARIAN CRISES, WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING
CORE PRINCIPLES:

- SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE BY HUMANITARIAN
WORKERS CONSTITUTE ACTS OF GROSS MISCONDUCT AND ARE
THEREFORE GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT;

- SEXUAL ACTIVITY WITH CHILDREN (PERSONS UNDER THE AGE
OF 18) IS PROHIBITED REGARDLESS OF THE AGE OF MAJORITY
OR AGE OF CONSENT LOCALLY. MISTAKEN BELIEF IN THE AGE
OF A CHILD IS NOT A DEFENSE;

- EXCHANGE OF MONEY, EMPLOYMENT, GOODS, OR SERVICES
FOR SEX, INCLUDING SEXUAL FAVORS OR OTHER FORMS OF
HUMILIATING, DEGRADING, OR EXPLOITATIVE BEHAVIOR IS
PROHIBITED. THIS INCLUDES EXCHANGE OF ASSISTANCE THAT
IS DUE TO BENEFICIARIES;

- SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HUMANITARIAN WORKERS
AND BENEFICIARIES ARE STRONGLY DISCOURAGED SINCE THEY
ARE BASED ON INHERENTLY UNEQUAL POWER DYNAMICS. SUCH
RELATIONSHIPS UNDERMINE THE CREDIBILITY AND INTEGRITY
OF HUMANITARIAN AID WORK;

- WHERE A HUMANITARIAN WORKER DEVELOPS CONCERNS OR
SUSPICIONS REGARDING SEXUAL ABUSE OR EXPLOITATION BY A
FELLOW WORKER, WHETHER IN THE SAME HUMANITARIAN AID
AGENCY OR NOT, S/HE MUST REPORT SUCH CONCERNS VIA
ESTABLISHED AGENCY REPORTING MECHANISMS; AND

- HUMANITARIAN WORKERS ARE OBLIGED TO CREATE AND
MAINTAIN AN ENVIRONMENT WHICH PREVENTS SEXUAL
EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE AND PROMOTES THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THEIR CODE OF CONDUCT. MANAGERS AT ALL LEVELS HAVE
PARTICULAR RESPONSIBILITIES TO SUPPORT AND DEVELOP
SYSTEMS WHICH MAINTAIN THIS ENVIRONMENT."
RICE