Princess Hata & WFP Chief Call For More To Be Done For Suffering Lebanese

DAMASCUS, Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, WFP Goodwill Ambassador, today joined James Morris, WFP Executive Director, on a one-day visit to Lebanese refugees in Syria. Together they urged increased
assistance in alleviating the suffering on both sides of the border.


"Politicians must stand up together to put an end to this senseless
conflict by making humanity the priority," said Princess Haya. "This would
be by allowing food to reach the source of the problem without
interference, and by allowing us to distribute the food to make our
children's lives bearable and to give them some of that hope they
desperately need right now," said Princess Haya.


"With every day that the fighting continues, we are going to see more
misery and more displaced people fleeing across the border. We have to do
everything we can to ease their suffering and to ensure that hunger does
not make their plight even worse," said Morris, who arrived late last night
on his first official visit to Syria.


Morris said that the overnight bombing of the highway north from Beirut to
the Syrian border had cut the road in at least three places, effectively
severing a vital humanitarian lifeline between Lebanon and the outside
world. As a result, today WFP has postponed its planned supply convoy from
the humanitarian hub in Arida, Syria.


"The destruction of this vital supply route has serious repercussions for
the overall relief effort in Lebanon," Morris said.


WFP-managed convoys have been making regular deliveries of humanitarian
staff and cargo over the border from Arida, which was one of the few safe
crossing points still open to traffic between the two countries. Over the
past few days, thousands of refugees have been flooding over the border to
escape the fighting.


Morris expressed concern that so far, WFP had only been able to reach less
than half the people in southern Lebanon requiring food assistance. Today,
only one of the two planned convoys managed to proceed (to Jezzine) due to
overnight bombardment in the suburbs of South Beirut. The convoy planned
for Tyre and Rashidiyeh did not go ahead as the truck drivers were unable
to leave their apartments.


The hampering of road deliveries makes the start of WFP flights today
directly into Beirut even more important. This morning, 10 tons of WFP
high energy biscuits and 2 tons of other essential supplies departed from
the UN Humanitarian Depot in Brindisi, Italy, aboard a C-130 Hercules
aircraft, made possible by the generous offer from the Government of
Portugal. The aircraft is expected to conduct four rotations between Friday
and Monday, delivering a total of 42 metric tons of WFP high-energy
biscuits, four tons of medical supplies for the World Health Organisation
as well as other urgently-needed relief supplies.


"We are grateful to the Syrian and Portuguese governments in lending their
support to our humanitarian operation. It is challenging work demanding our
combined efforts," said Morris.















Since starting its convoys last week (26 July), WFP has delivered a total
of 280 metric tons of food into the south, enough for 80,000 people for one
week. WFP convoys carrying food and other relief items on behalf of WHO,
UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNRWA and several NGOs, have been severely hampered by security and logistical problems, including damaged roads, forcing long
detours over difficult terrain, as well as mechanical breakdowns.


In Syria, WFP started on Monday (31 July) to distribute food aid to nearly
7,000 Lebanese people who have taken refuge in the capital, Damascus, over
recent weeks. The agency will distribute three tons of bread each day to
the beneficiaries who are living in schools or abandoned public buildings.
Current indications suggest the number of refugees needing assistance in
Damascus could rise to 20,000 people in the coming days. Distributions of
food aid are due to begin shortly in central and northern Syria.


WFP operations within the UN flash appeal have been budgeted at a total
US$48 million, including logistical support and an emergency operation to
provide food aid, valued at US$8.9 million, to respond to the immediate
food needs of displaced Lebanese. WFP is prioritising assistance to 95,000
displaced people seeking shelter in schools and public institutions in
Beirut, 165,000 people in the heaviest-hit areas in southern Lebanon and
50,000 of the approximately 140,000 people in Syria who have fled the
conflict.


With the situation deteriorating by the day, WFP plans to expand its
assistance in both Syria and Lebanon.


"I implore the international community to put a stop to the violence and
cease the rhetoric. Dialogue and action is what is required now to make
this region a better place for the adults of tomorrow, who have so much to
give and to offer the world in return," stressed Princess Haya. "If we turn
our backs on them, we will see our world plummeting into a vicious cycle of
violence, from which there is no foreseeable positive future," Princess
Haya said.


"So many people have lost their lives in this conflict. Peace must be
restored so that we can help these survivors return home to rebuild their
lives," said Morris.


Of the US$8.9 million required for its emergency operation to provide food
aid to 300,000 displaced people in Lebanon and Syria, WFP has received
donations from Saudi Arabia (US$2 million), Australia (US$1 million),
Denmark (US$168,351) and Luxembourg (US$314,000). For its special
operations, including logistics serving other humanitarian partners, WFP
has received donations from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (US$3
million), the United States (US$3 million), Norway (US$1.1 million),
Denmark (US$673,400), Germany (US$510,000) and Australia (US$480,000).


WFP is appealing for urgent funds for its Lebanon
operation and would appreciate specific mention of our Donate Online page
at wfp/donate


WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency: each year, we give food to
an average of 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional needs,
including 58 million hungry children, in at least 80 of the world's poorest
countries. WFP -- We Feed People. Visit our website: wfp