Crossing the contact line. Annual Report 2019

23.06.20

The report «Crossing the contact line» provides the results of the survey conducted at all five Entry-Exit Checkpoints (EECPs) with NGCA in 2019.

The objective of the survey is to explore the motivations and concerns of the civilians travelling between the non-government-controlled areas (NGCA) and the government-controlled areas (GCA), as well as the conditions and risks associated with crossing the contact line through EECPs.

Highlights:

In comparison with 2018, the share of respondents who did not raise any concerns related to the crossing process increased at all EECPs except Novotroitske. The improvement may be related to the reconstruction of EECPs, which sufficiently improved the waiting conditions: installation of waiting terminals, passport control booths, toilets, and sheds.

1,363 respondents (5%) mentioned cases of not being able to cross the contact line in the six months prior to their interview. The vast majority 1,086 (3,98%) of these cases were caused by the lack of permits in the SBGS database.

38 fatalities reportedly took place at EECPs in 2019, including 16 deaths on NGCA side (information from social media and OSCE reports) for which the data cannot be confirmed. The preliminary causes of death in most cases in GCA were related to heart diseases.

The report is available in English and Ukrainian.

The survey is a part of the monitoring of violations of rights of the conflict-affected population within the framework of the project «Advocacy, Protection and Legal Assistance to the Internally Displaced Population of Ukraine» implemented by CF «Right to protection» in partnership with and with financial support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

18.06.20

During the period of quarantine restrictions, thousands of people have been trapped on both sides of the contact line. Most of those people who had justified reasons and all the necessary supporting documents for crossing, could not pass home, to their families, work, etc. Despite the efforts from different human rights organizations to help people to enjoy the freedom of movement very few managed to cross.

On 9 June, the Headquarters of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) reported that from 10 June two out of five EECPs, namely Stanytsia Luhanska (Luhansk oblast) and Marinka (Donetsk oblast), would resume their work.

However, as of 15 June, the problem of freedom of movement across the contact line remains unresolved:

in Donetsk oblast EECPs operate only from the government-controlled area (GCA) side;
in Luhansk oblast the passage was allowed only on 13–15 June according to the lists, which order of formation remains opaque and incomprehensible to the public;
there is no information from the official authorities of Ukraine on the prospects of resumption of normal operation of the EECPs and the progress of negotiations with the Russian Federation and the de facto authorities on the non-government-controlled area (NGCA) on this issue.

It is also worth noting that during this period in Stanytsia Luhanska, 34 children, who intended to pass the trial external assessment on 15 June, passed through the EECP. But the Cabinet of Ministers canceled its attendance-based conducting at the last minute

Detailed overview of the events at EECPs in the period from 10 to 14 June you may find in CF “Right To Protection” digest, which is available in English and Ukrainian.

03.06.20

For better action in the future, it is time to reflect on the achievements of the 3P Consortium, created by ACTED in 2019 to Prevent, Prepare and Protect (3P) communities and infrastructure from risks of industrial and ecological disasters in Eastern Ukraine.

Read more about 3P Consortium achievements since the beginning of 2020 in the Consortium newsletter available here.

01.06.20

Starting from March 22, 2020, quarantine restrictive measures have been introduced in Ukraine to combat the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). These restrictions, in particular, provided for the partial suspension for the people to cross through the checkpoints on the contact line and the administrative border with the temporarily occupied territories. The first restrictions on passing came into force on March 7 for the checkpoints located on the contact line with the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. However, on March 16, in accordance with the order of the Commander of the Joint Forces, new restrictions on crossing the contact line were imposed on the checkpoints with the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, and on March 22 the crossing of the contact line was stopped in both directions.

Since May 11, a gradual lifting of quarantine measures has started in Ukraine. However, according to the plan announced by the Prime Minister of Ukraine in April, there is no information about opening the EECPs. This situation makes one think that the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine are beyond the scope and attention of the Government of Ukraine.

Read the Coalition position on reversal of quarantine restrictions entering and exiting the temporarily occupied territories. The recommendations were developed by experts from non-governmental organizations that are members of the informal Coalition of Organizations Dealing with the Protection of the Rights of Victims of Conflict.

The document is available in English and Ukrainian.

01.06.20

The Alternative report (hereinafter AR) on the implementation by Ukraine of the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (hereinafter the UNCRC) is the result of the joint work of public sector experts in the field of the protection of the rights of the child. The document contains up-to-date information on Ukraine’s compliance with the UNCRC for the period since Ukraine received recommendations from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child after the consideration by the Committee of the consolidated third and fourth National Report (2011) up to 2018 inclusively.

The report is available in English.