OCHA Situation Report on Kyrgyzstan 17 Central Asia, 01 July 2010 - This report was issued by ROMENACA Sub-regional Office for Central Asia. It covers the period 30 June - 1 July. See Full Report here I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES - Southern Kyrgyzstan remains calm as more relief is distributed - $9 million from CERF approved to projects in the Kyrgyzstan June 2010 Flash Appeal - Humanitarian programming on local radio planned in both Uzbek and Kyrgyz languages II. Situation Overview The overall situation remains calm in southern Kyrgyzstan as more humanitarian relief is distributed. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres visited Jalal-Abad and Bishkek on 1 July after his visit to Osh on the previous day. He met with the UN Country Team and emphasized that the strong presence of the international humanitarian community on the ground in itself would enhance the protection of civilians in the south. He stressed the need for promoting communication and reconciliation among ethnic communities to ease tension. Sale of alcohol is now prohibited in the areas where the curfew is in effect. Alcohol and intoxication reportedly played a role at the onset of the violence in mid-June (The day after the referendum on the 27 June, the Interim Government reinstated a curfew in Jalal-Abad region, Osh and Uzgen cities and Kara-Suu and Aravan districts of Osh region until 10 August). Local media citing local authorities report that more than 850 criminal cases in relation to the violence have been initiated and 230 corpses have been discovered in Osh city and province as of 30 June. About OCHA: The core objective of the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to facilitates the work of operational agencies that deliver humanitarian assistance to populations and communities in need by providing them with response tools, advocacy and information services. OCHA carries out its coordination function primarily through the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), which participants include UN agencies, funds and programmes to the Red Cross Movement and NGOs. The IASC ensures inter-agency decision-making in response to complex emergencies. These responses include needs assessments, consolidated appeals, field coordination arrangements and the development of humanitarian policies. OCHA is supported by 1,064 staff members in New York, Geneva and in the field. For more information, visit http://ochaonline.un.org   For further information, please contact: Humanitarian Affairs Officer Regional Office for the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia (ROMENACA) Phone: +20 2 2751 5016-17 Fax: +20 2 2751 0125 E-mail: laerke@un.org