Fuel shortage hampering aid efforts

United Nations humanitarian agencies have warned that fuel shortages and associated distribution problems in Lebanon may seriously affect rescue operations and assistance to people trapped in southern parts of the country.

"The issue of waning supplies of fuel will be a catastrophe if not addressed properly," said Mona Hammam, Head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Lebanon. "Fuel has always been imported in this country, and we are well aware, as humanitarian actors, that Lebanon would have been capable of provisioning the entire population had it not been for the military blockade by land, sea and air."

Hammam explained that adequate supply and distribution of fuel was essential to a range of industries, particularly pumping water and baking bread, and warned that if the problem was not dealt with immediately it could bring the economy to a halt.

Lebanon's power sector depends on fuel to generate electricity, but capacity has been severely affected since Israeli jets fired on storage tanks at the Jiyyeh power station in south Beirut on 13 and 15 July. Reserve supplies have been used to cope with demand, but electricity rationing is increasing, with some areas in Beirut now receiving less than 12 hours a day.

Israel has attacked what it describes as "terror infrastructure" throughout Lebanon in response to the capture of two of its soldiers on 12 July by Hizbullah militants.

Fuel shortages are becoming more evident, partly due to reduced imports but also because of hoarding. Some petrol stations have limited purchases to not more than 10 litres per day; many others have stopped selling fuel altogether. Prices have remained relatively stable, though some outlets are charging up to 25 percent more.

Bahij Abu Hamza, vice-president of Lebanon's Association of Fuel Importers, said distribution had been capped at 1.2 million litres per day to increase the period of availability. The association has met with several UN organisations to push for the safe passage of fuel imports by sea, and distribution around the country, particularly in the south.

"Fuel supplies, the availability of other supplies from neighbouring countries and security remain impeding factors in our tasks," said Amer Daoudi, an emergency coordinator of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Lebanon. He explained that the UN had its own fuel reserve for supply trucks, but this would not last more than a few days.

The UN spokesman in Lebanon, Khaled Mansour, has echoed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's appeal for an immediate cessation of hostilities to allow the safe passage of fuel, among other much-needed supplies. He said the UN was negotiating with Israel to allow sufficient supplies to enter the country.

According to Sami Brax, head of the Petrol Stations Owners Union, even with supplies rationed, there was only enough fuel to last a week.

Syria and Jordan have agreed to supply Lebanon with fuel from their reserves, but how much they can supply and by which route it would be transported is not clear.

mc/ls/ed/he

watch video