Addis Ababa — A major resettlement programme for thousands of people is underway in northern Ethiopia, despite a warning that facilities like water and health supplies are not in place.

Some 75,000 people are expected to be moved from central Tigray to western areas of the region within the next five months. Several thousand started moving in late February.

But according to the UN's Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia (EUE), local officials in charge of the resettlement are cautioning that supplies are not ready for the move.

"For the new resettlement programme to be undertaken in West Tigray Zone, resettlement sites have already been selected," the EUE said.

"Nevertheless zonal officials reported gaps in the present resettlement programme such as lack of roof thatching materials for new houses, inadequate water supply and health posts, and shortage of food that should be supplied to the new settlers until they bring in their own first harvest," it said.

"Despite these gaps, reportedly, mobilisation of the people started end of February 2003," the EUE added in a recent report on the region.

The aim of the move is to tackle widespread environmental degradation by helping families move to more fertile lands, such as Humera where a new road is currently under construction.

"The settlers are expected to construct their own houses after their arrival, but they will be provided seeds and an ox on credit," the EUE said.

"Officials at all levels are hoping that the resettlement programme will become successful this time with a different voluntary approach," it added.