Routes for Humanitarian Aid

Transcription

1 August 12,

2 Routes for Humanitarian Aid Country Supply Routes Supply Routes Comments From: To: Turkey Iskenderun (port) Mersin (port) Silopi North Open for humanitarian supplies Bandar Imam Khomeni (Port) Iran Ahwaz South Open for humanitarian supplies Kermanshah Northeast Open for humanitarian supplies Iraq Shipping Umm Qasr (port) South, Central Accommodates shallow-draft vessels Kuwait Kuwait City (port) South, Central Open for humanitarian supplies; also military use Jordan Aqaba (port) Ar Ruwayshid Central Open for humanitarian supplies Latakia (port) Abu Kamal Central Syria Tartus (port) Beirut, Lebanon (port) Central Open for humanitarian supplies Al Tanf Al Yarubiyeh North Open for humanitarian supplies 2

3 Overview Today s Highlights Humanitarian Situation: Continued concern about security, lethal exchanges between coalition troops and Iraqis, sabotage, crime, and lack of key infrastructure; High temperatures exacerbating problems; Water and power improving slowly; Nationwide food distribution proceeding smoothly; Political: US and Great Britain are drawing up a new UN resolution to give the international body greater power in Iraq many nations indicate they will only contribute troops under such an arrangement; UN: The Secretary General s Special Representative for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, returns to Baghdad from Egypt, expresses support for Governing Council steps toward new constitution; Refugees: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) convoy bringing in second group of 250 Iraqi refugees from Rafha camp in Saudi Arabia delayed due to recent protests in Basrah, but expected to arrive in Basrah by August 16; Third convoy to depart on August 20; UNHCR will bring in the first assisted refugees from Iran later this month; Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): With 85,000 registered, International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates 254,000 IDPs included are 100,000 old-case Marsh Arabs in the South, 54,000 in the North due to Arabization and urban poor; UNHCR providing resettlement support in the North; Civil Society/Rule of Law: Iraqi Governing Council appoints 25-member team to draft procedures to write new constitution, viewed to be key to creation of a democratic Iraq; Civil Military Interaction: Following two days of riots in Basra protesting lack of power and fuel supplies, British soldiers distribute 25 million liters (6.606 million gallons) of gasoline to gas stations; US forces conclude Operation Ivy Lightning raids targeting Saddam Hussein loyalists in remote areas outside Tikrit aimed to be more precise and less intrusive in response to recent criticism of heavy-handedness; Humanitarian Access to Iraq: World Program (WFP) routes in order of decreasing tonnage are: Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Umm Qasr, Kuwait, and Iran WFP expects to rely increasingly on Jordan and Umm Qasr; Major routes out of Baghdad to north, west, and south are out of bounds for UN; Iraqi Governing Council grants permission to six international airlines to resume flights to Basrah Airport by end of August; Economy/Oil: Fuel shortages in Basrah blamed on sabotage and looting British forces working to protect power lines and electricity contractors; Water/power: Coalition producing 3,250 megawatts compared to 4,000 megawatts before war; Basrah to be connected to national power grid before mid-august; : distribution through Public Distribution System (PDS) continuing with 40,000 metric tons (MT) brought in through August 6 for a total of more than 1.7 million MT; Preparations in the North to turn over food distribution from WFP to local authorities by November; Prisoners of War/Detainees: Coalition reports it has about 5,000 detainees, 500 of whom are POWs; and Medical: No major disease outbreaks US Agency for International Development (USAID)/UNICEF report cholera season is over with fewer likely cases this year than last; system 3

4 hampered by security situation and lack of equipment and training; Implementation of medevac system for those not treatable in Iraq. 4

5 Note: New content has been inserted in red, italicized, bold font. In Country Humanitarian Assistance Preparations North Region Population IDP Movement NFIs Shelter Security Other/Comments Erbil, Dahuk, Salaymaniyah UN Office of the Humanitarian for Iraq (UOHCI) is aware of 36 NGOs in northern Iraq According to UNHCR, there are approximately 42,000 IDPs living in Dahuk Governorate, 5,000 of which are living under the care of UN agencies; UNHCR has provided tents, blankets, and other household items to several hundred Iraqi Kurds who have returned to Dahuk; Approximately 175 Kurdish families are living just east of Mosul, and another 700 families are living in Zamar; UNHCR is rehabilitating villages and providing shelter materials in Erbil governorate to IDPs who have been returning distribution is at pre-conflict levels; Trial plantings of winter cereals, summer vegetables, and industrial oil-seed crops has started in all three northern governorates UNHCR has begun a shelter program which will construct 70 houses for approximately 500 IDPs in two villages outside Erbil All water projects in urban and semi-urban areas in Erbil are functioning properly General situation remains calm with no major incidents reported recently Power in Dahuk has been restored; Electric power is available for hours per day in Erbil; Telephone services have been restored between Dahuk and Mosul Population IDP Movement NFIs Shelter Kirkuk (Attamin), Mosul (Ninewa), Tikrit (Salahaddin) Three task forces have been established in Mosul to discuss issues related to the return of IDPs from the three northern governorates: Return and Resettlement, Land and Property Issues, and Mass Information Campaign on Land and Property Restitution; World Vision has identified 3,100 IDP families in Ninewa governorate World Vision is distributing 1,700 family hygiene kits to IDPs in Ninewa governorate this week A UN Security Assessment Mission to Mosul reported that the water and health systems are in relatively good condition with facilities unaffected by looting, but the sanitation system remains a concern; 70% of Tikrit is connected to the sewage system and water is also available; In Kirkuk, International Rescue Committee (IRC) is supporting a solid waste collection project to benefit 480,000 people and a sewage line clearance project to benefit about 300,000 people 5

6 Security Other/Comments Increased attacks mainly against coalition forces in Kirkuk; Security situation in Mosul reported as tense, and increased restrictions for UN staff movement are in place The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will open an employment office in Kirkuk to serve as a clearinghouse for employers and job seekers; UNDP s Iraq Reconstruction and Employment Program (IREP) is providing employment to 1,000 people in Mosul; The Mosul airport is still closed to UN flights, which are using Erbil as the landing point in the North Central/West Regions Population IDP Movement NFIs Shelter Security Other/Comments Baghdad Anbar, Salahaddin, Diyala, Karbala, Babil, Wasit, Najaf, Qadissiya According to the Danish Refugee Council, registration of IDPs in Diyala governorate is ongoing and has so far registered over 53,000 IDPs, most of whom are living in former Iraqi military camps, jails, and other unused facilities; International Medical Corps, Mercy Corps, and CARE are working on projects that serve the IDP population in Diyala distribution to more than 17,000 IDPs in Diyala is nearing completion; August food distributions are ongoing in Babylon, Wasit, Qadissiya, Najaf, and Karbala while distribution in Hilla (Babil) has been delayed until next week in order to give the Swiss Federation of Demining time to defuse unexploded ordnance in the Ministry of Trade cold storage warehouse International Rescue Committee (IRC) has re-equipped four health centers in Karbala Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) has resumed work on the New Hilla water-works project in Babil to supply water to over 500,000 residents; IRC has equipped four health clinics in Karbala Governorate and plans to equip four additional clinics There has been a trend of attacks against the coalition from the Fallujah to Ramadi area; The rate of attacks on Highway 1 from Baghdad to Mosul remains particularly high; Anbar, Diyala, and Salahaddin are still inaccessible to UN staff due to poor security; Due to security incidents in Hilla, WFP has relocated 11 international staff from Hilla to Baghdad and will maintain only essential staff in Hilla USA-based CHF international is implementing 25 community projects in Babil, Karbala, and An Najaf, including renovations of sewage treatment and medical facilities, neighborhood cleanup, road repair and school renovations Baghdad UNOCHI is aware of 40 NGOs operating in Baghdad; Due to heightened security in Baghdad, particularly in light of the anniversary of the former Baath party taking power, agencies which are not compliant with the UN s Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS) have been asked to leave; The NGO Coordination Committee in Iraq (NCCI), located in the Al Wahda district in Baghdad, now has more than 50 members and about 20 observers Population: 5.8 million 6

7 Population IDP Movement NFIs Shelter Security Other/Comments International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that about 2,000 IDPs of Roma origin have occupied the Abu-Ghraib and Al-Rashid military camps; France-based NGO Premier Urgence has reported a new case load of 7,000 IDPs in Baghdad a one-month food distribution to them will take place in August distribution of July rations has been completed in Baghdad By June 26, Baghdad was restored to about 70% of its pre-war water pressure level Security in Baghdad has been heightened in response to an increase in attacks on coalition forces in and around the Baghdad area; No security clearance will be issued for humanitarian missions between the two locations until further notice; Official travel between Baghdad and Al- Hillah must be conducted through Al-Kut (Highway 6 and 7) in both directions; As of July 31, UNSECOORD has classified all routes from Baghdad to Qasim, Hillah, and Jordan via Falluja and Ramadi as out-of bounds/ no go zones due to serious security concerns; One US soldier was killed and two were wounded on Tuesday (August 12) in a bomb attack in Ramadi, 100 km (60 miles) west of Baghdad; An investigation has been initiated into a shooting incident in which two Iraqi police officers in Baghdad were shot by US troops over the weekend UNDP s Iraq Reconstruction and Employment Program (IREP) is providing employment to more than 3,800 workers in Baghdad through clean-up activities; The Baghdad International Airport is still closed to commercial traffic; International Relief and Development (IRD) has launched 19 new projects including school rehabilitations, trash removal projects, a health center, and sewage repair; Baghdad University is aiming to reopen by the beginning of October 7

8 South Region Basrah Umm Qasr, Basrah Population of Basrah: 1.5 million Population IDP Movement Assessments indicated that 612 IDPs are in Basrah USAID reports that the June wheat flour distribution is only 84% complete due to transportation problems and fuel shortages, which will also delay completion of the July and August food distributions; UNHCR submitted a request to WFP for food assistance for the 244 Iraqi returnees from Saudi Arabia until they are registered into the Public Distribution System The health professionals strike in Basrah against insecurity and revenge killings has ended NFIs Shelter UNHCR is stockpiling relief supplies in Basrah to have on hand for up to 5,000 people who may be returning from refugee camps in neighboring countries or IDPs within Iraq who may require assistance Security WFP warehouses in Basrah have been subject to looting; More than 2,000 policemen have been retrained and are now back on duty; UN staff movement has been restricted due to recent shootings Other/Comments The Umm Qasr port was officially opened for commercial freight on June 16, with priority given to vessels carrying humanitarian, reconstruction, and military cargo; The coalition is operating railway service from Umm Qasr to Baghdad and from Baghdad to other cities including Mosul, Al Taji and Bayji; Immigration and customs services are now available at Basrah airport; Iraq s Governing Council has granted permission to six international airlines to resume flights to Basrah Airport at the end of August Population IDP Movement NFIs Shelter Security Al Muthanna, Nassiriyah (Dhi Qar), Amarah, Maysan UNOHCI is aware of 22 NGOs operating in southern Iraq July food distributions have been completed in Al Muthanna Immunization rates in Al Muthanna, Al Basrah, Dhi Qar, and Maysan have dropped to a low of 60% from last year s 85%, resulting in an increase of immunizationpreventable outbreaks, including 491 cases of whooping cough and 2 cases of polio Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) has resumed work on the Al Shatra and Al Islah water-works projects in Dhi Qar to supply water to over 100,000 residents; The Czech-based People in Need Foundation (PINF) has completed work on rehabilitating three major water units in the marshlands of Missan governorate Drug and arms trafficking has increased, especially in Amarah 8

9 Other/Comments Neighboring Countries Humanitarian Activities/Preparations Jordan The Government of Jordan has stated that borders with Iraq are open for the flow of goods. The Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Center (HACC-West) has advised that it needs 24-hour advance notice of vehicle movement into Iraq from Jordan. Travel on this route in the short-term may be dangerous due to the threat of hijacking while on the road. Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) has constructed latrines and is responsible for sanitation and solid waste management in the Ruweishid refugee camp A. There are approximately 1,100 refugees currently residing in the camp. According to UNHCR, 1,240 people, mostly Iranian Kurds from the Al Tash refugee camp, are currently residing in no-man s land at the Iraqi border with Jordan. Jordan has refused entry to the refugees. A refugee camp has been set up for them, using some structures that were relocated there from the Ruweishid camp. Following talks with Jordan s King Abdullah II, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers said that Jordan will not pressure the approximately 200,000 Iraqi refugees living in Jordan to return to Iraq. In addition, a limited number of Iraqis would be allowed to stay long-term, particularly those married to Jordanians. The coalition is withdrawing from the Jordanian/Iraqi border, leaving behind a staff of 10 personnel. Iran The Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA) has stated that requests of convoys crossing the Iranian border could be processed within 24 hours, once the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides clearance. UNHCR is planning to help move a few hundred Iraqi refugees from Iran to Basrah in the coming weeks, but only if the refugees had identified a place to stay and a form of backup support in Iraq. UNHCR has given the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) a list of 106 Iraqi refugees currently in the Ashrafi camp who desire to return to Iraq. Ashrafi camp is Iran s largest and hosts more than 11,000 Iraqis at present. UNHCR said that due to the lack of basic services and security, Iraq was not yet ready for large-scale returns. According to UNHCR staff in Basrah, about Iraqi refugees are returning each day from Iran over the Shalamsha border crossing. There are currently about 200,000 Iraqi refugees living in Iran either in host communities or in 22 camps near the border. 9

10 Turkey The border with Turkey remains open to diplomatic and press missions only. Discussions are underway with the government of Turkey to open the border to enable returnees to go home. As there have been no reports of refugees crossing into Turkey and requesting asylum as a result of the recent war, UNHCR has said it is scaling down its operations along the border between Turkey and Iraq in order to focus on relief efforts already underway in Iraq. Turkey has said it would continue assistance to Iraqi refugees who fled Iraq prior to the recent war and who now wish to return to Iraq. UNHCR said it could facilitate such repatriations, but could not guarantee the returnees safety upon return and thus would not encourage them to do so at this time. IOM is also scaling down their operations in Silopi, but said it would be ready to assist in the repatriation of Iraqis. The World Program (WFP) has signed an agreement with Turkey to reopen its office in Ankara to organize and coordinate aid for Iraq. Kuwait The Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) in Kuwait requests a maximum of 96 hours to issue a clearance to agencies to carry out cross-border operations. Humanitarian flights are now exempt of all landing and parking fees. The Government of Kuwait has issued a statement that it must be notified 24 hours in advance to issue approved legal passes. UN staff wishing to travel to Iraq through Kuwait need security clearance and must complete a Kuwaiti immigration form. The immigration form, in addition to a copy of a mission plan, must be given to the transportation office by 1600 hours one day prior to the mission. The HOC, originally scheduled to close on June 30, will now continue to operate until September 30, Only a skeleton staff from WFP will remain at its office in Kuwait. UNDP and WFP Basrah will provide support to the office. Syria The Government of Syria has granted UN agencies and IOM a number of exemptions for fees, taxes and levees related to the import/export of humanitarian transit cargo to Iraq. New border crossing procedures are improving cross border movements. UNICEF is encouraging the use of Syria as a corridor for entry of humanitarian aid into Iraq. Saudi Arabia The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (GoKSA) has issued a blanket authorization for overflight and landing for an unspecified period of time. These clearances apply to flights between Kuwait and Amman. After a delay of several days due to security concerns, a second group of 260 Iraqi refugees from the Rafha camp is en route to Basra. More than 3,600 Iraqi refugees are expected to leave the Rafha camp in Saudi Arabia by the end of the year. About 5,200 Iraqi refugees, many of whom are army deserters 10

11 from the 1991 Gulf War, remain in the camp. Small groups will be repatriated to Iraq with assistance from UNHCR approximately every ten days depending on the security situation. 11