Routes for Humanitarian Aid

Transcription

1 July 29,

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 attacks on coalition troops, Iraqis and aid workers; Sabotage, crime, lack of key infrastructure, and unemployment/salaries continuing concerns; Water and power improving slowly; Nationwide food distribution proceeding smoothly; Oil industry improving very slowly; Political: The International Criminal Court will review allegations brought by Turkish Bar Association of human rights abuses by British forces; Former US diplomat and nation-building expert James Dobbins says long commitment, more soldiers and more funds are required; US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz says Arab media stations are inciting violence against the coalition; UN: The Secretary General s Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello meets with Human Rights Watch (HRW) team to discuss human rights situation in Iraq HRW just issued report critical of Afghanistan warlords supported by coalition; Oil-for- Program s early delivery contracts now up to US$2.5 billion includes food, infrastructure, agriculture, and education; Refugees: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) bringing first 240 of approximately 3,500 Iraqi refugees from Rafha camp in Saudi Arabia; UNHCR also preparing to bring small numbers of Iraqi refugees home from Iran in August; UNHCR does not support major repatriation in 2003; Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates 254,000 IDPs, of which 85,000 have been registered included are 100,000 old-case Marsh Arabs in southern Iraq, 54,000 in northern Iraq due to earlier Arabization programs and its reversal, and urban poor; Civil Society/Rule of Law: The Interim Governing Council is developing operating procedures, is on the verge of selecting a president, and has formulated a communiqué to the coalition calling for restraint in the conduct of raids on civilians; UNHCR reminds the administration in the formerly independent Kurdish region in the north that it will have to take directive from Baghdad; Civil Military Interaction: Deadly exchanges between coalition and Iraqis continue with coalition raids and guerilla-style attacks; US identifies 30 nations which have promised troops or civil police; Humanitarian Access to Iraq: World Program (WFP) routes in order of decreasing tonnage are: Syria, Jordan, Turkey, Umm Qasr, Kuwait, and Iran; Airlines vying for right to fly into Baghdad; Economy: Domestic production of gasoline, diesel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) falling further as black market prices increase smuggling out of Iraq adds to problem and it is estimated that domestic demand will not be met until 2004; Shortages will affect humanitarian efforts; Water/power: Coalition plans to regularize power in most cities with 3 hours on and 3 hours off hospitals and select institutions would have 24-hour power; Coalition producing 3,200 megawatts compared to 4,000 before war; Basra to be connected to national power grid before mid-august; : July distributions are proceeding smoothly, but shortages in milk, infant formula, and tea have been reported; WFP is reactivating the system of providing food to hospitals and other social institutions; and Medical: No major disease outbreaks, but high summer temperatures increase potential for water-borne diseases; system hampered by security situation, lack of equipment and training. 3

4 Note: New content has been inserted in red, italicized, bold font. In Country Humanitarian Assistance Preparations North Region 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; Approximately 175 Kurdish families are living just east of Mosul, and another 700 families are living in Zamar 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 In Dahuk, all hospitals are functioning normally; Two volunteer physicians with the US-based Northwest Medical Teams are teaching skills to doctors in hospitals in Erbil All water projects in urban and semi-urban areas in Erbil are functioning properly Stable, but reports of radical elements regrouping, particularly in Sulaymaniyah Power in Dahuk has been restored; Electric power is available for hours per day in Erbil; Telephone services were restored between Dahuk and Mosul 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 The Ministry of Trade office in Kirkuk reported that July ration distribution to food agents is underway and that warehouses are mostly full, except for some shortages in milk, infant formula, and tea; The Kirkuk Ministry of Trade Ration Registration Center is issuing temporary ration cards for IDPs in Kirkuk 40,000 items of clothing donated by a Korean firm will be distributed by World Vision in Mosul and Al Rutba A UN Assessment Mission to Mosul reported that the water and health systems are in relatively good condition with facilities unaffected by looting, but the 4

5 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 Increased attacks mainly against coalition forces in Kirkuk; situation in Mosul reported as tense, and increased restrictions for UN staff movement are in place; The Mines Advisory Group (MAG) has begun two new operations bases in Kirkuk and Mosul; 74 Iraqi policemen have completed their training at the Police Academy in Mosul The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will open an employment office in Kirkuk to serve as a clearinghouse for employers and job seekers Central/West Regions 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 IDPs in Diyala has been delayed until the list of beneficiaries can be reviewed; distributions in the region have continued and are reported to be completed with the exception of wheat flour in Najaf, Karbala and Qadissiya International Rescue Committee (IRC) will distribute 100 safe delivery kits to traditional birth attendants and midwives in Karbala Governorate World Vision is delivering more than 3,600 relief packages to residents of Ar Rutbah containing clothing, blankets, plastic sheeting, and water containers Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) has resumed work on the New Hella 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; 5

6 Baghdad 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 Standards (MOSS) have been asked to leave : 5.8 million An IDP working group has been established to coordinate a response to a reported total of 3,000 families in Baghdad who have been displaced; International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that about 2,000 IDPs of Roma origin have occupied the Abu-Ghraib and Al-Rashid military camps The Ministry of Trade reports that 60% of food agents under the Public Distribution System (PDS) to date have picked up food rations for distribution to more than 3 million people in Baghdad International Medical Corps (IMC) received 12 supplementary WHO medical kits, each of which provides medicines for 10,000 people for 30 days; 39 hospitals in Baghdad governorate started receiving food commodities under an activity coordinated by World Program, Ministry of Trade, and French NGO Premier Urgence By June 26, Baghdad was restored to about 70% of its pre-war water pressure level in Baghdad has been heightened in response to an increase in attacks on coalition forces in and around the Baghdad area; As of July 20, UNSECOORD has classified all routes between Al-Hillah and Baghdad as no go zones due to serious security concerns; 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 The UN is sending an electoral team to Baghdad in early August to assist the new Iraqi Governing Council to organize elections; The Baghdad International Airport is still closed to commercial traffic 6

7 South Region Basrah Umm Qasr, Basrah of Basrah: 1.5 million Assessments indicated that 612 IDPs are in Basrah The health professionals strike in Basrah against insecurity and revenge killings has ended Recent water samples show low levels of residual chlorine and high bacterial contamination as a result of leakage, low power supply, and damage of equipment; UNICEF is continuing water deliveries to Umm Qasar town by tanker trucks; 25% of water leaks in Basrah have been repaired, but new breaks are occurring daily UNSECOORD reports an increase in criminal activity in the Basrah region, with criminal gangs becoming better organized; There has been a trend in kidnapping for ransom; 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; A pipeline southeast of Basrah was on fire today (July 29) after a suspected rocket-propelled grenade attack 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; Electricity in Basrah is available for hours per day but fuel shortages continue to hamper humanitarian organizations operations Al Muthanna, Nassiriyah (Dhi Qar), Amarah, Maysan UNOHCI is aware of 22 NGOs operating in southern Iraq The Al Amarah General Hospital in Maysan recorded a 1,400 percent increase in dysentery cases and a 3,000 percent increase in diarrhea cases among infants over the past two months 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 7

8 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. Lubbers is also expected to discuss the status of the 1,240 people stranded in no-man s land at the Jordanian border. 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 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. 8

9 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. The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) has agreed that Iraqi refugees staying at the Rafha Camp since the first Gulf war will be the next group to be repatriated to Iraq with assistance from UNHCR. There are currently about 5,000 refugees, mostly men, living in the camp. The HOC, originally scheduled to close on June 30, will now continue to operate until September 30, WFP recently had to suspend direct transport of goods from Kuwait due to insecurity and looting, bringing in goods through Umm Qasr instead. 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. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society (SARC) is continuing operations at the Al Tanf and Al Bukamal transit camps on the border with Iraq. The Al Tanf camp is now empty while the Al Bukamal camp population continues to decline. SARC has asked the Syrian government to consider closing the camps and is awaiting a response. 9

10 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. UNHCR expects more than 240 Iraqi refugees to leave the Rafha camp this evening (July 29) in an overnight convoy that is expected to arrive in Basrah on Wednesday (July 30) morning. More than 3,600 refugees are expected to leave in convoys by the end of the year. About 5,200 Iraqi refugees, many of whom are army deserters from the 1991 Gulf War, remain in the camp. Additional groups will be repatriated every ten days depending on the security situation. 10