Afghan government vows to use an iron fist against those posing security threats

Transcription

1 Overview April 16, 2004 Afghan government vows to use an iron fist against those posing security threats The Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai is vowing to use an iron fist against those threatening peace in the country. Speaking to a press conference in the capital Kabul on Wednesday (April 13), Jawed Ludin, spokesman for Karzai, said that the government plans to vigorously pursue its disarmament plan, ahead of nationwide general elections in September. Referring to recent violence in the western province of Herat and the 1

2 northern provinces of Faryab and Balkh, Ludin said, We believe that the main reason for remaining problems is the presence of militias and the issue of warlordism. As long as this situation continues, unfortunately, progress on all spheres will be threatened. He added that disarmament was the only solution to address the issue. According to the Pakistan-based English daily Pak Tribune, Ludin told BBC News that the Afghan government would do all in its power to prevent the recurrence of factional violence across the country, which have taken place in Herat and Faryab in recent weeks. Nationwide Afghan disarmament campaign to begin next week David Singh, a spokesman for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), told a press briefing in the Afghan capital Kabul yesterday (Thursday, April 15) that the pilot phase of a UN-backed Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) campaign has been completed. Some 6,225 excombatants were disarmed and demobilized, and a total of 5,190 individuals were reintegrated into civil society in five Afghan regions during the pilot phase of the campaign. An estimated 4,830 heavy and light weapons were also collected. Singh said preparations were underway to launch the main nationwide phase of the DDR campaign later this month (April 25), which is aimed at disarming and demobilizing some 40 percent, or up to 34,000, of ex-combatants by the end of June. He added that only half of these individuals, or 17,141, would immediately begin reintegration activities. The remaining half would be given wage labor as a source of income and start their reintegration activities during the second phase of the DDR campaign, scheduled from July through September The campaign is being carried out jointly by the Afghan Ministry of Defense and Afghanistan s New Beginning Program (ANBP). Japan is the largest contributor to the three-year US$200 million DDR campaign, which is considered vital to turn the country towards peace and stability. Government sends some 800 security troops in northwestern Faryab province to maintain peace The Afghan central government of President Hamid Karzai sent 600 Afghan National Army troops and 200 Kabul-based police to northwestern Faryab province following skirmishes between factions loyal to ethnic Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum and his rival, ethnic Tajik Commander Ustad Atta Mohammad. As of last reports, the situation in the area was calm but tense. The Afghan central government appears to be currently in control of the provincial capital of Maimana (also spelled Maymana). However, fighting could erupt again if the government decides to bring back provincial governor Enayatullah Enayat and Faryab s security chief Hashim Habibi. Human rights groups question the legality of US detentions at Guantanamo Bay Human rights groups are urging the United States to provide access of due legal process to all detainees being held at its detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. At the end of a two-day conference, Human Rights for All, held in the Yemeni capital Sanaa last Sunday (April 11), 26 lawyers from Arab Gulf states, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the US, issued a call urging the US to guarantee humanitarian treatment for the detainees. The Sanaa appeal is demanding the US provide detainees at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere in the world, full access to lawyers, doctors, families and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The conference was jointly sponsored by the UK-based human rights group Amnesty International (AI) and a Yemeni non-governmental organization, the Yemeni National Organization for Defending Rights. The conference was also attended by families of Yemeni detainees at Guantanamo Bay. The meeting discussed arbitrary detention, due legal process for counter-terrorism and security concerns, and hurdles faced by lawyers in defending the detainees. It was also noted that detainees from the Gulf States were receiving lower standards of justice than that being offered to detainees of US, British and Australian origin. Javier Zuniga, spokesman for AI said, This [US] policy promotes a world in which arbitrary and unchangeable detentions become acceptable. 2

3 Supply Routes Map for Humanitarian Aid 3

4 Movement Total refugee and IDP returns in the last 18 months are 3 million with about 2.5 million refugees returning and nearly 500,000 IDPs returning home. About 84,000 refugees have returned in 2004, including 47,000 from Pakistan and 37,000 from Iran. 11,000 from Iran were assisted and 26,000 were spontaneous. In January and February less than 4,000 were assisted to return; they were all from Iran and included about 700 earthquake survivors from Bam. 400,000 are expected to return from Pakistan this year; Iran and UNHCR (UN High Commission for Refugees) plan on 500,000 returns from Iran in The 2003 peak months were June with 92,000 and July with 78,000. Some camps in Pakistan are being closed and consolidated in About 1.4 million refugees remain in Iran and 1.2 million in Pakistan. Remaining in Pakistan are 200,000 in cities, over1 million in old camps and 150,000 to 200,000 in the post-september 2001 camps Emphasis in 2003 was on repatriation from old camps and cities in Pakistan to rural areas in Afghanistan. 70% of returnees from Pakistan were from cities and 30% from camps. Over a third returned to Kabul, another 10% went to other central provinces, and just over 20% returned to each of the north and east. The Southern region received 6% and the Western region 4%.. In 2002 over 2.3 million Afghan refugees returned with 2 million assisted by UNHCR. UNHCR repatriated 1.53 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan, including 125,000 from Baluchistan and 1.4 million from the North West Frontier Province. 82% were from urban areas; only 3% were from new camps. 265,000 refugees were assisted in returning from Iran; and 10,000 refugees from the central Asian republics. This is in addition UNHCR, the Afghan Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation, and IOM (International Organization for Migration) plan to assist 90,000 IDPs in returning home in UNHCR started modest 2004 IDP returns. There are 184,000 recorded, active IDPs, with the actual total being, perhaps, some 300,000. Active IDP numbers are 144,000 in the South, 21,000 in the West, 2,800 in the Center, 5,500 in the East and Southeast, and 41,000 in the North and Northeast. UNHCR assisted 60,000 IDPs to return in WFP (World Program) brought 2,300 MT of food into Afghanistan, and 3,300 MT were distributed. stocks in country were 17,900 MT. Routes for Humanitarian Aid and Refugees Country Supply Routes From Supply/Return Routes To Iran Pakistan Mashhad Dogharun, Herat, Badghis & Ghor Major refugee repatriation route; Zabol Nimruz Refugee repatriation route; Peshawar Jalalabad, Kabul, Bamiyan & Khyber Pass refugee camps in NWFP, Major refugee repatriation route; Torkham Pakistan Quetta Refugee camps in Baluchistan, Significant refugee repatriation route Pakistan & Kandahar and Herat Tajikistan Nizhny Pyandzh Sherkhan, Kunduz, Northern region, & Kabul Salang tunnel between north and Kabul Kyrgyzstan Osh Ishkashim, Faizabad, & NE WFP no longer needs route Turkmenistan Turkmenabat, Kushka Herat, Badghis & Ghor UNHCR no long needs route Turkmenabat, Kerki Andkhoy, Mazar-e-Sharif, & Northern Region UNHCR no longer needs route Uzbekistan Termez Mazar-e-Sharif and North Friendship Bridge for rail and road 4

5 Afghanistan Relief Efforts: United Nations Regions Central Region : UN missions suspended in Uruzgan province; Taliban activity in province Bamiyan IDP Movement NFIs -Shelter 2,800 active IDPs in Central and East Central WFP; preparations for winter complete ICRC, IMC, MSF; malnutrition high IOM,, UNOCHA, & OXFAM New Zealand PRT in Bamiyan 5

6 : PRT in Parwan; Kabul UNHCR East Central Region IDP Movement 2,800 active IDPs in Central and East Central UN; currently few returning home from Kabul WFP, IRC, Action Contre la Faim CARITAS, MSF, IFRC, IRC, ICRC Russian relief center and hospital; improved ambulance service Non- Items - Shelter UNHCR, ACTED, MSF, IRC, ICRC, IOM; housing being built for squatters ICRC; Wells, pumps, and clean water considerably improved; chlorination of wells on-going Eastern Region : Coalition operations continue; US PRT in Gardez; US PRT in Kunar; US PRT in Ghazni province; Coalition says it will establish more PRTs in east and south to improve security and humanitarian support; Jalalabad IDP Movement Non- Items - Shelter UNHCR 5,500 active IDPs in East WFP, IRC, MSF, IMC, WHO; ICRC CWS, US PRT in Jalalabad CARITAS; ICRC, 6

7 Eastern Region IDP Camps Hesarshahi (12 km east of Jalalabad) Sar Shahi Type IDP IDP Capacity International Islamic Relief Organization (ISRO) 9,000 remaining 15,000 Movement IDPs UNHCR assisted 15,000 return home Non- Items (NFIs) - Shelter WES activities of in this camp completed in 2002 and Immunization activities are going on. Northeastern Region Organization Movement IDPs Faizabad 11,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast 117,000 returned spontaneously in Northeastern region OXFAM,, WFP, World Concern Preparations for winter underway Non- Items (NFIs) -Shelter WHO, Merlin,, MSF; ICRC, ACTED, Refugees Int l, Mercy Corps Calm 5 new bridges linking Northeast to Tajikistan 7

8 Northern Region : Situation quiet in Faryab province with arrival of 600 Afghan army and 200 Kabul police; UN road missions suspended in Faryab province; UN missions suspended in parts of Sari Pul province; US PRT in Parwan; Kunduz 11,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast; 60,000 IDPs from North elsewhere in country; Movement IDPs Non- Items (NFIs) Shelter IOM targeting 45,000 IDPs to identify those interested in voluntary assisted return home starting 31 March ACF, FOCUS, OXFAM, IOM, Save the Children; WHO, MSF, Convoys from Mazar-e-Sharif, Kabul, and Tajikistan IOM, ACTED, Mercy Corps NATO/German PRT in Kunduz Immunization activities Aid and relief supplies from North, South, and West Northern Region IDP Camps (Kunduz) Bagh-e-Sherkat Amirabad Type IDP IDP IOM IOM Camp Capacity 22,000 Less than 5,000 between the two camps Less than 5,000 between the two camps Movement IDPs Largely stopped Largely stopped WFP WFP, ACTED, Focus Non- Items (NFIs) - Shelter IOM Water & Sanitation UNICIEF : has completed WES activities in the camps in

9 Movement IDPs Mazar-e-Sharif UNHCR 11,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast; 60,000 IDPs from North elsewhere in country; IOM moving some IDPs home WFP; preparations for winter underway WHO; ICRC. Jordanian field hospital Non- Items (NFIs) - Shelter IRC, IOM,, Action Contre la Faim; FAO British PRT in Mazar-e-Sharif; ICRC Southern Region Southern region has 145,000 active IDPs; : UNHCR Commissioner cancels visit to Zahre Dasht due to security concerns; Pattern of killing of workers and humanitarians along highway in Zabul province; Coalition says it will establish more PRTs in east and south to improve security and support humanitarian activities; Kandahar UNHCR Movement of IDPs 145,000 active IDPs in South International staff present and operating Mercy Corps in southern Kandahar Province NFIs - Shelter WHO, ICRC, CARITAS, Mercy Corps; ; UNHCR, Mercy Corps US PRT in Kandahar; First phase of Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration complete 9

10 Southern Region IDP Camps (Kandahar) Type Capacity Movement IDPs NFIs - Shelter Kandahar IDP 90,000 in 39 camps in Panjwai district Survey of IDPs in the Southern Region to be conducted later this month Plan to relocate 55,000 IDPs from Spin Boldak, no-man s land to camps, and Kandahar camps to Zhare Dasht; Relocation from no-man s land complete; selected relocations from Kandahar city to Zhare Dasht underway concerns: crime, banditry, and general insecurity WES projects of in IDP camps completed in 2002 and immunization activities are going on. Southern Region IDP camps south of Kandahar Type Zhare Dasht (South of Kandhar 6 camps) IDP Camp Int l Save our Souls Camp Capacity 30,000; expandable to 60,000 36,000 Movement IDP NFIs - Shelter Initial movement of several hundred to homes in west WFP, MSF; outbreak of diphtheria among under- 18 A concern of potential occupants wells New camps designed to attract IDPs from Spin Boldak 10

11 Eight Southern Region camps in Panjwai and Maiwand west of Kandahar for 30,000 nomadic Kuchis Mandozai (60 kn from Kandahar) Marghar Morsham Type IDP Camp IDP Camp IDP Camp Cordaid Cordaid Cordaid Camp Capacity 1,700 4,500 16,000 Movement IDP Refugees in noman s land Caritas Caritas Caritas Caritas- Caritas_ Caritas- NFIs - Shelter is doing immunization activities Southern Region IDP Camps (Spin Boldak--Near Afghan-Pakistan Border Chaman Area) About 20,000 IDPs in the Spin Boldak area; plans to move remaining IDPs to 6 camps near Kandahar in process; 7,000 assisted in moving to Zhare Dasht since Oct 2003; 8,000 10,000 assisted in returning home; Al Rashid (Spin Ben Rashid Maktum Rabita Alam el Islam Boldak) (Spin Boldak) (Spin Boldak) Type IDP Camp IDP Camp IDP Camp UNCHR UNHCR UNHCR Camp Capacity 1,100 Movement IDP WFP WFP Distribution interrupted in mid-may and MSF and MSF and MSF NFIs - Shelter Trucks and water tanks Trucks and water tanks UNHCR supplying limited quantities New camp New camp New camp 11

12 Spin Boldak Spin Boldak Wesh Type IDP Camp IDP Camp IDP Camp International Islamic Relief Organization NGO from United Arab Emirates International Islamic Relief Organization Camp Capacity 6,000 6,000 Movement IDP WFP WFP WFP and MSF and MSF and MSF NFIs - Shelter Trucks and water tanks Trucks and water tanks Trucks and water tanks New camp New camp New camp Western Region 20,500 active IDPs; Road missions in Ghor province suspended due to road conditions; Locati on Herat Province UNHCR; ICMC 70,000 or less in 5 remaining camps down from 200,000 to 360,000 depending on estimates Movement IDPs Non- Items (NFIs) Shelter WFP, IRC, CARITAS,, World Vision, IOM, Action Contre la Faim WHO, MSF, MDM, Order of Malta, CHA, IbniSina, HRS; ICRC; UNHCR, Iranian Red Crescent,, IOM, Blankets and fuel being distributed; Ockenden Int l, MSF, IMC US PRT in Herat 12

13 Mir Daud (25 km west of Heart) Western Region IDP Camps Maslakh (20 km west of Herat) Shaydayee (18 km east of Heart) Type IDP Camp IDP camp IDP camp ICMC ICMC ICMC Camp Capacity 100,000 Movement IDPs (NFIs) - Shelter New arrivals from Badghis and Ghor 11,000 16,000 IOM assisted IDPs return home in North-West for 2003 total of 23,000 WFP; food-for-work program vice distribution WHO, IMC, MSF, MDM, HRS, CHA, IbniSina; ICRC- IOM, UNHCR distributing additional tarps and blankets Western Region IDP Camps (cont.) Minaret 1 & 2 Rawza Herat City Type IDP camp IDP camp IDP camp ICMC ICMC Camp Capacity IOM assisted 23,000 IDPs to return home from Mashlakh and Shaydayee in 2003; MSF reports Shaydayee to close remaining IDPs to be shifted to Maslakh WFP; general food distribution to end April; Shift to food-for-work program vice distribution MSF, UNHCR Less than 2,000 Less than 500 remain Less than 5,000 Movement IDPs MDM doing food supplements Non- Items (NFIs) - Shelter UNHCR and NGO providing tents Officially closed 13

14 Refugee s in Pakistan UNHCR has been caring for more than 260,000 refugees in Pakistan, including 137,000 people in nine camps and one transit area in Baluchistan Province and 110,000 in seven camps in Northwest Frontier Province. Current camp population estimates are 150,000 to 200,000. UNHCR is consolidating camps in the Chaman area. Movement of Refugees Baluchistan Province Baluchistan Province 137,000 people in 9 camps and one transit area Afghans in no-man s land relocated to Zhare Dasht and Mohamed Khele; Plans to close other camps in vicinity of Chaman over time WFP Medicins du Monde; MSF, AMDA NFIs Shelter IFRC, Medicins du Monde; Action Contre la Faim Refugee Camps in Baluchistan, Pakistan Mohamed Khele 1 & 2 (85 km southwest of Quetta) Roghani (new) (16 km from Chaman) Type Refugee Camp Refugee Camp UNHCR/Rotary Intl. UNHCR Camp Capacity 80,000 17,000 - full 37,000 Pashtuns 17,000 No-man s land Refugee Movement 8,000 refugees have been relocated from noman s land Numerous families starting to move to Spin Boldak in Afghanistan; UNHCR plans to close camp in March 2004 WFP, CRS WFP 14

15 , MSF,MSF Non- Items (NFIs) - Shelter CRS IFRC, MDM IFRC, MDM, Oxfam Refugee Camps in Baluchistan, Pakistan (cont.) Landi Karez (5 km Tor Tangi (20 km Lejay Karez (75 from Roghani) from Chaman) km from Quetta) new Latifabad (10 km from Mohammad Kheil) Type Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Refugee Camp UNHCR UAE Red Crescent UNHCR UNHCR Camp Capacity 10,000 10,000 8,600 16,500 10,000 5,700 6,350 ethnic minorities Refugee Movement From Quetta WFP WFP WFP MSF AMDA AMDA NFIs - Shelter IFRC, MDM, Oxfam IFRC, MDM IFRC, MDM IFRC North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan North West Frontier Province 70,000 Refugee Movement Non- Items (NFIs) - Shelter 1,404,000 refugees have returned; some old camps beginning to WFP continues to be a problem in Kurram Agency 15

16 Refugee Camps in NWFP, Pakistan 37,600 were in Shamshatoo; 35,000 among five remaining camps New Shamshatoo (60 km Kotkai (Bajur Agency 120 Barkali (Bajur Agency) southwest of Peshawar) Km northwest of Peshawar) Type Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Refugee Camp UNHCR Camp Capacity 75,000 20,000 37,600 16,000 1,000 Refugees returning to Refugee Movement Afghanistan; 5,000 from Shalman WFP WFP WFP NFI - Shelter CRS Primarily for Pashtuns Old Bagzai (Kurram Bassu (Kurram Agency) Asgharo (Kurram Agency) Agency) Type Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Refugee Camp UNHCR UNHCR UNHCR Camp Capacity 10,000 12,200 Refugee Movement 18,000 among three Kurram Agency camps 18,000 among three Kurram Agency camps 18,000 among three Kurram Agency camps WFP; WFP WFP NFIs - Shelter IRC Water & San Kurram Agency officials will deliver food due to security situation CRS Kurram Agency officials will deliver food due to security situation Kurram Agency officials will deliver food due to security situation Established camp for Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Turkmens For Shiite refugees, mostly Tajik and Hazaras Relocated refugees from Jalozai and urban Peshawar 16