Overview. Note: New content has been inserted in red, italicized, bold font.

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1 March 12,

2 Note: New content has been inserted in red, italicized, bold font. Overview Humanitarian Situation: Continued concern about attacks on soft targets, security, sabotage, lethal exchanges between coalition troops and Iraqis, crime, and lack of infrastructure food distribution OK; Political: Press reports US military is paying US$340,000 a month to the Iraqi National Congress (INC) led by Ahmad Chalabi US government reviews find INC generated misleading and fabricated information to US before the war Pentagon defends payment, saying INC is providing useful info; UN: Multi-agency UN team visited Basrah area led by UNHCR s chief of mission, Yacoub El Hillo team sees a busier city, and worries about unregulated refugee flow from Iran overtaxing limited resources; Refugees: Similar to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR s) recent statement regarding refugees returning to Iraq, Iraq s Minister for Immigrants and Refugees, Mohamed Jassin Khudhayir, says Iraq is not ready to receive large numbers of returning refugees; Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimates between 650,000 and 900,000 IDPs in Iraq 300,000 IDPs are in homes, most do not stem from recent war and most are in the north; Definition of IDP is very broad many returns tied to definition of and availability of adequate housing; Civil Society/Rule of Law: An Iraqi Finance Ministry audit of Iraqi currency exchange turns up US$22 million deficit bank employees are jailed and blamed for exchanging counterfeit bills Finance Ministry demanding repayment of debt from employees; Civil Military Interaction: US forces warned that current major threats include roadside bombings and kidnappings in exchange for Iraqi prisoners; US investigators determine that at least 4 of the 5 attackers of coalition employees killed recently are members of Iraqi police; Attacks continue on coalition, those seen to be working with the coalition, soft targets, and skilled professionals; Old scores being settled; Coalition continues sweeps and raids; Humanitarian Access to Iraq: The Feinstein International Famine Center, in cooperation with some 200 humanitarian institutions, reports humanitarian groups in Iraq are confronted with critical challenges, including a contested environment, a security crisis, major policy quandaries, lack of a clear UN mandate, and issues arising out of the need to interact with Coalition forces; Economy/Oil: Iraqi Oil Ministry spokesman Assam Jihad says daily oil production in Iraq currently averages the pre-war level of 2.2 million barrels a day says oil exports total 1.7 million barrels daily with goal of pre-war 2 million barrels soon ; Water/power: 4,000 megawatts of electricity being generated 90% of prewar 4,400 MW; Electricity Minister Ayham al-samarrai says country plans 7,500 MW capability by mid-2004; Over 1 million cubic meters per day of untreated sewage from Baghdad end up in Tigris River system coalition plans to be able to treat 800,000 cubic meters by end of 2004; Food: Coalition handed food contracting and distribution back to the World Food Program (WFP) for 3 months while it prepares Iraqis in the Ministry of Trade to take over the program Coalition building up audit and monitoring capability; Backlog of food brought in by WFP through November distributed; 2

3 Health and Medical: US Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson reaffirms US commitment to rebuild health system to its 1970s high--was the pride of the Middle East; Iraqi Health Minister Khudair Abbas seeks US$2 billion this year rather than budgeted US$1 billion. 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 Open for humanitarian supplies; South, Central Umm Qasr (port) High charges limit use 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 3

4 In Country Humanitarian Assistance Information By Region North Region Erbil, Dahuk, Sulaymaniyah Coordination UN Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq (UOHCI) is aware of 36 NGOs in northern Iraq Population Population of Sulaymaniyah: 662,600 Population of Erbil: 839,000 IDP Movement Only small proportions of the 800,000 IDPs have been resettled since the Iraqi Kurdish region broke ties with Baghdad in An estimated 180,000 IDPs are still living in public buildings in Dahuk governorate alone. Feb According to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (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; Food The World Food Program (WFP) handed over responsibility for food distributions to Kurdish authorities on November 21, programs that are not terminated will be passed on to Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) under UN Security Council Resolution 1483 Health World Vision reports donations to northern Iraq which include pharmaceuticals, Aqua Boxes, VitaMeal, clothing, and wheelchairs donated jackets and shoes are due to arrive in mid-february Jan Non-Food Items US NGO Mission East is helping to rebuild 20 villages in Sheikhan district southeast Shelter of Dahuk; Swedish NGO Qandil is currently working to build homes in Erbil; Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is hoping to build 30,000 more homes in the next 5 years; Other NGOs working on housing in Erbil are Counterpart and Help Age International. Water & Sanitation Feb Swedish NGO Qandil is helping to build a dam.62 miles (1 km) northwest of Sulaymaniyah. Under construction since July 2003, the dam is set to be completed by May Mar Security No new security information has been reported today (Mar 11); Other/Comments The Iraqi National Employment Program, and employment programs in Iraqi northern governorates, have reported the creation of close to 110,000 new public works jobs out of a target of 155,000. The Iraqi Ministry of Finance plans to invest US$125 million in 2004 to create a further 125,000 jobs. Mar

5 Coordination Population IDP Movement Food Health Non-Food Items Shelter Water & Sanitation Security Other/Comments Kirkuk (Attamin), Mosul (Ninewa), Tikrit (Salahaddin) Population of Mosul: 1.7 million Population of Kirkuk: 755,700 Population of Tikrit: 28,000 UNHCR is funding projects to assist some 2,500 newly displaced Arabs are gathered in the Hawija area west of Kirkuk; About 250 Kurdish families have been staying at Kirkuk s sports stadium awaiting housing from authorities As of February 15, mobile health teams working with the Ministry of Health have visited 2,844 families in Attamin governorate, who do not have access to healthcare facilities; USAID opened 2 healthcare training centers in Mosul, which will be used to train primary healthcare providers in March and April 04. Feb USAID is helping to construct 400 solid waste collection points in Kirkuk. Feb-24-04; US-based NGO International Rescue Committee (IRC) is continuing to help improve sewage line repair and garbage collection in Kirkuk. During ongoing weapons collection in northern Iraq, US soldiers received rocketpropelled grenades, hand grenades, and hundreds of mortar rounds from members of the Coalition for Iraqi Unity, a group of concerned Iraqi citizens in northern Iraq. Mar-05-04; US Central Command reports that members of US Task Force Olympia met with leaders of nongovernmental organizations in Mosul in northern Iraq on February 15th. The Ministry of Humanitarian Assistance and Cooperation hosted the meeting, which was attended by 15 nongovernmental organizations with representatives from Great Britain, Japan, France, the United States and Iraq as well as civil affairs soldiers from Task Force Olympia. The organizations covered a wide variety of issues and services across the region from health and medical issues to the Makhar refugee camp. Task Force Olympia provides the groups with humanitarian information and assistance to help them accomplish their mission in Iraq. Feb

6 Central/West Regions Al Anbar, Salahaddin, Diyala, Karbala, Babil, Wasit, Najaf, Qadissiya Coordination Population Al-Anbar Province: Fallujah - 425,774, Al-Kaime - 116,129 Ramadi - 444,582 Rowtba - 24,813 Ana - 37,211 Hidatha - 75,835 Hit 105,825 Total Al-Anbar Population 1,230,169 Feb IDP Movement US-based NGO Save the Children has completed registration of IDPs in Najaf, where 2,157 IDPs have been identified; International Medical Corps, Mercy Corps, and CARE are working on projects that serve the IDP population in Diyala. Food Health USAID is helping to rehabilitate Al Andalous Primary Healthcare Clinic in Ramadi (Al Anbar) to serve people a day from a community of nearly 30,000; On February 17, USAID opened one primary healthcare training center in Najaf will train primary healthcare providers in March and April 04. Feb Non-Food Items Japan's Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) airlifted humanitarian supplies and goods Shelter Thursday into Iraq on its second flight under the Iraq reconstruction mission, the Water & Sanitation Security Other/Comments Defense Agency reported. The UK-based Department for International Development (DFID) has given UNICEF US$12,382,054 ( 6,835,187) for emergency water and environment sanitation projects for supplying potable water to schools and affected households in the governorates of Baghdad and Diyala, Karbala, and Salahaddin governorates. Mar On Thursday (Mar. 11), 2 US soldiers were killed and another was wounded by a bomb in Habbaniyah, 45 miles (72 km) west of Baghdad; 3,000 Iraqis from all walks of life -- representing 150 tribes -- gathered to celebrate the opening of the Regional Democracy Center in Hilla. The center serves as a meeting place and provides information on democracy and the rule of law 6

7 Baghdad Coordination Population IDP Movement Food Health Non-Food Items Shelter Water & Sanitation Security Other/Comments Baghdad Population: 5.8 million France-based NGO Premier Urgence has reported a new case load of 7,000 IDPs in Baghdad; UNHCR has registered more than 8,200 Palestinian refugees in Baghdad who no longer receive support from authorities; About 700 families of Roma origin are reportedly living in a former Baghdad orphanage; French NGO, Premiere Urgence, says that about 10,400 people in Baghdad are IDPs because of recent war or human rights issues NGO is working to repair former Republican Guard headquarters outside Baghdad which is temporary IDP shelter; Premier Urgence is operating at 270 locations in and around Baghdad - working to set up information center to mediate land/home claims Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and UNICEF establishes pilot youth house in Al Maghrib, Baghdad, children visit daily; According to a report on December 18th, US NGO, Mercy House, operating home for over 50 orphans and runaways with some aid from French NGO, Enfants du Monde, in Baghdad The UK-based Department for International Development (DFID) has given UNICEF US$12,382,054 ( 6,835,187) for emergency water and environment sanitation projects for supplying potable water to schools and affected households of Baghdad and in the governorates of Diyala, Karbala, and Salahaddin. Mar In November 2003, the International Red Cross decided to close its Baghdad office temporarily due to the security situation; The Baghdad Unemployment Center located beside the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs opened on January 29, This office is the first official establishment allowing Iraqis the opportunity to seek employment. The ministry is planning to open two more offices by March 2004 in other locations in the city Feb-18-04; USAID has helped to install independent sources of power at Baghdad Airport and Umm Qasr seaport -30 non-military arrivals and departures per day processed at Baghdad Airport, and more than 5000 military and NGO flights have arrived and departed since July 03; Work continues on rehabilitation of Doura power plant in Baghdad. Feb-24-04; On February 15, USAID formally turned over rehabilitated Railroad Workshop Building in Baghdad to Iraq Republican Railways (IRR). Feb

8 South Region Basrah Coordination Population IDP Movement Food Health Non-Food Items Shelter Water & Sanitation Security Other/Comments Umm Qasr, Basrah Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) currently has 7 international staff in Basrah Jan Population of Basrah: 1.5 million US-based NGO Save the Children has completed registration of IDPs in Basrah, where 5,300 IDPs have been identified USAID has helped to install independent sources of power at Baghdad airport and Umm Qasr seaport offloading cargo from more than 40 ships per month, 200,000 tons of grain unloaded since mid-november 03. Feb Iraq engineers and laborers working for Denmark-based NGO DanChurchAid (DCA) have reopened all 74 health centers in Basra province Feb-12-04; USAID is helping to rehabilitate the entire Sweet Water Canal system, which provides drinking water to 1.75 million residents of Basrah. Work began on Sweet Water s 14 water treatment plants in January 04 - water quality and volume to surpass pre-war levels in Summer 04. Feb All UN operations in Basrah have been suspended until further notice; International staff curfew is in place from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am; All UN international staff and UN Joint Logistics Center in Basrah have been relocated to Kuwait; The International Red Cross has decided to close its Basrah office temporarily due to the security situation; The UK-based Department for International Development (DFID) reports that a program to refurbish 40 petrol stations across southern Iraq will begin shortly. A modern fuel distribution facility was recently opened in Mafitya, in southern Iraq. This facilitates the pumping of fuel from storage tanks to road tankers four times faster than previously. Mar

9 Al Muthanna, Nassiriyah (Dhi Qar), Maysan, Coordination UNOHCI is aware of 22 NGOs operating in southern Iraq Population Population of Nassiriyah (Dhi Qar): 560,200 IDP Movement Food Health Medical equipment, including infant incubators, phototherapy units for incubators, and electrocardiographs provided by grant assistance for Japanese NGO projects to the Samawa Maternity and Children's Hospital, 168 miles (270 km) south of Baghdad, arrived in Iraq on March 3. The hospital is the only children's and maternity hospital in Al-Muthanna Governorate in southern Iraq (260 beds). Mar Non-Food Items Shelter Water & UK-based Department for International Development (DFID) assisting French Sanitation NGO, ACTED, in rehabilitation of water supply units in Al Muthanna and Al Najaf Feb-10-04; Security 3,600 South Korean troops, including special forces, marines, military engineers and medics, will be sent to Kirkuk by May 2004, replacing 465 South Korean military medics and engineers in Nasiriyah. Feb Other/Comments The Japan Government has extended a grassroots human security grant aid of US$802,909 to the Water Department in Al Muthanna to purchase 12 water tankers to distribute purified water; Japanese Self Defense Forces (SDF) will take part in water purification activities Feb-10-04; A contingent of 800 Japanese troops crossed into Iraq from Kuwait on February 8th, as part of the country's first deployment to a combat zone since 1945 the troops, most of them engineers, are part of a deployment slated to total about 800 troops in a humanitarian mission in southern Iraq another 200 troops are to remain in Kuwait. Japan had already dispatched advance teams and three C-130 cargo planes to the region troops tasks include water purification as well as other humanitarian tasks in Iraq Feb-08-04; On March 10, 12 water tankers, eight 2,642-gallon (10,000-liter) and four 2,378- gallon (9,000-liter) tankers were presented to the Iraqi Water Department of the Governorate of Al-Muthanna in accordance with Japan's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects. The tankers will provide about 200,000 people in Samawa and its vicinity with clean water. Mar-12-04; 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. At the Al-Ruwayshid Refugee Camp, managed by the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), there are more than 400 refugees. The Jordanian government has agreed to keep this camp open until 9

10 the end of April 04. Most refugees are Palestinians who previously lived in Iraq, as well as some Sudanese and Somali refugees. Last September, the Jordan government told the UNHCR of its desire to close the camp and move the refugees to the no-man s land, but UNHCR asked for an extension. Another estimated 1,200 refugees, most of them Iranian Kurds but also including Iranians, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis and Sudanese, remain in a nearby Al-Karama Refugee Camp, about 38 miles (60 km), away in "no man's land" between the Iraq and Jordanian border. This group may be in limbo for a long period of time, depending on the situation in Iraq. The Kurds have lived in Iraq as refugees for 23 years. Some have been refused permission to enter Jordan for different reasons: Iranians who have previously lived in Iraq s Al Tash refugee camps were refused, security or the lack of travel documents. Jacquline Parlevliet, a senior protection UNHCR Officer in Amman said that 1,048 Iranian Kurds had already been granted refugee status, and that 3 options may be offered: repatriation back to Iran, local integration with Iraqi Kurds and asylum in a third country. Most of the Sudanese and Somali refugees who fled Iraq last spring as the government fell are now being taken in by the US and Australia. UNHCR s Representative in Jordan, Sten Bronee, says that although Jordan has been extremely hospitable to refugees from surrounding countries, it feels it may have reached its limits. The Jordanian government initially agreed to provide protection for refugees for only 3 months after the outbreak of conflict in March Medical care is provided in Al-Ruweished and even Amman and assistance is being provided by various agencies on the ground. Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is responsible for solid waste and sanitation facilities in the Ruweished and Al-Karama camp at the Jordanian border under an agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Following talks with Jordan s King Abdullah II, UNHCR s 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. UN HABITAT and Iraq ministry officials met in Amman, Jordan on February 25th and agreed to embark on a new Urban Housing Rehabilitation Program to tackle such as poverty reduction and housing. Estimated needs are US$369 million over the next 4 years. Iran Iraqi Ministry of Trade estimates 122,000 Iraqi refugees, out of a total of 200,000 refugees living in Iran last year, have returned to nine southern governorates in Iraq. Iran however estimates 70,000 refugees previously settled in Iran have returned to Iraq. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that it has assisted a total of about 4,500 refugees from Iran. Of the 200,000 Iraqi refugees living in Iran last year, only about 50,000 were in camps according to rough estimates. Under the UNHCR program, which started in November 2003, refugees are given US $20 and free transportation to the southern Iraqi city of Basra. UNHCR has very limited presence inside Iraq due to the security situation there, making it very difficult for a repatriation program to operate, such as the one in Afghanistan. UNHCR says it still does not encourage large-scale returns at this time, but it will arrange further return convoys from Iran upon request of refugees. UNHCR says it has difficulties beginning repatriation as US military has fears returnees could include foreign militants. Task has also been complicated by the evacuation of UN foreign staff from Iraq, and complicated security and logistical problems along heavily mined route. Maryam Ghahremani of ANSAR, an Iranian foundation that conducts mine-awareness training at Ashrafi, stresses mine awareness especially for children of refugees. 10

11 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. Turkey 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 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. International Organization for Migration (IOM) is also scaling down their operations in Silopi, but said it would be ready to assist in the repatriation of Iraqis. The Turkish Red Crescent has sent a four-truck convoy carrying food aid and non-food items to Iraq to be distributed in the northern Iraqi cities of Mosul and Dahuk. According to reports on December 9, Turkish truck drivers with routes to Iraq went on strike last week over fear of attacks. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United States and Turkish officials are seeking a way to repatriate some 12,000 Turkish Kurds living in northern Iraq, who at present are not allowed to return home. The majority of them are in the Mahmour camp southeast of the northern governorate of Arbil, with the others living in cities. The refugees first settled in Atrush, where two camps were established southwest of Dahuk in northern Iraq, until they were moved to the Mahmour camp in 1998 under the government of Saddam Hussein. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) officials announced on Thursday (Jan. 22) that Iraqi, Turkish, and UNHCR officials have agreed on the modalities of voluntary return of up to 13,000 Turkish citizens (ethnic Kurds) to Turkey from Iraq who have lived in exile in Iraq since the early 1990s. An estimated 9,200 of these refugees are living in Mahmour Camp, near Erbil, while others are living in Dahuk and Erbil areas of northern Iraq. Under the agreement reached at the Turkish capital, Ankara, the Iraqi authorities will ensure that the return is voluntary and that the refugees are not subjected to pressure. The accord stipulates that the UNHCR will have full and unhindered access to the refugees both on Iraq; territory and once they have gone back to Turkey. Turkish authorities are to ensure that the refugees who volunteer to go back to Turkey are free to return to their former places of residence or any other places of their choice within Turkey. 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. Due to the current security situation in Iraq, international staff members of UN agencies operating in southern Iraq have been relocated to Kuwait, as have international staff members from several international organizations, including International Organization for Migration (IOM), International Medical Corps (IMC), and Mercy Corps. Syria 11

12 The Government of Syria has granted UN agencies and International Organization for Migration (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. 273 Iraqi men held in Lebanon for illegal residency were repatriated to Baghdad on December 19 overland via Syria most fled there in outbreak of war this year, about 40 left in Rumeih prison who face trial in Lebanon. Islamic Relief has been working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to help 600 Syrian refugees living in Baghdad and Ramadi by subsidizing rents, covering the cost of medical treatment, and paying for students transport and equipment costs. The beneficiaries of this joint Islamic Relief and UNHCR project are refugees who registered with the UNHCR in Baghdad in mid-june The UNHCR is in the process of finding a long-term solution in the form of repatriation to Syria or resettlement in another country. Iraq 's refugee community has been in a vulnerable position since the fall of Saddam Hussein s regime. The Hussein regime gave the refugees asylum and provided subsidized rents, a monthly allowance and legal support. However, the privileges that the refugees enjoyed has created resentment amongst many Iraqis. In the chaos that followed the collapse of the government, refugees were targeted by gangs of criminals who looted their accommodations at gunpoint. Many refugees lost their homes when rent subsidies ended. Those who remain in their accommodations have had to cope with increased rents while the value of the Iraqi dinar has fallen. 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. All but 500 refugees have left Saudi Arabia s Rafha camp out of the original 33,000 in 1991 remaining refugees will return to Iraq in next several days. On March 9, the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that it had assisted a total of about 4,500 Iraqi refugees from Saudi Arabia. 12