| Donate $25 for two DVDs of the Cryptome collection of files from June 1996 to the present |
|
8 November 2001
See related on 911 disaster failure: http://cryptome.org/wtc-failure.htm
US Department of State
International Information Programs
Washington File
_________________________________
06 November 2001
(Population suffers widely from psychosocial stress) (1,240) Malnutrition, disease and exposure all endanger the health and well-being of Afghanistan's people, but psychosocial stress is another threat now being reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). "Not only does Afghanistan hold the unenviable position of one of the worst health care situations in the world, it is also grappling with a hidden medical crisis: severe mental suffering resulting from decades of conflict and repression," according to a WHO Special Report issued November 6 by it's Central Asia Crisis Unit. No research exists on the effects of stress on the Afghan people under the current circumstances. WHO cites research conducted in other conflicts, however, finding that up to 20 percent of a population can have severe mental health problems or diminished capacity to function after experiencing the trauma of conflict. The report underscores the psychological stress suffered by women as they have struggled to survive national conflict at the same time they've lost employment and educational opportunities under the Taliban. One small study of 160 Afghan women conducted in a refugee camp five years ago found that 97 percent showed signs of depression and 86 suffered symptoms of anxiety. Following is the text of the WHO Special Report: (begin text) World Health Organization (WHO) 6 Nov 2001 WHO SPECIAL REPORT Central Asia Crisis Unit The invisible wounds: The mental health crisis in Afghanistan In the remote central highlands of Hazarajat, Afghanistan, one of the most prevalent reasons patients visit the local health center is fear. Dr. Leena Kaartinen of the NGO Healthnet International first started treating patients in this isolated region in 1985. She says the greatest health problem facing the people, who are primarily Hazaras, is psychosocial distress. "The community is very protective, but the population lives in fear. They worry about everyday survival. They are terrified of military attacks. They come to the clinics with pain that isn't linked to any physical condition. I just listen to them carefully and they are relieved," says Dr. Kaartinen. Twenty-three years of war have ravaged the mental health and psychosocial functioning of the people in Afghanistan. Killing, executions, massive persecution, forced internal displacement, fear associated with living in mined areas, and the latest escalation of violence have left an indelible mark on the population. In addition, the psychological impact of living in uncertainty affects at least three million Afghan refugees. Not only does Afghanistan hold the unenviable position of one of the worst health care situations in the world, it is also grappling with a hidden medical crisis: severe mental suffering resulting from decades of conflict and repression. Women, in particular, have seen a dramatic deterioration in their psychological, family and social life over the past decade. Excluded from education, and employment, they have enormous difficulties accessing health care while still having to care for other family members. Widows, pregnant women, and survivors of sexual violence are particularly vulnerable. In Kabul alone, an estimated 60,000 widows are forced to subsist without traditional family support. Many suffer the humiliation of having to beg, yet are punished for roaming the streets without male accompaniment. Updated statistical data about mental health care in Afghanistan doesn't exist. Over-all world statistics in normal circumstances suggest that more than 3% of the population suffer from a grave mental disorder at any point of time. This means that hundreds of thousands of Afghans are likely to be suffering from severe mental illness with no opportunity for any treatment under the current circumstances. Research shows that in conflicts, 10% of people who experience traumatic experiences will have serious mental health problems and another 10% will develop behavior that will hinder their ability to function efficiently. In Afghanistan, some five million people are very likely to be affected by psychosocial distress. The most common conditions are depression, anxiety and psychosomatic problems, such as insomnia, or back and stomach aches. Traditionally, people suffering from the consequences of trauma are able to benefit from the support of the family and the community. But communities in Afghanistan have been destroyed by decades of fighting, and such support systems are very rare. The opportunities for psychosocial support are almost non-existent in Afghanistan. First, there is an extreme shortage of trained mental health professionals. WHO's Project ATLAS revealed that early in 2001, for a population of 25 million, the reported number of psychiatrists was just eight in the entire country. There were only 18 psychiatric nurses and 20 psychologists. Facilities for treatment are also extremely limited. There are 50 psychiatric beds available in Kabul: 30 for men, and 20 for women. Other facilities include two [ReliefWeb]centers in Jalalabad, and one in Mazar-I-Sharif. There [ReliefWeb] is no way of knowing whether these centers are still functioning today and whether the psychiatrists are still in Afghanistan. "Mental health resources in most countries are grossly insufficient, but the lack of available care in countries in conflict, such as Afghanistan, is especially alarming," says Dr. Shekhar Saxena, Coordinator in the WHO Mental Health and Substance Abuse Department. Already in the 1980s during the war against the Soviet Union, medical groups such as Médecins sans Frontières and Aide Medicale Internationale warned of growing numbers of young fighters suffering from psychological problems. They also reported that many refugees who had seen family members killed or executed in front of them were suffering from mental distress. Five years ago, research carried out in Afghanistan pointed to an increasingly dire mental health crisis, especially among women. An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association highlighted the deteriorating mental health situation of women in Kabul and refugee camps in Pakistan. Of 160 women interviewed, 81% reported a decline in their mental health status; 97% showed signs of depression, while 86% had significant anxiety symptoms. The grave vulnerability of children in Afghanistan was revealed in 1997 through a survey carried out by UNICEF. Three hundred children in Kabul were interviewed: the results indicated that 40% had lost a parent; 2/3rds of them had seen dead bodies or parts of bodies and 90% believed they would die during the conflict. A WHO fact-finding mission to Pakistan recently found that 30% of the Afghan refugees who seek medical care at local health care facilities are presenting psychosomatic complaints resulting from psychological problems. The harsh evolution of the Afghan conflict is leading health officials to warn of a large-scale mental health crisis in Afghanistan. "This catastrophic situation calls out for an immediate and comprehensive response," says Mary Petevi, psychosocial specialist at WHO's Emergency and Humanitarian Action Department. "The international community must consider psychosocial health as urgent as physical health problems." Given the magnitude of the problem and the scarcity of resources, WHO appeals for greater international awareness and financial support for psychosocial programs. Emphasis must be placed on carrying out rapid assessments and training trainers in psychiatric care and psychosocial action. Mobilization, empowerment and active participation of the affected community in its survival is critical. Even if such support in Afghanistan may be currently too complex to implement, all efforts should be made to provide emergency psychosocial support to refugees in neighboring countries. (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
06 November 2001
(People vulnerable to weather, security threats) (960) Certain refugee camps on Afghanistan's borders with both Iran and Pakistan have reached capacity, leaving people attempting to enter the camps with neither shelter nor resources, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees reported November 5. This situation develops just as the harsh Afghan winter is about to set in, UNHCR reported. "With night-time temperatures dropping dramatically over the past few days, UNHCR is deeply concerned about the condition of these families living out in the open, and is currently discussing how to improve their situation with the local authorities," the statement added. Iran and Pakistan, already sheltering some 3.5 million refugees who have left their country over the last 20 years, are currently keeping their borders closed to further Afghans, though some exceptions are being made for vulnerable persons, such as the elderly, the sick, women and children. In a November 6 briefing, UNHCR's Geneva headquarters spokesman Kris Janowski said, "The presence of armed fighters in or near the camps present an obvious danger to the displaced, including for young men facing forced recruitment by both the Taliban and the opposition Northern Alliance." Following is the text of the UNHCR news story: (begin text) QUETTA, Pakistan, Nov. 5 (UNHCR) -- With the temporary staging site at Killi Faizo full, some 400 Afghans were waiting Monday to enter the facility in Pakistan's southern Baluchistan Province. At the same time, unconfirmed reports said some 3,000 refugees were living in the open near the Makaki camp in Taliban-controlled territory near the border with Iran. No new vulnerable refugees have been able to enter the Killi Faizo site since Nov. 1. At the same time, negotiations are continuing between the U.N. refugee agency and Pakistani officials on moving the camp's residents to Roghani, a camp about 20 kilometers south of the Chaman border town. "As a result, the situation is essentially stalled, with 2,245 individuals inside Killi Fiazo receiving a full aid package from UNHCR, the World Food Program and other agencies, and those outside receiving next to nothing," UNHCR said in a statement Monday. "With night-time temperatures dropping dramatically over the past few days, UNHCR is deeply concerned about the condition of these families living out in the open, and is currently discussing how to improve their situation with the local authorities," the statement added. The agency said its staff in the area was planning to give blankets as well as high-protein biscuits to those outside the Killi Faizo site. They are also being provided with water from inside Killi Faizo while local benefactors are providing them with bread and other food items. The agency said it was trying to find ways of assisting the so-called invisible refugees, Afghans who have crossed into Baluchistan Providence but have disappeared into old refugee camps or nearby Quetta City. Discussions are continuing between local authorities and UNHCR, UNICEF, Mercy Corps International and Save the Children (US) to find ways of helping new arrivals, especially in education and health. UNHCR has also begun direct support to the front-line hospital in Chaman by providing 1.2 million tons of drugs donated by the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization and an obstetrics kit donated by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities. While key sections of the hospital, including the operating block, the laboratory, and the emergency ward are not functioning, some 10,000 measles vaccines are in stock and Medecins Sans Frontieres, the French humanitarian organization, continues to vaccinate children. Some 11 cases of severe malnutrition were identified at the Chaman border last week, along with acute respiratory infections and dysentery, UNHCR said Monday. "The malnutrition cases in particular have raised alarm that the food crisis may have turned a corner inside Afghanistan," the agency said. Severe malnutrition, according to experts, is a very late indicator of a lack of food. Along the Iranian border with Iran, unconfirmed reports from the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) and a non-governmental organization said some 3,000 Afghans were living out in the open near the Makaki camp on the Afghan side of the border. The reports said the group was given some food and other assistance, but that they were not allowed to enter the Makaki camp, which is full with between 4,500 and 6,000 refugees. The Makaki camp is in Taliban-held territory. A second camp known as Mile-46 also run by the IRCS is inside a small pocket in Nirmoz Province that is controlled by forces affiliated with the opposition Northern Alliance. With regards to North West Frontier Province, the refugee agency said it was working with local authorities to relocate newly arrived refugees living in what it described as "overcrowded and destitute conditions" in the Jalozai camp. The plan is to transfer the refugees now in Jalozai and other camps to identified sites in the so-called Tribal Agencies areas close to the Afghan border. Work is currently underway in eight of the 15 sites identified, with the Kotbai camp in Bajaur Agency north of Peshawar expected to be the first to become operational. "Relocation to new sites, set to start around November 11, will be voluntary and priority will be given to the most destitute," UNHCR said. The refugee agency said some 4,100 Afghans arrived last Thursday at various crossing points in North West Frontier Province, with another 4,500 arrivals on Friday. But UNHCR cautioned that it was not clear what percentage could be considered genuine new arrivals. The agency believes that well over 100,000 Afghans have entered Pakistan since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
06 November 2001
(Fact sheet reports increasing food deliveries) (3650) Security problems inside Afghanistan continue to be a major concern of international aid agencies with looting and armed occupation of their offices increasingly common, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) says. Nevertheless, daily food aid transportation into Afghanistan has been steadily increasing with a total of 27,311 metric tons delivered to Afghanistan since September 11, according to a November 1 USAID fact sheet. Delivery of relief commodities continued in western and northern Afghanistan with 13,000 blankets expected to arrive in Heart. Three thousand quilts that had escaped looting in Mazar-e-Sharif were to be delivered to internally displaced persons camps in Kunduz. Population movements towards Afghanistan's borders continued while Taliban forces reportedly engaged in forced recruitment and efforts to prevent people from fleeing the country. Despite increased numbers of refugees in Pakistan, these numbers fell short of the 1.5 million projected by contingency planners. However, Afghans arriving at refugee camps in Pakistan are reporting cases of severe malnutrition and dysentery, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. Following is USAIDs November 1 latest fact sheet: (begin text) U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID) BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR) OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA) Central Asia Region-Complex Emergency Situation Report #5, Fiscal Year (FY 2002), November 1, 2001 Note: this Situation Report updates previous Central Asia Task Force Situation Reports and Fact Sheets. Situation Report #5 (FY 2002) November 1, 2001 Background Two decades of war in Afghanistan, including a decade-long Soviet occupation and ensuing civil strife, have left Afghanistan impoverished and mired in an extended humanitarian crisis. Government infrastructure, including the ability to deliver the most basic health, education, and other social services, has collapsed. Significant resources are directed to the war effort. Severe restrictions by the Taliban, including a restriction on women working outside the home, have added to the impact of poverty, particularly on the many households lacking able-bodied adult men. The Taliban controls about 90 percent of Afghanistan's territory. Humanitarian prospects worsened sharply in Afghanistan in September 2001 due to developments both inside and outside the country. Osama bin Laden, who resides in Afghanistan under Taliban protection, is the leading suspect in the September 11 terrorist attack against the United States. Fears of a U.S. reprisal triggered a population exodus from major Afghan cities, both towards other points in Afghanistan and towards the country's borders. The beginning of U.S. air strikes on October 7 caused additional movement. International staff of all relief agencies withdrew after September Afghanistan Numbers Affected at a Glance Total population (CIA Factbook). . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26,813,057 Refugees Since September 11, 2001 (UNHCR) Pakistan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80,000 - 110,000 Iran. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unknown Refugees Since September 2000 (UNHCR) Pakistan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152,000 Old Caseload Refugees (UNHCR) Iran. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,500,000 Pakistan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,000,000 Internally Displaced (U.N.) Since September 11, 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180,000 Since 2000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,100,000 Old caseload. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000,000 Total FY 2001/2002 U.S. Government (USG) Assistance to Afghanistan $292,972,370 (1) Total FY 2001/2002 USG Assistance to Tajikistan. . . . . . . . . . $68,208,180 (1) Note: this figure has been reduced from the October 31, 2001 figure of $294,055,970 due to a discrepancy in reporting of the total number of Humanitarian Daily Rations dropped as of that date. See DOD Funding for details. Current Situation Overview. Food aid, delivered in massive quantities by the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) despite ongoing conflict, and through U.S. airdrops, continued to flow into Afghanistan in increasing quantities. Nonfood relief commodities continued to arrive in Afghanistan as well. Population movements towards Afghanistan's borders continued, while Taliban forces reportedly engaged in forced recruitment as well as blocking efforts to flee the country. Despite increased refugee numbers in Pakistan, outflows still fell far short of the 1.5 million to surrounding countries envisioned by contingency planners. Reports of the Taliban using civilian populations and structures as human shields continued, as Taliban forces continued to move military equipment and personnel into civilian structures including mosques and schools. Political/Military. In what some sources described as a serious setback for efforts to establish a broad-based post-Taliban government inside Afghanistan, opposition leader Abdul Haq was captured and killed by the Taliban after a brief foray into southeastern Afghanistan. Haq was a prominent Pashtun leader who had achieved hero status in Afghanistan due to his role in the war against the Soviet occupation in the 1980s. Food Aid. As of October 31, WFP had enough food aid in Afghanistan and the region to feed more than 10 million people for one month (see table). Despite the ongoing war, food deliveries into Afghanistan, as well as distributions to beneficiaries, continued. According to WFP, distribution of food aid to beneficiaries inside Afghanistan during the month of October totaled 21,933 metric tons (MT) for more than 2.6 million beneficiaries. Since September 11, WFP has distributed a total of 34,341 MT of food aid inside Afghanistan. The daily rate of food aid transport into Afghanistan has steadily increased; between October 28 and October 29, WFP transported 3,910 MT into the country. In total, WFP has delivered 27,311 MT of food into Afghanistan since September 11. In Northern Alliance-held territory, food is reportedly available in all local commercial centers, although prices have been increasing. Prices in the northeast have generally been higher than the rest of the country, due to war and accessibility issues. Current WFP Food Aid Stocks Location Quantity (MT) Beneficiaries Afghanistan 9,136 1,096,296 Region 84,536 10,144,313 Total 93,672 Pakistan. Although the border officially remained closed, Afghans continued to cross into Pakistan, bringing the total number of Afghan refugees since September 11 to an estimated 80,000 to 110,000. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that it would begin using 15 campsites under development in Pakistan to accommodate up to 150,000 people. UNHCR reported October 31 that it had reached agreement with President Pervez Musharraf to continue to admit Afghans under certain categories of vulnerability, which include elderly and sick persons. UNHCR is seeking to expand the categories to include those fleeing forced recruitment efforts. UNHCR also reported that it has reached agreement with the Government of Pakistan that the thousands of "invisible refugees" who have crossed into Pakistan through informal crossings should receive assistance, if possible, preferably in camp settings. The Killi Faizo temporary staging site near the Chaman border crossing in Baluchistan filled steadily this week to a total of 1,900 people, exceeding the site's maximum capacity. According to UNHCR, local authorities suspended registration and refused new arrivals, sending them back across the border to a Taliban-administered site at Spin Boldak. UNHCR is negotiating to open a new site nearby the Killi Faizo site in Pakistan. UNHCR reported that a number of the new arrivals were severely sick or malnourished, and MSF-Holland treated over 100 patients on October 31. UNHCR provided tents, blankets, cooking utensils and other non-food items, WFP supplied food, and Oxfam provided water facilities at the site. UNHCR Contingency Sites in Pakistan Location Capacity Pop. Roghani/Tor Tangi (Baluch.) 50,000 Killi Faizo (Baluch.) 1,600 1,900 Mohmand/Khyber (NWFP) 22,000 Iran. In western Afghanistan, Makaki, a camp operated in a Taliban-controlled area of Nimroz Province by the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), has now reportedly reached its 6,000-person capacity, according to UNHCR. Iranian authorities are hoping to transfer some of the new arrivals to Mile 46, a camp in a Northern Alliance-controlled portion of Nimroz. UNHCR has expressed concerns regarding the safety of the Iranian camps inside Afghanistan. Many Afghans have expressed fears of forced round-ups by the Taliban near the Iranian border, as well as fears of being used as human shields by Taliban forces. Shelter and water supplies at the sites are also reportedly insufficient. Iran/IRCS IDP Sites in Afghanistan Location Capacity Population Makaki (Nimroz) 6,000 7,800 Mile 46 632 Total 6,632 Afghanistan. On October 30, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reiterated a warning that up to 500,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) throughout Taliban-held areas of the Northern Region are living under very poor conditions. The area, which has suffered the combined effects of both drought and war, was already considered to be Afghanistan's worst affected and least served area prior to September 11. Fighting between the Northern Alliance and Taliban forces in southern Balkh province has reportedly driven IDPs living in spontaneous settlements towards the outskirts of Mazar-e-Sharif, the region's major city and Balkh's provincial capital. By some accounts there are now at least 11 camps in the vicinity of Mazar-e-Sharif. In southern Afghanistan, there are now reportedly some 3,000 IDPs at a Taliban-run camp at Spin Boldak, near the Pakistan border. Afghans arriving in Pakistan have reported cases of severe malnutrition and dysentery at the site. The health conditions of some new arrivals appeared to confirm this, according to UNHCR. New arrivals also reported that Taliban forces were preventing Afghans from leaving the country, including those in urgent need of medical attention. On October 31, armed Taliban forces seized a UNHCR field office at Spin Boldak, just hours after a meeting between the U.N. High Commissioner and the Taliban Ambassador to Pakistan, in which the High Commissioner asked that the Taliban stop interfering with UNHCR property and staff. Delivery of relief commodities continued in western and northern Afghanistan. UNOCHA reported that an IOM convoy from Mashad, Iran was expected to arrive in Herat on November 1 carrying 13,000 blankets, as well as other nonfood relief items. In Mazar-e-Sharif, an IOM office was allowed to re-open by the Taliban. Although some 2,000 quilts were looted, IOM plans to deliver 3,000 quilts from the site that escaped looting to IDP camps in Kunduz. Security problems inside Afghanistan continue to pose major concerns, with looting and armed occupation of international aid agency offices increasingly commonplace. According to UNOCHA, the UNHCR office in Kandahar, which houses relief supplies, was looted. UNOCHA also reported that armed individuals occupied the WFP office in Mazar-e-Sharif, and local authorities are using two WFP vehicles. ICRC offices in Mazar-e-Sharif were taken over by armed individuals on October 23. In addition, there have been unconfirmed reports that WFP food stocks have disappeared from its Kandahar warehouse, which was taken over by the Taliban on October 16. The refugee outflows from Afghanistan have been substantially lower than expected to date. Afghans are not leaving Afghanistan for a variety of reasons, according to reports, including difficulties in crossing the country's borders; the high financial cost of leaving in an impoverished economy; the realization that U.S. targeting is limited to military objectives; and the fact that food aid is still reaching many areas. USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE Background On October 4, President George W. Bush announced a $320 million assistance program for Afghanistan. Funding will support assistance to Afghans both inside and outside Afghanistan's borders, with support for food and a wide variety of other relief needs. On October 4, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Christina B. Rocca redeclared a complex humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan for FY 2002. To date, FY 2001 and FY 2002 USG humanitarian assistance for Afghans is provided by USAID/OFDA, USAID/FFP, USAID/Democracy and Governance (DG), USDA, the Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (State/PRM), the Department of State/Department of Defense Demining Program, the Department of State's Bureau International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (State/INL) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The assistance includes both assistance inside Afghanistan and assistance to Afghan refugees in neighboring countries. In Tajikistan, on October 10, 2001, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires James A. Boughner declared a disaster due to drought, and requested funds for a seed and fertilizer distribution program. USAID/OFDA responded by providing $998,180 through the U.S. Embassy to CARE for the purchase and distribution of winter wheat seeds and fertilizer. USAID/OFDA Assistance Personnel USAID/OFDA Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) personnel have deployed to Uzbekistan to assess humanitarian activities and logistical capacity in the area. The DART personnel in Uzbekistan will complement a DART that was deployed to Pakistan on June 17, 2001. In April 2001, USAID/OFDA and State/PRM deployed an assessment team to western and northern Afghanistan, including Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif, to assess drought and nutrition conditions in affected areas. Airlifts and Commodities - FY 2002 Airlift to Islamabad -- On October 23, Bear McConnell, Director of the USAID Central Asia Task Force, arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane carrying 20,400 blankets from USAID/OFDA stockpiles. An additional 15,000 blankets arrived via commercial transport October 25. The blankets will be provided to UNHCR as a contingency for a possible refugee influx. Value including transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $312,350 Health Kits to Pakistan -- USAID/OFDA has provided five health kits to UNICEF in Islamabad as an in-kind contribution. The health kits can support a population of 10,000 for up to three months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,415 Airlift to Turkmenistan -Two chartered planes carrying 1,000 rolls of plastic sheeting for emergency shelter arrived in Ashgabat October 18 and were consigned to UNICEF. Value includes transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $403,200 New Grants - FY 2002 (Afghanistan) Concern Worldwide -- Shelter program in northeast Afghanistan to encourage up to 5,000 displaced families to return to their homes by repairing looted and destroyed homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,203,343 FAO - Seed multiplication, procurement, and distribution to drought-affected farmers throughout Afghanistan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,095,000 MCI -- distribution of WFP food to 10,000 families, potable water for 3,000 families, and distribution of non-food items to 10,000 families in southern and central Afghanistan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,000,000 WFP - purchase, transport, and bagging of 15,000 MT of wheat. . .$6,000,000 WFP - purchase of trucks to support the delivery of food aid. . .$5,000,000 Grants -- FY 2002 (Afghanistan) ACTED -- Pre-positioning of food and non-food emergency relief items in northeastern Afghanistan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,500,000 ACTED -- IDP camp management and support in Baghlan. . . . . . . $630,000 FAO - Seed multiplication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300,000 GOAL -- Food, shelter, water/sanitation, and winterization in Samangan and Jozjan Provinces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,500,000 IOM - Support for distribution of food and non-food relief commodities in Badghis, Faryab, and Balkh provinces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $562,313 International Medical Corps (IMC) -- Health assistance for IDPs and local residents in Herat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $735,000 UNICEF -- Nutrition surveillance, health, and water/sanitation activities country-wide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,650,000 Save the Children (SC)/US -- Nutrition surveillance in northern Afghanistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $206,488 SC/US -- Food programs in Faryab and Sar-e-Pul, and emergency heating for hospitals in Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif. . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,000,000 UNOCHA --Humanitarian coordination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,500,000 UNICEF -- Water and Environmental Sanitation activities. $2,500,000 ICRC -- Support for pre-positioning and mobilization of food and non-food stocks for use within Afghanistan in addressing the needs of 540,000 drought and war-displaced people, as well as support for airlifts. . . . . . . . $2,500,000 WFP -- Support for a Joint Logistics Center and humanitarian air operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,500,000 Total USAID/OFDA FY 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $43,127,109 Grants -- FY 2002 (Tajikistan) CARE -- Purchase and distribution of winter wheat seeds and fertilizer, benefiting an estimated 4,500 drought-affected families. Total USAID/OFDA Tajikistan FY 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $998,180 USAID/FFP WFP -- 72,700 MT of P.L. 480 Title II wheat and complementary commodities. Total USAID/FFP FY 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $38,555,000 State/PRM Note: State/PRM funds listed reflect actual contributions to the listed agencies. Plans for funding are not included until funds have been obligated. New State/PRM Grants - FY 2002 International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) -- Contribution to ICRC's Revised Emergency Afghan Conflict Appeal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,500,000 International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (IFRC) -- Contribution to IFRC's Revised Appeal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,000,000 IOM -- Support for IOM's Appeal for Emergency Response to the Crisis in Afghanistan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,000,000 United Nations Development Program (UNDP) -- Contribution to the Project Management Information System in Afghanistan (ProMIS). . . . . . . $160,000 UNOCHA -- Support for UNOCHA's Donor Alert for Afghans in Afghanistan and in Neighboring Countries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,000,000 United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) -- Support for UNFPA's Special Program for Afghanistan and Neighboring Countries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $600,000 WFP -- Contribution to WFP's Special Operation/Logistics Support to Interagency Relief Efforts and Humanitarian Assistance for the Afghan people. $4,000,000 State/PRM Grants - FY 2002 UNHCR -- Funding for UNHCR's Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Plan for Afghans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,000,000 Total State/PRM FY 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $28,260,000 Department of Defense (DOD) Between October 7 and October 31, DOD dropped 1,280,525 humanitarian daily rations (HDRs), valued at $4.30 each, into Afghanistan. (Note: the figure reported October 30 of 1,280,525 HDRs dropped was inaccurate. The correct figure was 1,028,520.) Total DOD FY 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,570,728 USG ASSISTANCE - AFGHANISTAN FY 2001 Note: detailed breakdowns of FY 2001 assistance are available in previous Central Asia Region Situation Reports. TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 2001. . . . . . . . . . . $178,607,625 FY 2002 TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan FY 2002. . . $114,364,745 FY 2001/2002 TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan FY 2001/2002. $292,972,370 USG ASSISTANCE -- TAJIKISTAN Total USG Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2001. . . . . . . . . . . $67,210,000 Note: FY 2001 USG assistance to Tajikistan included assistance through USAID/OFDA, USAID/FFP, USDA, the Department of State, and Freedom Support Act funds administered through a variety of agencies. Total USAID/OFDA Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2002. . . . . . . . . $998,180 Total USG Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2001/2002. . . . . . . . $68,208,180 (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
07 November 2001
(Human rights rapporteur reports to UNGA) (760) By Judy Aita Washington File United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- The humanitarian and political crisis now existing in Afghanistan, while critical, "has created opportunity and space for the Afghan people to become active participants in bringing about fundamental change" to a country already devasted by almost 20 years of fighting, the Human Rights Commission special rapporteur said November 7. In a written report to the UN General Assembly's Third Committee, the rapporteur, Kamal Hossain, said that aerial bombing by the United States and Great Britain on Taliban and terrorist sites has changed the dynamics in the country, thus giving the Afghan people a chance to form a new "broad-based, multi-ethnic and truly representative" government that would respect human rights and give both men and women an opportunity to live in freedom and dignity. Hossain warned, however, that "time is of the essence" in working out immediate measures that would involve Afghans in interim internal security arrangements and practical mechanisms to prevent a breakdown of law and order and possible massacres such as have happened in the past when Afghan territory changed hands. The United Nations should also issue a "credible warning to all parties to refrain from any form of summary executions and to indicate that those responsible for the recent summary execution of the Pashtun leader Abdul Haq and the assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud, as well as others responsible for summary executions and massacres, could not longer expect to enjoy impunity as they had in the past and would be brought to justice," the rapporteur said. In a report prepared after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States by Usama bin Laden and his al Qaeda organization which has been sheltered in the Taliban controlled area of Afghanistan, the rapporteur emphasized that the need for a political settlement and a government that includes all sectors of Afghan society, which has existed for years, is even more urgent now. In preparing his new report, an addendum to his earlier annual report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, Hossain visited Pakistan and Iran in late October, meeting with representatives of UN agencies and NGOs as well Afghan refugees, particularly those who have recently arrived. Even before September 11, Hossain said, "Afghanistan was in a state of deepening crisis. The continuing armed conflict, externally supported, was identified as the root cause of the deteriorating human rights situation." "Afghans found themselves powerless," he said. "They were victims of serious violations of human rights under an authoritarian regime. They suffered arbitrary detention, cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments, summary executions and massacres. Systematic discrimination against women was practiced through a series of legislative decrees denying them access to employment, education and health services." Minorities were victims of violence and discriminatory measures, the rapporteur said. The humanitarian crisis had been deepening even before the bombing campaign against Taliban and terrorist sites began in October, he said. There had been increasing internal displacement and significant new refugee flows by the end of the year 2000 and it accelerated in early 2001. The prospect of an internationally supported plan for national reconstruction would provide an incentive to all segments of the Afghan population to cooperate with the international community, the rapporteur suggested. It would enable millions of refugees and internally displaced persons to return to their homes and undertake rebuilding their lives in a unified country. In his earlier report to the UN Commission on Human Rights, Hossain had also emphasized the need for a comprehensive settlement that would begin a process of uniting Afghanistan. The continued fighting, he had said, was the root cause of the deteriorating human rights situation. It also was responsible for making Afghanistan a country in a "state of acute crisis with its resources depleted, its intelligentsia in exile, its people disenfranchised, its traditional political structures shattered, and its human development indices among the lowest in the world." "Some 20 to 22 million Afghans who remained in the country continued to suffer violations of human rights and from repeated breaches of international humanitarian law," he had reported. Because of the continued fighting between warring factions, civilians are "virtually hostages in their own land, trapped in situations not of their making and ... targets of lawless violence and massacres." (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
07 November 2001
(Conference to focus on post-war recovery) (1330) The World Bank will host a three-day conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, to target new proposals for reconstruction in post-war Afghanistan. In a November 7 press release the Bank said the "Preparing for Afghanistan's Reconstruction" conference will cover the immediate post-crisis recovery, including stimulating agriculture recovery and employment generation. It will look to scale up quickly existing programs such as food security, education and de-mining, once the conflict ends. It also will cover development of social and infrastructure areas, including managing urban redevelopment and rebuilding irrigation system and roads. The conference will be held November 27 to 29. The Bank's approach is to involve partnerships with the broad assistance community, including official and non-governmental. The Bank hopes to bring together Afghan and other experts and to find Afghan professionals living outside the country who could contribute to Afghanistan's reconstruction. "Tomorrow's leaders in Afghanistan could have a real opportunity to develop their country in a way that doesn't just clear the rubble but opens a whole new horizon," said William Byrd, World Bank acting country manager for Afghanistan. Following is the text of the World Bank press release: (begin text) World Bank Releases Approach Paper on Afghanistan WASHINGTON, November 7, 2001 -- The World Bank has released an approach paper on Afghanistan as it prepares to co-host a conference on the country's reconstruction with the United Nations Development Programme and the Asian Development Bank. The three-day conference, "Preparing for Afghanistan's Reconstruction," will be held from November 27 to 29 in Islamabad, Pakistan, where the organizers hope to gather not only a wide range of experienced participants from the assistance community but representatives from the community of knowledgeable Afghans. "We expect that the November conference will begin an intensified process of consultation and cooperation aimed at identifying and agreeing on Afghanistan's future reconstruction requirements," says William Byrd, World Bank Acting Country Manager for Afghanistan. "We will be building on the operational experience of various NGOs and other agencies in the country, on analytical work that the Bank and partners have been producing in recent years and on international experience with post-conflict reconstruction elsewhere. We do not begin this work on a blank slate, but recent events present new possibilities and it is critical that we take our preparedness to the next level." The Bank's approach paper suggests that once a post-conflict government is in prospect, reconstruction funding would most sensibly be channeled through a trust fund, a mechanism which would ensure effective prioritization and utilization of funding across a wide range of reconstruction and development activities. "International experience has shown us that aid management will be critical for the success of Afghanistan's reconstruction effort," says Byrd. "You need a sound financial mechanism, good aid coordination based on real partnerships, and last but not least, Afghans must play an integral role in reconstruction, from planning to implementation. " On the agenda of the conference will be the main issues of the immediate post-crisis recovery period, including how to stimulate agricultural recovery and employment generation to provide income-earning opportunities and food security for communities. In addition, discussion will address the development of social and infrastructure areas, including education and health services, managing urban redevelopment and rebuilding essential infrastructure like irrigation facilities and road networks. The Bank's approach paper, which will guide the development of a strategy for the institution's contribution to Afghanistan's reconstruction, says it is premature to put a price tag on the work ahead, but the cost is expected to be high. In addition, levels of assistance will be determined by what could be expected to be quite large balance of payments and budgetary financing needs on the one hand and initially low domestic absorptive capacity on the other, in a country where human capital has been eroded by decades-long conflict. "Reconstruction cannot be separated from the longer-term economic and social development of Afghanistan, " says Byrd. "Services like education and health never reached most of the population before the 1979 Soviet invasion, and agricultural production will have to support a considerably larger population than before (an estimated 25 million if all Afghan refugees were to return). Roads and other infrastructure services will need to reach towns and communities that have always been cut off from the cities and main roads. Tomorrow's leaders in Afghanistan could have a real opportunity to develop their country in a way that doesn't just clear the rubble but opens a whole new horizon." The heart of the challenge is not merely a restoration to the pre-conflict situation of the late 1970s, which will merely return Afghanistan to its status as one of the world's poorest countries as measured in both incomes social indicators. Currently, UN and non-governmental estimates of infant mortality, for example, place Afghanistan among the highest in the world with 165 deaths per 1,000 live births. A further 257 out of 1,000 toddlers die before they reach the age of five. An estimated 1,700 mothers out of 100,000 die in childbirth, an recent World Bank study estimated that in the mid to late 1990s, about 500 people each month fell victim to landmines or other unexploded ordnance. Key economic institutions of State such as a central bank, treasury, tax collection and customs, statistics, civil service, law and order and a judicial system are extremely weak or simply missing. Basic infrastructure like roads bridges, irrigation, canals, telecommunications, electricity and markets have been destroyed or, without maintenance, are not functioning. These issues all point to the need for a broad-based development effort in Afghanistan. The Bank's approach paper stresses close partnership with the broader assistance community, both official a non-governmental. Some existing assistance programs already in place could be scaled up rapidly when the conflict ends to generate quick relief. These areas include food security, education and de-mining, the latter which is already underway in some parts of the country. Based on the de-mining experience so far, the Bank estimates that countrywide clearance could cost about US$500 million, as an example of just one of the man important activities that would need substantial funding during reconstruction. Short-term priorities for the reconstruction period could include, according to the Bank: -- Agricultural recovery and food security; -- Livelihood generation for returning refugees and displaced people; -- Support, to existing communities through provision of basic services and small-scale development and empowerment programs; -- Rapid rehabilitation of Afghanistan's main road network; -- Expansion of the de-mining program; -- Massive short-run employment generation through public works programs; -- Re-starting and expanding key social services like education and health, with a focus on reaching girls and women; and -- Human capacity mobilization for social services, infrastructure and public administration. Other elements of the reconstruction agenda are likely to come to the fore as a post-conflict government find; feet and takes ownership of its development challenge. -- Establishment of sound economic management institutions like a Central Bank, Ministry of Finance, Treasury, Statistical System; -- Developing education and health systems that reach the bulk of the population; -- Developing a lean, effective and honest civil service and institutions of public accountability; -- Urban management and, in particular, avoiding permanent large "refugee cities"; -- Enabling environment for private sector development -- particularly to attract and productively utilize Afghans Pakistan, Iran and the Middle East; -- Export development, focusing on agricultural and livestock products and minerals; -- Energy development and management; and --Environment and natural resource management, especially forestry. The conference later this month will intensify the work on this broad reconstruction agenda among all development partners. The Bank hopes also to bring together Afghans and other experts on the country for it and advice and to conduct a search for Afghan professionals living outside their country who could contribute Afghanistan's reconstruction. (end text) (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Website: http://usinfo.state.gov)