Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| UNHCR update on Afghanistan |
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| amatullah |
| 09/18/01 at 04:56:53 |
| Bismillah and salam, AFGHANISTAN HUMANITARIAN UPDATE - No. 1 17 September 2001 At a Glance: * Reports indicate large numbers of people on the move from Kandahar, Kabul and Jalalabad in Afghanistan. Many people leaving the cities are said to be going to villages in Afghanistan, but many others are reportedly headed to the Pakistan border, and some to the Iranian border. * All borders with Afghanistan's neighbors are closed, although some Afghans reportedly have managed to cross into Pakistan. * The humanitarian situation inside Afghanistan for millions of civilians, including nearly one million displaced people, is critical and may soon deteriorate in light of the evacuation of international aid agency staff. * UNHCR has dispatched emergency staff to the region and is preparing contingency plans and stockpiles in the event of a major refugee crisis. POPULATION MOVEMENTS UNHCR has had reports from all five of Afghanistan's main cities. So far, Herat in the west and Mazar-i-Sharif in the north appear to be relatively calm, with no major population movements reported. However, Kandahar -- the principal city in the south and the headquarters of the Taliban -- is reported to be half empty. Large numbers of people are also reported to have left the capital Kabul, as well as Jalalabad, the main city in the east. Many of those leaving the cities are said to be heading for villages where they have family connections. But many others are headed for the Pakistan border, and possibly some for the Iranian border. BORDERS All borders with Afghanistan's neighbors are reported to be more or less closed, although it seems that Afghans with valid passports and visas have been able to enter Pakistan. UNHCR is currently in discussion with all neighboring asylum countries on the border issue. Although Iran has stated categorically that its border will remain closed, it has at the same time said it will assist any cross-border aid operations that may become necessary. UNHCR is currently trying to strengthen its monitoring of population movements both inside Afghanistan and on the borders. EXISTING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN Even more worrying than the recent movements of people from the cities is the situation facing millions of Afghans all across the country who are barely managing to survive. The situation inside Afghanistan after three years of drought and more than 20 years of continually evolving conflict, as well as large-scale human rights abuses, is extremely fragile. Afghans have over the years demonstrated immense reserves of strength and resourcefulness, but the population is now so weakened both physically and mentally, that this is no longer the case. During the course of this year they have finally hit rock bottom. Before any of last week's events took place, there were already close to one million displaced people inside Afghanistan, and aid agencies were struggling to keep their heads above water. After the evacuation of all international aid agency staff, UNHCR is extremely worried that the situation for all these people - and millions of others - could deteriorate very rapidly, leading to major population movements, and even widespread deaths. Already many people are reported to be too weak even to become displaced. They simply don't have the strength or the resources to move from their villages. Aid agencies are trying to keep up essential life-saving operations - such as the provision of food, water and shelter - through local Afghan staff who are still inside the country. However, UN agencies are concerned about how long we will be able to manage operations for such vast numbers of people by remote control. The local staff are already operating in a very difficult security environment, and have been told to exercise their own judgement about when and whether it is safe for them to work. UNHCR ACTIONS / CONTINGENCY PLANS UNHCR has sent extra emergency staff to the region, and more are on the way. UNHCR already has offices in all five countries surrounding Afghanistan, and a large operation in Pakistan. UNHCR is in the process of drawing up contingency plans for numerous different scenarios. UNHCR is also evaluating existing stockpiles of relief items around the world, putting more staff on standby and taking all the other preparations necessary should this turn into a major refugee emergency. A Crisis Group has been formed involving the main UN agencies that will be working together should there be a major emergency. At headquarters in Geneva, UNHCR has also set up an emergency management structure. |
| Re: UNHCR update on Afghanistan |
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| amatullah |
| 09/18/01 at 17:13:35 |
| bismillah and salam, AFGHANISTAN HUMANITARIAN UPDATE - No. 2 18 September 2001 At a Glance: * People continue to leave major cities in Afghanistan, mainly heading for rural areas in the country. Checkpoints along the route to Pakistan and border controls by the Taliban are restricting the numbers of people moving towards Pakistan. * Some 5,000 Afghans are reportedly massed at the Chaman border crossing near Pakistan's provincial capital of Quetta. UNHCR is negotiating with the Pakistan authorities and hopes the people will be allowed to cross the border. * 2,000 tents have been sent to Quetta as an emergency measure and experienced UNHCR emergency staff are on the ground in the region. * High Commissioner Lubbers is currently in the United States and is expected to meet with U.S. officials today in Washington. Population Movements According to various sources, population movements out of Afghanistan's principal cities of Kabul and Kandahar are continuing, with residents leaving mainly for surrounding rural areas. However, transportation is now reportedly difficult to obtain. Over the past days, tens of thousands of people have been on the move, mainly traveling from cities into rural areas of the mountainous country. The number of Afghans leaving Kabul and Jalalabad towards the Pakistan frontier is reportedly decreasing. UNHCR staff report that new Taliban checkpoints have sprung up along the road from Jalalabad to the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan. Taliban guards are reportedly allowing only Afghans bearing passports to reach the frontier, which severely limits the movements of people into Pakistan. In Afghanistan's western city of Herat, the atmosphere is tense and residents are reportedly confused about developments in the country where people are so impoverished that even radios and batteries are in short supply, and television is banned. The some 200,000 displaced Afghans living in six temporary camps around Herat appear to be staying in place. These Afghans are among the poorest of the some 3 million who have been surviving on UN aid over the past year across war- and drought-ravaged Afghanistan. Borders The borders with all six countries neighboring Afghanistan remain more or less closed. UNHCR is in discussions with the neighboring states and looking into possible options depending on how the situation develops. UNHCR was informed by Pakistan's government on Monday that 5,000 Afghans are at the Chaman border crossing near the provincial capital of Quetta. UNHCR is holding discussions with the Pakistan authorities and hopes the Afghans will be allowed in. UNHCR is asking the authorities to allow any new arrivals to be sheltered in existing camps, where adequate water and other facilities can be quickly established. Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan The UN World Food Programme (WFP) says it has enough food left in Afghanistan for two to three weeks. WFP local staff, who have remained in Afghanistan, continue to distribute food, focusing primarily on internally displaced people in the camps. The distribution, however, is hampered by logistical problems and the departure from Afghanistan of nongovernmental organization staff who normally work with WFP on food distribution. The food stocks cannot be replenished since trucking companies are unwilling to transport food to Afghanistan. A total of 3.8 million people in Afghanistan depend on WFP food. There are also reports from Kabul that some food commodities are becoming even more scarce than usual as residents purchase available remaining stocks. UNHCR Actions / Contingency Plans UNHCR has sent several experienced emergency managers to Pakistan, where emergency planning meetings are underway this week. UNHCR has more than 500 staff in Afghanistan and five key neighboring countries - Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. As an emergency measure, UNHCR has sent 2,000 tents to Quetta from its stocks in Peshawar. UNHCR has a total of 9,300 tents in stock in Pakistan, enough for more than 50,000 people. Pakistan is one of the major producers of tents and blankets for UNHCR operations worldwide. UNHCR has existing arrangements with tent suppliers in Pakistan, and if donors provide sufficient funding, additional tents can be ordered. High Commissioner Lubbers in U.S. UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, is currently in the United States and is expected to meet with U.S. officials in Washington today. Referring to last week's tragic events in the U.S., Lubbers said yesterday, "A convincing reaction to what happened is needed," but it is also "important to be aware of the plight of the Afghan people and give weight to the humanitarian consequences." Afghanistan, embroiled in civil war for over 20 years and currently facing a devastating drought, is already suffering one of the world's most serious humanitarian crises and has produced millions of displaced people and refugees. END |
| Re: UNHCR update on Afghanistan |
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| amatullah |
| 09/19/01 at 11:57:10 |
| Bismillah and salam, AFGHANISTAN HUMANITARIAN UPDATE - No. 3 19 September 2001 At a Glance: * Up to 15,000 Afghans have now arrived in Quetta, Pakistan, including some 5,000 still camped near the Chaman border crossing. * UNHCR has sent additional staff and thousands of tents, blankets, kitchen sets and jerry cans to Quetta. * While no new arrivals have been reported in Iran, UNHCR and the Iranian government have pre-positioned relief supplies and are evaluating possible refugee sites along the Afghan border. * In Washington, High Commissioner Ruud Lubbers stressed the humanitarian considerations for Afghanistan during meetings with U.S. officials. Pakistan Up to 15,000 Afghans have entered Pakistan in the last week, mainly arriving in Balochistan Province along the country's southwest border with Afghanistan. UN refugee agency staff in Quetta, Pakistan, report that up to 10,000 Afghans crossed into the country in the days immediately following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. Most of the new arrivals are staying with relatives and friends living in and around Quetta in Balochistan Province. Others have found shelter with Afghan refugee families who have lived for some time in Pakistan. Some families have taken three or four newly arrived Afghan families into their homes. Another group of 5,000 Afghans are encamped near the Chaman crossing point just inside Pakistan. UNHCR is in talks with Pakistan's government on whether this group can be integrated into existing refugee camps where shelter and water supplies are readily available, or whether the authorities will insist that new camps be established to shelter new arrivals -- a time-consuming and expensive exercise. UNHCR on Wednesday sent a convoy of 25 trucks from Islamabad to Quetta loaded with 2,000 tents, 6,000 blankets, 4,000 jerry cans and 2,000 kitchen sets. In Pakistan's rugged North West Frontier Province, journalists and aid workers have been stopped from reaching the border just short of the Khyber Pass, so it is difficult to verify the situation at the Afghan frontier. Reports indicate that Afghans unable to cross at Torkham or at Spin-Boldak, in Balochistan, have left the immediate area in search of other routes, or are retreating to the countryside inside Afghanistan. In the meantime, additional UNHCR staff members have been dispatched from Islamabad to support operations in Peshawar and Quetta. Iran In Iran, UNHCR staff in Mashad and Zahedan are monitoring the frontier but have not reported any new arrivals over recent days. UNHCR and the government's Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrant Affairs (BAFIA) are pre-positioning supplies along the country's frontier with Afghanistan. On Tuesday, UNHCR and BAFIA dispatched eight trucks from Mashad loaded with relief items to supplement stockpiles in Hassanabad and sites between Dogharoun and Birjand. UN refugee agency staff based in Mashad are undertaking joint assessment missions with BAFIA to identify possible refugee sites along the Afghan border. While Iran, like Pakistan, has formally closed its border with Afghanistan for much of the last year, in meetings with UNHCR, authorities have been very understanding that there could possibly be a new outflow of people from Afghanistan. BAFIA is replenishing its own existing stockpiles of emergency supplies, including items such as blankets, plastic tarpaulins, and soap. Tajikistan UNHCR undertook a two-day mission to the Afghan border beginning on Tuesday. The mission met with various authorities at the frontier. Some 10,000 Afghans, including thousands of women and children, remain camped on several islands in the Pyanj River, where they have been staying for almost a year. No new arrivals on the frontier islands have been recorded so far, but local officials believe that more Afghans could head to the area should the situation further destabilize. Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan Inside Afghanistan, relief workers estimate that more than half of Kandahar's population has left. Movements of people out of the western city of Herat, near the Iranian border, have also begun. In Kabul, movements out of the city reportedly continue. However, few are moving in the direction of the Pakistan border. Transportation is a major problem in Afghanistan, as the country's infrastructure is in ruins and fuel is in very short supply. Aside from some urban Afghans, many people lack the money to hire transport for themselves and their families in order to move out of the cities and into the rural areas that seem to be their primary destination. High Commissioner Lubbers in U.S. Speaking in Washington on Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers urged officials to carefully weigh the humanitarian consequences of any actions in Afghanistan. Reiterating his shock and sadness over last week's terrorist attacks, Lubbers said, "It has galvanized a coalition against terrorism. That is good." But he stressed the need "to give all attention that is possible to the humanitarian aspects of possible reactions to this situation." He warned that a "too blunt and not specific enough" reaction could mean "disaster for many people, many innocent citizens." He also urged the international community to help improve the situation for "ordinary people" in Afghanistan "and then we can start again with our work there." Lubbers, whose agency cares for nearly 22 million refugees and others of concern worldwide, also appealed to Americans to guard against any xenophobic backlash in the wake of the events. "I am very glad that the opinion leaders in the United States were very open in saying let's take care not to nourish sentiments, feelings against foreigners, what is called xenophobia. Let us not do that." END |
| Re: UNHCR update on Afghanistan |
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| amatullah |
| 09/20/01 at 15:51:50 |
| Bismillah and salam, AFGHANISTAN HUMANITARIAN UPDATE - No. 4 20 September 2001 At a Glance: * High Commissioner Ruud Lubbers urges governments to keep their borders open to Afghans fleeing their country and calls for a concerted humanitarian response. * UNHCR appeals for $6 million in initial emergency funds to cover the immediate deployment of emergency personnel, the positioning of stocks and for contingency planning. Relief agencies plan next week to issue a regional and comprehensive inter-agency appeal for a much larger sum. * UNHCR orders 20,000 tents and sends 20,000 kitchen sets to Pakistan in order to meet the needs of new arrivals in Quetta and to bolster emergency stocks. * Three UNHCR emergency teams of specialist staff prepare to depart for Pakistan within 72 hours. * Iranian authorities report that up to 1,000 Afghans have gathered in Zaranj, near the Iranian border town of Zabol, west of Kandahar. Some 500 Afghans reportedly cross from Pakistan into Iran at Mir Javeh, Iranian authorities report. UNHCR Calls for Open Borders High Commissioner Ruud Lubbers on Thursday again urged governments to keep their borders open to Afghans fleeing their country, not least because of the deteriorating security situation there. Lubbers also called for a concerted humanitarian response to the serious plight of Afghan civilians who are directly affected by the current insecurity in Afghanistan. « We believe that given the current situation inside Afghanistan, there is even more reason to encourage all countries, including countries bordering Afghanistan, not to close their doors, » Lubbers said. He said UNHCR was asking for « temporary protection » for Afghans fleeing their homeland, adding that his agency would then « work with all concerned to help people to return as soon as circumstances would allow and look into other possibilities to spread the burden. » The UN refugee agency, with support from its donors, will assist Afghanistan's neighbors with any movements of Afghans beyond their borders. As the international community works toward a global approach to combat terrorism, Lubbers said a "humanitarian coalition" was also necessary to address civilian needs. Initial Appeal for $6 million in Emergency Funds UNHCR appealed to donors on Thursday for $6 million in initial emergency funds to cover the immediate deployment of emergency personnel, the positioning of stocks and for contingency planning activities for the entire region. Relief agencies plan to issue a regional and comprehensive inter-agency appeal for Afghanistan and the surrounding region next week, of which UNHCR's portion will be for a much larger sum. UNHCR is ordering 20,000 tents from South Asian suppliers in order to boost emergency stocks in the region, while 20,000 kitchen sets are being diverted to Pakistan from UNHCR's regional stock in Dubai. The initial emergency funds requested on Thursday are in addition to the UN refugee agency's current $46.7 million 2001 budget for refugees and returnees in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. Canada on Wednesday announced a contribution of $1 million towards UNHCR's 2001 program. Pakistan UNHCR staff in Pakistan have prepared an initial emergency needs assessment to address the immediate survival needs of up to 100,000 Afghans. Some 15,000 have already arrived in the country. Twenty-five UNHCR staff members will depart within 72 hours for Pakistan. The three emergency teams will be posted to Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta, where they will support UNHCR's existing offices and prepare for a possible influx from Afghanistan. The teams consist of emergency coordinators, and specialists in legal protection, water, health care, site planning, logistics, telecommunications, staff safety and other emergency personnel. They will be expected to remain in the field initially for two months. Already in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, authorities have finalized plans to re-open 80 former refugee settlements that could shelter some 800,000 possible new arrivals. In Quetta, in Pakistan's Balochistan Province, there are hopeful signs that permission will be granted to establish new camps near the border. Pakistan's government, however, insists that new arrivals must be accommodated in separate sites and that complete segregation is maintained between the country's longtime Afghan settlements, and any new arrivals who may flee their homeland. Iran UNHCR staff working along Iran's western border with Afghanistan continue planning meetings with Iranian officials, and assessments of possible camp sites along the frontier. Officials from Iran's Bureau for Aliens and Foreign Immigrant Affairs (BAFIA) have told UNHCR that as many as 1,000 Afghans are massing at the Afghan border town of Zaranj, west of Kandahar, opposite the Iranian border town of Zabol. The group has not yet crossed the border. The authorities also reported that 500 Afghans crossed from Pakistan into Iran at Mir Javeh. UNHCR is requesting that any involuntary returns of Afghans who are illegally in Iran be suspended until the situation improves inside Afghanistan. Iran has floated plans to establish camps along the border with Afghanistan to shelter up to 200,000 Afghans who may flee their homeland. Some local media reports indicate that seven camp sites inside Afghanistan have been proposed which would require the approval of local authorities prior to their establishment. Adequate security measures to ensure the safety of humanitarian personnel would also be a prerequisite. UNHCR, together with BAFIA, continue to pre-position relief supplies along Iran's border with Afghanistan, with goods delivered to Torbat-Jam and Khaf as well as Dogharoun. The UN refugee agency has initiated contacts with the airport authorities in Mashad to verify whether the city's airport would be available to handle flights by large cargo planes transporting relief supplies. Central Asia Across the Central Asian states, UNHCR staff are actively establishing coordination mechanisms with government partners, NGOs and UN sister agencies. UNHCR offices in the region have stepped up contacts with government interlocutors regarding the need to keep borders open. In Uzbekistan, UNHCR has a small office at Termez, on the country's southern border with Afghanistan, which may be available for use as a humanitarian hub. Tajikistan has indicated it prefers cross-border humanitarian operations, rather than refugee assistance efforts on its own territory. Tajik authorities have recommended that stockpiles be assembled there for possible future use. Turkmenistan's foreign minister said that his country, which shares a short border with Afghanistan, would work closely with UNHCR. While not bordering on Afghanistan, Kyrgyz officials have said that Kyrgyzistan would honour its international commitments, which UNHCR believes sends a positive example to countries throughout Central Asia. |
| Re: UNHCR update on Afghanistan |
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| amatullah |
| 09/21/01 at 14:15:36 |
| Bismillah and salam, This is a summary of what was said by the UNHCR spokesperson at today's Palais des Nations press briefing in Geneva. Afghanistan UNHCR is mounting a massive relief operation for any Afghans fleeing their homeland. We have ordered 20,000 tents valued at $1.4 million from suppliers in Pakistan in addition to the more than 9,300 tents that we already have stored in-country. Beginning next week, we will be airlifting plastic tarpaulins from our stockpile near Copenhagen, where we have stocks for 1 million people. In addition, we expect that the Japanese government will also be airlifting stocks of relief supplies. This weekend, UNHCR begins the deployment of 25 experienced emergency preparedness staff to Pakistan, where they will join our existing staff of more than 150. All the newly identified emergency personnel should be in-country within the week. This is in addition to the emergency coordinators who were dispatched last week. Yesterday, as you know, High Commissioner Ruud Lubbers urged states to keep their borders open and called for a "humanitarian coalition" to help share the burden. Afghans are directly affected by the current insecurity in their homeland, and governments worldwide and especially those bordering on Afghanistan should respond in a humanitarian way. We are also appealing to governments to work to prevent hostility against Afghans and other Muslim asylum-seekers and refugees. "It would be very wrong if they were to become the target of popular anger or of restrictive governmental measures," he said. All the countries bordering on Afghanistan have officially closed their borders to people without visas, though thousands of Afghans seem to be entering both Pakistan and Iran over irregular crossing points. Inside Afghanistan, we understand that many Afghans are continuing to leave for the countryside. Based on sketchy reports from inside the country, every major city has seen some movement toward the countryside. |
| Re: UNHCR update on Afghanistan |
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| amatullah |
| 09/21/01 at 22:49:57 |
| Bismillah and salam, AFGHANISTAN HUMANITARIAN UPDATE - No. 5 21 September 2001 At a Glance: * UNHCR is mounting a massive relief operation for any Afghan civilians fleeing their homeland: 20,000 tents have been ordered to add to UNHCR's contingency stock in Pakistan. * This weekend, UNHCR begins the deployment of 25 experienced emergency staff to Pakistan, where they will join more than 150 existing personnel. * A 25-truck convoy of UNHCR relief items, including 2,000 tents and other urgently needed items, reaches Quetta in Pakistan's Balochistan Province. * UNHCR and government of Iran teams visit possible camp sites in Khorassan and Sistan-Balochistan provinces. Pakistan UNHCR is mounting a massive relief operation for any Afghan civilians fleeing their homeland. The agency has ordered 20,000 tents valued at $1.4 million from suppliers in Pakistan in addition to the more 9,300 tents already on hand. With enough plastic tarpaulins in UNHCR's Copenhagen-based emergency stockpile to shelter 1 million people, UNHCR should be able to cope with any large-scale exodus if a movement materializes. Meanwhile, staff have established contacts with aircraft contractors if it becomes necessary to airlift the tarpaulins and other emergency supplies into the region. Three UNHCR emergency teams are being dispatched to Pakistan beginning on Saturday, with the 25 experienced emergency staff all expected to arrive in the country by the end of the next week, where they will join more than 150 other UNHCR staff members. On Friday, a 25-truck convoy of UNHCR relief supplies reached Quetta, in Pakistan's Balochistan Province, to deliver 2,000 tents, blankets and other supplies for some of the 15,000 Afghans who have arrived there in the last weeks. A stockpile is also being established there should other new Afghans move into the region. Pakistan's frontier with Afghanistan remains closed to all Afghans without proper entry permits. UNHCR is in discussions with Pakistan regarding the importance of opening its frontier in the event of a large-scale movement of Afghans fleeing insecurity in their homeland. Iran UNHCR has been reviewing contingency plans in the event of possible large-scale arrivals of Afghans along the country's western border. Iranian authorities have visited several sites that may be suitable for temporary camps in Khorrasan and Sistan-Balochistan provinces. Tons of relief items are being shifted to forward warehouses along Iran's border with Afghanistan, and dozens of Iranian Red Crescent trucks are now employed in the effort to ensure the deployment of relief items in areas where there may be the greatest need. No new arrivals have been reported in Iran. The frontier near Dogharoun remains closed with a strong presence of Iranian border personnel. At the Zabol border crossing near Zahedan, little cross border movement has been noted. Given the porous nature of the border and the fact that an estimated 200,000 Afghans have arrived in the country since the beginning of last year using back-country routes, it is likely that irregular border crossings like those into Pakistan are underway, and that newly arrived Afghans may be sheltered with relatives and friends. Afghanistan Inside Afghanistan, there are indications that Afghans are continuing to leave towns for their home villages or elsewhere in the mountainous country. Based on sketchy reports from inside the country, every major city has seen some movement of people towards the hills and valleys. Jalalabad, located between Kabul and the Pakistan frontier at Torkham, reportedly appears largely empty, though some movements of people out of the city continue. In Kandahar, near Afghanistan's southwestern frontier with Pakistan's Balochistan Province, movements out of the city are also on-going. At Mazar-I-Sharif, in the north, the situation is said to be calm, but some looting has occurred as security deteriorates. In the western city of Herat, there is a notable increase in tension among the civilian population. END |
| Re: UNHCR update on Afghanistan |
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| amatullah |
| 09/25/01 at 11:31:28 |
| Bismillah and salam, My poor sisters! Some just gave birth at the border. May Allah protect them and their children and families from any harm. This is a summary of what was said by the UNHCR spokesperson at today's Palais des Nations press briefing in Geneva. 1) - Afghanistan UNHCR staff in Quetta are meeting with the local authorities on the possibility of moving Afghans from the border area to Dara camp in Pakistan (see yesterday's UNHCR Update). A delay in the start of the meeting means it is unlikely we will be able to start the operation today, however. It takes at least two and a half hours to get to the border, through the restricted tribal areas from Quetta. UNHCR and the other aid agencies in Quetta are prepared to move at very short notice, once we receive the final go-ahead. UNHCR brought a convoy containing 2,000 tents, 6,000 quilts, 2,000 kitchen sets, and 4,000 buckets to Quetta three days ago. These are now stored in the WFP warehouse ready to be loaded onto trucks for the border as soon as we get permission to move. UNICEF and WHO are on standby to cover the medical sector, and UNICEF is ready to help the local authorities and NGOs in provision of water and sanitation while WFP will provide food. According to the plan worked out with the local authorities, the refugees will be registered by four joint UNHCR/government teams and then transported to an old refugee site at Dara, some 12 kms from the border. There they will receive tents, food and other relief items. A UNHCR team which visited the Chaman border on Sunday estimated there were 5,000-10,000 people waiting in the open on the other side, with no shelter. Groups of women and children were visible sitting in forlorn groups with their baggage. A similar, or perhaps even larger number is believed to be sheltering in the bazaar nearby. While it is not clear from a distance whether or not all these people are potential civilian refugees, it is likely that many of them are. We know of at least two women who gave birth at the border over the past week. They were allowed to enter Pakistan, given medical treatment and then sent back. We have also had unconfirmed reports of outbreaks of diarrhea. Both UNHCR and several local officials we have talked to are concerned that conditions for some of those at the border could deteriorate, and we hope that those in need will be admitted soon. In Iran, UNHCR and Iranian government refugee officials continue to identify possible refugee camp sites in the border area. A total of 12 proposed sites have been identified so far. The number of Afghans spontaneously returning to Afghanistan from Iran has fallen sharply from about 600 people a day to less than 200 a day, in the first such drop since June. However, no new arrivals in Iran have been reported since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. Meanwhile, UNHCR has received pledges of US $ 6.8 million in start up funds to finance the setting up of a large-scale relief operation to tackle a possible influx of Afghan refugees into neighbouring countries. A much more substantial appeal for funding is currently being put together and will be launched later this week. |
| Re: UNHCR update on Afghanistan |
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| amatullah |
| 09/27/01 at 22:16:58 |
| Bismillah and salam, AFGHANISTAN HUMANITARIAN UPDATE - No. 8 September 26, 2001 At a Glance: * Pakistan officials announce that borders will remain closed to Afghans without travel documents, but those managing to cross illegally will be assisted in camps in the country. * UNHCR is concerned about the suffering of Afghan civilians due to border closure policies practiced across the region. * UNHCR seeks US$ 252 million for looming Afghan crisis. Pakistan Pakistan authorities said today that borders will remain closed to Afghans without proper travel documents, but have indicated that people who manage to cross illegally will be assisted in camps in Pakistan. Pakistan authorities also announced that officials in Balochistan province are considering allowing women, children and elderly people waiting at the Chaman border entry point to cross for humanitarian reasons. While understanding the extremely tense and complex situation facing the governments bordering on Afghanistan, including significant national security concerns, UNHCR is nevertheless concerned that Afghan civilians are already suffering from border closure policies across the region. Many Afghans are now stalled at frontiers inside their country, where the humanitarian situation as well as general security is deteriorating by the day. UNHCR does note with appreciation the government of Pakistan's readiness to shelter large numbers of Afghans should they be forced to temporarily flee their country. Joint planning missions are already underway in border areas to ready Pakistan's border regions for such a movement. UNHCR also appreciates that Balochistan provincial authorities are considering allowing some people to cross at the main Chaman crossing point for humanitarian reasons. Some 10,000 - 20,000 people are estimated to be waiting at Chaman, around half of them without any shelter. UNHCR Pakistan, echoing recent statements by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers, is very concerned that the border closures are already unnecessarily worsening the humanitarian predicament faced by the Afghan people, and could result in civilian deaths, particularly of women and children. UNHCR reiterates its firm commitment to assist the government of Pakistan as well as Afghanistan's other neighbors in caring for any new Afghan arrivals, and asks the broader international community to help shoulder the burden posed by any new influx. Lubbers on September 20 called for borders to remain open so that desperate Afghans could be protected. "In particular we ask that borders remain open to all persons having to flee, not least because of the deteriorating security situation," he said. He also called for a humanitarian coalition to help those fleeing and assured neighboring states of UNHCR's assistance. Secretary-General Annan on September 25 said in a statement, "Many Afghans are trying to flee the country, but find it difficult to cross the borders. In accordance with international law, the borders must be open to civilians seeking refuge. At the same time, the international community must send swift and generous help, so that refugees do not become an impossible burden on the neighbouring States." In the meantime, a survey team, including UNHCR, Oxfam and local authorities with the Afghan Commissionerate for Refugees, have gone to the border area near Quetta to look at two potential refugee reception sites. These are Darra, which is around 12 kilometres north of the Chaman border crossing, and Sirki Taleri which is about 8 kilometres east of Chaman. The team will focus particularly on the water supplies available at each of these sites, and on whether they can be improved. Darra is an old refugee settlement dating back to the 1980s, when it accommodated up to 20,000 people. However, the current capacity is likely to be around half that number. Among other things, the team will examine the current condition of two underground water channels from the nearby mountains. Sirki Taleri is a new site. It apparently contains one functioning water channel. Depending on the team's findings, UNHCR intends to start rehabilitation of water supplies. Balochistan, along with Afghanistan and large areas of Iran, has suffered particularly badly from the terrible drought that has affected this region over the past four years. Funding UNHCR today said it needed US $252 million to respond to a large-scale humanitarian emergency in and around Afghanistan. In a funding appeal presented to donors, UNHCR said it was preparing for an influx of up to one million refugees into Pakistan, 400,000 into Iran, 50,000 intoTajikistan and 50,000 into Turkmenistan. UNHCR is also making additional contingency plans to supply aid to 500,000 people inside Afghanistan if the need arises. "These figures are based on the worst-case scenario but then we simply must be prepared for the worst," said High Commissioner Lubbers. UNHCR said it could deploy up to 700 international and local staff to deal with the looming crisis, in addition to more than 500 staff already working in countries neighbouring Afghanistan. "Today, we are witnessing an unprecedented global effort to combat terrorism. We need a similarly unique effort to deal with possible humanitarian consequences of whatever happens in Afghanistan. We count on the donors' generosity," said Lubbers. The contingency plan outlines a massive relief effort which involves the construction and maintenance of refugee camps and the delivery of more than 80,000 tents, hundreds of thousands of health and hygiene kits and a huge amount of other relief items, many of which would have to be airlifted to Pakistan and Iran. The amount sought is supposed to cover the agency's needs over the next six months. END |
| Re: UNHCR update on Afghanistan |
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| amatullah |
| 09/29/01 at 05:47:21 |
| Bismillah and salam, This is a summary of what was said by the UNHCR spokesperson at today's Palais des Nations press briefing in Geneva. 1) - Afghanistan While the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan remains officially shut, thousands of Afghans are trickling into Pakistan through the mountains. Anywhere between 10,000 and 20,000 people are believed to have arrived in Pakistan's Quetta region over the past week. Most people are staying with relatives and friends or trying to blend into existing Afghan refugee settlements in an effort not to attract attention. One local man in Quetta said he was hosting 25 Afghan refugees while another said he accommodated 16. Those crossing are mostly women and children. The refugees say most men stay behind in Afghanistan to keep an eye on their property or accompany their families across the border and then go straight back. Some of the refugees who arrived in the Quetta region over the past few days told UNHCR they had started their arduous journey even before the September 11 attack, driven out by drought and extreme poverty. Others say they left in the wake of the attacks. Those arriving from Kandahar say the city was gripped by panic on September 12 with thousands of people leaving hastily. They say prices of food in Kandahar nearly doubled in the wake of the September 11 attack. Refugees say those leaving cities for the countryside have to brave banditry on the roads and extortion. Many of the people who have fled to the Quetta region are ethnic Pashtuns but there are also representatives of ethnic minorities among them. UNHCR on Friday will start airlifting supplies to Quetta. The first plane -- an Ilyushin 76 loaded with 44 tons of plastic sheets -- is scheduled to leave Copenhagen Friday night and will arrive in Quetta around noon Saturday. The plane will then shuttle between Quetta and Copenhagen bringing in more supplies. In Quetta UNHCR is now looking for an additional 3,000 square meters of warehousing space. UNHCR's donors are responding well to the funding appeal launched earlier this week. We have so far received more than $12 million in direct pledges to UNHCR from several governments. They include: United Kingdom ($3.3 million), United States ($4 million), Germany ($3.5 million), Denmark ($1 million) and Greece ($500,000). American actress and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie contributed $1 million to the Afghanistan emergency -- the largest donation to UNHCR by a private individual ever. UNHCR has appealed for $268 million to tackle a possible large-scale emergency in and around Afghanistan. In the short term, UNHCR urgently needs $30 million to be able to handle a possible influx of the first 100,000 people. |
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