January 5, 2007

Overview

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Aziz and Afghan President Karzai hold talks

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz visited the Afghan capital Kabul on Thursday (December 4) and held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on a range of issues, including security, bilateral relations, trade and refugees. The two leaders reportedly agreed to expedite the phased return of some three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Both stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to bring peace, security and stability to the region. Aziz also pledged to increase Pakistan’s assistance in rebuilding Afghanistan from US$250 million to US$300 million. The two countries also agreed to widen the Jalalabad-Torkhum Highway to bolster their US$1.2 billion bilateral trade. Prime Minister Aziz reiterated that a strong, stable and prosperous Afghanistan was in the interest of its people and Pakistan, and vital for lasting peace. Although Pakistan’s recent controversial decision to build a fence and mine selective parts of the border to stem cross-border infiltration was expected to be a main topic of discussion between the two leaders, there was no mention of it in their joint press briefing.

NATO to do more to prevent civilian deaths in Afghanistan in 2007

The 26-nation North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), currently leading the charge of the UN-mandated peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, is vowing to do more to prevent civilian casualties in Afghanistan during 2007. Brigadier Richard E. Nugee, spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), said on Wednesday (December 3), "The single thing that we have done wrong and we are striving extremely hard to improve on (in 2007) is killing innocent civilians." Nugee said ISAF has been reviewing measures to bring down civilian casualties, adding that the killing of civilians by the Taliban was far greater than those who died as a result of ISAF’s actions. Nugee's comments came a day after Afghan President Hamid Karzai's latest plea to foreign troops in the country, urging them to exercise maximum caution during their anti-terrorist operations to prevent civilian casualties. The year 2006 was one of the bloodiest years in Afghanistan since the ouster of the hardline Taliban regime in late 2001. An estimated 4,000 people, nearly 1,000 of them civilians, were killed in attacks by the Taliban and their allies, and in raids by NATO-led forces.

Pakistan extends Afghan refugee registration deadline until January 19

Pakistan has reportedly extended a registration deadline for Afghan refugees in the country until January 19. The US$6 million registration drive, which began on October 15, was originally scheduled to end on December 31. The drive, which is funded by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and carried out by Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), is aimed at providing nearly three million Afghan refugees in the country with official identification cards recognizing them as Afghan citizens living in the country temporarily and validating their stay for another three years. Despite a slow start in the early weeks, the drive picked up momentum in the final weeks. According to Pakistani officials, some 25,000 refugees have been registering every day across the country. The drive was temporarily suspended for four days due to the Eid ul-Adha holidays, but resumed yesterday (Thursday, January 4).

Movement

4.2 million refugees have returned to Afghanistan, and 500,000 IDPs returned home since early 2002. Close to 3 million of the refugees returned from Pakistan. 2.6 million Afghans remain in Pakistan, including one million in 74 long-term camps. About 1.5 million Afghans returned from Iran; Taking into account unassisted returns, perhaps 600,000 to 700,000 Afghans remain in Iran—up to 30,000 are in seven camps.

2006 UNHCR expects to assist 550,000 returnees—400,000 from Pakistan and 150,000 from Iran. However, so far this year only some 60,000 Afghan refugees have repatriated from Pakistan. Unassisted returns are a factor from Pakistan and have been a major contributor to returns from Iran. The tripartite arrangement among UNHCR-Afghanistan-Pakistan is good through 2006; The UNHCR-Afghanistan-Iran Joint Program has been extended into 2007. Repatriation from Pakistan, halted for the winter, recommenced on March 1. UNHCR assisted nearly 9,000 refugees in returning from Pakistan and over 500 from Iran during March. In April 2006, Pakistan will close two long-term camps in NWFP, and two in Baluchistan Province with 250,000 long-term residents. Refugees in Baluchistan can either return to Afghanistan or relocate to Mohammad Kheil camp near Quetta. Refugees in NWFP are moving to Afghanistan or one of ten camps in NWFP—refugees are pushing for a one-year delay.

2005 plans called for 400,000 Afghan refugees to return home from Pakistan and 200,000 from Iran, down from an earlier 350,000 estimated from Iran. 453,000 returned from Pakistan. 67,000 from Iran were assisted and over 210,000 returned on their own to Iran for a total of nearly 280,000, and a combined Pakistan and Iran total of 733,000—close to the original projection.

2004 plans were for one million to return. Actual returnees were around 850,000, with 385,000 from Pakistan and 460,000 from Iran, including 80,000 spontaneous returns. Pakistan closed camps in South Waziristan and all new camps, with remaining new refugees going to Mohamed Kheil camp in Baluchistan Province.

Emphasis in 2003 was on repatriation from old camps and cities in Pakistan to rural areas in Afghanistan. 70% of returnees from Pakistan were from cities and 30% from camps. Over a third returned to Kabul, another 10% went to other central provinces, and just over 20% returned to each of the north and east. The Southern region received 6% and the Western region 4%. The 2003 peak months were June and July.

In 2002 over 2.3 million Afghan refugees returned with 2 million assisted by UNHCR. UNHCR repatriated 1.53 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan, including 125,000 from Baluchistan and 1.4 million from the North West Frontier Province. 82% were from urban areas; only 3% were from new camps. 265,000 refugees were assisted in returning from Iran; and 10,000 refugees from the central Asian republics.

In 2006, UNHCR/IOM will assist with IDP returns and initial integration and then terminate the program. The recognized IDP population is about 150,000 with 120,000 in the south, including 45,000 in the Zhare Dasht camp near Kandahar, 15,000 in the west, mostly in Herat’s Maslakh camp, and 12,000 elsewhere.

Afghanistan Relief Efforts: United Nations Coordination Regions

Central Region

Location	Central Region
Coordination
Population
IDP Movement
Food
Health	FAO confirms H5N1 subtype of bird flu virus in Logar ICRC, IMC, MSF;
NFIs -Shelter	IOM, UNICEF, UNOCHA, & OXFAM
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Security	New Zealand PRT in Bamiyan;
Comments

East Central Region

Location	East Central Region
Coordination	UNHCR
Population
IDP Movement	UN; Government encouraging refugees to return to home provinces to limit burden on Kabul—government land distribution program only in province of origin;
Food	Florida state guards deliver 2,000 blankets, 1,000 soccer balls and basic school supplies for hundreds of orphaned children in Kabul. (USG, Nov. 30). IRC, Action Contra la Faim; WFP;
Health	Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Liu Jian on Thursday laid the foundation stone for the US$15.69 million China-funded new main Jamhuriat Hospital building in Afghan capital Kabul. (Xinhua, Nov. 2) UNICEF, CARITAS, MSF, IFRC, IRC, ICRC;
Non-Food Items - Shelter	UNHCR, ACTED, MSF, IRC, ICRC, IOM;
Security
Water & Sanitation	ICRC;
Comments	Turkish-led PRT to begin operations in Wardak (also spelled Vardak) province today (Nov. 9). The PRT will focus on providing health care, education, police training and agricultural alternatives to local farmers. (AFPS, Nov.5)

Eastern Region

Location	Eastern Region
Coordination	UNHCR, International Islamic Relief Organization;
Population	More than 13,000 people displaced due to flooding in the region. (IRIN, August 10) 17,000 active IDPs in East
IDP Movement	UNHCR
Food	IRC;
Health
Non-Food Items - Shelter	CWS, UNICEF
Security	Suspected Taliban militants burn down newly built school in Nangarhar province (AFP, Jan. 2)
Water & Sanitation	CARITAS; ICRC, UNICEF
Comments

Northeastern Region

Location	Northeastern Region
Coordination
Population	9,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast
Movement IDPs
Food	USAID is providing 27,010 metric tons of food worth some US$16 million to help feed some 2.5 million people. The new pledge is in response to a joint UN-Afghan appeal issued last month. (IRIN, August 4) WFP sends 22 tons of food assistance to 1,930 beneficiaries in flood-affected Garziwan district in northern Faryab province, eight tons of food to Doshi district in Baghlan province and 1.4 tons of food relief to flood victims in Kohistanat district in Saripul. (IRIN, May 9) OXFAM, UNICEF, World Concern;
Health	WHO, Merlin, UNICEF, MSF; ICRC
Non-Food Items (NFIs) -Shelter	UNICEF, ACTED, Refugees Int’l, Mercy Corps
Security	NATO/German PRT in Faizabad;
Water & Sanitation
Comments

Northern Region

Location	Northern Region
Coordination	UNHCR, IOM
Population	9,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast; 60,000 IDPs from North elsewhere in country;
Movement IDPs	IOM
Food	According to the Institute of War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) many people in northwestern Badghis province are migrating to other areas, due to the region’s worst drought in five years. (IWPR, July 13). FEWS projects sufficient water for good winter wheat crop in north; ACTED, ACF, FOCUS, OXFAM, IOM, Save the Children; Officials deliver flood aid to some 500 affected families in Khuran Wa sarbagh district in Samangan province (April 26, IRIN).
Health	MSF, ICRC, UNICEF;
NFIs –Shelter	IOM, ACTED, Mercy Corps
Security
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF, ICRC, DACAAR
Comments

Southern Region

Location	Southern Region
Coordination	UNHCR
Population	Some 2,000-3,000 people displaced in Panjwai district due to continuing violence. (IOM, May 26) 125,000 active IDPs in South; most in Zhare Dasht and Panjwai camps
Movement of IDPs
Food	UNICEF; Mercy Corps; CARITAS; WFP;
Health	The Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) conducted a village medical outreach patrol on Sunday (Nov. 19) at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Martello in the Sha Wali Kot District of Kandahar Province. (NATO, Nov. 22)
NFIs - Shelter	UNHCR, Mercy Corps;
Security	At least 18 suspected Taliban fighters were killed in two separate clashes with Afghan and NATO-led security forces in Kajaki and Greshk districts in Helmand province. (Reuters, PTI, Jan. 5) Taliban fighters kill five Afghan security forces in an ambush in Uruzgan province on Wednesday (January 3). (AP, Jan. 4)
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	ISAF engineers complete three school projects worth US$185,000 in Orgun district in Paktika province (NATO, Jan. 1)

Southern Region IDP camps

Location	Zhare Dasht - South of Kandahar – 6 camps
Type	IDP Camp
Coordination	UNHCR
Camp Capacity	30,000; expandable to 60,000
Population	125,000 IDPs in south; 48,500 at Zhare Dasht
Movement IDP	An estimated
Food	WFP
Health	UNICEF, MSF;
NFIs - Shelter
Security
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	Support for Spin Boldak camps terminated in 2004.

Western Region

Location	Western Region
Coordination	UNHCR; ICMC
Population	12,000 IDPs, mostly in Maslakh camp
Movement IDPs	IOM
Food	WFP has sent 127 tons of food assistance for some 3,515 flood-affected families in Badghis province. (OCHA, Nov. 23) IRC, CARITAS, UNICEF, World Vision, IOM, Action Contre la Faim; WFP;
Health
Non-Food Items (NFIs) – Shelter	UNHCR sent 50 tents, 1,000 blankets, 500 plastic sheets, 20 jerry cans and 500 lanterns for flood victims in Badghis. (OCHA, Nov. 23) UNHCR, Iranian Red Crescent, UNICEF, IOM, Ockenden Int’l, MSF, IMC;
Security
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments

Refugee Camps in Pakistan

Location	Long-term camps in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Baluchistan Province, and by capital, Islamabad; Mohamed Kheil 1 & 2 camps (85 km southwest of Quetta)
Type	Refugee Camps
Coordination	UNHCR.
Camp Capacity	About one million mostly long term Afghans in 74 camps—down from about 200 camps.
Population	Estimated 2.6 million Afghan refugees remain in Pakistan; 63 camps in NWFP, 10 in Baluchistan; and one million elsewhere; Many occupants are long-term residents or were born in Pakistan;
Refugee Movement	UNHCR-assisted returns resumed on March 1. All FATA camps have been closed. 445,000 Afghans returned home from Pakistan in 2005—two thirds were long-term refugees; Pakistan to close Giordi Jungle and Pir Alizai camps in Baloshistan, and Kacha Gari camp in NWFP by the end of July, 2006. (UNNC, June 2). The 250,000 residents will either return to Afghanistan or be relocated to Mohammad Kheil camp, near Quetta in Baluchistan, or ten camps in NWFP.
Food	WFP, CRS, ARC
Health	UNICEF, MSF
Non-Food Items (NFIs) - Shelter	CRS
Security	Pakistani security force of 70,000 to 80,000 reports having border areas secured; Significant clashes between Pakistani government forces and others in border province areas; “Finger-pointing” between Afghan and Pakistan leaders over curbing Taliban and Al-Qaeda along shared border areas
Water & Sanitation	IFRC, MDM
Comments