April 11, 2008

 

 

Overview

 

Dozens killed in violence across Afghanistan’s restive south and east

Dozens of people, including civilians, were killed in separate security incidents across Afghanistan this week. Eight civilians were killed and 25 others wounded in a suicide car bomb attack by Taliban militants aimed at a US-led coalition convoy in southern Kandahar province on Thursday (April 10). Four Taliban militants and an Afghan police officer were killed in a clash in Marja district in southern Helmand province on Tuesday (April 8), when militants attacked a police convoy. Three Taliban militants were killed and two others were wounded in a US-led airstrike against two motorbikes carrying Taliban militants in Zabul province on Tuesday. According to provincial officials, a woman and a child traveling nearby were also wounded in the airstrike. Also on Tuesday, at least 17 Afghan road workers were killed and 16 others wounded in an attack by suspected Taliban militants in southern Zabul province. Afghan and NATO-led forces killed seven suspected militants and wounded 12 others at the scene of the Zabul attack. One International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) soldier was killed and another wounded in an explosion in the central province of Ghazni on Tuesday. At least 20 people, including civilians, were reportedly killed in US-led coalition airstrikes in Afghanistan's eastern Nuristan province on Sunday (April 6). Also on Sunday, two Afghan security guards and two Taliban insurgents were killed in a clash in Andar district in Ghazni when militants attacked a NATO supply convoy. Five Afghan security guards and two militants were also wounded in the clash. On Saturday (April 5), Afghan and NATO-led forces killed at least 15 Taliban insurgents in multiple clashes in Zhari district in Kandahar province.

 

Two Afghan aid workers missing in northern Afghanistan
Two Afghan aid workers working for a German aid organization have been reported missing in northern Afghanistan. Abdul Rab, an Afghan medical doctor, and his driver, Abdul Hafiz, who worked for the German aid group KinderBerg International, left the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Tuesday (April 8) for the northern province of Kunduz and were reported missing after they failed to arrive at their destination. Johanna Kutter, a spokesperson for KinderBerg, said, "We don't know whether they have been kidnapped." Authorities in northern Parwan province said they have recovered the workers’ abandoned vehicle in the provincial capital, Chaharikar, some 40 miles (60 km) north of Kabul. Khalilullah Ziayee, Parwan's police chief, said an investigation has been launched and authorities are trying to determine if the pair has been abducted. KinderBerg International specializes in healthcare projects for children. The missing Afghan doctor has been working for the aid group for more than 10 years. Although Taliban militants have warned that they would target foreign forces and foreign workers in the country, criminal gangs also routinely abduct people for ransom.

 

US-based rights group calls Afghan trials "arbitrary justice"
US-based rights group Human Rights First (HRF) is calling the trials of some 250 Afghan detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Bagram airfield "arbitrary justice." In its latest report released on Thursday (April 10), HRF says, "Where there is evidence of criminal activity, persons should be tried in proceedings that comport with international fair trial standards," adding, "in Afghanistan, the trials of former Bagram and Guantanamo detainees being conducted since October 2007 fall far short of this mark." According to the report, detainees are being charged under Afghan law for crimes ranging from treason and destruction of government property to threatening the security of Afghanistan. The report alleges that these trials typically last between 30 minutes and an hour and the defendants are sentenced to prison terms ranging from three to 20 years. According to the report, during these trials there are no prosecution witnesses presented, no out-of-court sworn prosecution witness statements to support the charges, and little or no physical evidence is presented. Defendants are not provided legal counsel during the prosecution's questioning or when intelligence officials collect evidence, leaving defendants unable to challenge the evidence or cross-examine witnesses as required by Afghan law. The report urges the US military to transfer Afghan detainees to the government in a responsible way, make any physical evidence and witnesses available during criminal proceedings, and refrain from transferring any evidence collected through coercion or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment for use in criminal proceedings by other governments. The report also urges the Afghan government to ensure defendants are given due representation in the legal proceedings, allow cross-examination of witnesses by the defense counsel, and refrain from relying upon any defendant's statement to US or Afghan officials unless the defendant confesses in court under oath and without compulsion. It also calls for the trials to be open to observers, including family members and the media.

 

ICRC concerned about worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it is concerned over the worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger, who is in Afghanistan, said on Tuesday (April 8), "There is growing insecurity and a clear intensification of the armed conflict, which is no longer limited to the south but has spread to the east and west." He said little development has taken place in the country and escalating violence is forcing more and more people to flee their homes, adding, "their growing humanitarian needs and those of other vulnerable people must be met as a matter of urgency." During his seven-day visit to the country, Kellenberger is scheduled to hold talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, ISAF commander Gen. Dan McNeill, Major Gen. Jeffrey Schloesser, commander of the US Army's 101st Airborne Division, Fatima Gailani, president of the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), and other high-ranking officials from the Afghan government. Kellenberger also plans to visit the US military detention facility at Bagram airbase near Kabul. Speaking about the detainees, Kellenberger said more than 600 prisoners detained at Bagram should have their cases handled "within an appropriate legal framework."

Movement

 

2008: UNHCR said this week that since March 1, when the repatriation campaign resumed from Pakistan, some 10,000 Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan. (UNHCR, Mar-31)

 

2007: UNHCR temporarily suspends the Afghan voluntary repatriation campaign in Pakistan until March 2008 due to seasonal slowdown. (IRIN, Nov-2). Pakistan has reportedly extended the deadline to close Jalozai camp until March 2008. (IRIN, Sep-4). The UNHCR has asked Pakistan to temporarily suspend closure of Jalozai refugee camp in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) that was originally scheduled to be closed on August 31. UNHCR said due to the fast approaching Muslim holy month of Ramadan and winter season, conditions were not conducive for the return of some 100,000 camp residents. UNHCR said any forceful return of these refugees could lead to secondary displacement.

 

Pakistan is to close all Afghan refugee camps by December 2009 and to repatriate all refugees living in the country. UNHCR says it has repatriated over 306,000 Afghan refugees from Pakistan so far this year under its voluntary repatriation campaign. (UNHCR, Aug-10)

 

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.

 

Iran deported some 85,000 unregistered refugees to Afghanistan during April 21 - May 14, 2007. Iranian officials say they plan to initially send back 500,000 of over a million illegal refugees in the country. Earlier this week, Iran said it has reached an agreement with the Afghan government to slow down the pace of expulsions for illegal Afghans living in the country.

 

Some 200,000 Afghan refugees in Pakistan have returned to their homes under the UN-assisted voluntary Afghan refugee repatriation program since it resumed on March 1, 2007, following a seasonal winter suspension. Pakistani authorities said voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan that are without proof of registration (PoR) ended in April, and refugees remaining in the country without PoR are now considered illegal and subject to government action. Repatriation campaign for Afghan refugees with PoR.

 

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 closed 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.

 

 

Afghanistan Relief Efforts: United Nations Coordination Regions

 

 

Central Region

 

East Central Region

 

 

Eastern Region

 

 

Northeastern Region

 

 

 

Northern Region

 

 

Southern Region

 

 

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
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	According to the IFRC, flash floods and avalanches in early March affected some 200 families in Herat city; 918 families in Gulran district; 35 families in Cheshte Sharif district; 150 families in Shindand district, 6,500 families in Badghis/Jawand and Murghab districts, and 20 families in Gour district. (IFRC, Mar-23)   12,000 IDPs, mostly in Maslakh camp
Movement IDPs	IOM
Food	IRC, CARITAS, UNICEF, World Vision, IOM, Action Contre la Faim; WFP   WFP has delivered 553 metric tons of food assistance to 12,800 winter-affected families in the western region. (UNAMA, Feb-19)   The UN Food and Agriculture Organization, in cooperation with the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, has donated 20 tons of concentrated animal feed to winter-affected farmers in Herat. (UNAMA, Feb-19)
Health	Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), with the help of US-led coalition forces, carried out a Medical Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) in Shewan, western Farah province on August 30 and treated more than 811 people, including 576 women and children. (USG, Sep-2)
Non-Food Items (NFIs) – Shelter	The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have delivered food and non-food items, including over 15,000 sweaters, as well as blankets, tarpaulin, plastic sheets and plastic mats, to Herat and Farah provinces. About 2,500 IDP families living in Shaidei and Maslakh camps near Herat have received food and non-food items as well. (UNAMA, Feb-19)
Security	Four suspected criminals were killed and 15 others detained following a clash with Afghan and NATO-led forces March 11 in Guzara district in Herat province. The group was suspected of involvement in a series of kidnappings and other criminal activities. (TNI, AP, Mar-11)   On Thursday (February 14), four Afghan police officers died and two officers were wounded in a three-hour gun battle after insurgents ambushed a police vehicle in southwestern Nimroz province. (The News, Feb-15)
Water & Sanitation	UNICEF
Comments	In Herat, 576 people, in Badghis 228 people, in Ghor 45 people and in Farah some 33 people have died as a result of the harsh winter weather, including severe cold and heavy snow, bringing the overall death toll to 882. Dozens of people have had their hands or feet amputated due to frostbite. (UNOCHA, AP, Feb-21)

 

Refugee Camps in Pakistan

 

Location	Long-term camps in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), NWFP, Baluchistan Province, and by capital, Islamabad; Mohamed Kheil 1 & 2 camps (85 km southwest of Quetta)
Type	Refugee Camps
Coordination	Afghanistan, Pakistan and UNHCR on August 2 extended the tripartite agreement governing the voluntary repatriation of registered Afghans from Pakistan through December 2009. The agreement provides a legal and operational framework for the process. To date, more than 3 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan under the voluntary repatriation program since 2002. This year, more than 300,000 Afghans have returned. (UNHCR, GOP, Aug-2)   The Kacha Garhi Afghan refugee camp was officially closed on July 26. Kacha Garhi, set up in 1980 and located in Hayatabad in NWFP, had 64,000 registered Afghans. The closure followed two years of negotiations, as many refugees initially did not want to repatriate. By the camp's closure, some 37,000 refugees had been repatriated by the UNHCR. Most refugees were originally from Afghanistan's eastern and central provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, Kabul, and Logar. (UNHCR, July-27)
Camp Capacity	About one million mostly long term Afghans in 74 camps—down from about 200 camps.
Population	2.05 million registered Afghans remaining in Pakistan; 63 camps in NWFP, 12 in Baluchistan; and one million elsewhere; Many occupants are long-term residents or were born in Pakistan; (UNHCR, Aug-2)   Jungle Pir Alizai (Balochistan): 36,000, originally scheduled to close June 15.   Kacha Gari (NWFP): original population of 64,811, officially closed July 26 – 37,000 repatriated. (UNHCR, July-27)   Jalozai (NWFP): 109,934, originally scheduled to close August 31. UNHCR on August 22 requested Pakistan to temporarily suspend the camp’s closure due to insufficient time for some 100,000 people to move and settle into new places in the face of the fast approaching Ramadan and winter season. (UNHCR, Aug-22) The deadline was extended to April 15 due to the impending winter. According to IRIN, at least 352 have left Jalozai so far in March. (IRIN, Mar-20)   Girdi Jungle (Balochistan): 17,844, scheduled to close August 31. (IRIN, June-14)
Refugee Movement	Pakistan wants some 2 million Afghan refugees to return home by 2009. (AP, June-14)   UNHCR temporarily suspends Afghan voluntary repatriation campaign in Pakistan until March 2008 due to seasonal slowdown. (IRIN, Nov-2).
Food	UNHCR in coordination with local and international organizations is helping some 4,000 Afghans in five flood-affected Afghan refugee camps in Balochistan province. The assistance mainly included non-food items such as tents and tarpaulins. (IRIN, July-26).   WFP, CRS, ARC
Health	UNICEF, MSF
Non-Food Items (NFIs) - Shelter	CRS
Security	At least three Pakistani villagers and an Afghan refugee were killed when hundreds of villagers and refugees living in and near the Jungle Pir Alizai camp in Balochistan province clashed with police sent to demolish their homes. (AP, June-14)
Water & Sanitation	IFRC, MDM
Comments