May 2, 2008

 

 

Overview

 

Afghan President Karzai escapes assassination attempt
Afghan President Hamid Karzai escaped an assassination attempt earlier this week (Sunday, April 27) when Taliban militants fired mortars and bullets at the dignitaries assembled in the spectator stands not too far from where Karzai, senior government officials and international guests were seated to observe the country's most important military parade, known as Mujahideen Day, in celebration of the 16th anniversary of the overthrow of the country's Soviet-backed government. Three people, a tribal chief, an Afghan member of the parliament and a 12-year-old boy, were killed in the attack. Three assailants were also reportedly killed and three others captured by the Afghan security forces. President Karzai, who was unharmed, was quickly whisked away by his bodyguards. He later addressed the nation on state-run television, urging people to remain calm. Zabihullah Mujahid, a purported Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack. He said, "Our aim was not to directly hit someone," adding, "we just wanted to show to the world that we can attack anywhere we want to." Afghan intelligence officials claim they knew of the threat and that President Karzai had been warned. Afghan officials also claimed that the attack was orchestrated by al-Qaeda-linked militants operating from Pakistan’s tribal area along the Afghan border. Leaders from around the world, including the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, US President George W. Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, condemned the attack and reiterated their unwavering support for the Afghan government and the Afghan people.

 

Dozens dead in violence across Afghanistan

Dozens of people were killed in separate incidents across Afghanistan this week. Eight Afghan civilians, including three children, were killed and several others wounded in two landmine blasts near the border town of Spin Boldak in southern Kandahar province on Wednesday (April 30). Seven people, including three intelligence agents, two Taliban militants and a woman and child, were killed when Afghan security forces raided a house in Kabul where militants with suspected links to an attack on President Karzai on Sunday (April 27) were hiding. Three civilians, including a tribal chief and an Afghan member of parliament, were killed during the failed assassination attempt on President Karzai in Kabul. At least 19 people, including civilians, were killed and more than 40 wounded in a suicide bomb attack in eastern Afghanistan. The attack took place in Khogyani district south of Jalalabad, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province on Tuesday (April 29) when a suicide bomber on foot struck an outdoor meeting of tribal leaders and the government's poppy eradication team. According to an Afghan Interior Ministry statement, 12 policemen and seven civilians were among those killed. The statement also said the attack showed the connection between terrorists and drug trafficking. A provincial health official said 23 of the 41 wounded are in serious condition. Separately, Afghan and foreign troops with close air support killed at least 23 Taliban militants in Qarabagh district in the central province of Ghazni on Monday (April 28).

 

Food situation in Afghanistan beyond July uncertain, UN says
The UN World Food Program (WFP) is saying the food situation in Afghanistan beyond July remains uncertain. Speaking to a news conference in Kabul on Thursday (May 1), WFP Regional Director Anthony Banbury said a US$77 million food aid distribution campaign to feed some 2.55 million Afghans struggling with rising food prices will end in July, adding the future outlook for food security remains uncertain due to factors such as agricultural production, commercial imports and trade policies. He said at the moment, meeting basic food needs is extremely challenging for millions of Afghans amid a sharp rise in food prices by as much as 100 percent since the beginning of this year. Banbury said food aid was not an answer to food insecurity, but instead a comprehensive strategy and investment in the agriculture sector were needed to tackle the challenges posed by high food prices over the long-term. He said at the moment, significant land area was being used to grow poppies and despite rising wheat prices, profits made from opium offered little incentives for farmers to switch crops in favor of wheat and other cereals. According to UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates, Afghanistan would need to import 550,000 tons of wheat during 2007/08, including 100,000 tons of food aid.

 

Afghan health problems linked to uranium exposure
Some scientists have linked a rise in certain health problems in Afghanistan to exposure to depleted uranium. In a program aired on BBC World Service: One Planet, Afghan doctors in Kabul and Kandahar showed data indicating that the incidence of a number of health problems, including birth defects and premature births, has doubled in the past two years. Uranium Medical Research Center (UMRC) -- a research group based in Canada, which in 2002 and 2003 ran tests on urine from Afghans, found uranium levels in some Afghans hundreds of times higher than in Gulf War veterans. Dr. Asaf Durakovic, UMRC's president and a former US army adviser, said he believes exposure to depleted uranium weapons may have caused an increase in birth defects as well as "symptoms of muscular-skeletal pains, immune system disorders, lung disease and eventually cancer." Durakovic said according to his research, coalition forces had used depleted uranium in "bunker buster" bombs used in Afghanistan to penetrate deep into soil. He is calling for the relocation of people away from heavily contaminated areas for further testing and medical care. Major Chris Belcher, spokesman for the US-led coalition, said, "We don't use depleted uranium in Afghanistan; we don't have a requirement to use that," adding that such weapons might have been used in the past as he had no knowledge of what might have been used in 2001 and 2002. Afghanistan's newly formed National Environmental Protection Agency said it did not have the necessary equipment or expertise to properly investigate the problem. According to the BBC, a World Health Organization study on the impact of depleted uranium weapons in Iraq and the Balkans concluded that depleted uranium posed a very little threat to the population.

 

 

Movement

 

2008: UNHCR is asking Pakistan to revise its Afghan refugee repatriation plan, as the current plan to repatriate some 2.4 million refugees by the end of next year (2009) is “unworkable” due to persistent insecurity and lack of economic opportunities. (BBC, Apr-18). 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   Islamic Development Bank (IDB) distributed food aid to some 2,500 families in Herat. (FP, Apr-22)   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	Islamic Development Bank (IDB) distributed some 12,500 blankets and 150 tents to some 2,500 families in Herat. (FP, Apr-22)   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	An Indian national working for Dubai-based HEB International Logistics was abducted on Monday (April 21) in Herat. (TOI, Apr-25)   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