Military

DATE=09/25/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-N-AFGHAN-HUMANITARIAN (L ONLY)

NUMBER=2-281007

BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY

DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: United Nations officials are worried about the growing desperation of both refugees from Afghanistan and of those Afghans who remain in their own country without food. V-O-A Correspondent Breck Ardery reports from the United Nations.

TEXT: The humanitarian situation was a disaster before September 11th but U-N officials say fears of war have now driven an additional one and one-half million Afghans to attempt to flee the country. Pakistan has re-opened a border area and the government of Iran is assessing new sites for refugee camps.

Inside Afghanistan, much food aid has been reported stolen and the World Food Program estimates that hundreds of thousands of Afghans may exhaust their food supplies within a week. The Food Program says it will try to resume shipments into Afghanistan but transportation is extremely difficult. The shipments were suspended on September 12th.

Fred Eckhard, the chief spokesman for U-N Secretary-General Kofi Annan, quoted him as saying the world community must do everything possible to save the lives of innocent Afghans.

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Innocent civilians should not be punished for the actions of their government. The world is united against terrorism. Let it be equally united in protecting and assisting the innocent victims of emergencies and disasters.

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Mr. Eckhard said talks about communications between a U-N official and a Taleban representative in Pakistan were inconclusive. The Taleban have forbidden U-N workers inside Afghanistan from using satellite telephones, making communications extremely difficult.(Signed)

NEB/UN/BA/PT