Military

DATE=10/19/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-N AID / AFGHANISTAN (L-O)

NUMBER=2-282023

BYLINE=DALE GAVLAK

DATELINE=GENEVA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The United Nations refugee agency is reporting the highest influx of Afghan refugees into Pakistan in a single day since U-S-led air strikes against Taleban targets began nearly two weeks ago. V-O-A's Dale Gavlak reports from Geneva that other U-N groups working inside Afghanistan say their warehouses storing aid supplies are being looted.

TEXT: The United Nations refugee agency says that more than 35-hundred Afghan refugees have crossed into Pakistan at the Chaman border post on Friday morning and more are expected to arrive. A spokesman for U-N-H-C-R, Ron Redmond, described the situation as "chaotic."

///REDMOND ACT///

Apparently fleeing in panic, people are arriving with no food or belongings. This is somewhat worrisome to see this number of people coming across and we don't know whether this is going to continue or not, but this is by far the largest number that we are aware of.

///END REDMOND ACT///

Mr. Redmond says the refugee agency is rushing to complete work on two camps in the area, which so far are not yet ready to receive the refugees. The U-N-H-C-R is also asking the Pakistani authorities to provide water and food to the new arrivals.

Mr. Redmond says that some 10-thousand Afghans crossed into the area last week, with many paying smugglers huge sums of money to help them cross the border from Kandahar.

Other U-N agencies working inside Afghanistan report increasing incidents of looting of their relief supplies stored in warehouses.

Niurka Pineiro, a spokeswomen of the International Organization for Migration, says the agency's facilities in the northern town of Mazar-e-Sherif and other areas were looted.

///PINEIRO ACT///

Our office in Mazar, our office was taken over and our people were roughed up, beaten and all of our equipment was taken. On Wednesday, at our office in Qundus, the Taleban arrived and they made an inventory of the contents and removed two vehicles.

///END PINEIRO ACT///

Ms. Pineiro says the Taleban sealed everything inside the facility, including relief supplies to help Afghans through the coming winter.

The U-N's children's agency spokeswoman, Wivina Belmonte says despite incidents of looting, aid work must go on.

///BELMONTE ACT///

Clearly, warehouses right now are a target and we just need to be careful that the supplies are going to get into the hands of the women and children they are destined for.

///END BELMONTE ACT///

Ms. Belmonte of UNICEF says that relief items, including winter clothing, blankets and medical supplies, are coming into Afghanistan by road and air. (Signed)

NEB/DG/GE/RH