31 October 2001
Text: U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator Afghanistan Report, Oct. 30
(U.N. urges Pakistan to admit refugees) (1250)
United Nations representatives are in Pakistan discussing the future
of Afghanistan and the plight of refugees fleeing instability and food
shortages, according to an October 30 report from the United Nations
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
Discussing principles that will end the conflict, U.N. Special
Representative for Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi and Pakistani President
Pervez Musharraf agreed that the unity and territory of Afghanistan
must be preserved in a political solution that is "home-grown and
fully owned by the people of Afghanistan."
On humanitarian issues, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud
Lubbers has urged President Musharraf to admit more refugees. Afghan
men are fleeing conscription by the Taliban, and Lubbers asked
Musharraf to admit them. Pakistan has been allowing women, children,
the elderly and wounded into the country where 2.5 million refugees
have already sought sanctuary after more than 20 years of war and
three years of drought in their country.
The UNOCHA report also indicates that humanitarian agencies are
increasingly concerned about the security and capacity of camps in the
border region. Relief agencies are continuing their efforts to move
food and other relief supplies into Afghanistan while still
encountering difficulties due to logistical problems and looting.
The United States has provided funding for 80 percent of the
humanitarian aid that is moving into Afghanistan.
Following is the text of UNOCHA Situation Report, October 30:
(begin text)
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS
OCHA
Date: 30 Oct 2001
Afghanistan OCHA Situation Report No. 16
1. The Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mr.
Lakhdar Brahimi, arrived in Islamabad on 28 October and has held
consultations with the Pakistani Foreign Ministry and President
Musharraf. The President and Mr. Brahimi agreed on the principles that
must guide the resolution of the current conflict, namely that the
unity of Afghanistan and its territorial integrity must be preserved,
that a broad-based, multi-ethnic and fully representative Government
must come into power, and that the political dispensation must be
home-grown and fully owned by the people of Afghanistan. Mr. Brahimi
is also meeting with a broad range of Afghan women and men to listen
to their views on the best possible solution to the Afghan crisis. He
stated that "if a way can be found to liberate and empower the people
of Afghanistan, this is something the international community can
eventually be proud of".
Population Movements
2. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Ruud Lubbers, has urged
Pakistani authorities to show greater flexibility in deciding which
Afghan refugees are allowed to enter Pakistan. Pakistani authorities
have been permitting women, children, the elderly and the wounded to
cross the border but Mr. Lubbers has asked Pakistan to also include
men fleeing forced conscription in the vulnerable category.
Testimonies of people fleeing from Afghanistan consistently indicate
that both the Taliban and the opposition are trying to conscript men
to fight in the war. Mr. Lubbers will also meet the Taliban ambassador
in Pakistan today to seek assurances on the safety of UN staff in
Afghanistan.
3. Afghan refugees arriving in Pakistan through the Chaman border
crossing report that the health situation in the make-shift camps near
Spin-Boldak inside Afghanistan is deteriorating rapidly. The refugees
allege that the Taliban are preventing people from leaving
Afghanistan, including those in need of urgent medical attention.
4. UN Agencies are increasingly concerned about the security and
capacity of two makeshift camps in Nimruz province, on the Afghan side
of the border with Iran. Many Afghans approaching the border express
fears of forced recruitment by the Taliban, or of being used as human
shields or being targeted by bandits and smugglers operating in the
border area.
5. The population in the Makaki camp about two kilometers inside
Afghanistan, in Taliban-controlled territory, had risen to
approximately 7800 persons by 28 October. Makaki camp is operated by
the Iranian Red Crescent Society which has indicated that the agency
has ceased to register new arrivals since Makaki camp is close to
reaching its capacity. New arrivals approaching Makaki camp are being
referred to the Mile 46 camp which is located in a Northern Alliance
controlled pocket in Nimruz province, exposing refugees to the
additional danger of crossing the demarcation line between the Taliban
and the Northern Alliance forces.
Deliveries and Distribution of Assistance
6. Between 22 and 28 October, WFP has delivered 8,400 tons of food to
Afghanistan. This represents a significant increase compared to
previous weeks in October but still falls short of the weekly target
of 12,000 tons. WFP has resumed its deliveries from Quetta through the
Chaman border crossing and is planning to increase its deliveries to
northern Afghanistan once the Termez port in Uzbekistan becomes
operational for barge shipments across the border river. It is also
making plans to deploy short-haul trucks that could be used for
internal distributions of food aid.
7. An IOM convoy from Mashhad carrying 13,000 blankets, 15,000 items
of winter clothing, 3,000 kerosene lamps, 3,000 jerry cans and 70,000
bars of soap is expected to arrive in Herat tomorrow. A four-truck
UNICEF convoy left Peshawar for Jalalabad on 26 October with
collapsible water tanks, blankets, sweaters, winter boots and tents
for 2,000 IDP families in Laghman province. The goods will be
distributed by the Afghan Red Crescent Society and an NGO.
Situation in the Regions
8. Mazar-I-Sharif and the North: The IOM office in Mazar-I-Sharif has
reopened but 2,000 quilts destined for IDP camps have been looted. The
remaining 3,000 quilts will be sent to the Baghe Sherkat and Amirabad
IDP camps in Kunduz province. The IOM office in Kunduz, closed by the
Taliban authorities two weeks ago, was allowed to reopen over the
weekend to restart the distribution of non-food items. Two vehicles
removed from the office have not yet been returned. Several NGOs have
reported that their offices have been returned to them without
equipment and supplies.
9. Approximately 500,000 IDPs scattered around Taliban-held provinces
in northern Afghanistan live in very poor conditions. The ICRC has
distributed non-food relief items to 7,000 of them in the areas of
Baba-e-Yadgar and Arzana. Reports also indicate that a large number of
IDPs who were living in spontaneous settlements in Sholgara and
Pul-e-Barak are now moving to areas in the outskirts of
Mazar-I-Sharif. This movement is apparently due to increasing fighting
between the Northern Alliance and the Taliban forces in Southern
Balkh. To the extent security conditions permit, NGOs are trying to
assess the needs of these IDPs.
10. Herat and the West: IOM staff in Herat have been distributing
blankets, jerry cans, kerosene lamps and soap in the Maslakh and
Shaidayee IDP camps. Preparations for the winter are also continuing
with the positioning of 3.5 million mud bricks to reinforce shelters
and tents.
11. Kandahar and the South: WFP has not distributed food in Kandahar
since September 13 and believes that no food aid is available from any
other sources. WFP is also concerned about certain districts in the
provinces of Zabul and Kandahar, where about 1,000 tons of food are
required to sustain the vulnerable population until the end of
December.
12. This situation report is also available on the OCHA Website
http://www.reliefweb.int.
This situation report does not necessarily represent the official view
of the United Nations.
(end text)
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