Release # 03-05-96

CAMP DOHA, Kuwait - Coalition Forces continue to assist in developing a safer and more secure environment in Iraq.

The Coalition's Humanitarian Operations Center, Kuwait recently:

· Monitored 69 humanitarian assistance missions, including:

-- "Kuwait For Kids" school bags distributions to 500 boys and girls in Basra.

-- "Great Lakes" attendance at a series of port dredging meetings in Umm Qasr.

-- "Human Rights Watch" interviews and research in Baghdad.

-- "War Child" assessments in Nasiriyah.

· Participated in an ORHA-chaired meeting in Al Basrah on Monday to discuss measures to improve solid waste sanitation.

· Met with the Kuwait Ministry of Electricity and Water to discuss water quality in AL Basrah Province, and produce a water sampling plan for Safwan, Umm Khayyal, Az Zubair, Basrah, and Al Amarah. This information will be used to determine how military portable water purification units can be employed to help provide drinkable water supplies.

· Attended a World Health Organization meeting to develop a distribution plan for medical supplies currently warehoused in Iraq.

· Visited Basra General Hospital to complete an assessment for the Kuwait Ministry of Health.

· Facilitated delivery of a $10,000 milk donation from "Mustard Seed Relief Missions" to Basra General Hospital and Maternal Child Hospital in Basra

BAGHDAD

Coalition Units recently:

· Continued emergency and salary payments continue for Baghdad public employees. To date, 345,000 employees have been paid.

· Convened a meeting of electrical officials to review and plot progress in electrical service, and anticipate 300-500 megawatts more power can be added to the national grid.

· Reported that the ORHA payments to civil servants for the barley harvest is running smoothly.

· Reported number and visibility of Baghdad Police Officers continues to increase and traffic police are now assisting in clearing traffic jams.

· Assessed and delivered a load of medical supplies to the Central Pediatric Hospital, the largest pediatric hospital inBaghdad. Central Pediatric Hospital is also teaching facility for resident pediatric physicians, and the pediatric cancer facility for Iraq

· Reported that garbage collection along the main market streets has markedly improved, as has trash collection overall throughout the city

· Met with the Iraqi Ministry of Planning steering committee to discuss an ORHA proposal to establish a National Mine Action Agency in the Ministry of Planning

· Met with ORHA Ministry of Interior and visited to the Baghdad Police Academy to complete the emergency payment to the police, which have all received payment

· Met with Land Transport Managers to discuss security, wages, temporary facilities, and union activity

· Reported the second day of railway worker payments was completed, and payments have begun in Basrah and Mosul

· Reviewed the Baghdad-area power plants with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and contractors to identify means to bring as much electrical power to the grid as possible before the beginning of the summer peak period.

· Met with the Iraqi fiber optics team to discuss service throughout Baghdad.

· Met with ORHA Higher Education Committee members and representatives of several universities in Baghdad to discuss payroll and internal security.

· Is developing a plan to establish an official Iraqi publication that will be used to publish all new laws, regulations, proclamations and legal notices for Iraq. Also working to reestablish the official journal of the Iraqi Lawyers Union.

MOSUL / TIKRIT

Civil Affairs Personnel with the 82D Airborne Division recently:

· Traveled to Irbil to assist ORHA in assessing courthouses, and attended a meeting of the Mosul Interim Council to discuss payment of salaries

· Worked to acquire funding for additional telephone equipment to improve communications between all Fire Stations in Mosul and Tall 'Afar as well as six substations in the Nineveh Province

· Met with Iraqi officials to plan meetings with Iraqi Fire Chiefs and coordinate fire protection for the upcoming harvest.

· Reported that approximately $38,100 was paid to 762 teachers at 37 schools

· Accompanied ORHA team to Rafadain Branch bank in Al Hamdiniyiah to observe/monitor payrolls issued to head teachers.

· Visited Tikrit University Agriculture Department to review the water pump equipment, and to evaluate the water pumps used at the Al Dawr water treatment facility

SOUTHERN IRAQ

AL BASRAH

United Kingdom Forces recently coordinated with UNICEF and U.S. Army military police to provide security for their water tanker missions.

AS SAMAWAH / AD DIWANIYAH

Marines of the 5thMarine Regiment recently:

• Received deliveries of propane in both cities (20,000 lbs and that more cylinders were in-bound from Basra). The Division also reports a significant increase in propane Iraqi-government contracted propane deliveries
• Reported the propane pipeline from Baghdad will be operational within a few days

AN NAJAF

Marines of the 7thMarine Regiment recently:

· Reported the Iraqi Oil Ministry is ready to open the reserve pipeline from Baghdad to An Najaf, which contains approximately 120 million liters of benzene. Once distributions begin, 850,000 liters a day will become available.

· Received a 31-truck convoy of diesel fuel on Monday.

• Received a 23-truck convoy of benzene.
• Reported that a contract to repair schools has been made by the Coalition at the Al Hadi School, and that repair work at the Al Refak Primary School began Tuesday.
• Reported the fiber optic cable between Najaf and Hillah has been repaired and is functional, which will reestablish telephone access between Najaf, Karbala and Ad Diwaniya

KARBALA

Marines of the 7thMarine Regiment recently:

· Provided $3700 to make repairs on six electric utilities vehicles.

• Met with the Director of the General Hospital to discuss requirements for completing work on the Emergency Room

AL HILLAH

Marines of the 4thMarine Regiment recently:

• Held a ribbon cutting with Gharbia Primary School to celebrate completion of repairs.
• Helped purchase 200 new mattresses and sheets for the local hospitals and the ambulance department in Babylon Province

AL KUT / AN NUMANIYAH

Marines and Civil Affairs personnel recently:

· Met with Directors of Water and Sewer Departments to authorize payments for repair of sewer vacuum trucks and repair of a sewage pump in Al Hayy. Also inspected ongoing repairs to a former Iraqi Army water treatment plant, and reported one distribution pump fully rebuilt and operational.

• Reported reestablishment of emergency response telephone service at Central Wasit Police Station. Telephone service between the Telecommunications Center and the police department is working again. The emergency services dispatch is now staffed 24 hours a day.
• Met with the Department of Education storage warehouse manager for Wasit Province schools to discuss improvements to the supply system.
• Worked to acquire one diesel powered water pump for a pumping station to supply raw water to Badra

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