Iraqis; Food Distribution OK; Infrastructure Improving Very Slowly; Reconstruction and Humanitarian Operations Slow—Security, Supply, and Bureaucratic Impediments;
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November 19, 2004 Note: This report has been compiled from publicly available information. Although information has been gathered from reliable sources the currency and completeness of the information reported herein is subject to change and cannot be guaranteed. Inquiries, updates and comments are welcome and should be directed to PDMIN team at [email protected]. 1 Note: New content has been inserted in red, italicized, bold font. Overview Humanitarian Situation: Continued concern about security, attacks on civilians, hostage taking, crime, and lethal exchanges between multinational force and Iraqis; Food distribution OK; Infrastructure improving very slowly; Reconstruction and humanitarian operations slow—security, supply, and bureaucratic impediments; Political: In Great Britain, French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair move to put Iraq differences behind them—Chirac warns US against imposing its values on Iraq, against “Westernization”, and against “logic of power”—advocates multilateral UN problem solving; NATO details promised security training center in Iraq—will send up to 300 instructors plus support personnel to train 1,000 Iraqis a year—hope to start this year—France, Germany, and Belgium w ill not train in Iraq, but consider providing training elsewhere; UN: US Assistant Treasury Secretary Juan Carlos Zarate says Russia is protecting several involved in UN oil-for-food program corruption; The Secretary General’s Special Representative, Ashraf Qazi, discusses humanitarian situation in Fallujah and elections with Iraqi President Ghazi al- Yawar; UN’s chief investigator of the oil-for-food program, former US Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul Volcker warns US legislators not to call UN officials to testify before their committees; Refugees: 4,000 Iranian Kurds in camp near volatile Ramadi and Fallujah continue to be supported; UNHCR calls for countries to refrain from forcing Iraqis to return home and discourages voluntary repatriation due to security concerns; However, over 100,000 refugees estimated to have returned from Iran—UNHCR provided significant support for almost 20,000, including nearly 1,000 in the last 10 days--most returning from Iran to south have been unassisted with minimal problems; 80,000 to 130,000 Iraqi refugees are estimated to remain in Iran; Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): Humanitarian organizations in Jordan estimate 250,000 IDPs from Fallujah moved to neighboring areas, including Baghdad; ICRC, Iraqi Red Crescent, Association of Islamic Aid, and other local affiliates of NGOs delivering assistance to IDPs outside Fallujah; The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimates between 650,000 and 900,000 longer-term IDPs in Iraq—most of these do not stem from recent war and most are in north; Civil Society/Rule of Law: US Brigadier General Carter Ham says all but 800 of Mosul’s 4,000 police abandoned their posts when insurgents attacked; In wake of killings, ICRC calls for compliance with international humanitarian law by insurgents, multinational force, and Iraqi security forces; USAID grants US$40 million for election support—Iraqi officials meet and begin to suggest that elections be delayed for several months due to insecurity; Insurgent attacks, bombings, kidnappings, and assassinations continue; Civil–Military Interaction: Multinational force continues fighting with remaining Fallujah insurgents—multinational force says city is secure, but not yet safe for government-ordered return of civilians; Multinational force delivering humanitarian aid as needed and starting to restore power and water infrastructure; Conflict continues between insurgents and multinational/Iraqi forces; Humanitarian Access to Iraq: World Vision Australia pulls out of Iraq in wake of murder of its director in September and CARE’s director this month; International Committee of the Red Cross says it must meet with insurgents before entering Fallujah—no independent assessment of Note: This report has been compiled from publicly available information. Although information has been gathered from reliable sources the currency and completeness of the information reported herein is subject to change and cannot be guaranteed. Inquiries, updates and comments are welcome and should be directed to PDMIN team at [email protected]. 2 Fallujah humanitarian situation to date; Iraqi government and multinational force say no crisis, they are handling needs, and situation is too dangerous for Red Crescent Society or others; Economy/Oil: Attacks on oil pipeline infrastructure continue; Oil exports not expected to exceed pre-war levels till 2005; Oil income of US$17 billion during 19 months since war; UN Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) reports countrywide drop in imports of 10–30%, including food—oil products and auto imports remain steady; With additional attacks, foreign truckers increasingly transfer loads to Iraqi trucks near borders; UNJLC also reports increased shortages of petroleum products including vehicle fuels and cooking/heating fuels; Water/power: Water and power are out in Fallujah due to conflict—multinational force assessing status; Power-generation slips to about 4,000 megawatts (MW) in October—prewar level was 4,400 MW—Baghdad has nearly 18 hours a day of electricity—additional significant rehab will be complete in 2005; US military reports that more than half the Iraqi population has access to potable water and that less than half the sewage treatment plants are working; Food: World Food Program (WFP) worries that food supplies inside Fallujah cannot be moved to support Fallujah IDPs in neighboring towns; Public Distribution System (PDS) food delivery running smoothly-- insecurity hampers distribution in some areas; October food distribution complete with some shortages; Ministry of Trade takes over from WFP in contracting for food; WFP acquiring food supplies to implement one-year emergency program for most vulnerable; Health and Medical: Continued shortage of medical supplies reported in conflict cities--Ramadi and Samarrah, in Najaf, site of earlier conflict, in Mahmudiyah, south of Baghdad, and in Baquba, northeast of Baghdad; Dr Salih al-Isawi, acting director of the Fallujah General Hospital captured early in Fallujah assault, says no health services in Fallujah for last ten days—calls on Health Ministry for access for medical staff, supplies, and equipment. In Country Humanitarian Assistance Information By Region North Region Erbil, Dahuk, Sulaymaniyah Coordination UN Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq (UNOHCI) is aware of 36 NGOs in northern Iraq. International Rescue Committee (IRC) phasing out humanitarian assistance programs in Iraq due to security concerns after completing nearly all of its initial projects – has worked in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Dahuk. (Tuesday, Nov-09-04) Population Population of Erbil: 1,334,176 Population of Sulaymaniyah: 1,605,506 Population of Dahuk: 817,376 IDPs According to UNHCR, there are approximately 42,000 IDPs living in Dahuk Governorate, 5,000 of which are living under the care of UN agencies. Included are Syrians fleeing Kurdish violence and Iranian Kurds from Al-Tash camp in Al- Anbar Governorate. Food No New Information Health Sulaymaniyah Minister of Health says the governorate has fewer than 200 doctors. Authorities are trying to encourage specialist doctors back to the region and train current medical staff. (Tuesday, Oct-05-04) Note: This report has been compiled from publicly available information. Although information has been gathered from reliable sources the currency and completeness of the information reported herein is subject to change and cannot be guaranteed. Inquiries, updates and comments are welcome and should be directed to PDMIN team at [email protected]. 3 Non-Food Items – No New Information Shelter Water & Sanitation No New Information Security Demining NGOs estimate more than 3,000 minefields remaining in the three northern governorates with 10 million mines. Nine demining organizations working, including four local ones. Mine awareness and removal being addressed. (Wednesday, July-7-04) Other/Comments No New Information Al-Tamim, Ninewa, Salahaldin Coordination World Vision Australia, based in Mosul, says it is pulling out of Iraq due to security concerns. Head of operations was shot dead in Mosul on September 29. NGO had been operating for nearly 18 months and assisted nearly 600,000 people. (Friday, Nov-19-04) Turkish Red Crescent Society (TRCS) says it is sending humanitarian aid to Tal Afar in coming days. (Thursday, Nov-18-04) International Rescue Committee (IRC) phasing out humanitarian assistance programs in Iraq due to security concerns after completing nearly all of its initial projects – has worked in Kirkuk. (Tuesday, Nov-09-04) Population Population of Mosul: 1.7 million Population of Kirkuk: 755,700 Population of Tikrit: 28,000 IDPs International NGOS planning IDP projects in Kirkuk suspend work after agreement by city’s three main Kurdish, Turkoman and Arab communities to form an IDP committee collapsed. (Monday, Oct-25-04) An estimated 14,000 families have arrived in the city since last year’s war. Over 3,000 mainly Kurdish families are living in tents, the city stadium and 20 schools. (Monday, Oct-25-04) Kirkuk has about 15,000 IDPs. The City Council sets up commission to coordinate IDP-related matters. Local Kurdish NGOs nearing end of project to provide aid to poor IDP families that have returned to Kirkuk since last spring. (Monday, Oct-11-04)