UNAMA Civil Military Weekly Report

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UNAMA Civil Military Weekly Report Issue 8: July 2009 Key Points • Security situation continues to deteriorate in advance of August elections • HAP Mid-Year Review launched in Kabul • Concern over humanitarian implications of use of schools and clinics as polling places • Conflict-induced displacements reported in south, southeast, west • Civilian casualties rose in first half of 2009 I. Humanitarian Overview Use of Schools and Clinics in Elections Access The humanitarian community continues to be concerned about implications for access to education and health care Security incidents targeting humanitarians in July of the planned use of schools and clinics as polling places included intimidations, robberies, and abductions. Armed in the presidential election on 20 August. UN agencies groups attacked convoys, destroyed a clinic, and planted a and NGOs in the regions (including Kandahar and Herat) roadside bomb that directly targeted an INGO vehicle. are working with the local offices of the Independent Three separate incidents targeted mine clearing actors, Election Commission (IEC) to identify alternative who usually enjoy protected status. UNDSS reports that locations. The protection cluster plans to undertake close the average number of security incidents per month in monitoring of schools during the elections to document 2009 is greater than the 2008 average, which is alarming any incidents. because the first half of the year is usually quieter. Projected Harvest for 2009 UNDSS also reports that the use of roadside bombs is increasing and is expected to continue to do so until the In response to strong wheat harvests, the Ministry of elections in order to keep people away from polling Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (MAIL) is places. Movement is expected to be highly restricted purchasing wheat from surplus areas in order to replenish around the elections. Humanitarian organizations have government reserves and respond to areas with food indicated that though they are prioritizing their activities deficits. According to MAIL, half of Afghanistan’s 34 during the election period to ensure that they can carry provinces are expected to produce a surplus totaling 25- out essential services to the extent possible. 50,000 metric tons, but the east, central, and southern regions will face a similarly-sized deficit. WFP is also in HAP Mid-Year Review Launch discussion with authorities about local procurement in The Kabul launch of the Mid-Year Review of the order to help prevent the disruption of market prices. Afghanistan Humanitarian Action Plan (HAP) was held II. Regional Updates on 21 July, and included a press conference with the Humanitarian Coordinator, the Minister of Agriculture, Southern region and the director of ACBAR, and a discussion with donors In Helmand province, due to the launch of military and the humanitarian community. The event was an operation “Khanjar”, the Provincial Disaster Management opportunity to thank donors for their positive response to Committee (PDMC), WFP, and the NGO HAPA the HAP to date – it is 68 percent funded overall, most of conducted an assessment from 18-26 July that identified which is food – while highlighting critical gaps in 1,973 households in eight districts who have been underfunded sectors, such as health (4 percent funded) displaced, mainly to urban areas or to relatives’ villages, and protection (27 percent funded) and for NGOs (only 4 but no major population movements. WFP is providing a percent of contributions to date are for NGO projects). one-month food ration and UNHCR is providing NFIs The discussion at the event produced a number of through their implementing partners. Adequate relief recommendations for improving the HAP in 2010 so that stocks are in the region should further assistance be it serves as a framework for coordination of needed. The initial unverified estimates of displacement programming, reflects a humanitarian strategy, and reported by the government were much higher (5,000 includes projects that respond to needs specified in the families), highlighting the need for humanitarian actors to strategy. To accomplish this, both the cluster system and participate in PDMC meetings and joint needs assessment the flow of information from the field will need to be or verification exercises, to ensure the swift delivery of strengthened. aid based on need. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) OCHA Afghanistan: http://ochaonline.un.org/afghanistan Monthly Humanitarian Update Issue 8: July 2009 UNHCR reports that in July, 735 IDP families (5221 Working Group in Mazar is drafting a concept note for individuals) from Zari Dasht in Kandahar returned to donor support for these needs. their places of origin in the north (Faryab and Jawzjan) The rising water level of the Amu Darya river caused and are receiving reintegration assistance. localized flooding in Shortepah and Kaldar districts of Southeastern Region Balkh province and in Kamyab and Qarqin in Jawzjan province; however, large-scale flooding has not UNHCR has received reports of an undetermined number materialized. Flood contingency planning continues in the of Afghans and Pakistanis displaced from North region in order to formulate a long-term mitigation Waziristan in Pakistan to Spera in Khost province, and is strategy. working to verify the reports. WFP also reports that they will provide food assistance to approximately 337 Northeastern Region families who have been displaced to Paktika province by Assessments by various humanitarian actors in Shiwa the fighting in the Swat valley of Pakistan. valley in Arghanjkhwa district, Badakhshan province Eastern Region showed alarming levels of malnutrition. WFP is planning blanket feeding for children under five and pregnant and Although there had been media reports of harassment and lactating women for an initial period of three months. detention of Afghan refugees living in Bajaur agency, UNICEF and NGO partners are planning additional Pakistan, an assessment by UNHCR and the Department nutrition and health interventions. Other districts of of Refugees and Reintegration (DoRR) of Marawara Badakhshan are also likely to be affected by food district of Kunar province in mid-July revealed that insecurity after the winter, but access to affected areas is almost all of those displaced from Bajaur have since difficult. returned. Conflict-related displacements have also been reported in Nuristan province but have not yet been Localized flood damage was reported in Taluqan and confirmed. Ishkamish district of Takhar province, Tala-wa-Barfak district of Baghlan province, Warduj and Yamgan in Attacks on schools continued in July. Schools in Sherzad Badakhshan, and Aliabad and Imam Sahib districts in district in Nangarhar province and Marawara district in Kunduz. Cool temperatures also led to snowfall in Kunar province were attacked with explosives. Election Wakhan and Ishkashem districts in Badakhshan which officials have reported that 304 schools in the region are may adversely affect wheat harvests. Road clearance, slated to be used as polling places. canal cleaning, and shelter assistance are still needed in OCHA Jalalabad is working with cluster leads to some flood-affected areas. Flood mitigation activities, revitalize the clusters and strengthen coordination in the including gabions for protection of river banks and region, and is planning workshops on contingency irrigation canals, are also ongoing. planning and humanitarian principles. The border with Tajikistan has been closed since mid- Northern Region May due to a political dispute, affecting access to livelihoods and WFP’s ability to transport food. UNHCR reports that 322 Baluch families registered as refugees in Kerman, Iran are being repatriated and are in Central Highlands Herat en route to Sozma Qala district, Sari Pul province. The Kuchi-Hazara situation in Behsud continues to be UNHCR is verifying the voluntary nature of the return stable. The Provincial Disaster Management Committee and working with partners to establish a transitional camp (PDMC) in Dai Kundi province has begun planning for and meet short- and medium-term needs in the area of winter assistance. return, which lacks the infrastructure to support their reintegration. Returnees are expected to begin to arrive in Western Region Sozma Qala in the second week of August. Conflict-related displacements have been reported by As follow up to the spring floods, a working group from government sources from Bale Murghab district in the shelter cluster (UNHCR, OCHA, and ACTED) is Badghis province, from Ballah Buluk in Farah, and from reviewing the shelter guidelines developed by UNHCR in Dara-I-Takht and Shahrak district in Ghor. However, 2007 with ANDMA and MoRRD to come to agreement these reports have not yet been verified because neither on new modalities for both short- and long-term shelter humanitarian actors nor their government counterparts are needs. According to recent assessments, there are an able to access the affected areas. OCHA is continuing to estimated 2,424 households in the northern region in need monitor developments since a peace deal was brokered of emergency shelter before the winter. The Shelter UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) 2 OCHA Afghanistan: http://ochaonline.un.org/afghanistan Monthly Humanitarian Update Issue 8: July 2009 between the Taliban forces and the government in geographic coverage of activities and in complementary northeast Badghis on 29 July. support for longer-term solutions to
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