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October 28, 2004 October 28, 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: Pope Paul II condemns hostage-taking and terrorism in Iraq; Hungary says it will make decision on its 300 troops after US election on 2 November; Three multinational force nations face hostage challenges—Great Britain with CARE’s country director Margaret Hassan, Japan, and now Poland—Japan has sent senior diplomat to Jordan to work to free its captured tourist—all three nations reject negotiating with kidnappers; UN: UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative Ashraf Jehangir Qazi tells Iraq’s legislature that UN shares goal of January 2005 elections; Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi says he asked Secretary General Kofi Annan for troops to secure election—Allawi tells his legislature that 500,000 police are required and Iraq has only 135,000; Refugees: Over 100,000 refugees estimated to have returned from Iran—UNHCR provided significant support for about 17,000; Characterizing the situation in Iraq as unstable and dangerous, UNHCR calls for countries to refrain from forcing Iraqis to return home--UNHCR also discourages voluntary repatriation, but says that refugees continue to return; Most returning from Iran to south have been unassisted with minimal problems; Between 80,000 and 130,000 Iraqi refugees remain in Iran; Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): UNOPS and IOM developing profiles of IDP situation in each governorate; The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimates between 650,000 and 900,000 IDPs in Iraq—most IDPs do not stem from recent war and most are in the north; In northern city of Kirkuk, agreement on returning IDPs deteriorates among Kurds, Turkomans, and Arabs as large numbers of Kurdish IDPs return to contentious city; Civil Society/Rule of Law: Senior Iraqi diplomat, Qusay Mehdi assassinated in Baghdad while awaiting assignment; Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih and other senior ministers meet with respected Shiite Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistant to discuss elections—radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr condemns bombing of Fallujah and calls for peaceful solution; Threats and assassination of academics causing many to leave the country; Insurgent attacks, bombings, kidnappings, and assassinations continue; Civil–Military Interaction: Stage seems to be set for major multinational/Iraqi force operations in Fallujah and Ramadi—operations continue in Fallujah and Ramadi; US military reports end of Sadr City weapons buyback with mixed success; US makes no decision on delaying troop departures and speeding arrivals to build up troops before January election; Humanitarian Access to Iraq: French NGO Action Contre la Faim leaving Iraq; CARE and humanitarian workers in Iraq call for release of CARE country direct Margaret Hassan; CARE suspended activities and may leave Iraq; National Security Adviser Muffawaq al Rubaiye urges aid agencies not to leave--more international humanitarian agencies expected to depart; Economy/Oil: Oil income of US$17 billion during 19 months since war; Pipeline flow of oil to Turkish port of Ceyhan about half of 600,000 barrel per day capacity; Deputy Planning Minister Abdul Zahra Waheed al-Hendawi says only small percentage of pledged US$53 billion received--planned 2004-05 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 reconstruction behind schedule—emphasis on security and jobs for Iraqis—challenge to coordinate Iraqi, US, and NGO projects; Water/power: Capacity grows tto generate 5,300 megawatts (MW) of electricity with rehab of generators—prewar level was 4,400 MW—Baghdad has nearly 18 hours a day of electricity—additional significant rehab will be complete in 2005; Iraq needs US$12 billion to repair electricity sector and meet demand for 24-hour per day power; US$600 million spent on water and sanitation since March 2003, but another US$500 million is needed; Food: September food distribution essentially finished; All food procured by World Food Program (WFP) in March now received—Ministry of Trade is contracting from now on; Public Distribution System (PDS) food disbursement system running smoothly; WFP finds 25% of the Iraqi population remains dependent on food rations--27% of children under five are chronically malnourished; WFP to implement one-year emergency program for most vulnerable; Health and Medical: Health Minister Alaadin Alwan first priorities is to increase availability of medication through control of theft, corruption and mismanagement; Continued shortage of medical supplies reported in conflict cities of Fallujah, Ramadi, and Samarrah; Focus on vaccinating children as rabies spreads in al-Anbar province. 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. Population Population of Erbil: 1,334,176 Population of Sulaymaniyah: 1,605,506 Population of Dahuk: 817,376 IDPs Iraqi Kurds continue to flee Sunni Arab cities of Fallujah, Samarra and Baquba for Kurdish-controlled north. Exact numbers unavailable to lack of security and international aid agencies. Bulk of displacements occurred in April and May this year, during coalition-led attacks on Fallujah. (Tuesday, Oct-05-04) 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) 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, 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 including four local ones. Mine awareness and removal being addressed. (Wednesday, July-7-04) Other/Comments Al-Tamim, Ninewa, Salahaldin Coordination No New Information 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. Members had agreed to work with international NGOs and concentrate IDPs at military camp in Faylakh area and on Kirkuk-Laylan road before agreement broke down a month ago over enlargement of the two areas. (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) Reports continue of Arabs being displaced by returning Kurds in Kirkuk. Many of the displaced Arabs have taken shelter in military bases north of the city or in abandoned buildings in Kirkuk. The Iraqi government has established the Iraqi Property Claims Commission (IPCC) to sort out property claims. However, no cases have been resolved. (Thursday, Sept-23-04) According to reports, Salahaldin has over 70,000 IDPs, including 65,747 Kurds, 4,757 Turkmen, and 2,226 Arabs. Al-Tamim has some 84,000 IDPs, including 77,000 Kurds, 5,000 Arabs, and 2,000 Turkmen—most are in 44 camps. (Friday, Sept-03-04) Food UNICEF has been helping to deliver food supplies to Samarrah through (International Red Crescent Society) IRCS and UK-based NGO, Islamic Relief. (Tuesday, Oct-19-04) Health US Army’s 45th Medical Company, based near Babylon, providing medic evacuations for soldiers, insurgents and civilians in south-central Iraq. (Friday, Oct- 22-04) Samarrah Central Hospital reports severe shortage of medicine since fighting began in beginning of October despite interim deliveries by International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). (Tuesday, Oct-19-04) Multinational forces purchased medical supplies in an effort to provide equipment and other essential supplies to the Tall Afar hospital. (Wednesday, Sept-15-04) Non-Food Items Iraqi civilian companies and US working to repair Baiji Power Plant complex in Baiji 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].
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