PROFILE OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT : AFGHANISTAN Compilation of the information available in the Global IDP Database of the Norwegian Refugee Council (as of 31 October, 2001) Also available at http://www.idpproject.org Users of this document are welcome to credit the Global IDP Database for the collection of information. The opinions expressed here are those of the sources and are not necessarily shared by the Global IDP Project or NRC Norwegian Refugee Council/Global IDP Project Chemin Moïse Duboule, 59 1209 Geneva - Switzerland Tel: + 41 22 788 80 85 Fax: + 41 22 788 80 86 E-mail : [email protected] CONTENTS CONTENTS 1 PROFILE SUMMARY 8 CAUSES AND BACKGROUND OF DISPLACEMENT 12 GENERAL 12 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LAND AND PEOPLE 12 SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE OF AFGHANISTAN (OCTOBER 2001) 12 DROUGHT AND ECONOMIC DISRUPTION IN THE NORTHEAST (DECEMBER 2000) 15 THE CIVIL WAR 16 A HISTORY OF CONFLICT 16 OVERVIEW OF MAIN DISPLACEMENTS (1992-2000) 18 CONFLICT -INDUCED DISPLACEMENT IN 2000 19 CONFLICT -INDUCED DISPLACEMENT IN 2001 21 LATEST PEACE EFFORTS (AUGUST 2001) 21 LATEST MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS (AUGUST 2001) 24 OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE IN AFGHANISTAN BY NEIGHBOURING STATES (DECEMBER 2000) 25 US THREATS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES ON NEIGHBOURINGS STATES' POLICY TOWARDS THE TALIBAN (OCTOBER 2001) 27 HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS 28 TALEBAN FORCES ACCUSED OF KILLING 100 TO 300 CIVILIANS IN YAKAOLANG DISTRICT (JANUARY 2001) 28 VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW BY BOTH PARTIES (DECEMBER 2000) 29 GENERAL INSECURITY DUE TO A COMBINATION OF WIDESPREAD POVERTY, PROTRACTED CONFLICT AND SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS (JUNE 2000) 31 SECURITY COUNCIL EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN ABOUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN (APRIL 2000) 33 TAJIK MINORITY FACES HARASSMENT AND FORCED DISPLACEMENT (AUGUST 1999) 34 THE U.S. - AFGHANISTAN WAR 34 US ASK TALEBAN TO HAND OVER BEN LADEN OR FACE MILITARY CONSEQUENCES (OCTOBER 2001) 34 US POLICY IN AFGHANISTAN IS LARGELY A FUNCTION OF OIL (OCTOBER 2001) 35 PEOPLE FLEE MAJOR CITIES TO RURAL AREAS IN FEAR OF U.S. ATTACKS (OCTOBER 2001) 37 NATURAL DISASTERS 39 LOCUST INFESTATION IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN (JUNE 2001) 39 ALARMING REGULARITY OF NATURAL DISASTERS IN AFGHANISTAN (1998-2001) 40 POPULATION PROFILE AND FIGURES 44 GENERAL 44 DEFINING THE IDPS IN AFGHANISTAN 44 ESTIMATED FIGURES OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS 45 TOTAL NUMBER OF IDPS AS OF MID-OCTOBER 2001AND PROJECTED DISPLACEMENT 45 TOTAL NUMBER OF IDPS AS OF APRIL 2001: 300,000-400,000 47 TOTAL NUMBER OF IDPS AT THE END OF 1999: 500,000-700,000 49 TOTAL NUMBER OF IDPS AT THE END OF 1998: 540,000-1,000,000 50 NUMBER AND LOCATION OF IDPS IN 1997: 445,000 50 AREAS OF DISPLACEMENT AND LOCATION OF IDPS 51 NORTH-EASTERN REGION OVERVIEW (OCTOBER 2001) 52 NORTHERN REGION OVERVIEW (OCTOBER 2001) 55 CENTRAL REGION OVERVIEW (OCTOBER 2001) 57 SOUTHERN REGION OVERVIEW (OCTOBER 2001) 63 WESTERN REGION OVERVIEW (OCTOBER 2001) 64 IDPS IN JALALABAD (OCTOBER 2001) 65 PATTERNS OF DISPLACEMENT 66 GENERAL 66 PEOPLE FLEE THE MAIN CITIES TO SEEK REFUGE IN RURAL AREAS (OCTOBER 2001) 66 THE PATTERN OF DISPLACEMENT FOLLOWS THE PATTERN OF FIGHTING (SEPTEMBER 2001) 67 FOUR MAJOR PATTERNS OF DISPACEMENT (OCTOBER 1999) 68 DISPLACEMENT IN NORTH-EASTERN AFGHANISTAN 69 PATTERNS OF DISPLACEMENT IN THE NORTH-EAST (DECEMBER 2000) 69 STRIKING DIFFERENCES IN THE PATTERN OF DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN DISPLACED FROM SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN SHAMALI (1999) 70 PHYSICAL SECURITY & FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 71 GENERAL 71 FEW SOURCES OF PROTECTION FOR IDPS (SEPTEMBER 2001) 71 MOVEMENT-RELATED NEEDS 71 PEOPLE IN DARA SUF PREVENTED BY THE MILITARY TO MOVE IN SEARCH OF SUPPORT (AUGUST 2000) 71 LIMITED FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT IN AND OUT THE EX-SOVIET EMBASSY FOR IDPS (OCTOBER 1999) 72 RESTRICTIONS ON FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT OF NON-P ASHTUN AFGHANS (1998) 72 LIFE AND PERSONAL SECURITY/ PERSONAL LIBERTY 73 FEAR THAT IDP CAMP BE USED AS RECRUITMENT BASES (OCTOBER 2001) 73 POPULATION MOVEMENTS TO RURAL AREAS INCREASE MINE THREATS (OCTOBER 2001) 73 IDPS STRANDED AT TAJIK-AFGHAN BORDER EXPOSED TO SHELLING (JANUARY 2001) 75 INDISCRIMINATE BOMBING OF IDPS IN THE PANJSHIR VALLEY (FEBRUARY 2000) 75 KILLING AND HOUSE BURNING IN BAMIYAN (1999) 76 ATTACKS ON CIVILIANS FLEEING MAZAR-I-SHARIF (AUGUST 1998) 76 CAMPS FOR IDPS USED AS LURES FOR JOINING TALIBAN FORCES (1998) 77 WOMEN AND CHILDREN 77 KEY ISSUES AFFECTING IDP CHILDREN (OCTOBER 2001) 77 DISPLACED WOMEN ARE EXTREMELY VULNERABLE (SEPTEMBER 2001) 78 UNICEF INVOLVED IN THE PROTECTION OF IDP CHILDREN AND WOMEN (MARCH 2001) 79 2 ELDERLY AND CHILDREN AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE IN IDP CAMPS IN THE NORTH (MARCH 2001) 80 DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES AGAINST WOMEN (JULY 2001) 80 IDP CHILDREN IN EX-SOVIET EMBASSY SUFFER FROM A RANGE OF PROBLEMS (OCTOBER 1999) 81 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS (HEALTH NUTRITION AND SHELTER) 82 GENERAL 82 ETHNICITY, TRIBALISM AND SURVIVAL (SEPTEMBER 2001) 82 OVERALL FOOD SITUATION AND PLANNED ASSISTANCE (SEPTEMBER 2001) 83 OVERALL HEALTH SITUATION AND PLANNED ASSISTANCE (SEPTEMBER 2001) 84 OVERALL WATER AND SANITATION SITUATION AND PLANNED ASSISTANCE (SEPTEMBER 2001) 85 OVERALL NON-FOOD ITEMS AND SHELTER SITUATION AND PLANNED ASSISTANCE (SEPTEMBER 2001) 85 HEALTH 86 HIGH MORTALITY RATES AMONG HAZARAJAT IDPS (OCTOBER 2001) 86 IDPS FROM CENTRAL HIGHLANDS MORE VULNERABLE TO MALARIA (SEPTEMBER 2001) 87 DISPLACEMENT OF POPULATION FOSTERS EPIDEMIC DISEASE (SEPTEMBER 2001) 88 CHOLERA OUTBREAK HITS NORTHERN AND WESTERN REGION (SEPTEMBER 2001) 89 OUTBREAK OF CHOLERA AND MEASLES IN THE NORTH (DECEMBER 2000) 89 PRECARIOUS LIVING CONDITIONS FOR IDPS IN THE DIPLOMATIC COMPOUND IN KABUL (OCTOBER 1999) 90 GENDER RESTRICTIONS LIMIT ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN (1997-1998) 91 NUTRITION 92 ABOUT 100,000 IDPS AROUND MAZAR-E-SHARIF FACE STARVATION (OCTOBER 2001) 92 UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF SEVERE MALNUTRITION IN MASLAKH CAMP IN HERAT (SEPTEMBER 2001) 93 GENERAL NUTRITIONAL OVERVIEW BY REGION (JULY 2001) 94 NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT AT AFGHAN-TAJIK BORDER SHOW RAPID DETERIORATION (JULY 2001) 96 DIFFERENCES IN LEVELS OF MALNUTRITION BETWEEN LOCAL AND IDP CHILDREN ARE SMALL IN THE NORTHEAST (DECEMBER 2000) 98 MAJOR NEED FOR COMPLEMENTARY FOOD ASSISTANCE IN NORTHERN TAKHAR (DECEMBER 2000) 99 RECENT IDP CHILDREN IN MAZAR NOT AT GREATER RISK OF MALNUTRITION THAN OTHER CHILDREN (NOVEMBER 2000) 100 ACUTE MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN IN SHOMALI PLAINS AND PANJSHEER VALLEY, BUT IDP CHILDREN NOT AT GREATER RISK (AUGUST 2000) 100 OVERALL FOOD SECURITY SITUATION EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE BECAUSE OF WORST DROUGHT SINCE 1971 (JUNE 2000) 103 ACF SURVEY SHOWS THAT IDP CHILDREN IN KABUL ARE NOT AT GREATER RISK OF MALNUTRITION THAN OTHER CHILDREN (FEBRUARY 2000) 105 INCREASED MALNUTRITION AMONG IDP CHILDREN IN THE EX-SOVIET COMPOUND (OCTOBER 1999) 107 FOOD INSECURITY FOR IDPS (OCTOBER 1999) 107 VERY LIMITED ACCESS TO FOOD SUPPLIES AMONG IDPS (1999) 109 SHELTER 109 10,000 SHELTERS NEEDED IN HERAT (SEPTEMBER 2001) 109 SHELTER AND HEATING URGENTLY NEEDED IN NORTHERN TAKHAR AS WINTER APPROACHES (DECEMBER 2000) 110 3 SHELTER CONDITIONS OF IDPS IN THE PANJSHEER VALLEY (SEPTEMBER 1999) 110 SHELTER CONDITIONS OF IDPS IN KABUL (NOVEMBER 1999) 111 SHELTER CONDITIONS OF DISPLACED WITHIN THE DISTRICT OF DARRA SOUF (OCTOBER 1999) 111 WATER 112 DROUGHT AFFECTS WATER SUPPLY FOR IDPS (JULY 2000) 112 NEEDS OF IDPS BY GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION 112 IDPS IN THE NORTHEAST IN NEED OF FOOD AND SHELTER (DECEMBER 2000) 112 DEPLETED COPING MECHANISMS THROUGHOUT AFGHANISTAN (AUGUST 2000) 113 PROSPECTS FOR THE IDPS IN PANJSHEER VALLEY (MARCH 2000) 114 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS AMONG IDPS IN THE PANJSHEER VALLEY (MARCH 2000) 115 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS AMONG IDPS OUTSIDE THE SOVIET COMPOUND IN KABUL (NOVEMBER 1999) 116 ACCESS TO EDUCATION 119 GENERAL 119 EDUCATION FOR IDP CHILDREN IS VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT IN MOST AREAS (SEPTEMBER 2001) 119 GENDER DISCRIMINATION RESTRICTS EDUCATION FOR GIRLS 120 THE TALIBAN IMPOSE SEVERE RESTRICTIONS ON EDUCATION FOR GIRLS IN URBAN AREAS (1998) 120 EDUCATION FOR IDP CHILDREN 121 UNICEF TO FACILITATE EDUCATION FOR IDP CHILDREN (MARCH 2001) 121 UN AND NGOS ARRANGE FOR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR IDP CHILDREN IN KABUL (AUGUST 2000) 121 EDUCATION NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE MOST RECENTLY DISPLACED (OCTOBER 1999) 123 ISSUES OF SELF-RELIANCE AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 124 ISSUES OF SELF-RELIANCE 124 SELF-RELIANCE STATUS OF IDPS IN NORTH-EASTERN AFGHANISTAN (OCTOBER 2000) 124 SITUATION PRECARIOUS FOR DISPLACED HOUSEHOLDS IN THE PANJSHEER VALLEY AS UNEMPLOYEMENT IS HIGH (MARCH 2000) 124 IDPS' COPING STRATEGIES (OCTOBER 1999) 125 ONLY ONE IN THREE IDPS OF THE EX-SOVIET EMBASSY IS EMPLOYED (NOVEMBER 1999) 125 THE TALIBAN IMPOSE BAN ON WOMEN TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT (1997) 126 ISSUES OF FAMILY UNITY, IDENTITY AND CULTURE 127 GENERAL 127 TALIBAN ACCUSED OF SEPARATING MEN FROM THEIR FAMILY DURING RELOCATION (2000) 127 PROPERTY ISSUES 128 GENERAL 128 SYSTEMATIC DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY BY TALIBAN FORCES DURING ATTACKS IN 1999 128 4 PERMISSION TO RETURN FROM KABUL TO RETRIEVE POSSESSIONS DISCONTINUED (NOVEMBER 1999) 128 PATTERNS OF RETURN AND RESETTLEMENT 129 RETURN AND RESETTLEMENT 129 20,000 IDPS IN HERAT HAVE REGISTERED TO RETURN (SEPTEMBER 2001) 129 MOST OF THE PERSONS DISPLACED IN HERAT BETWEEN 1996-1998 HAVE RETURNED (OCTOBER 2000) 129 SIGNIFICANT RESETTLEMENT IN THE DISTRICTS OF NORTHERN SHAMALI (SEPTEMBER- NOVEMBER 1999) 129 IDPS LIVING OUTSIDE THE SOVIET COMPOUND IN KABUL FACE OBSTACLES IN RETURN TO SHAMALI (NOVEMBER 1999) 130 RETURN OF IDPS TO BAMYAN (JUNE-SEPTEMBER 1999) 131 OBSTACLES TO RETURN AND RESETTLEMENT 131 VOLATILE SECURITY