PACIFIC DISASTER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION NETWORK (PDMIN) 1 Jarrett White Road MCPA-DM, Tripler AMC, HI 96859-5000 Telephone: 808.433.7035 · [email protected] · http://www.coe-dmha.org -Pacific Daily Report May 17, 2004 Afghanistan United Nations warns progress in Afghanistan towards democracy and stability "insufficient" The United Nations is warning that overall progress in Afghanistan towards democracy and stability was not sufficient. Speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP) in the capital yesterday (Sunday, May 16), Jean Arnault, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said, “It is absolutely clear that the progress which has been made so far is insufficient.” He added that the disarmament of armed militias, the creation of a professional police force and the formation of a single Afghan Army have to take place to comply with the 2001 Bonn peace agreement to turn the country to lasting peace and stability. Arnault said, “Unless we have a transition that addresses these conditions we will not have peace.” He said that factional armies were a threat to the peace process and could plunge the country into a civil war. Arnault emphasized that private armies must disarm before the scheduled nationwide general elections in September. He said the UN would not be compromised on the disarmament issue. Separately, the Afghan government kicked off the main campaign of a UN-backed Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) campaign in the capital Kabul today (Monday, May 17). Some 69 Soviet- era surface-to-air missiles were turned in by the 99th Rocket Brigade. Afghan Deputy Defense Minister Abdur Rahim Wardak urged all troops, which are not part of the US-trained Afghan National Army, to surrender their weapons, warning that those failing to do so would face action by the central government. The DDR plans to call for the demobilization of some 40 percent of nearly 70,000 factional militias by the end of next month (June) and ahead of the general elections. Manoel de Almeida e Silva, spokesman for UNAMA said, “A national election could be a genuine exercise in free political choice only after guns cease to be a tool in the hands of local power holders.” http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/6686f45896f15dbc852567ae00530132/3a151078f1cd330349256e9700105152?OpenDocument http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=46E1AF42-BDF4-45F4-A6A5D4F1318A1F82

East Timor UN Security Council extends mandate of UN Mission in Last Friday (May 14) the UN Security Council decided unanimously to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) for another 6 months. East Timorese officials had requested a full year extension. Under the new resolution, the mission’s mandate would consist of “support for the public administration and justice system of Timor-Leste and for justice in the area of serious crimes; support to the development of law enforcement in Timor- Leste; (and) support for the security and stability of Timor-Leste,” says a report by Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The Security Council says that personnel would be downgraded from around 3,000 to about 700 staff. The new downsized force would include up to 157 civilian police advisers, 58 civilian advisers, 42 military liaison officers, 310 troops and a 125-person International Response Unit. The Council says that UNMISET will put more emphasis on training and advisory services and will phase it out by May 2005. The Council also said that the Serious Crime Unit should conclude all trials no later than May 20, 2005. Meanwhile, East Timor’s foreign minister Jose Ramos Horta says that East Timor wants to find a solution that is “acceptable to all” for human rights violations committed in East Timor during the territory’s vote for independence in 1999. The UN says that over 1,000 people were killed in the violence surrounding the referendum by pro-Jakarta militiamen, allegedly backed by the Indonesian military (TNI). Horta says that East Timor’s President Xanana Gusmao and Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri met in Bali yesterday to discuss the UN’s push to bring to justice those responsible for the crimes. However, he added that the two did not discuss former Indonesian General Wiranto, who is currently running for the presidency, and who was issued an arrest warrant by a UN-backed tribunal last week for his alleged role in the violence. Gusmao has said that he does not support the charges against Wiranto and says that building better ties with Indonesia is more important than seeking justice. Horta says that the two countries will “explore some ideas based (on our) interest and concern including the issue of justice, without losing focus…of the strong bilateral ties between East Timor and Indonesia.” http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=10747&Cr=timor&Cr1= http://asia.news.yahoo.com/040516/ap/d82jiud01.html http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200405/200405150007.html

India Leftist parties debate joining victorious Congress Party, causing political and economic jitters in India Political and economic jitters occurred in India today as leftist parties debated joining the coalition of the main opposition Congress Party, which won a surprise victory in last week’s elections. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), the country’s largest leftist party, decided to stay out of the government, as communist parties said they would back the government, but not join in. It is common in India for parties to support the government from outside a formal coalition. Leftist parties compete with Congress at the state level, but also strongly oppose the return of the outgoing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Traders reportedly fear that the Congress Party’s communist allies would block ongoing economic reforms, especially the privatization of state- owned companies. However, senior Congress leader and former finance minister Manmohan Singh assured that they will continue economic reforms and will take action against speculators seeking to create “artificial panic.” Singh had helped launched previous economic reforms under a Congress government in the 1990s. Congress had campaigned on bringing economic benefits to the lower classes, while observers say that the BJP’s campaign based on India’s improving economy failed to impress India’s poor masses. Meanwhile, the BJP, which suffered a stunning election defeat, said that it would agitate and boycott the swearing-in ceremony, to protest Italian-born Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origins. Only outgoing Prime Minister Atal Vajpayee would be attending. Gandhi’s husband, Rajiv, her mother-in-law, Indira, as well as Indira’s father, Jawaharlal Nehru, served as former Indian prime ministers. The Congress Party has yet to officially announce the next Prime Minister, which is most likely to be Gandhi. Meanwhile, today welcomed a statement by Gandhi saying that she would continue the peace process with Pakistan. Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Masood Khan said that Pakistan officials are still planning to travel to New Delhi for negotiations on nuclear confidence-building measures for May 25-26, between the two nuclear powers. “As far as we are concerned, we want to continue the peace process [according to the February roadmap],” he said, referring to the landmark agreement in which both countries agreed to hold composite peace dialogue. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/south_asia/3719833.stm http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&sursess=1&id=43352 http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040517_750.html http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/reuters20040517_163.html http://asia.news.yahoo.com/040517/ap/d82kb8681.html

Indonesia Aceh rebels release detainees as military imposed deadline nears Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels released more than 48 detainees today as an Indonesian military (TNI) deadline for midnight tonight approached. The TNI had demanded that the rebels release all of the some 200 people they were holding. The hostages that were released today were escorted by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Indonesian Red Cross representatives to a hospital in East Aceh. Yesterday, the GAM released around 26 people. The GAM has promised to release the rest of the hostages. A local GAM spokesperson, Teuku Cut Kafrawi says that they had registered some 133 people that were released to the ICRC. He said that the GAM would return to the mountains and to their separatist struggle once the hostage handover was completed. Last week (May 13) the Indonesian government announced that it would downgrade martial law in the troubled province to a state of civil emergency. Security Minister Hari Sabarno said the security situation was improving and that rebel numbers were dwindling. The downgrade will take place on May 19, one year after martial law was declared and the Indonesian government began its military operation to defeat the GAM. The military said earlier this month that since the military operation started, some 1,963 GAM rebels have been killed, while another 2,100 rebels were arrested and another 1,276 have surrendered to authorities. The GAM has been fighting for an independent homeland since 1976. Some 12,000 people have died in the fighting since then. http://asia.news.yahoo.com/040516/ap/d82jjtfo0.html http://www.reliefweb.int

Bomb explodes in Indonesia's eastern Ambon city--no immediate reports of casualties A bomb was set off in Indonesia’s eastern city of Ambon today, in an area which is said to border Muslim and Christian communities in the city, however, no casualties were immediately reported, the Jakarta Post reports. Local residents had reported that they had seen two flags of the separatist Christian South Maluku Republic flying over a predominantly Muslim area. On April 25, violence between Christians and erupted after a small group of RMS supporters marched in Ambon to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the group. The march was seen as a provocation by the Muslim community and clashes broke out. Around 38 people were killed in the violence in the following days and at least 150 were reported to have been injured. The Muslim-Christian clashes also left more than a hundred homes and buildings in ruin, including a building used by the United Nations. UN staff pulled out of the area as a result of the violence. Additionally, the Jakarta Post reports that some 9,000 people were forced to flee their homes from the fighting. It was the worst outbreak of violence since a government-brokered peace pact in February 2002 ended some 3 years of violence between warring factions in which over 5,000 died and over half a million people were displaced. In a report issued today, the International Crisis Group (ICG) says that some 20,000 remain displaced from the earlier violence. The last report of violence occurred on May 5, when two Christian villagers were shot and killed by gunmen in a speedboat on nearby Buru Island. Most of the violence had been contained in Ambon city prior to that incident. http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaillatestnews.asp?fileid=20040517200236&irec=1 http://www.crisisweb.org/home/index.cfm?1=1&id=2754

Nepal Maoist violence across spikes ahead of 3-day general strike tomorrow Violence continued across Nepal as at least 10 Maoist rebels and a police officer were killed in violence across Nepal. Additionally, several bombs, allegedly planted by Maoists, also rocked the Himalayan nation. The state-run The Rising Nepal said that 3 Maoists were killed during an operation carried out by security troops in Taplejung district. Five other rebels died during a clash with security troops in Chitwan district while one rebel died in Morang district and another was reported to have been killed in Dolakha district. A soldier was killed when Maoists attacked a patrol in the tourist spot, Pokhara municipality. On Friday (May 14) night, police said that Maoists set off a bomb at a lodge in Pokhara, while on Saturday (May 15) rebels set off a bomb at an office in Kathmandu. No one was reported injured in either of the incidents. Yesterday, a bomb was set off at a garment factory on the outskirts of the capital and one person was reported injured by the blast. Last night, Maoists also reportedly set off a bomb in a storeroom at the Royal Chitwan National Park. No one was reported injured from the blast. Today, in continuing violence, Maoists torched an ambulance in Dhankuta district. The violence comes ahead of a Maoist-called three-day strike to begin tomorrow. Last week, the five main opposition political parties called a two-day general strike which virtually shut down the country. Agence France- Presse reported earlier this month that more than 2,500 people have been killed since the Maoists ended a 7-month ceasefire last August. Over 9,200 have died since the Maoists began fighting in 1996. http://hindustantimes.com/news/181_757831,00050002.htm http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_759602,00050002.htm http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=11846

Pakistan Pakistan deploys military troops in its tribal region after terror suspects fail to register under a government amnesty Pakistan is deploying fresh troops in its semiautonomous tribal region of Waziristan along the Afghan border, for possible military action against foreign militants believed to be hiding in the area. The fresh deployment comes after foreign terror suspects failed to accept a government offer of amnesty that called for their registration and a pledge to denounce violence that in turn would have allowed them to stay in the area. However, not a single foreigner has registered under the amnesty as a series of deadlines for amnesty passed on Saturday (May 15). According to Kyodo News, a 79-vehicle military convoy moved out of a military base in Wana in South Waziristan and is heading towards Razmak in neighboring North Waziristan. Brigadier Mahmood Shah told the Associated Press (AP) that troops have been deployed to closely monitor the efforts of the lashkar (a force of local tribesmen) to get foreigners registered. He added that the army would move in if the lashkar fails to deliver. Shah said an influential tribal leader, Nek Mohammed, was not cooperating with the government despite his assurances. Pakistan is under intense US pressure to flush out some 400- 500 foreign terrorists accused of launching attacks against the US and Afghan troops in eastern Afghanistan. At least 63 local and foreign al-Qaeda suspects, nearly 50 Pakistani troops and a dozen civilians were killed during a military operation near Wana in South Waziristan in March this year. Since then, Pakistan has been trying to find a peaceful solution to the problem but has had little success so far. http://asia.news.yahoo.com/040517/ap/d82ka9c83.html http://asia.news.yahoo.com/040515/kyodo/d82j25oo0.html

Philippines Thousands displaced and stranded as Super- typhoon Nida hits eastern Philippines Thousands of people have been reportedly displaced or stranded as Super-typhoon Nida (local name: Dindo) lashed the eastern Philippines and this morning struck the eastern province of Catanduanes, which has a population of 200,000 people. Reports of deadly landslides in the province could not be confirmed, as communications lines have been downed by the storm. The Civil Defense office Operations Chief Neri Amparo said that the government would dispatch military helicopters to Catanduanes as soon as weather permits, to investigate reports of the deaths. Previous forecasts did not expect the typhoon, which recently increased to a super-typhoon, to make landfall. Strong winds and flooding have displaced more than 6,000 people on Leyte and Samar provinces, where the typhoon brushed past the region on Saturday (May 15). The Office of the Civil Defense in the central eastern region of Bicol has recommended that the region be put under a state of calamity as Nida has affected the area since last night. Heavy flooding has been reported in some parts of the region. In addition more than 10,000 passengers have been stranded in the central and eastern Philippines due to the storm. More information is expected after additional information reaches Manila. The typhoon is forecast to hit Isabela and Cagayan provinces in the northeastern coast of Luzon island tomorrow, according to local weather reports, and is expected to be heading for southern Japan by Thursday (May 20). According to the US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), the typhoon currently has maximum sustained winds of 173 mph (278 kph), and is expected to decrease to 138 mph (222 kph) within the next 24 hours. Disaster officials have urged residents along coastal areas to seek higher grounds, while those near mountain slopes were urged to be on alert for landslides and flash floods. About 20 storms and typhoons hit the Philippines every year, claiming about 500 lives, according to official records. Nida is the fourth storm to enter the Philippines this year. The typhoon season usually runs from June to October, but unseasonal typhoons are not uncommon. http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2004/may/18/yehey/top_stories/20040518top3.html http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200405180404.htm http://www.terradaily.com/2004/040517095353.jm25lrig.html https://metoc.npmoc.navy.mil/jtwc.html

South Asia Cyclone increases in intensity in the Bay of Bengal, heat wave claims at least 80 in northeast India, Bangladesh; Violent storm in Bangladesh claims 3 lives According to the US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), a tropical cyclone has formed in the Bay of the Bengal, just south of the northeastern Indian state of West Bengal. The India-based Times reports that the storm is likely to bring heavy winds and rain to coastal West Bengal and neighboring Orissa state in the next 24 hours as it moves in a northwesterly direction. Currently, the maximum sustained winds of the cyclone is at 40 mph (65 kph) and is forecast to increase to 52 mph (83 kph) in the next 24 hours. The storm is forecast to cross the coast in Orissa and West Bengal around Tuesday night (May 18) or Wednesday morning (May 19). Local weather reports forecast heavy rainfall tonight in Calcutta city (in West Bengal) and other neighboring areas, with thunderstorms throughout the day tomorrow. The cyclone season in the Bay of Bengal runs from May to November. Meanwhile, a heatwave that swept the region in the past 2 weeks has claimed 61 lives in Orissa and 7 others in West Bengal. An official said all of the deaths allegedly occurred due to heat stroke. Officials have reportedly been asked to provide adequate water for residents in dry areas. In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, at least 6 people have been killed as temperatures rose to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 degrees Celsius), which is warmer than average. In neighboring Bangladesh, 9 people reportedly succumbed to heatstroke over the past week. Although heat conditions are still occurring in coastal districts over the past week, rains from the tropical cyclone have brought some relief. Finally, a suspected tornado killed 3 people and injured 200 others in Bangladesh’s northern Netrokona district on Saturday (May 15). Violent storms are common in Bangladesh, before the onset of the monsoon season from June to October. A series of tornadoes last month left at least 72 people dead and 1,000 others injured in northern Bangladesh. http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040515/sc_afp/bangladesh_weather_040515221146 http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/05/17/d40517012424.htm http://www.keralanext.com/news/index.asp?id=36339 http://www.bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidType=NAT&hidRecord=0000000000000000008659 http://www.bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidType=NAT&hidRecord=0000000000000000008288 http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_761960,000900010004.htm http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_761852,000900030010.htm http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_761660,0006.htm https://metoc.npmoc.navy.mil/jtwc.html