September 29, 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: Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari announced a late-November meeting in Egypt to support political stability and elections—hopes for attendance by neighboring countries, G8, China, the UN, Arab League, Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and the European Union (EU); Italy welcomes release of its two female humanitarian hostages—France hopeful on release of its journalists; British Prime Minister Tony Blair admits error on weapons of mass destruction threat—avoids possible vote to remove British troops; UN: Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi tells General Assembly of need for help from neighbors and international community to reconstruct the country and defeat terrorism; Fiji is the first of 22 countries approached by the US to commit forces for UN security—Fiji will send nearly 200 soldiers and bodyguards next month; Refugees: In general UNHCR discourages repatriation, but says that refugee returns continue despite insecurity; Most returning from Iran to south have been unassisted with minimal problems; Between 80,000 and 130,000 Iraqi refugees remain in Iran; UNHCR his reinstituted limited assisted returns; Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): 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; Some Kurds getting housing in northern Kurdish areas—Arabs being displaced by Kurds prior to October census; Some 3,000 people displaced by fighting in northern city of Tall Afar returned—tens of thousands had fled; Civil Society/Rule of Law: War crimes tribunal set up to try Saddam Hussein and other senior leaders, is the only mechanism to deal with human rights violations; UN Human Rights Chief for Iraq, John Pace, says 262 mass grave sites identified; Insurgent attacks, bombings, kidnappings, and assassinations continue with an estimated 2,300 attacks on forces and contractors in the last month; Civil–Military Interaction: Prime Minister Iyad Allawi says decisive action to be taken in Fallujah if political solution is not found; Military assessment: foreign fighters are a minority of insurgents; One-third of 3,600 US soldiers called back to duty report late; US and Iraqi officials say offensive strikes will be conducted to ensure safety for voters ahead of elections in January 2005; Humanitarian Access to Iraq: International humanitarian staff increase security and lower visibility even further—most expected to depart; An estimated 500 to 1,000 local NGOs have been established, but many struggle with credibility and funding; Economy/Oil: Oil exports from north are reportedly back to normal—average of 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) flowing to terminal in Ceyhan, Turkey, but frequent sabotage has resulted in US$ 1 billion in losses this year; US State Department reports to Congress that only US$1 billion of US$18 billion reconstruction fund has been spent; Water/power: More than US$600 million has been spent on water and sanitation projects since March 2003, but another US$500 million is needed to complete work—Iraqi officials say goal to fix all water and 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 sanitation facilities by August 2005 will not be met if security does not improve; 5,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity now being routinely generated—greater than pre-war 4,400 MW— generally 11 to 15 hours of electricity available each day—year-end goal now 6,000 MW; Iraq needs at least US$12 billion to repair electricity sector and meet demand for 24-hour per day power; Food: World Food Program (WFP)’s first Baseline Food Security Assessment in Iraq concludes that some 25% of the Iraqi population remains dependent on food rations, with some 2.6 million having to resell food rations to buy other necessities, 27% of all children under five are chronically malnourished— 3.6 million Iraqis would become food insecure if the rationing system ended; Public Distribution System (PDS) food disbursement system running smoothly; Health and Medical: US military and Iraqi engineers rebuilding health facilities; Health Minister Alaadin Alwan outlines four priorities—first in increasing availability of medications through control of theft, corruption, mismanagement; Ministry of Health completed a National Polio Immunization campaign targeting 5 million children—Iraq remains polio-free; Routes for Humanitarian Aid Country Supply Routes Supply Routes Comments From: To: Iskenderun (port) Turkey Mersin (port) North Open for humanitarian supplies Silopi Bandar Imam Khomeni (Port) South Open for humanitarian supplies Iran Ahwaz Kermanshah Northeast Open for humanitarian supplies Shipping Open for humanitarian supplies; Iraq South, Central Umm Qasr (port) High charges limit use Open for humanitarian supplies; Kuwait Kuwait City (port) South, Central Also military use Aqaba (port) Jordan Central Open for humanitarian supplies Ar Ruwayshid Latakia (port) Central Abu Kamal Syria Tartus (port) Beirut, Lebanon (port) Central Open for humanitarian supplies Al Tanf Al Yarubiyeh North Open for humanitarian supplies 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 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 IDP Movement About 362 people, including 47 Syrian families, are staying at a refugee camp about 12 miles (20 km) north of Dahuk. The Syrians said they left their country due to deteriorating conditions after inter-ethnic violence and Kurdish rioting erupted in March 2004. UNHCR has registered the camp residents and is supplying non-food items. ―August-10-04 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. Food No New Information Health The World Health Organization (WHO) is proceeding with the rehabilitation and renovation of the Nursing Education Center in Sulaymaniyah governorate and is continuing to provide technical assistance for a Ministry of Health initiative to upgrade rural health services. ⎯July-19-04 Non-Food Items – Swedish NGO Qandil is working with UNCHR to build accommodations in Shelter Sulaymaniyah for 250 Iranian Kurds who left deteriorating conditions in the Al-Tash Camp in al-Anbar Governorate. Increasing numbers of families moved north following recent clashes between US forces and militants in Fallujah. ⎯July-13-04 Water & Sanitation No New Information Security According to demining NGOs, there are more than 3,000 minefields remaining in the three northern governorates. The estimated 10 million mines and unexploded ordnance units in the north could take up to 15 years to clear. Nine demining organizations, four of which are local, are conducting demining operations. ⎯July-7-04 In order to strengthen security measures, Kurdish authorities have set up roadblocks at the entrances of Erbil city to replace checkpoints, which were dismantled in April. ⎯May-4-04 Other/Comments The NGO Kurdistan Organization for Mine Awareness (KOMA) is running the Spindari summer school in the village of Spindari, north of the city of Dahuk, to educate children on the risks of landmines. ⎯Aug-12-04 Al-Tamim, Ninewa, Salahaldin Coordination No New Information 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]. 4 Population Population of Mosul: 1.7 million Population of Kirkuk: 755,700 Population of Tikrit: 28,000 IDP Movement There are reports of continuing displacement of Arabs from the city of Kirkuk by returning Kurds, who were forced out under Saddam Hussein. According to local aid agencies, 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, to date, no cases have been resolved. ⎯Sept-23-04 According to reports, over 70,000 IDPs, including 65,747 Kurds, 4,757 Turkmen, and 2,226 Arabs, have settled in Salahaldin, and some 84,000 IDPs, including 77,000 Kurds, 5,000 Arabs, and 2,000 Turkmen, have settled in Al-Tamim. Most are living in camps in the north, 44 of which are in Al-Tamim. ⎯Sept-03-04 Food No New Information Health Multinational forces have purchased medical supplies in an effort to provide equipment and other essential supplies to the Tall Afar hospital.