September 9, 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: During rotation, Ukraine’s contingent will be reduced from about 1,600 to about 1,400 troops; The Constitutional Court in Costa Rica, a country with no army, rules that Costa Rica be removed from the US “coalition of the willing” list; Japanese Foreign Ministry vehicle attacked— no Japanese were in the vehicle at the time; Poland meets with the 11 multinational force countries in its sector—develops plans for Polish troop reduction from 2,500 to between 1,000 and 1,500—will no longer be responsible for Karbala province; UN: Secretary-General Kofi Annan says current situation prevents UN from fully implementing Security Council Resolution 1546, which sets out a leading role for the UN in the political process in Iraq—Annan reports UN staff in Iraq at a maximum of 35 and says it is operating at the “maximum limit of acceptable risk”; Annan calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in Iraq; Japan asks the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ashraf Qazi, to a ttend a mid-October donors meeting in Tokyo; Refugees: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) discourages repatriation, but says that refugee returns continue despite insecurity; Most returning from Iran to south have been unassisted with minimal problems; UNHCR suspends planned convoys from Iran to northern Iraq due to lack of housing and to southern Iraq due to insecurity; Between 80,000 and 130,000 Iraqi refugees remain in Iran; 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; Interim government starting to move IDPs out of government buildings in vicinity of Baghdad with grants of US$200 to US$400; US general criticizes lack of progress by Iraqi Property Claims Commission as impeding resettlement of IDPs; Civil Society/Rule of Law: Organizations hold off on new aid for Sadr City section of Baghdad as security situation and need are assessed; US Treasury Under Secretary John Taylor points to financial stability accompanying introduction of new dinar last year and its 25% appreciation since then; Insurgent attacks, bombings, kidnappings, and assassinations continue; Civil–Military Interaction: Multinational force continues deadly air strikes against insurgent positions in Fallujah—little sign of Fallujah Brigade operating under multinational force and interim government approval—police said to be operating with approval of insurgents; Multinational force attack on the city of Tall Afar, believed to be infiltration point for insurgents near the Syrian border; Humanitarian Access to Iraq: International humanitarian staff expected to depart Iraq in view of deliberate and well-organized abduction of two Italian and two Iraqi aid workers; UN Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) reports that humanitarians in Iraq have generally well-established commercial means to bring in supplies; An estimated 500 to 1,000 local NGOs established—many struggle with credibility and funding; Economy/Oil: Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) says it pumping 30 million barrels per day (bpd), including a fluctuating 2 million from Iraq—OPEC’s quota is 26 million bpd; 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 Sufficient fuel imports from Turkey in north—Saudi Arabia suspends shipments to south central region after attack on drivers; Oil income this year exceeds US$9 billion; Estimated US$15 billion needed to refurbish oil industry; Water/power: 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— UNJLC estimates 6,500 MW to 7,000 MW could be generated next summer; Iraq needs at least US$12 billion to repair electricity sector and meet demand for 24-hour per day power; Numerous water treatment plants and pipeline projects underway throughout country—may take three years or longer; Food: Nearly all 1.6 million metric tons (MT) of food contracted for by the World Food Program (WFP) in March have been delivered; Ministry of Trade contracts will handle food imports starting this month; August Public Distribution System (PDS) disbursement of food nearly complete— system running smoothly; WFP planning a school feeding program; Health and Medical: Health Minister Alaadin Alwan outlines four priorities—first in increasing availability of medications through control of theft, corruption, mismanagement; Recently instituted central distribution of drugs by Health Ministry causing delays at hospitals—improved procedures being developed; Anecdotal reports of child malnutrition, stunted growth, and low weight rates of 30% to 40%— contaminated water blamed as larger cause after the war. 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: 839,000 Population of Sulaymaniyah: 662,600 Population of Dahuk: 817,000 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 Construction workers uncovered a mass grave near the town of Halabja, located 150 miles (241 km) northeast of Baghdad. Halabja was the site of a poison gas attack in 1988, which killed up to 7,000 people. The grave is believed to hold the remains of dozens of victims of the attack. 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 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 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 IDP Movement 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.