OFFICE OF THE HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR IRAQ HUMANITARIAN SITUATION REPORT NUMBER 26 March 2003 Coordinator’s Comments Our 3,400 national colleagues are still operating their humanitarian activities with dedication and under difficult circumstances. Our hearts and thoughts are with them. 1 HIGHLIGHTS No major refugee influx has yet been reported in any of the neighbouring countries. UN agencies working closely with the government counterparts are in a state of readiness should such an influx occur. Reception centres and refugee camps are either already established or in the final stages of preparation. There are reports of displaced people gathered near the borders with Iran (approximately 22,000) and Syria (numbers unknown). In northern Iraq, Assessments of both areas will be undertaken by both NGOs and the UN. Sharp price increases for food, vegetables and fuel have been reported throughout the three northern governorates. The scarcity of fuel (price increase of 300% in one week) is impacting the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The DART team security component is conducting a security assessment of Umm Qasr today. The DART team may conduct a humanitarian assessment of Um Qasr tomorrow. 2 HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN IRAQ 2.1 ASSISTANCE NSTR 2.2 AFFECTED POPULATIONS Third Country Nationals (as of 25 March) Location In transit Departed Actual camp population Jordan Ruwasheid 1048 859 189 Syria El Hol 0 0 0 Damascus 7 0 7 Keshma 0 0 0 DTC 28 28 0 Kuwait Kuwait City 0 0 0 Iran 0 0 0 Turkey 0 0 0 1 2.3 OPERATIONAL ISSUES 2.3.1 NORTH (Erbil, Dahuk, Sulaymaniyah) The trucking of items across the Turkish border is currently a constraint due to reluctance by Turkish contractors to send vehicles into northern Iraq. The checkpoints with the GoI controlled areas are still closed. Tensions are reported to be growing in the three northern governorates due to conflict with the Ansar Al-Islam. Sulaymaniyah. The return of people to Sulaymaniyah has reportedly slowed possibly as a result of the bombardment of Ansar Al Islam HQ in the Halabja area and fears of possible counter attacks. There are unconfirmed reports of new displacement from areas controlled by Ansar Al-Islam to Said Sadiq and Saraw. The local press reports that school holidays have been extended until Thursday 27 March in Sulaymaniyah, thereby enabling the IDPs currently sheltering in schools to remain where they are until they either return home or to tented camps. Health interventions include, two rapid health assessment teams sent to Byzan (30 km northwest of Suleymaniyah) after a new wave of IDPs from Chamchamal was reported, 1,000 sachets of ORS delivered to an IDP camp after a reported increase in diarrhoea and the immunisation of 23,000 children from 42 schools in a small scale MMR immunization campaign in the district. WHO reports it has teams visiting on a daily basis the six IDP camps located in Bazyan, Ranya, Chawarback and Penjwin. Erbil. Many of those who had been displaced on the sides of the road have reportedly returned home or sought shelter in public buildings. Movement restrictions have been declared in areas around Qushtapa, Pirdawd and Aski Kalak due to security reasons. Heavy rain delayed work on Ashkawtawan tent in Mergasoor district. WHO teams participated in health assessments to two camps under preparation in Soran district. No outbreak of any disease has been reported so far. Food distributions under SCR986 general food distribution continued, concentrating on areas where residents host displaced relatives. In Erbil city, around 60 metric tons of various food commodities were also distributed to the beneficiaries of the SCR986 nutrition programme. Dahuk. The city is reported calm but the majority of families (around 188,000 persons) have moved to surrounding towns and villages. A limited number of families are reported to have returned. Local Authorities (LAs) are said to be reluctant to distribute relief items to these IDPs in order to encourage them to return to their homes. LAs prefer instead to keep stocks available for use by IDPs coming from the GoI controlled areas. UN agencies are engaged in discussions with the LAs to ensure those in most need are assisted. The LA is currently conducting an assessment of those IDPs who wish to return to their homes. 2 The LA in Dahuk have established 4 health and nutrition rapid assessment teams for IDPs. According to UNICEF all hospitals and public health centres in Dahuk city are well staffed and supplies of medicine and drugs are sufficient. Food distribution for June/July cycles continued to one of the heavily populated sectors. In some areas, however, distribution is yet to be carried out due to the absence of food agents. WFP is liaising with the LAs in order to resume distribution as soon as possible. The number of open shops has increased over the past few days. The 29 Mw plant in Dahuk is not functioning. There was an explosion in a vegetable market on 24 March but no reports of major damages or casualties. The perpetrators are unknown. 2.3.2 CENTRAL (Ninewa, Tameem, Salah al-Din) NSTR 2.3.3 BAGHDAD (Baghdad, Anbar, Diyala) ICRC hospital evaluations have slowed down due to heavy bombardment. In anticipation of possible interruptions in the water supply, ICRC continues to prepare hospitals and health centres. 5,000 one-litre bags of drinking water were delivered to a CARE-supported hospital, 2,400 bags were positioned and bladder-tans installed in eight primary health care centres and two autoclaves and water storage tanks installed in Al-Karama hospital. A further 220 cubic metres of supplementary drinking water was delivered to 19 water distribution stations in poorly served districts of the northern Rusafa bank area and to five health centres used as emergency centres at Kharh. At Al Kindi hospital work is ongoing to connect a new generator for an operating theatre. The Iraqi Red Crescent Society has set up 14 first aid posts throughout the city. These are manned 24 hours by two volunteers with first aid equipment. Two emergency WES teams have repaired 60-70% of the 73 back-up generators requiring repair. UNICEF reports that it has one WES team in each of the five zones, within which is a mobile workshop team on 24 hour alert. More water bladders are required. In Baghdad, WHO is in contact with the International Health Department and the Communicable Disease Control Department, however communications with Baghdad are increasingly difficult. 2.3.4 UPPER SOUTH (Najaf, Qadissiya, Wassit, Babil, Kerbala) NSTR 2.3.5 LOWER SOUTH (Basrah, Missan, Muthanna, Thi-Qar) Coalition forces report that the Umm Qasr area is now safe. DART teams are planning to do an assessment, possibly as early as Thursday 27 March. The UN, however, will conduct independent assessments in accordance with the security evaluation. Any return to Iraq has to be approved by the UNSG. 3 According to the HOC, there are virtually no displaced civilians in the area of Umm Qasr. The coalition forces’ Civil Affairs (CA) teams continue to conduct assessment today in the Umm Qasr area. Most of Basrah has been without water since Friday 21 March due to a power cut. A temporary solution by ICRC and local technicians restored water to 30-40% of the city but while it is potable, the quality is poor. Back up generators will offer a temporary solution. According to the HOC, the coalition forces have started to repair the water treatment plant near Basra and the pipeline which provides water to Umm Qasr (2.4 million liters per day) will be operational by 30 March. The crossing of civilian personnel via the Kuwait/Iraq border requires approval by the coalition forces. No areas in southern Iraq have been cleared and coalition forces view urban areas as particularly unsafe. No access roads have thus far been cleared. Coalition forces are conducting mine-sweeping of waters and port areas in Umm Qasr. 2.4 CONSTRAINTS 2.4.1 - 2.4.2 NSTR 2.4.2 FUNDING The Government of Norway has granted 160 million Norwegian kroner (US $21,622,790) to be allocated amongst the United Nations, ICRC, and NGOs. Finland has allocated 1.6 million euros for humanitarian aid in Iraq, of which one million euros is for the Finnish Red Cross and the ICRC, 300 000 euros through Finnchurchaid and 300,000 for the United Nations. 2.5 CIVIL MILITARY COORDINATION The RFA ship, ‘Sir Galahad’ has been loaded with 232 tons of food, water, wheat, vegetable oil, blankets and medical supplies, provided for by the GoK through the Kuwaiti Red Crescent. The ship will head for Umm Qasr as soon as waters and port areas are cleared of mines. 3 SECURITY UPDATE NSTR 4 HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES 4.1 IRAN 4.1.1 OVERALL HUMANITARIAN SITUATION No Iraqis have yet crossed the border to Iran. The border to Iraq is officially closed, but the Iranian government has said that actual application of the policy will be as flexible as needed to meet the needs of the humanitarian situation. BAFIA has given assurance regarding access of UN humanitarian personnel into border sites. However, UNHCR agency staff reported some difficulties in this regard over the past week. 4 Approximately 22,000 Iraqi Kurds are reported to be moving close to the Iranian border. They have so far not made any attempts to cross. Possible entry points would be Nowsud and up north towards Mariva and Baneh. UNHCR are sending staff members to the area. (See 2.3.1 above) UNHCR has released 1 million dollars to BAFIA for expenses for preparatory work, including clearing of land mines, construction of access roads and the building of water and sanitation facilities in four camp sites along the border inside south-western Iran.