U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
CENTRAL ASIA TASK FORCE
CENTRAL ASIA REGION - Complex Emergency
Fact Sheet #34, Fiscal Year (FY) 2002    December 10, 2001


Note: This Fact Sheet updates previously released Central Asia Region Fact
Sheets and Situation Reports.

Numbers Affected

- According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination on
Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), 7.5 million Afghans are in urgent need of
humanitarian assistance including food, shelter, health, education, and
demining initiatives.

- On December 3 IRIN reported that approximately 150,000 Afghan refugees
have entered Pakistan since September 11.  Although United Nations (U.N.)
and nongovernmental organization (NGO) sources are reporting increased
population movements since November 12, it is not clear how many new
refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) there are at this time.


Relief Activities

- On December 9, the Government of Uzbekistan (GOU) re-opened the
Friendship Bridge that joins Uzbekistan and Afghanistan in Termez, after
having been closed for the last 3 years. Fourteen railcars transported 600
MT of humanitarian supplies across the bridge on the first day of
operation.

- The GOU has not yet established procedures for NGOs and international
organizations to obtain the new special permit for expatriate travel to
Termez.  The travel restriction is therefore not being enforced by the
GOU.  The new permit requirement was to take effect on December 1.

- Numerous NGOs operating in Mazar-e-Sharif report that the major concerns
in the city are a lack of relief supplies and poor information on the
delivery pipeline. NGOs are also citing the need for processed and blended
foods.

- On December 8, the World Food Program (WFP) began its general
distribution in Herat, targeting the 1.3 million most vulnerable of the
city's 1.7 million residents.

- IOM reports that there is an urgent need for heating fuel in Hazarajat.
Security

- Security officers from UNHCR and the UN Security Coordination Office
(UNSECOORD) have completed a security assessment of Mazar-e-Sharif.
Their initial reports are "cautiously optimistic" about international aid
access to the city.

- Opposition forces now control most of the Kandahar region. UNOCHA
reports that the situation in Kandahar is chaotic with widespread looting
taking place in the city.

- Radio Afghanistan has begun to broadcast ICRC mine awareness public
announcements to the civilian population in Kabul.

- UNICEF distributed 10,000 blankets for 5,000 families, 9,800 mattresses,
6,000 children's sweaters and 6,000 children's winter shoes in Maslakh
camp between December 4-6.


Population Movements

- UNHCR is urging Afghan refugees from Kandahar not to return to the city
yet, because the security situation and aid access in the city remain
uncertain.

- NGOs in Mazar-e-Sharif are reporting that while some IDP camps have
closed, others are opening or expanding, particularly in locations with
ongoing distribution of relief supplies.

- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is preparing to
conduct a full re-registration of all residents of Maslakh camp near
Herat. IOM plans to use scannable bracelets for the heads of family and
IOM will then input the data into their database.  IOM reports that camp
leaders are not enthusiastic about the re-registration process.

- The UNOCHA Regional Coordinator is lobbying strongly for a new camp to
be established near Herat as soon as possible so that Maslakh camp can be
closed to new arrivals.  Maslakh currently holds an estimated 200,000-
300,000 residents.

- Some reports suggest that expectations of food arrivals in Ghor and
Baghdis provinces are discouraging residents from leaving home for IDP
camps in Herat.

- The Government of Pakistan continues to ban UNHCR from accepting new
refugees at the Chaman border crossing.  UNICEF reports that up to 3,000
Afghans are camped at Chaman, awaiting inprocessing at the Killi Faizo
transit camp.  UNICEF reports that malnourishment at the camps is high.
Approximately 250-350 people are registering at the transit camp per day
despite the ongoing ban.


Logistics

- UNOCHA reported that its international staff have returned to Bamian in
the Central Highlands. UNOCHA is planning a technical assessment of the
airport with the local authorities.

- WFP has two warehouses in Hairaton capable of storing a total of 70,000
MT of food. WFP has begun repairing the warehouses, which are in need
substantial reconditioning.


U.S. Government Activities

New Actions

- To date, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has airdropped 2,332,800
Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs)  into Afghanistan. According to DOD, the
cost of the airdrop operations to date, including the rations, transport,
and fuel expenses, total approximately $49.4 million.


Disaster Declarations & Background

- On October 4, 2001, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs
Christina B. Rocca redeclared a complex humanitarian disaster for
Afghanistan for FY 2002.

- On October 10, 2001, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires James A. Boughner declared a
disaster for Tajikistan due to drought.


FY 2002 USG Assistance to Afghanistan
Total USAID/OFDA	$59,320,284
Total USAID/FFP 	$40,555,000
Total USAID/OTI	$1,687,820
Total State/PRM	$32,260,000
Total DOD*	$49,397,769

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 2002	$183,220,873
TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 2001**	$183,107,625

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan FY 2001/2002
$366,328,498


FY 2002 USG Assistance to Tajikistan
Total USAID/OFDA	$998,180
Total USAID/FFP	$20,000,000

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2002	$20,998,180
TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2001	$67,210,000

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2001/2002
$88,208,180

Note: Full details of funding above are available in weekly USAID/OFDA
Central Asia Region Situation Reports.

* Note: DOD funding totals are estimates.

** Note:  Final accounting of USDA contributions in FY01 showed an
additional expense of $4.5 million for transport costs.  This figure has
not been reported previously.


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