U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
CENTRAL ASIA TASK FORCE
CENTRAL ASIA REGION - Complex Emergency
Fact Sheet #8, Fiscal Year (FY) 2002    October 15, 2001


Note: this Fact Sheet updates previously released Central Asia Region Fact
Sheets.

Numbers Affected

- The total known number of Afghans to have crossed into Pakistan since
September 11 remains 20,000.  Additional unknown numbers have crossed at
informal crossing points.  There are no new reports of refugees crossing
into Iran.

- There have been no reports of substantial population movements towards
Afghanistan's borders since air strikes began on October 7.


Afghanistan

- Recent reports of a new tax imposed by the Taliban on some humanitarian
shipments were erroneous.  The reports stemmed from price hikes sought by
drivers crossing into Afghanistan at Pakistan's Chaman border crossing.
The threefold increase in price stems from security risks, higher fuel
costs, and route changes.

- According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (UNOCHA), only small numbers of people are leaving the southern
Afghanistan city of Kandahar.

- UNOCHA reported October 12 that there have been small-scale movements of
people towards Herat.  Previously, there had been reports that the influx
of internally displaced persons (IDPs) into Herat had stopped, and that
some IDPs were departing for home areas.

- UNOCHA reported that food distribution in Kabul to 320,000 people on the
U.N. World Food Program's (WFP's) bakeries distribution list is complete
for October.  Distribution is continuing to rural families near Kabul.

- The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan announced October 12 that it will
transport 32 metric tons (MT) of emergency medical supplies to Kabul, for
onward delivery to its 167 clinics in 19 provinces of Afghanistan.

- On October 13, International Organization for Migration (IOM) trucks
carrying UNICEF items, including 10,000 blankets, 10,000 sweaters, and
10,000 children's shoes, arrived in Mazar-e-Sharif.  The items will be
distributed in IDP camps in Kunduz Province.

- Seven UNICEF trucks arrived in Herat, carrying relief items including
water jugs for 70,000 people, winter clothing, and delivery kits.

- Three flights carrying additional UNICEF supplies for Afghanistan have
arrived in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Pakistan.  Commodities include
15,000 blankets, 60,000 units of therapeutic food, 20,000 water jugs,
emergency health supplies for two million people for three months, and
school supplies for 50,000 primary school children.

- As of October 12, WFP reported that it had 9,287 MT of food aid stored
inside Afghanistan and 42,045 MT in the region.


Pakistan

-  U.N. agencies working in Pakistan continue to express frustration with
lack of access to border areas due to restrictions and security concerns.

- Muslim leaders in Pakistan called for a national strike to protest
President Musharraf's support of U.S. air strikes in Afghanistan and
Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to Islamabad on October 15.  The
New York Times reported that thousands of merchants closed their stores in
compliance with the strike, although some stores remained open.


Region

- Relief flights operated by UNHCR, the United Kingdom's Department for
International Development (DFID), and the Government of Japan, have
transported a total of 1,751 tents, 21,200 blankets, 19,695 plastic sheets
plus 548 rolls of plastic sheeting, as well as water jugs, sleeping mats,
communications and computer equipment, tarpaulins, and rope to Iran and
Pakistan.


Donor Activities

- The Government of Japan announced October 12 that it will provide a
grant of 240 million yen ($2 million) to the Government of Tajikistan to
provide for a possible influx of Afghan refugees.  Currently, an estimated
10,000 IDPs have been based on the Tajik-Afghanistan border since
September 2000, but have not been admitted into Tajikistan.


U.S. Government Activities

New Actions

- USAID/OFDA is arranging the delivery of 1,000 rolls of plastic sheeting
for emergency shelter from its stockpile in Pisa, Italy to UNICEF in
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.  The plastic sheeting is valued at $403,200
including transport.  USAID/OFDA is also arranging the local purchase in
Pakistan of 250,000 blankets for provision to UNHCR/Islamabad.

- As of October 14, the Department of Defense (DOD) had airdropped 275,520
Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs), valued at $1,184,736, into Afghanistan.
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.


Fiscal Year (FY) 2001 USG Assistance to Afghanistan
Total USAID/OFDA   $12,599,441
Total USAID/FFP    $31,200,000
Total USAID/DG     $   450,000
Total USDA         $99,800,000
Total State/PRM    $29,828,659
Total State/HDP    $ 2,800,000
Total State/INL    $ 1,500,000
Total CDC          $   569,525

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 2001   $178,747,625


FY 2002 USG Assistance to Afghanistan

Total USAID/OFDA   $13,924,688
Total DOD          $ 1,184,736

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 2002    $15,109,424

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance
to Afghanistan FY 2001/2002    $193,857,049


FY 2002 USG Assistance to Tajikistan

Total USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2002   $998,180


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