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
Situation Report #25, Fiscal Year (FY) 2002    March 22, 2002


Note: this Situation Report updates previous Central Asia Task Force
Situation Reports and Fact Sheets.

BACKGROUND

Prior to September 2001, two decades of war in Afghanistan, including a
decade-long Soviet occupation and ensuing civil strife, left Afghanistan
impoverished and mired in an extended humanitarian crisis.  Government
infrastructure, including the ability to deliver the most basic health,
education, and other social services, collapsed.  Significant local and
national resources were directed to the war effort.  Severe restrictions
by the Taliban, which controlled as much as 90 percent of the country,
including a restriction on women working outside the home, added to the
impact of poverty, particularly on the many households lacking able-bodied
adult men.

After September 11, 2001, fears of a reprisal to terrorist attacks against
the United States triggered population movements in Afghanistan, as well
as a complete exodus of international relief staff, greatly complicating
humanitarian assistance.  Nonetheless, assistance programs continued even
after October 7, when the U.S.-led campaign against the Taliban and
al-Qaeda began.  The Taliban began to collapse in November, abandoning
Mazar- e-Sharif on November 9, Kabul on November 13, and finally their
Kandahar stronghold on December 7.  The new Afghan Interim Administration
(AIA) was sworn in on December 22.  The demise of the Taliban has allowed
increased humanitarian access to Afghanistan, and relief agencies
re-established operations within the country.  USAID/DART/Islamabad has
been making an ongoing series of trips into Afghanistan to assess the
situation and meet with implementing partners.


Afghanistan:  Numbers Affected
Total population (CIA Factbook)	26,813,057

Refugees Since January 1, 2002 (UNHCR)
   Pakistan   60,000
   Iran       unknown

Old Caseload Refugees (UNHCR)
   Pakistan   2,000,000
   Iran       1,500,000

Internally Displaced (UNDP/OCHA)
   Total as of February 20, 2002   920,000
      north and northeast   500,000
      south and west        420,000

Refugee Returns Since January 1, 2002 (UNHCR)
   Pakistan (Total)   260,000
      Pakistan (spontaneous)   180,000
      Pakistan (voluntary assisted since March 1)   80,000
   Iran (spontaneous)   50,000

Internally Displaced Returns Since January 1, 2002 (IOM)
   To Kabul                                  unknown
   To Shomali Plain (voluntary assisted)      29,200
   To northeast (spontaneous)                117,000
   From Herat (voluntary assisted)             8,000
   From Mazar-e-Sharif (voluntary assisted)   20,000


Total FY 2001/2002 U.S. Government (USG) Assistance to Afghanistan*
$494,420,314

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



CURRENT SITUATION

Overview.  United Nation (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan proposed the
establishment of an UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.  UN Special
Representative for Afghanistan Brahimi commented on improving security in
Kabul, and worrisome reports of minority persecution in the northern
provinces.  Since October 2001, the World Food Program (WFP) has delivered
370,000 metric tons (MT) of food into Afghanistan.  This week WFP re-
opened 80 bakeries in Mazar-e-Sharif and increased capacity at 21
female-run bakeries in Kabul to help feed those children returning to
school March 23.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that
80,000 Afghans have been assisted in returning home from Pakistan since
March 1.  Voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Iran is expected
to begin in early April.  The International Organization for Migration
(IOM) is coordinating the return this week of more than 15,000 IDPs from
Mazar-e-Sharif to the Alborz mountains in Balkh Province.  The UN Office
for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)  has reported that
five thousand people are currently being treated for scurvy in Taywara,
Ghor Province.

Political/Military.  On March 21, United Nations Secretary General Kofi
Annan proposed in a report to the General Assembly and Security Council
that the UN formally establish a mission to Afghanistan, to be called the
UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).  UNAMA would fulfill all of
the tasks entrusted to the UN under last year's Bonn Agreement. The
mission would also promote national reconciliation, while managing all UN
humanitarian activities in coordination with the Afghan Interim
Administration (AIA) and successor administrations.  The proposed mission,
to be led by UN Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi, would be
structured with two pillars: one for political affairs and the other for
relief, recovery and reconstruction.

On March 15, Germany signed an agreement with AIA Chairman Karzai to lead
the effort to reconstruct a national police force for Afghanistan.  The
program will aim to retrain about 30,000 Afghan ex-fighters as policemen,
according to news reports.

Security.  On March 20, UN Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi said
that security concerns have been diminishing in Kabul, not increasing,
since the December installation of the interim administration.  However,
Brahimi did express concern over allegations of persecution of ethnic
Pashtuns in the north of the country.

The UN Mine Action Center for Afghanistan reports that four teams of 34
deminers worked on several hilltop locations around Kabul to clear away
recently discovered rockets, missiles, and unexploded ordinance before
Afghan New Year celebrations on March 21.

According to wire reports, two men with hand grenades were arrested March
15 by local police outside UNHCR's compound in the Pakistani capital of
Islamabad.  The men were said to be upset over UNHCR's treatment of
refugees.  The incident occured two days prior to a grenade attack on a
church in the diplomatic quarter of Islamabad that killed five people.

Earthquake.  On March 3, an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale
struck Afghanistan.  The deep epicenter of the earthquake, 195 kilometers
below the Hindu Kush region, resulted in shocks felt throughout Central
Asia.  The areas most affected by the earthquake were Samangan, Takhar,
Baghlan, and Badakhshan provinces.

According to the UN Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC), an International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) team visited the earthquake-affected
village of Sar-e-Kunda, Samangan Province, where a massive landslide had
blocked the river and caused flooding.  A geologist on the team reported
that it appeared unlikely that more of the overhanging cliff would fall in
the near future, although falls were possible further along the road that
goes through the area.  The team reported that channels dug through the
landslide-created dam in the river needed to be deepened to prevent any
further flooding, and that excavation machinery and explosives would be
required.

Food Aid and Logistics.  Since October 2001, WFP has delivered 370,000 MT
of food into Afghanistan, of which 305,000 MT has been distributed
throughout the country, assisting some 6.6 million food-insecure Afghans.

WFP reported that it is conducting helicopter assessments from Herat.
Assessments of Taywara District in Ghor Province were launched to
investigate the food security, health and nutritional situation on the
ground.  The assessments have since been expanded into Pasaband District.
WFP also reported that it would be transporting staff to affected areas in
these districts.  In Faryab Province, WFP has completed assessments in
Almar and Shirin Tagab Districts, according to UNOCHA.  WFP found that
residents in these areas remain vulnerable and in need of food aid.  In
addition, some 350 families in Shirin Tagab have been displaced by
inter-ethnic tensions, according to UNOCHA.

WFP reported that it has re-opened 80 bakeries that will help feed 20,000
families (100,000 people) in Mazar-e-Sharif.  The bakeries had been closed
since October 2001.  According to WFP, the bakeries employ 250 women, and
twenty of the bakeries are female-run.  The beneficiary population
includes 40 percent of Mazar's most vulnerable residents, according to
WFP.  In Kabul, WFP is increasing the capacity of its existing 21
female-run bakeries in order to support 5,000 school children during the
academic year that begins March 23.  WFP also plans to open new women's
bakeries in Kabul that will employ up to 3,500 additional women.

On the Shomali Plain, WFP reported that it is providing 900 MT of food for
6,000 returnee families from the Panjshir Valley and Kabul to support a
three-month ration of wheat for each family.  WFP is also supporting
refugees returning from Pakistan to the central highlands, by providing
three-month rations at distribution points in Ghazni, Logar, Kabul,
Bamiyan, and Parwan Provinces.

UNJLC reported that the unpaved airstrip at Chagcharan, the provincial
capital of Ghor, could not continue to support flights beyond the end of
March.  UNJLC is looking for a partner to carry out repairs.

IDPs and Refugees.  UNHCR, the AIA, and the NGO community are preparing
for the anticipated return home this summer of up to 1.2 million Afghan
refugees and IDPs (approximately 400,000 refugees from Pakistan, 400,000
refugees from Iran, and 400,000 IDPs in Afghanistan).  According to UNHCR,
the Takhtabaig Voluntary Repatriation Center near Peshawar in Pakistan,
which began operations March 1, has facilitated the return of 80,000
Afghan refugees to their communities of origin.  The center was
temporarily closed during the holidays at the end of this week due to
security concerns and overcrowding.  The center is expected to reopen
shortly after work to re-organize and enlarge the facility is complete.

UNJLC reports that voluntary repatriation of refugees from Iran to
Afghanistan is expected to start in early April, in consultation and
agreement with the Iranian government through its Bureau for Aliens and
Foreign Immigrants' Affairs (BAFIA). Assistance to the returnees inside
Iran will include transport to the border, most likely by BAFIA, using
private contractors. Two exit border stations have been identified where
returnees will be provided a travel kit.  Transport from the border to
Herat, where the returnees will receive a resettlement package, will be
provided by UNHCR.  IOM will make transport arrangements from Herat to
other destinations inside Afghanistan.

UNOCHA reports that UNHCR and IOM are preparing for the return of Afghan
IDPs camped on the "islands" between Afghanistan and Tajikistan.  The
return, which will be facilitated by UNHCR and IOM, will offer the IDPs
the possibility of free return back to their place of origin.
Organizations that are currently providing assistance on the islands will
discontinue their activities and food distributions there will be phased
out.

According to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the largest,
single, organized return of IDPs to their villages began this week in
northern Afghanistan.  Approximately 3,330 IDP families (16,650 people)
are being assisted in returning to 17 villages in Alborz, Chimtal
District, Balkh Province.  IOM is coordinating the return from Camp 65,
near Mazar-e-Sharif, to the mountain villages, which were abandoned due to
drought.  USAID/OFDA-funded grantees IOM and IRC are providing the
returnees with resettlement packages, including seeds, food, and non-food
items.  IRC is now conducting in-depth assessments into water/sanitation,
health, agriculture, livestock, infrastructure, as well as social issues
and protection.

According to IRC, an additional registration has been carried out for the
return of some 1,000 IDP families (5,000 people) from Mazar-e-Sharif to Aq
Kupruk, Sholgara District in southern Balkh Province.  IOM reports that
returns have begun from Bagh-e-Sherkat, a camp of 3,600 families (18,000
people) near Kunduz City.

Samaritan's Purse reports that it is assisting 55 IDP families (275
people) from Mile 46 and Makaki Camps on the Afghan-Iranian border in
Nimruz Province to return to their homes in Lashkar Gah in Helmand
Province.  Working in cooperation with UNHCR, this is the first assisted
return in this area.

IOM reports that new IDPs continue to trickle into the camps in Herat
Province.  These movements are expected to continue in both the north and
west of the country, as people living in isolated pockets of need decide
to leave their villages.  IOM believes the drought-related emergency, and
continuing displacement, will last at least until the middle of next year.

Health.  A World Health Organization nutritionist is leading a team to
investigate unconfirmed reports of a possible outbreak of scurvy north of
Ghor's provincial capital Chagcharan, in addition to the previously
reported cases in the southern district of Taywara.  UNOCHA has reported
that 5,000 people are currently being treated for scurvy in Taywara.
UNICEF has distributed 252,000 doses of Vitamin C in Taywara and
neighboring Pasaband districts through its partner Action Contre la Faim.
UNICEF has also delivered 3,760 packets of high protein biscuits in these
areas.



USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

Background.  On October 4, President George W.  Bush announced a $320
million assistance program for Afghanistan.  Funding will support
assistance to Afghans both inside and outside Afghanistan's borders, with
support for food and a variety of other relief needs.

On October 4, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs
Christina B. Rocca redeclared a complex humanitarian disaster in
Afghanistan for FY 2002.  To date, FY 2001 and FY 2002 USG humanitarian
assistance for Afghans is provided by USAID/OFDA, Food for Peace
(USAID/FFP), Democracy & Governance (USAID/DG), Office of Transition
Initiatives (USAID/OTI), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
(State/PRM), Department of State's Demining Program, the Department of
State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
(State/INL), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).  The assistance is for displaced persons
inside Afghanistan and Afghan refugees in neighboring countries.

In Tajikistan, on October 10, 2001, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires James A.
Boughner declared a disaster due to drought, and requested funds for a
seed and fertilizer distribution program.  USAID/OFDA responded by
providing $998,180 through the U.S.  Embassy to Cooperative for American
Relief Everywhere (CARE) for the purchase and distribution of winter wheat
seeds and fertilizer.



USAID/OFDA ASSISTANCE

Personnel.  USAID/OFDA currently has one Disaster Assistance Response Team
(DART) based in Pakistan to assess humanitarian activities and logistical
capacity in the region.  USAID/DART members are traveling into Afghanistan
to coordinate with the humanitarian relief community and assess the
humanitarian situation.

New Actions.  USAID/OFDA has funded a $260,000 grant to the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to support a coordinated program
of manual locust eradication in the northern provinces of Afghanistan. Up
to 20,000 Afghan volunteers will assist in the eradication effort.



OTHER USG ASSISTANCE

New Actions.  USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) is
providing $8,095,631 to the International Organization for Migration (IOM)
to support community reconstruction in Afghanistan.  The program goal is
to build citizen confidence in the progress of political development, to
empower citizens to address basic community needs, and to build an
alliance between legitimate government structures and the citizen.
USAID/OTI is also funding Internews with $998,720 to support media and
journalist training, and is providing $3,000,000 to RONCO for small grants
and operational support.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agreed this week to contribute
some 40,000 MT of food commodities to the WFP in Afghanistan, including
wheat and oil,with a total value of $22.5 million.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau for Population, Migration, and
Refugees (PRM) has contributed $2,000,000 to the UN Children's Fund
(UNICEF) back-to-school campaign in Afghanistan.  The back-to-school
campaign will support the Afghan Ministry of Education's plan to provide
Afghan girls and female teachers the opportunity to return to school for
the first time in five years.  It will also ensure that at least 1.5
million Afghan children and 60,000 teachers participate in the new school
year, which begins March 23.



USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO CENTRAL ASIA

USG AGENCY
IMPLEMENTING PARTNER
ACTIVITY
REGION
AMOUNT


AFGHANISTAN - COMPLEX EMERGENCY FY 2002

USAID/OFDA

Airlift - Turkmenistan
20,000 blankets, 100 rolls plastic sheeting, 20 MT BP-5 High Energy
  biscuits, 1 MT sugar
$743,543

Airlift - Turkmenistan
1,000 rolls of plastic sheeting for
UNICEF
$403,200

Airlift - Islamabad
35,400 blankets
$312,350

Airlift - Pakistan
5 health kits
$29,415

Airlift - Turkmenabad
5 health kits
$33,923

Airlift - Uzbekistan
350,000 wheat bags
$67,000

Airlift - Turkmenistan
10,000 kitchen sets and 20,000 blankets
$473,400

Airlift - Turkmenistan
1,000 winterized tents
$167,000

ACTED
Food, non-food items
Northeast
$5,500,000

ACTED
IDP camp management
Baghlan
$630,000

ACTED
Livelihoods, agriculture, emergency rehab
Takhar, Baghlan, Shamali, Kabul, and Faryab.
$750,000

CARE
Water/sanitation, agricultural rehabilitation, shelter
All
$3,537,035

Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
Non-Food Items for 200,000 people
Central Highlands
$988,087

Church World Service
Transport of non-food items
$49,902

Concern Worldwide
Distribution of seeds & tools, rehabilitation of agricultural
  infrastructure, income generation activities
Badakshan, Baghlan, Takhar, Bamiyan provinces
$1,737,318

Concern Worldwide
Shelter/repair 5,000 homes
Northeast
$1,203,343

Field Support
Operational support for DARTs in
Central Asia Region
$1,339,456

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Seed multiplication, procurement, and distribution
$1,095,000

FAO
Agriculture, seed multiplication
$300,000

FAO
Manual locust eradication program
North
$260,000

FAO
Security surveillance, water resource management, farm power, & spring
  seed distribution
All
$2,500,000

FOCUS / Aga Khan
Seed multiplication, water supply rehabilitation, and complementary food
  distribution
Bamiyan, Baghlan, and Balkh
$1,436,134

GOAL
Food, shelter, water, sanitation, winterization
Samangan and Jowzjan provinces
$5,500,000

GOAL
Emergency agricultural, potable water and sanitation rehabilitation, and
  shelter repair
Samangan and Jowzjan provinces
$1,000,000

International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA)
Seed multiplication, technical assistance for see procurement and
  regulation
All
$2,525,000

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Food, non-food items
All
$2,500,000

International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Food, non-food items
Badghis, Faryab, Balkh provinces
$562,313

IOM
Distribution of charcoal for cooking and heating fuel
Herat, Kunduz, and Faryab
$1,069,760

International Medical Corps (IMC)
Primary health care
Herat
$735,000

IMC
Primary health care
Bamiyan, Wardak, Parwan
$3,500,000

International Rescue Committee  (IRC)
Food, potable water, well rehabilitation
North
$3,650,000

IRC
Medical, public health, education & self-help programs in camps and urban
  settings
Balkh, Ghor
$3,250,104

International Resource Group (IRG)
Food Augmentation Team
$614,820

Mercy Corps
Food, water, non-food items
South, Central
$2,000,000

Mercy Corps
Rehabilitation of wells & agriculture infrastructure, seed multiplication
Nimroz, Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Takhar, Kunduz & Baghlan
$3,000,308

UNOCHA
Coordination
All
$2,500,000

UNICEF
Water, sanitation
All
$2,500,000

UNICEF
Nutrition, health, water, sanitation
All
$1,650,000

UNCHS (Habitat)
Cash-for-work rehabilitation of public areas, solid waste removal
Kabul, Kandahar, Mazar-e-Sharif
$382,850

Save the Children (SC)/US
Nutrition
North
$206,488

SC/US
Food, health
Central and North
$2,000,000

SC/US
Spot reconstruction, cash-for-work, and medical clinic rehabilitation
Faryab, Sar-e-Pul
$3,262,312

Shelter for Life
Cash-for-work road reconstruction & emergency home repair for returning
  IDPs
Kunduz & Takhar
$1,294,550

Solidarites
Rehabilitation, agricultural revitalization
Balkh, Bamiyan, Samangan
$1,739,115

World Food Program (WFP)
Food - 15,000 MT, processing, transport
$6,000,000

WFP
Emergency road repair on border
Turmen border
$300,000

WFP
Purchase of trucks for food delivery
$5,000,000

WFP
Joint Logistics Center
$2,000,000

WFP
Logistics support equipment and services
All
$2,500,000

Total FY 2002 USAID/OFDA	 $84,798,726



USAID/FFP

WFP
Airlift from Quetta, Pakistan to Osh,
Kyrgyzstan
$2,000,000

WFP
36,000 MT Wheat
$15,900,000

WFP
72,700 MT Food commodities
$38,555,000

WFP
24,320 MT Food commodities
$18,600,000

Total FY 2002 USAID/FFP	$75,055,000



USAID/OTI
Voice of America
Radio program

$187,820

IOM
HEAR bulletin and radios
$1,500,000

IOM
Community reconstruction
$8,095,631

Internews
Media/journalist training
$998,720

RONCO
Small grants/operations support
$3,000,000

UNDP
UNDP Trust Fund in support of the Interim Afghan Administration
$500,000

Total FY 2002 USAID/OTI
$14,282,171



USDA

WFP
40,000 MT of Food commodities
$22,500,000

Total FY 2002 USDA	$22,500,000



STATE/PRM

ICRC
Emergency Appeal
$13,500,000

IFRC
Emergency Appeal
$5,000,000

IOM
Emergency Appeal
$2,000,000

IRC
Operational Support
$231,248

Mercy Corps
Operational support
$162,775

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
Project Management Information System
$160,000

UNOCHA
Donor Alert for Afghans Program
$2,125,000

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Special Program for Afghanistan
$600,000

WFP
Operations/Logistics Support
$4,000,000

UNHCR
Emergency Appeal
$30,000,000

UNICEF
Back-to-school campaign
$2,000,000

UNICEF
Emergency Relief
$4,000,000

Total FY 2002 State/PRM   $63,779,023



DOD

Airdrop of 2,423,700 Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs)
$50,897,769

Total FY 2002 DOD   $50,897,769


Total FY 2002 USG Assistance to Afghanistan   $311,312,689




TAJIKISTAN - DROUGHT FY 2002

USAID/OFDA

CARE
Purchase and distribution of winter wheat to 36,000 people
$998,180

Total FY 2002 USAID/OFDA   $998,180



USAID/FFP

WFP
35,000 MT wheat flour
$20,000,000

Total FY 2002 USAID/FFP   $20,000,000


Total FY 2002 USG Assistance to Tajikistan   $20,998,180



FY 2001/ FY 2002 SUMMARY

Total USG Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan for FY 2001*
$183,107,625

Total USG Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan for FY 2002
$311,312,689

Total USG Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan for FY 2002/2001
$494,420,314


Total USG Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2001	$67,210,000

Note:  FY 2001 USG assistance to Tajikistan included assistance through
USAID/OFDA, USAID/FFP, USDA, the Department of State, and Freedom Support
Act funds administered through a variety of agencies.

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

* Note: detailed breakdowns of FY 2001 and FY 2002 assistance are
available in previous Central Asia Region situation reports.


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