Tajikistan - DHA: 11-31.Aug.97
Tajikistan - DHA: 11-31.Aug.97
UN-DHA
TAJIKISTAN Humanitarian Situation Report
11-31 August 1997
HIGHLIGHTS
Humanitarian staff was temporarily evacuated from the Khatlon area and
UN and NGO activities reduced as a result of military activity between
various governmental factions mid August. Repatriation operations were
temporarily suspended due to security reasons but resumed on 22 August
when situation stabilized.
UN helicopter made emergency landing in Komsololabad on 23 August and,
on inspection, two bullet holes were discovered on the aircraft.
Clashes between Opposition and Ministry of Interior forces occurred in
Kofarnikhon area. Restriction on movement for all UN staff along the
M41 Dushanbe to Garm road remained in effect.
Relief International reached agreement with UNHCR to begin health
monitoring in Nizniy Pianj transit centre and started on 14 August. RI
will be present in transit centre on each repatriation day to monitor
health care provided by Ministry of Health staff, institute drug
distribution, environmental health systems and provide routine checks
on water safety, refuse disposal, food safety and general camp hygiene.
Centre for Disease Control, Atlanta, completed mission to examine the
municipal drinking water supply in Dushanbe, conduct epidemiologic and
laboratory surveillance and evaluate health education and water
conservation campaigns. A preliminary report issued.
Two new international NGOs arrived in the country, Mission East and
ADRA International. In consultation with the Government and other
agencies, they are in the process of exploring areas to start
assistance programmes.
Overall Situation
Although calm returned to Dushanbe following a period of high tension
between 7 and 12 August, instability in the Khatlon region, first in
Kurghan Teppe and Kalininabad and then in the Shartuz area, temporarily
disrupted food distributions, the repatriation effort and NGO and OSCE
activities in the southern part of the country. Following Government
advice, UN staff and staff from other agencies were relocated to
Dushanbe via Termez, but all programme activities resumed by 25 August.
Despite initial reports of looting of substantial food stocks, WFP
confirmed that no losses were incurred during the fighting in the area
of Kalininabad, where WFP has four warehouses.
Given disturbances, an unclear security situation in the Leninsky and
Kofarnikhon area east of Dushanbe and a violation of the GOT-UTO
cease-fire, the M41 road between Dushanbe and Garm continued to be off
limits for UN staff. Nonetheless, GAA was able to continue its
agricultural programme along the Karategin Valley and UNOPS continued
implementation of various rehabilitation projects in Garm. ICRC
activities remained suspended in Garm and Tavildara.
On 26 August, the Government of Uzbekistan acceded to the Protocol on
Guarantees of the Implementation of the General Agreement which had
been agreed in Tehran on 28 May. High level visits to Tajikistan over
the period included US State Senator Robb and the US Ambassador to the
UN, Mr. Richardson.
Food Aid and Logistics
Aga Khan Foundation reports that, as at the end August, through its
emergency food programme for Gorno Badakhshan, 18,300 MTs of wheat
flour, 4,000 MTs of pulses, 1,500 MTs of vegetable oil, 1,000 MTs of
milk powder and 216 MTs of sugar have been delivered in 1997. In
addition, quantities of petrol, iodized salt and soap have been
delivered.
Agriculture
Relief International reports that it has initiated an agro-credit goat
programme in Kabodian and Shartuz districts. The project is targeted
mainly at women heads of households grouped in four villages, who will
be trained in animal husbandry, health issues and community
development. Each beneficiary has received three milk goats and is
expected to return three offspring within the first year which will
then be used to expand the group of beneficiaries.
Education
Orphans Refugees Aid (ORA) activities in the first half of 1997
concentrated on basic relief needs (food, clothing, medicines, toys and
shoes) to support orphans in 28 school-internats in various regions
including Dushanbe, Khatlon, and Garm, in cooperation with the Ministry
of Education. ORA included internats in Yavan, Bokhtar, Kumsangir and
Shartuz as new beneficiary institutions as well as the home for
mentally handicapped children in Dushanbe. ORA also initiated during
the same period food production activities in 6 of these school
internats, a vocational training project at 4 school internats (in
cooperation with TEAR Fund UK) and child sponsorship programmes at
school internats in Kuibisev, Vakhsh, Kolhozabad, Ghissar Polo,
Leninsky Deaf and Shar-in-nau. ORAs goals for the second half of the
year are to continuing providing basic assistance to children in the
internats while promoting self-sufficiency through agricultural
production and vocational training. Sponsorship assistance will be
aimed at upgrading living conditions and education.
Health
Medecins Sans Frontieres France reports that, during the period January
to June 1997, it continued to provide medical assistance in Gorno
Badakshan Autonomous Oblast and carry out its mother and child health
programme in Kolhozabad district in Khatlon. In GBAO, MSF-France
distributed essential drugs to health structures (district hospitals,
local hospitals, ambulatories and village medical points) in six out of
the eight districts. Pharmaciens sans Frontieres had responsibility
for the supply of drugs in the two other districts, Khorog and
Ishkashim. Support was given to immunization activities (mass
immunization campaigns in the districts of Vanch, Rushan and Khorog),
micro-nutrient supplementing correspond to the deficience of vitamin D
and A and information and training courses.
In Kolkhozabad, during the same period, MSF-F carried out
rehabilitation work in the gynecological, polyclinic maternity and
pediatric hospitals, and in the Kalenine and Tashrabad sub-hospitals.
This included latrine construction, installation of water distribution
systems and chlorination procedures. Complementary essential drugs and
training for general practitioners and pediatricians focussing on
target diseases (watery diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid fever and
malnutrition) were provided.
Refugees:
UNHCR issued an appeal early August totaling USD 9.7 million to cover
the cost of the return and initial reintegration of some 2,500
refugees, mostly from northern Afghanistan over the next 18 months.
During weeks 33 to 35, 1,223 Tajik refugees were repatriated via Njany
Pianj:
14 August
306 (Vakhsh - 148, Kolkhozabad - 20, Kumsangir - 21, Bokhtar - 115,
Pianj - 2)
22 August
303 (Vakhsh - 168, Kumsangir - 27, Pianj - 107, Dushanbe- 1)
28 August
317 (Vakhsh - 149, Kolkhozabad - 4, Kumsangir - 22, Bokhtar - 138,
Dushanbe- 4)
30 August
297 (Vakhsh - 6, Kolkhozabad - 11, Bokhtar - 229, Jilikul - 12, Kurghan
Teppe - 37, Dushanbe-2).
This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int
United Nations Office - Dunshanbe
Mr. Paolo Lembo - Resident Coordinator
Ms. Sarah Longford
Tel.: (0073772) 23 05 86 - Fax: (0073772) 21 03 89
E-Mail: dha@taj.freenet.kiev.ua
Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB) - Geneva
Mr. David Bassiouni - Chief
Ms. Sylvia Ferazzi
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1402 - Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail: Rosemary.Addo-Yirenkyi@dha.unicc.org
Complex Emergency Division (CED) - New York
Mr David Chikvaidze
Tel.: (1 212) 963.9665 - Fax: (1 212) 963.1388
E-Mail: chikvaidze@un.org
Press to contact (DHA-Geneva)
Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo
Tel.: (41 22) 917.2856 - Fax: (41 22) 917.0023
Telex: 414242 DHA CH - E-Mail: Moulin-Acevedo@dha.unicc.org
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