Tajikistan - DHA: 06-12.Oct.97
Tajikistan - DHA: 06-12.Oct.97
United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs
TAJIKISTAN Humanitarian Situation Report
06-12 October 1997
REG. NO. 0358
HIGHLIGHTS
Tajik refugees in Sakhi camp, Northern Afghanistan, have been lying
low as military activity in the Mazar-i-Sharif area continued. No
further movement from Sakhi to Konduz has been reported; high level
international efforts have been continuing to advocate for the safe
transit of the refugees back to Tajikistan. Refugees will face shortage
of fuel, food and water in next weeks unless access is assured.
Lack of basic medicines reported in several villages in the
Karategin Valley. The NGO, Pharmaciens Sans Frontieres (PSF) traveled
along the M41 road Dushanbe to Garm over the period to monitor September
medical distributions in central district hospitals. Relief
International (RI) is planning to resume distribution to rural level
health facilities in the Karategin Valley shortly.
United States Government pledges US$ 1 million against UNHCR appeal
to cover costs of Tajik repatriation operation in 1997 and 1998.
Experts gathered for three days in an IOM-organised conference 9-11
October to discuss the natural hazards of Lake Seraz, Gorno Badakshan
and drew up draft resolution which, inter alia, advocates for regional
cooperation and international support in carrying out disaster
mitigation and preparedness measures.
Overall Situation
The main issue over the week was the continued insecurity near
Mazar-I-Sharif affecting the status of Tajik refugees in Sakhi camp.
UNHCR, however, regained radio communication with the camp and organised
one repatriation from Sherkhan Bandar to Nizjny Pianj over the period
for 76 people, of whom 51 were from Sakhi camp. In addition to UN
interventions, Human Rights Watch issued a letter to President Islam
Karimov on urging Uzbekistans immediate intervention to allow the safe
passage of Tajik refugees through Uzbekistan to Tajikistan.
On 11 October, the United Nations Special Representative of the
Secretary General (SRSG), the UN Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian
Coordinator and UNHCR Regional Coordinator left for a 10-day visit to
Moscow, Brussels, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Washington in order to
brief donor capitals about the peace process and the specific
interventions required to support the General Agreement. An updated
Donor Alert on urgent humanitarian needs, covering the period until end
1997, is now being circulated at UN Agency headquarters for clearance.
The security situation in Dushanbe remained unclear over the period with
the latest incident in the city being on 6 October when four people were
reportedly injured from a bomb explosion in a pharmacy near the
Presidential Palace. On the political side, the Commission for National
Reconciliation (CNR) made headway convening a Round Table on 8 October
on Peace, National Accord and the Constitution of the Republic of
Tajikistan with participants from the legal and political
sub-commissions, government officials, representatives of law faculties
and experts from international organisations.
Agriculture
>From 13-15 October, the Aga Khan Foundation and the Pamir Relief and
Development Programme (PRDP) will be holding a workshop in Khorog, Gorno
Badakshan, to review the results of an evaluation of its Agricultural
Reform Programme (ARP). The evaluation of the ARP has been carried out
in September and October by GTZ, the Swiss Government and other major
partners.
Health
WHO reports that a Medium-Term Programme (MTP) of Cooperation has been
signed between the Ministry of Health of Tajikistan and the WHO Regional
Office for Europe to cover the biennium 1998-1999. The main priorities
of the MTP are: i) health care reforms; ii) strengthening and
development of primary health care; iii) control of infectious diseases,
especially typhoid and dysentery, AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; and
iv) health of women and children and family planning.
Mine Action
The UNMOT Kalaikhum team reported that a mine explosion in Sokhi Saido
village close to Tavildara on 2 October killed one child and injured
four others. The UNMOT Kalaikhum team site also reports that it was
informed that the area around the villages of Shoef, Visharv and
Kurgovat (Darvaz district) is mined. Under the changes being introduced
by the UN Reform, on 10 October DHA New York handed over
responsibilities for implementing mine action activities in Tajikistan
to the UN Department of Peace-Keeping Operations (DPKO).
Community Development Centres
There are now 59 Community Development Centres (CDCs) operating in 14
districts of Khatlon province under the overall management of UNDPs
Peace Building project. Currently all CDCs, some of which have already
become local NGOs, are reviewing their work plans until the end of the
year, with an emphasis on activities under four main headings: income
generation, minor
renovation and reconstruction, civic awareness campaign and training,
sports and culture. Activities are based on the priority problems of the
community through community participation and involvement of women,
vulnerable groups returnees and all ethnic groups.
Already, CDCs collaborate with WFP in the implementation of its
land-lease programme, and with ACTED in the production and distribution
of coal bricks to schools and institutions in all districts of Khatlon
province; further activities with NGOs and other partners are planned.
After the successful production and distribution of nearly 2,700
mosquito nets through CDCs in two of the most malaria- affected
districts -Bokhtar and Vaksh in September, ACTED plans, funding
permitting, to start production of approximately 50,000 mosquito nets in
November for distribution to other districts in Khatlon in spring 1998.
In addition, ACTED will produce and distribute through the CDCs an
estimated 2,000 MTs of coal bricks to all hospitals and orphanages in
Khatlon.
Coordination
An information-sharing meeting between agencies with programmes
(ongoing, suspended or planned) in the Karategin Valley was convened by
DHA on 6 October. Priority concerns were: security and freedom of
movement, supply and monitoring of basic medicines to all levels of
health structures and the need for further assessment to better evaluate
the current requirements. In this regard, the joint WB/UNOPs needs
assessment in Garm, Tavildara, Tajikabad, Jirgital and Darband is
expected to end 15 October.
Refugee Related Issues
76 refugees were repatriated by UNHCR via Nijny Pianj crossing point on
8 October and returned to: Shartuz (13), Kabodian (8), Pianj (1), Vaksh
(8), Bokhtar (1), Kolkhozabad (1), Dushanbe (13), Lenin (11), Kumsangir
(16), Tajikabad (4).
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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