Tajikistan - DHA: 17-30.Nov.97
Tajikistan - DHA: 17-30.Nov.97
DHA
TAJIKISTAN Humanitarian Situation Report
17-30 November 1997
HIGHLIGHTS
Two staff from the international aid community, both French citizens, were
taken hostage on 18 November in Dushanbe by members of the terrorist group
led by Rizvon Sodirov. One hostage gained his freedom on 29 November but
the other died following an attempted rescue operation by the Ministry of
Security on 30 November. The fate of an estimated 16 Tajik citizens
reportedly held hostage by the same terrorist group is unknown.
A dawn to dusk curfew was imposed in Dushanbe given the threat of
additional hostage taking and only absolutely essential travel for
international staff in Dushanbe during day time was recommended. The
United Nations (UN) heightened security measures and imposed travel ban on
incoming missions. Many international organisations reduced staff and
scaled down operations. Some diplomatic missions strongly advised their
citizens to temporarily depart Dushanbe until the security situation
becomes clearer.
The UN organised an international donor conference in support of peace and
reconciliation in Tajikistan in Vienna on 24-25 November seeking USD 65
million.
IOM reports that approximately 2,000 Tajiks in Turkmenistan have expressed
the desire to return to Tajikistan as soon as possible despite winter
conditions.
OVERALL SITUATION
The kidnapping of two international aid workers, one working for the
European Union's programme of Technical Assistance to CIS countries
(TACIS) and the other for a national NGO, and the tragic end to the
hostage crisis, cast an ugly shadow over all international assistance
activities in Tajikistan and has resulted in the temporary relocation,
reduction and even suspension of a number of activities of international
organisations in Dushanbe and other parts of the country. In addition,
reports of murders and disappearances of several Tajik citizens in
Dushanbe and in the Leninsky district and clashes between Ministry of
Interior troops and unidentified armed elements in the Varsob areas
continue to indicate a volatile political and security situation.
Meanwhile in Vienna, on 24-25 November, an international donors conference
in support of peace and reconciliation in Tajikistan was held. The
conference, attended by 112 delegates from 40 states and a number of
international intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations,
focused on generating support for activities related to the implementation
of the inter-Tajik agreements, namely political reconciliation,
democratisation, demobilisation and reintegration of ex-combatants and
reform of power structures, repatriation and reintegration of refugees and
internally displaced persons and rehabilitation and development for
communities most affected. Both President Rahmanov and Chairman of the CNR
Nuri addressed the conference. Many government statements emphasised the
need for improved security conditions for providers of international
assistance.
AGRICULTURE
As follow up to the Swedish and Dutch contributions against FAO's potato
seed project in the Updated Donor Alert, an international seed specialist
fielded by FAO completed his mission to Dushanbe, Garm, Tajikabad and
Jirgital during the period. Inter alia, he made initial arrangements for
the implementation of the project in spring 1998 in collaboration with the
Ministry of Agriculture. Fifty hectares of the total cropping area are
allocated for multiplication in the Jirgital district while 100 hectares
are allocated for ware potato production in Garm and Tajikabad districts.
Fertilisers are due to arrive in Dushanbe early March and seed potato
(Class A, Cardinal) in April.
WATER AND SANITATION
>From May to October, MERLIN carried out an emergency chlorination of the
city water supply in Kuliab aiming at preventing water borne epidemics
during the summer of 1997. A health education and water saving campaign
was also carried out. 15 MTs of chlorine were provided to Vodakanal (water
authority) to ensure a free chlorine level of at least 0.2 mg/l in the
whole system for a period of five months. During October, in an effort to
gain further data on household water use and water wastage in Kuliab,
MERLIN, using the same questionnaire as the Centre for Disease
Control/Atlanta team in Dushanbe in April, carried out a random survey in
171 households. Questions were asked on health, knowledge and attitudes
towards hygiene and water saving, on the impact of the health campaign and
on water supply in their house. Houses and gardens were checked to see how
many water points they had and how many were leaking. Although the typhoid
epidemic has ended in Kuliab, the survey found that the situation
regarding water borne diseases is still quite volatile given the
structural water supply problems and general lack of access to water and
poor hygiene. MERLIN estimates that more than a quarter of households in
Kuliab have bad access to water and indicates that lack of water rather
than water quality seems to be the cause of water borne diseases. Water
pressure in Kuliab is low, cross-contamination highs (due to broken pipes)
and the incidence of diarrhoea high. MERLIN recommends as priorities: the
rehabilitation of the city water systems, repair of public tapstands and
the introduction of a payment system (i.e., for repairing water fixtures
in households) as an incentive to reduce water wastage and to generate
income for the maintenance of the water system.
The Federation (IFRC) reports that it has supplied chlorine powder to
Vodakanal in six towns throughout the country: Kabodian, Kofarnikhon,
Leninsky, Penjikent, Shartuz and Tursunzade. Its use is being monitored by
staff and volunteers from the local Tajik red Crescent Society branches to
ensure that an adequate level of protection against typhoid is maintained
in the water supply system.
REFUGEE RELATED ISSUES
Following a joint IOM, UNHCR, IFRC, Turkmenistan National Red Crescent
Society assessment, conducted from 20 October to 6 November, to look into
the number of Tajik refugees in Turkmenistan, it is now estimated that
about 2,000 Tajiks would like to be repatriated to Tajikistan. The exact
figure of Tajiks in Turkmenistan is unknown because of the lack of proper
registration but is believed that in large towns such as Chardjew, Mary
and in and around Ashgabad, many Tajiks are eager to return home as soon
as possible. In 1996, UNHCR/Ashgabad organised several bus convoys from
Turkmenistan from Ashgabad to Dushanbe. IOM, in collaboration with the
Ministry of Labour and UNHCR, is planning to repatriate small numbers of
Tajiks from Turkmenistan, by train, beginning early January.
OTHER ISSUES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
On 24 November in New York, the item -Strengthening of the Coordination of
emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations- was discussed at
a plenary meeting of the 52nd General Assembly. Delegates underscored that
the primary objective of the new Emergency Relief Coordinator's office
(the new name for the Department of Humanitarian Affairs as of 1 January
1998) is to: formulate and coordinate policy, advocacy of humanitarian
issues and coordination of emergency response leaving operational
activities to other appropriate organs of the UN system. Delegates also
raised the security of humanitarian workers. It was considered
unacceptable that parties to a conflict should interrupt operations
through criminal acts against humanitarian personnel. When violence is
used against innocent people, including humanitarian personnel, the
international community should respond through political and/or military
actions as necessary.
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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