Tajikistan - OCHA: 01-31.May.98
TAJIKISTAN
OCHA Humanitarian Situation Report
May 1998
HIGHLIGHTS
At the second Consultative Group (CG) meeting for Tajikistan, held in
Paris on May 20, 1998, the donor community pledged a total of USD 280
million for the next 18 months in support of the government of
Tajikistan's economic reform program. These commitments are conditional
upon economic and political stability.
USD 260 million are loans pledged by multilateral institutions such as the
World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Asian Development Bank
(ADB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Islamic
Development Bank (IDB) and the EU. 58 percent of these grants are
allocated for balance of payment support 34 percent for investments and 8
percent for technical assistance. This meets the request made by the
government of Tajikistan with regard to support for balance of payments,
but falls short of the government's stated requirements for investment and
technical assistance.
- The peace process in Tajikistan suffered its most serious setback since
the signing of the General Agreement in June 1997, with the adoption of
the law on political parties by the Majlis-i Oli on May 23. This law,
which prohibits the establishment and activities of political parties
based on religion, would effectively ban a key component of the United
Tajik Opposition (UTO), the Islamic Revival Party. Following protest from
the opposition and the international community President Rakhmonov issued
a decree on June 2, establishing a Conciliatory Commission comprising a
total of 12 representatives of the Majlis-i Oli, government and the
Commission on National Reconciliation (CNR), including UTO members. The
commission was given 20 days to submit proposals to eliminate the main
disagreements on the law.
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
More floods in Tajikistan
On May 30 President Rakhmonov visited areas in the Khatlon region affected
by natural disasters in the last two months. Government resources were
allocated to rebuild houses and land was assigned for residential
construction.
While relief efforts continued in the aftermath of these disasters (see
previous Bulletin), recent rain and meltwater caused further floods and
landslides Southeast of Khojand and in the region of Kulab. Although the
full extent of the damage has not yet been ascertained, teams of IFRC, the
Tajik Red Crescent Society (TRCS), WFP and Mission Ost- already active in
the affected areas - are assisting the victims of the latest disasters.
Needs assessment is made very difficult by poor communications. Even one
week after the heavy rainfall of 29-31 May 1998 there was still no clear
picture of the additional needs. In order to be able to respond faster in
future, the Tajik Red Crescent intends to install HF stations in five of
its local branches (conditional on the necessary funding).
Since it is difficult to access information from this region, the Red
Cross sent a combined assessment/relief team, with two trucks of relief
items. Due to the poor condition of the roads, the trucks - which even in
normal weather conditions would take two days to reach Northern Tajikistan
via Uzbekistan - finally reached Isfara on 5 June after an arduous 4-day
journey.
Earthquake in Northern Afghanistan
An earthquake measuring between 6.9 and 7.1 on the Richter Scale hit the
Badakhshan and Takhar provinces of northern Afghanistan on 30 May, killing
an estimated minimum of 4,000 persons and affecting as many as 109,000.
Assessment of the scale of the disaster as well as rescue and relief
efforts have been hampered by the remoteness and inaccessibility of the
mountain villages, many of which can only be reached by helicopter or by
mules. The UN Resident Representative in Dushanbe participated in the
first assessment the day after the disaster. The UN Agencies, the members
of the Red Cross movement and the NGOs present in Tajikistan are
supporting the relief efforts.
COUNTRY-WIDE
Agriculture
- FAO currently has two technical missions in Tajikistan focussing on
issues concerning livestock, and investigating the possibility of
applying the method of Integrated Best Management (IBM) against the
white flea which affects Tajik cotton.
- The IBM aims at lessening the use of chemical pesticides by training
farmers in diagnosing and monitoring their crops. This mission has
triggered discussions among humanitarian organisations working in the
field of agriculture. Some have expressed reservations about the FAO's
assistance to the cotton sector, fearing that it would not reach those
people in need. Others had doubts about the effectiveness of a method
reliant on individual responsibility in the state-dominated Tajik cotton
sector. In an attempt to integrate the planned FAO training into a
larger agricultural policy, the representative of one organisation
suggested that training be offered to Kolkhozes in order that some land
be released to individual farmers.
The FAO experts are examining the problems of the trade of livestock and
animal products in Tajikistan, and will support the government in
formulating a project proposal in this field. Following the collapse of
the Soviet Union Tajikistan's production of livestock decreased and the
export of animal products ceased, mainly because the fodder formerly
received from other republics now has to be imported against hard
currency. In addition to economic issues such as the possibility of
growing more fodder locally, the experts will also examine issues related
to animal health in general and "zoonotik" diseases in particular
(diseases transmittable between animals and human beings - such as
tuberculosis or rabies).
Regions of Republican Subordination
Food Aid
- A regular food coordination meeting is being held in Dushanbe - headed
by WFP, as well as the international NGOs and IOs delivering food aid in
Tajikistan - in order to develop common strategies. A nutritional
assessment to be conducted by the IFRC and the Tajik Red Crescent Society
will provide data for re-evaluating the ongoing food distribution. Other
efforts aim at standardising the work norms for "Food for Work" projects
and the criteria for defining who is eligible for food aid.
- From 10.05.98 to 10.06.98 German Agro Action made distribution of 368.5
MT of food items funded by WFP to 20,472 beneficiaries in Kofarnihon and
87.3 MT to 7.273 beneficiaries in Faizobod. GAA also reports that
distributed 325.7 MT of food funded by ECHO to 6.733 beneficiaries in
Tavildara and 76.7 MT of food beneficiaries in Rogun. As for "Food for
Work" project GAA distributed 76.8 MT of food for small rural
rehabilitation projects in Faizobod and 0. 75 MT for repair of a home for
elderly people in Kofarnihon.
GAA also informs that in coordination with ORA International 3.000 kg of
wheat flour, 2.200 kg of beans, 588 kg of vegetable oil, 150 kg of salt
were delivered to a school-internat with places for 340 children in
Komsomolabad.
Khatlon Region
Shelter
- Caritas (Switzerland) continues to provide roofs for the houses of
returnees in the Kabodian district. ACTED, Shelter Now International and
Save the Children/US, which will construct roofs in the remaining
districts of the Khatlon region with the help of UNHCR and World Bank
funds, will commence their programmes once UNHCR has compiled lists of
beneficiaries.
Income generation
- The UNDP' Peace and Confidence Building Project continues to support
the activities of the Community Development Centres (CDC) in the fields
of job creation, income generation and infra-structure rehabilitation,
thereby increasing the capacities of these local NGOs initiated by the
UNDP. The projects are designed and implemented by the CDCs, with UNDP
guidance and WFP food supplies for the workers. Local authorities
contribute by facilitating the activities. For example in the case of
Land Lease Activities the authorities lease 1,500 hectares of irrigated
land to 3,000 vulnerable residents, mainly women, who cultivate the land
with grain they receive from WFP. Other income-generating activities are
a Cow and Poultry Farm in the Vakhsh district, managed by ten women, and
a flour mill in a village in the District of Kabodian that employs 12
formerly redundant youths. 35 residents of Khujamaston are working in a
bee-keeping farm, and 67 others participated in the reconstruction of a
part of the Kurgan-Teppa - Kalininabad road and that of a barrage in the
Soviet district. CDCs participated in the shelter pilot project of
UNHCR, by organising 2,000 people for reconstructing the walls of 20
houses of returned refugees. The roofs of these houses will be funded by
UNHCR.
Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO)
- The Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDP), the local
partner of the Aga Khan Development Network, reported that in their
Gorno Badakhshan programme private farming provided a yield that was
more than 100 percent greater than in the state farming system - in
cereal as well as in potato production. In its 1997 annual report, MSDP
indicated a further improvement in the productivity of privately farmed
land compared to previous years, thanks to improved management practices
and better quality of land being transferred from the state to the
private farm sector. Further encouraged by these results, the Gorno
Badakhshan authorities declared that an additional 33 state farms would
be transferred to private households.
- Due to its success in agricultural reform, the Aga Khan Foundation
needed to provide less humanitarian food aid in 1997 than it did in
1996. Whereas in 1996 the per capita ration of wheat flour was 10.5 kg
per month, in 1997 this was reduced to 5.8 kg.
OTHER ISSUES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Law on Political Parties
The law on political parties, seen as prohibiting the Islamic Revival
Party, is the most contentious issue of all the topics debated during the
ninth session of the Tajik parliament Majlis-i Oli. The law was first
drafted on the basis of consensus in the Committee for National
Reconciliation (CNR), but was adopted finally by the Majlis-i Oli after
several amendments. The amendments state that the establishment of
religion-based parties is prohibited.
The United Tajik Opposition (UTO) called the law a violation of the
General Agreement and "an obstacle in the way of the peace process." The
Contact Group of guarantor countries as well as the U.S. Department of
State expressed their concern and called the law a violation of the spirit
of the peace agreement. They called upon President Rahmonov to use his
veto power to return the law to parliament. After a lengthy conversation
with UTO leader Seyyed Abdulloh Nuri on 2 June, the President formed a
12-member Conciliatory Commission.
Why is the government adopting this law that is widely seen as endangering
the peace process? Some observers see it as a preparation of the People's
Democratic Party - chaired by President Rahmonov - for the forthcoming
election. Others have the impression that the Tajik government feels
strengthened by the recently created Troika of the governments of
Uzbekistan, the Russian Federation and Tajikistan, aimed at combating
Islamic Fundamentalism and making use of this strength in order to weaken
its opponents.
Consultative Group meeting in Paris, May 23, 1998
Donors indicated potential commitments for USD 280 million for 1998-99
during this second consultative group meeting, chaired by the World Bank
and attended by representatives from 25 countries and international
organisations. The Government of Tajikistan was represented by President
Rahmonov and Mr. Nuri, Chairman of the Commission of National
Reconciliation (CNR).
In the opening speech of the meeting the World Bank announced it would
lend a further USD 220 million to Tajikistan over the next three years,
some of this included in the above- mentioned USD 260 million.
These commitments were made conditional upon continued macroeconomic
improvements, structural reform and political stability.
Decision on a three-year International Monetary Fund loan to Tajikistan in
June 1998
The Government of Tajikistan is preparing a three-year programme on
economic reform, with the assistance of IMF economic experts. The IMF will
decide at the end of June whether to grant a further loan of USD 120
Million to Tajikistan, within the framework of the existing Enhanced
Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF). During a visit to Tajikistan at the
end of May, IMF executive director informed President Rahmonov that the
government could receive the first tranche of USD 20 Million this Autumn.
Banks of Tajikistan: Joint Tajik-Cypriot Central Asia Bank In May the U.S.
Embassy in Dushanbe briefed the international community on Tajik banks in
general, and on the Joint Tajik-Cypriot Central Asia Bank (CAB) in
particular. The CAB was established in September 1994 and was registered
as an open-type joint-stock company. This is the second bank with the
involvement of foreign capital in Tajikistan. The current authorized
capital is USD 10 million.
CAB performs hard currency exchange operations through ten exchange
offices and allocates loans for private companies. Sometimes loans are
allocated to state-owned industrial enterprises in difficult financial
situations. The CAB is going to open branches outside Tajikistan (Moscow
and Tashkent) and in three regions of Tajikistan (Khojand, Kurgan-Teppe
and Khorog).
Training in international humanitarian law to Russian Border Forces the
commander of the Russian border forces and the head of the ICRC delegation
in Tajikistan signed an agreement under which ICRC will provide all
possible assistance in implementing regulations of the Geneva Convention,
in particular the creation of necessary conditions for including RAC in
appropriate training programs.
Tajikistan and World Health Trends
The WHO 1998 World Health Report summarizes health trends throughout the
last 50 years, including the development of basic health indicators of
single countries. The report further compares countries against the three
targets set by WHO in its strategy, health for all by the year 2000.
Tajikistan's men and women can expect to live longer than the WHO minimum
target (67 years compared to a target of 60) but much less than people in
Western Europe (76-79 years). The child mortality rate in Tajikistan still
lies below WHO targets, with the under-5's mortality rate currently 75 per
1,000 live births (target 70) and the infant mortality rate at 57 (target
50). As comparison, in Switzerland 5 children out of 1,000 dies as
infants and seven die before they are five years old.
Tajikistan's health care system will be assessed by the World Bank
A study of the health care system in Tajikistan and an evaluation of the
investments necessary for this sector of the Tajik economy will be the
main goal of a visit by a World Bank mission from June 8-20.
Minimum pension increased
As of 1 July, the minimum pension on reaching retirement age will be TR
2000 (USD 2.50 or the cost of 10 loaves of bread).
Seminar on Migration Legislation
A one-day seminar at the Ministry of Labour and Employment discussed
migration policy. The report of the state migration service to the
government noted that 682,000 internally-displaced persons had returned to
places of permanent residence, more than 51,000 refugees were repatriated
from Afghanistan and more than 12,000 from CIS countries. The seminar
discussed a draft of the government decree on migration policy and was
attended by heads of ministries, members of the working groups of CNR and
international organisations such as UNHCR, ICRC and IOM.
National Workshop on Migration Policy for Tajikistan, June 2
Representatives of Government ministries, national and international
agencies met to follow up on the recent CIS migration conference, to
identify priorities for migration management and the role of agencies
relating to population displacement. A draft migration policy for the
Government of Tajikistan was discussed, to provide the basis for migration
legislation and procedures.
In a recent meeting with the Deputy Minister of Education Mr. Davlatov
which was held in Dushanbe on 15 May 1998 at the request of OCHA several
problem areas and longer term strategies for the Education sector were
discussed. One fifth of the children in Tajikistan cannot receive
education today. Compared to other Central Asian countries where 24
percent of the budget is allocated to education, Tajikistan only 14
percent of the budget (which is likely to decrease) goes to education. The
Deputy Minister of Education identified several problem areas:
1. Physical rehabilitation of the schools (damaged due to the civil war
and floods)
2. Changing the methods and mentality of teachers: need for training
(there are officially 92,000 teachers working in the sector).
3. Setting up of an independent printing house for the publication of all
manuals (the Moaref printing house which until recently published all
educational material is under the auspices of the Ministry of Education. At
the recent Consultative Group meeting in Paris a commercial project to create
a printing house for educational material was presented by the Tajik
Government.
It was said that the Islamic Bank for Development has made available a 10
million USD credit to build seven schools in southern Tajikistan (Dangara,
Bokhtar) in the RRS (Faizabad) and also in the Ghrateguine valley. The
World Bank will be allocating USD 1.6 million in the next three years for
education including USD 420,000 this current year. There are no programmes
targeting the regions around Dushanbe. For example 14 schools out of 23
schools in Rogun have been destroyed or damaged. The European Union has
also conducted a recent preliminary study of ways of supporting programmes
linked to the educational system and prioritising needs.
Mr. Davlatov believes that privatising schools would be an appropriate
response to the crisis. In the future 20 percent of schools will be
privatised as a first step. The decision is based on the Ministry's
understanding that 17 percent of the population enjoy a high income and
can pay for private schooling, 50 percent have an average income and 15 to
17 percent with the lowest income who will have access to public schools.
The Ministry believes that it is impossible to give everyone 11 years of
public education. It is thus planned that schools will be free up to 9th
grade and pupils would have to pay for the two last high school years.
This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int
United Nations Office - Dushanbe
Mr. Paolo Lembo - Resident Coordinator
Ms. Guissou Jeannot-Jahangiri
OCHA NGO Liaison Officer
Tel.: (0073772) 23 05 86
Tel./Fax: (0073772) 21 03 89
E-Mail: dha@taj.freenet.kiev.ua
Complex Emergency Response / Consolidated Appeal Process (CER/CAP) -
Geneva
Mr. Ernest Chipman - Chief
Mr. Arjun Katoch
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1402
Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail: Abu.Conteh@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
Information Service
Ms. Therese Gastaut - Director
Tel.: (41 22) 917.2300
Fax: (41 22) 917.0030
E-Mail: tgastaut@unog.ch
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