Afghanistan - ICRC-10: 31-Aug-98
Afghanistan - ICRC-10: 31-Aug-98
International Committee of the Red Cross/Red Crescent
Afghanistan
Report No. 10
31 August 1998
Afghan Conflict shifts up a gear
The turn of events over the last month has further exacerbated the
plight of the war-weary Afghans. At the end of July most
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Kabul were requested to
leave the capital following their refusal to relocate to the city's
polytechnic. Important humanitarian projects had to be abandoned,
leaving the beneficiaries to fend for themselves as best they could.
The Taliban forces have pushed northwards, taking several cities such as
Maimana, Shibirghan, the northern coalition's stronghold of
Mazar-i-Sharif, Pul-i-Khumri, Samangan, Taloqan and Doshi. Confirmed
figures are unavailable for the number of dead and wounded among
combatants and civilians, but casualties are thought to be high. Arrests
were made during and after the takeover, but a complete picture cannot
be formed. Although there was no mass exodus, some local residents did
head off in search of sanctuary elsewhere.
The area devastated by earthquakes in February and May has now become a
conflict zone, the remains of the villages forming the front line
between the Taliban and the northern alliance. This region had been
largely spared the consequences of conflict over the past two years, but
has experienced a spate of misfortune in recent months, being hit by one
catastrophe after another, both man-made and natural.
The US air strikes last week and the general climate of insecurity led
to the complete withdrawal of NGOs and UN agencies throughout the
country. The sole humanitarian organizations remaining on Afghan soil
are the ICRC (32 expatriates on 25.8.98) and the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (1 expatriate).
The ICRC stands alone
Despite cutting back its expatriate staff for security reasons, the ICRC
is pursuing its essential programmes on behalf of conflict victims,
albeit at a reduced rate. This is only possible thanks to the invaluable
contribution of its competent and experienced local staff.
ICRC priorities
For detainees:
Owing to reductions in expatriate staff, the ICRC's detention-related
activities have been temporarily scaled down. However, the delegation
has done its utmost to obtain access to detainees captured during or
after the recent Taliban offensive. Delegates have already made contact
with the new detaining authorities in Mazar-i-Sharif and have visited
several places of detention in the area. As the ICRC has just received
official authorization to check on the detainees' material and
psychological conditions of detention according to standard ICRC
procedure, visits will be carried out in the next few days.
For those separated by the conflict:
Thanks to the cooperation of the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), Red
Cross messages are collected and distributed whenever possible. Since
the beginning of the year some 15,300 family messages have been
collected and 11,300 distributed between detainees and civilians.
For the wounded:
The ICRC keeps up its support to the surgical facilities in the
hospitals of Karte Seh (Kabul) and Wazir Akbar Khan (Kabul), Ghazni,
Jalalabad and Kandahar. The hospital in Kandahar is almost stretched to
its limit following the influx of war-wounded from the north. The
hospitals in Bamyan, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Pul-i-Khumri have
recently received ICRC medical kits and other essential supplies.
For the war-disabled:
The ICRC's prosthetic/orthotic centres in Herat, Jalalabad, Kabul and
Mazar-i-Sharif continue to produce orthopaedic components and fit
amputees with artificial limbs. Whereas the number of patients in Kabul
has increased over recent weeks, the centre in Mazar-i-Sharif is running
at a slower pace owing to insecurity in the town.
For civilians in Kabul:
Together with the local population, the ICRC upgrades traditional
latrines and constructs wells in parts of the capital. Water and
sanitation work is also carried out elsewhere.
The nutritional status of children is closely monitored in five
dispensaries run by the ARCS. A weekly market survey indicating price
fluctuations which could further influence nutritional trends has taken
on additional importance since the withdrawal of health and relief
organizations. The ICRC is not in a position to take over their
programmes owing to lack of expertise, personnel and funds, but any
changes in nutritional levels will be followed closely and ad hoc
assistance given if needed.
For disabled breadwinners and families headed by a widow:
The 23,200 vulnerable families have just received their bi-monthly food
rations consisting of wheat flour, rice, beans, ghee and soap. This
programme has not been affected by recent developments. Another round of
distributions is planned for September.
For returnees:
To facilitate the return of those families who have decided to leave the
camps in Herat, the ICRC maintains its community-based projects around
Bala-Murghab, the region from which most displaced fled more than a year
and a half ago. As the front line has moved away from this area, the
ICRC has been able to step up its assistance and some 100 families have
already resettled there. Agricultural projects are being pursued around
the country through the distribution of tools and seed, as well as
food-for-work projects.
To prevent too much dependency on external aid and to encourage a return
to their places of origin, the ICRC has reduced its assistance to the
displaced living in the camps near Herat.
Federation activities
The 46 ARCS health clinics supported by the International Federation of
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Federation) continue to see
thousands of people each day. The reduction in health services available
has led to an increased demand on the clinics. The Federation
delegation, which continues to operate from Kabul, Peshawar and
Islamabad, has requested additional medical stocks. Additional
information will soon be provided in the Federation's situation report
on current activities in south Asia.
Personnel
The ICRC is present throughout the territory. Thirty-two ICRC delegates,
and one delegate from the Federation are based in Kabul, Ghazni, Herat,
Jalalabad, Kandahar and Mazar-i-Sharif. Some 50 others are on standby in
Islamabad. Around 1,000 local staff are employed in ICRC operations.
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