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Asia
IRIN-AS Weekly Round-Up 148
29 October - 4 November 2007


CONTENTS:

AFGHANISTAN: UN warns of humanitarian crisis in inaccessible areas
AFGHANISTAN: Women workers exposed to health risks in Herat factories
AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN: UNHCR suspends Afghan repatriation effort
AFGHANISTAN: Disarmament programme extended
AFGHANISTAN: Civilians flee as NATO-Afghan forces fight insurgents in
   Kandahar
AFGHANISTAN: Displaced families in Farah need urgent help
BANGLADESH: Rising sea levels threaten agriculture
BANGLADESH: Primary-school dropout rate rises to 47 percent
NEPAL: Bhutanese refugee children want new lives
PAKISTAN: Polio vaccination campaign put off in conflict-hit Swat
PAKISTAN: Villagers flee conflict-hit Swat
PAKISTAN: NGOs suspend operations in quake-hit Battagram
PAKISTAN: 'Holy war' displacing Swat locals


AFGHANISTAN: UN warns of humanitarian crisis in inaccessible areas

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan, 
Tom Koenigs, and the head of World Food Programme (WFP) mission have 
warned of humanitarian crises in some parts of the country if food is 
not delivered before winter.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75030


AFGHANISTAN: Women workers exposed to health risks in Herat factories

The Safi fur and wool factory, in Herat city, western Afghanistan, has 
more than 350 female and 300 male workers who earn only 300 Afghanis 
(US$6) for their 48-hour, six-day week. The factory produces coats, 
jackets, hats and other garments for the European and North American 
markets. There are more than 1,500 women working in four such factories 
in Herat city.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75048


AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN: UNHCR suspends Afghan repatriation effort

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has temporarily suspended its voluntary 
Afghan repatriation programme from Pakistan for the winter.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75069


AFGHANISTAN: Disarmament programme extended

The government of Afghanistan has extended its programme to disband all 
illegal armed groups by four years, according to officials.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75084


AFGHANISTAN: Civilians flee as NATO-Afghan forces fight insurgents in 
Kandahar

Civilians are fleeing two districts in the southern province of Kandahar 
as NATO and Afghan forces battle Taliban insurgents who have moved into 
the area, according to local residents and provincial officials.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75098


AFGHANISTAN: Displaced families in Farah need urgent help

Hundreds if not thousands of recently displaced people in southwest 
Afghanistan are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and 
protection, displaced families and provincial aid workers told IRIN on 4 
November.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75142


BANGLADESH: Rising sea levels threaten agriculture

Rising sea levels in the Bay of Bengal are encroaching on vast flat 
agricultural lands in the southern districts of Khulna, Satkhira, 
Bagerhat, Jessore and Magura - resulting in soil salinity and other 
environmental hazards.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75094


BANGLADESH: Primary-school dropout rate rises to 47 percent

Primary school dropout rates in Bangladesh, with a population of 150 
million, have always been high, but new research suggests numbers are 
increasing. According to a study conducted by 10 NGOs, with the 
Commonwealth Education Fund, the dropout rate has increased from 33 
percent in 2002 to 47 percent in 2006.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75139


NEPAL: Bhutanese refugee children want new lives

Basudev Osti, a 17-year-old Bhutanese citizen, grew up in the refugee 
camp of Khudanabari in Jhapa district, about 500km east of the Nepalese 
capital, Kathmandu. "My dream is to be liberated from my state as a 
refugee..." Osti said.

http://www.irinnews.org/Asia-Country.aspx?Country=NPA


PAKISTAN: Polio vaccination campaign put off in conflict-hit Swat

Efforts to immunise 350,000 children against polio in Pakistan's Swat 
Valley have been put on hold due to ongoing violence in the area.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75035


PAKISTAN: Villagers flee conflict-hit Swat

Villagers are fleeing Swat Valley in northwestern Pakistan after clashes 
between government troops and militant followers of the pro-Taliban 
religious leader Maulana Fazlullah, despite reports of a ceasefire, 
according to local residents and officials.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75070


PAKISTAN: NGOs suspend operations in quake-hit Battagram

NGOs working in Pakistan's quake-affected Battagram district have 
suspended operations after attacks on aid workers.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75083


PAKISTAN: 'Holy war' displacing Swat locals

Plans to establish a displaced persons camp in the Swat Valley are under 
way after renewed fighting between government forces and the pro-Taliban 
followers of Islamic religious leader Maulana Fazlullah, who want to 
establish Sharia law in the area.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75100[END]


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