March 14, 2008

 

 

Overview

 

UN says insurgent violence rose in Afghanistan in 2007

The UN says insurgent violence rose sharply last year (2007), with more than 8,000 insurgency-related deaths. In a report to the UN Security Council (UNSC), UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said conflict-related deaths during 2007 surged some 33 percent to 566 deaths per month compared to 425 deaths per month in the previous year (2006). Ban told the UNSC Monday (March 10) that despite support from some Afghans, the support from foreign-based networks remained critical in feeding the insurgency in terms of leadership, planning, training, funding and equipment. According to UN estimates, some 1,600 of the 8,000 fatalities during 2007 were civilians. In his report, Ban noted that insurgents were increasingly using Iraq-style tactics, such as roadside bombs, suicide attacks and kidnappings to strike foreign and government targets. Ban said that he was concerned about the emergence of violence in the country's previously calm northwest, as well as the central provinces of Logar and Wardak, which border the capital, Kabul. Meanwhile, the 26-nation North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) currently leading the charge of the UN-backed International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, said that during the first two months of this year there were 595 armed clashes, compared to 550 in the same period in 2007. However, the clashes were limited to fewer districts than in 2007. According to the Afghanistan NGO (non-governmental organization) Security Office (ANSO), which monitors security for dozens of NGOs, as of this month, there has been a 39 percent increase in Taliban attacks compared to the same period last year.

 

Canadian parliament extends Afghan troop mandate through 2011

The Canadian parliament on Thursday (March 13) voted to extend the country's military mission to Afghanistan for another two years through 2011. The parliament voted 198-77 to keep the 2,500 troops in Afghanistan provided that NATO can supply an additional 1,000 troops, some helicopters and unmanned surveillance aircraft to back up Canadian forces that have been deployed in restive southern Kandahar province. The announcement came after Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority Conservative government struck a deal with opposition Liberals after the government adapted the motion to include greater emphasis on reconstruction and the training of Afghan troops. In a parliamentary debate last month, Defense Minister Peter Mackay said, "The consequences of pulling Canada's military out of Afghanistan could have a far-reaching effect or a domino effect on others." The present mandate for Canadian troops was set to expire in February 2009. The parliament also set December 2011 as the absolute pull-out date for Canadian troops in Afghanistan.

 

UN peacekeeping chief calls for more focused Afghan mandate

The UN peacekeeping chief is calling for a sharper UN mandate in Afghanistan. Jean-Marie Guehenno, the UN under-secretary-general for peacekeeping, told the Security Council (SC) Wednesday (March 12) that the insurgency in Afghanistan has been worse than expected and urged a sharper or more focused mandate for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), soon to be led by Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide. Guehenno said UNAMA's present mandate was broad enough and there was no need to expand it, but rather there was a need to make it more focused. He said UNAMA should focus on six key areas that include enhanced coordination, political outreach, subnational governance, humanitarian coordination, upcoming elections and bolstered cooperation with the UN-mandated International Security Assistance Force. Guehenno urged the UNSC to take these issues into account when it renews UNAMA's mandate, which is due to expire this week.

 

Britain pledges additional US$6 million in emergency food aid to Afghanistan

Britain will provide an additional US$6 million (3 million GBP) in food aid to Afghanistan to help meet growing food shortages due to rising commodity prices. Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary who made the announcement Sunday (March 9), said, "Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, and least able to cope with spiraling food prices combined with severe winter weather. Providing an immediate safety net will help avoid a humanitarian crisis and end the immediate suffering." He said the money will be given to a joint appeal launched by the UN and the Afghan government in January. The joint appeal launched on January 24 is seeking nearly US$80 million for some 89,000 metric tons of food to feed some 425,000 extremely poor families (2.55 million people) affected by food prices that in some parts of the country have risen by as much as 80 percent. There have been media reports that in some parts of Afghanistan, such as some districts in the east-central province of Ghazni, food shortages are forcing people to eat dry grass and plants normally used to feed livestock.

Movement

 

2008: UNHCR will resume voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan on March 1 with the first batch of refugees leaving from Quetta in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province and a second batch from Peshawar in the North West Frontier Province.

 

2007: UNHCR temporarily suspends the Afghan voluntary repatriation campaign in Pakistan until March 2008 due to seasonal slowdown. (IRIN, Nov-2). Pakistan has reportedly extended the deadline to close Jalozai camp until March 2008. (IRIN, Sep-4). The UNHCR has asked Pakistan to temporarily suspend closure of Jalozai refugee camp in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) that was originally scheduled to be closed on August 31. UNHCR said due to the fast approaching Muslim holy month of Ramadan and winter season, conditions were not conducive for the return of some 100,000 camp residents. UNHCR said any forceful return of these refugees could lead to secondary displacement.

 

Pakistan is to close all Afghan refugee camps by December 2009 and to repatriate all refugees living in the country. UNHCR says it has repatriated over 306,000 Afghan refugees from Pakistan so far this year under its voluntary repatriation campaign. (UNHCR, Aug-10)

 

4.2 million refugees have returned to Afghanistan, and 500,000 IDPs returned home since early 2002. Close to 3 million of the refugees returned from Pakistan. 2.6 million Afghans remain in Pakistan, including one million in 74 long-term camps. About 1.5 million Afghans returned from Iran. Taking into account unassisted returns, perhaps 600,000 to 700,000 Afghans remain in Iran—up to 30,000 are in seven camps.

 

Iran deported some 85,000 unregistered refugees to Afghanistan during April 21 - May 14, 2007. Iranian officials say they plan to initially send back 500,000 of over a million illegal refugees in the country. Earlier this week, Iran said it has reached an agreement with the Afghan government to slow down the pace of expulsions for illegal Afghans living in the country.

 

Some 200,000 Afghan refugees in Pakistan have returned to their homes under the UN-assisted voluntary Afghan refugee repatriation program since it resumed on March 1, 2007, following a seasonal winter suspension. Pakistani authorities said voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan that are without proof of registration (PoR) ended in April, and refugees remaining in the country without PoR are now considered illegal and subject to government action. Repatriation campaign for Afghan refugees with PoR.

 

2006: UNHCR expects to assist 550,000 returnees—400,000 from Pakistan and 150,000 from Iran. However, so far this year only some 60,000 Afghan refugees have repatriated from Pakistan. Unassisted returns are a factor from Pakistan and have been a major contributor to returns from Iran. The tripartite arrangement among UNHCR-Afghanistan-Pakistan is good through 2006. The UNHCR-Afghanistan-Iran Joint Program has been extended into 2007. Repatriation from Pakistan, halted for the winter, recommenced on March 1. UNHCR assisted nearly 9,000 refugees in returning from Pakistan and over 500 from Iran during March. In April 2006, Pakistan closed two long-term camps in NWFP, and two in Baluchistan Province with 250,000 long-term residents. Refugees in Baluchistan can either return to Afghanistan or relocate to Mohammad Kheil camp near Quetta. Refugees in NWFP are moving to Afghanistan or one of ten camps in NWFP—refugees are pushing for a one-year delay.

 

2005 plans called for 400,000 Afghan refugees to return home from Pakistan and 200,000 from Iran, down from an earlier 350,000 estimated from Iran. 453,000 returned from Pakistan. 67,000 from Iran were assisted and over 210,000 returned on their own to Iran for a total of nearly 280,000, and a combined Pakistan and Iran total of 733,000—close to the original projection.

 

2004 plans were for one million to return. Actual returnees were around 850,000, with 385,000 from Pakistan and 460,000 from Iran, including 80,000 spontaneous returns. Pakistan closed camps in South Waziristan and all new camps, with remaining new refugees going to Mohamed Kheil camp in Baluchistan Province.

Emphasis in 2003 was on repatriation from old camps and cities in Pakistan to rural areas in Afghanistan. 70% of returnees from Pakistan were from cities and 30% from camps. Over a third returned to Kabul, another 10% went to other central provinces, and just over 20% returned to each of the north and east. The Southern region received 6% and the Western region 4%. The 2003 peak months were June and July.

 

In 2002 over 2.3 million Afghan refugees returned with 2 million assisted by UNHCR. UNHCR repatriated 1.53 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan, including 125,000 from Baluchistan and 1.4 million from the North West Frontier Province. 82% were from urban areas; only 3% were from new camps. 265,000 refugees were assisted in returning from Iran; and 10,000 refugees from the central Asian republics.

 

 

Afghanistan Relief Efforts: United Nations Coordination Regions

 

 

Central Region

 

 

East Central Region

 

 

 

Eastern Region