Transcript of the UN humanitarian briefing in Amman, Jordan, 31 March, 2003

[David]

Transcript of the UN humanitarian briefing in Amman, Jordan, 31 March, 2003

Nejib Friji, UN Spokesman

The UNESCO Director General said "we all must ensure the continuity of the educational process for the Iraqi children."

Declaring his "deep sympathy with the Iraqi people, whose suffering has been worsened by the lack of food and drinking water supplies", Koichiro Matsuura has reaffirmed UNESCO's determination to "resume as soon as possible, alongside the other eight United Nations system agencies involved, an active part in the implementation of the Oil for Food Programme."

Provision of drinking water, food and medicine is an absolute priority, but we must also be ready to ensure the continuity of the educational process for the Iraqi children."

Geoffrey Keele, Spokesman for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)

UNICEF is now trying to find ways of moving urgently needed humanitarian assistance into Iraq to address the urgent needs of populations. The latest information we have is that two trucks loaded with UNICEF supplies are still at Habur Gate in Turkey pending permission to cross into Northern Iraq. The supplies on the vehicles are medical, education and material for emergency water provision.

The trucks have been hired from private contractors.

UNICEF in Kuwait is also looking at ways of moving large quantities of water into southern Iraq under private contract. The need for clean water in southern Iraq is urgent and the lack of it is a significant health hazard for children. Yesterday 13 vehicles were commissioned to go into the country. In the end three managed to deliver water to Um Qaser. Of the others, some did not have the correct paperwork to cross into Iraq and the drivers of two of the others decided that the right conditions of safety did not exist for them to carry on. UNICEF is now looking at the issues so this operation can be continued safely and people can be reached quickly and effectively.

At Garow, near Dahuk in northern Iraq, the UNICEF office reports that three children aged between three and six have been injured by a landmine. Their condition, and the seriousness of their injuries, is not known.

Khaled Mansour, Spokesman for the World Food Programme (WFP)


The first UN-supervised food supplies to enter Iraq crossed the Turkish border this weekend. Three trucks with 77 metric tons of dried skim milk were offloaded in Dahuk yesterday. They will help with a nutrition programme WFP runs in the Kurdish provinces.

Now that WFP has already started moving food across the borders with Turkey into northern Iraq, we are preparing to move the badly needed wheat flour - hopefully later this week - into northern Iraq. [More details: WFP hopes to move 1,000 tons of wheat flour that have been stored for potential refugees in Turkey into northern Iraq. Unlike the southern and central provinces of Iraq the people in the three northern provinces, have not received advance double rations of wheat flour]

Like other UN agencies WFP will work to bring humanitarian supplies to support the existing food distribution system in Iraq wherever security conditions permit.

WFP welcomes the support of generous donors led by the United States and including Australia, New Zealand, Spain, the UK and Germany. So far WFP has received a total of $115 million in cash and in kind to support our $1.3 billion appeal for Iraq.

The major donors so far include the US with $60 million, Australia has donated 100,000 tons of wheat, the UK about $12.7 million and Germany about $6.5 million

In Kuwait, WFP started milling 4,000 tons of locally purchased wheat today.

Peter Kessler, Spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for the Refugees (UNHCR)
Jordan
Two Boeing 747 cargo jets landed today at Jordan's Queen Alia International airport loaded with 160 family size tents donated by the Japanese government for the UN refugee agency's (UNHCR's) regional stockpile for Iraqi refugees.

The tents were received by Japan's ambassador in Jordan, Koichi Obata, and UNHCR Representative, Sten Bronee.

"We're very pleased with the contribution of the Japanese government," Bronee said. "When the needs arise, we've always had a very positive response from the Japanese government."

UNHCR plans to send part of the Japanese contribution to its forward stockpile at Ruwaished, in eastern Jordan. The Jordan Hashemite Charty Organisation, UNHCR's main partner, has prepared a refugee camp in Ruwaished, some 60 kilometers from the Iraqi frontier.

"This comes at an important time," Bronee said. "The crisis has only just started."

Jordan's camp at Ruwaished can shelter up to 10,000 refugees, and be expanded if more Iraqis arrive. UNHCR's relief agency partners have constructed a water distribution network in the camp and built 80 flush toilets sufficient for at least 1,600 people, and additional water and sanitation works are underway to ensure adequate water and sanitation services should more Iraqis arrive at the camp.

So far, there have been no significant refugee movements from Iraq into surrounding countries.

Any tents that are not immediately needed will be stored at the refugee agency's stockpile in Amman, from where they may be dispatched to Syria, where UNHCR has already dispatched items for 10,000 people and together with that government, is upgrading Al Hawl camp and preparing transit sites at border crossings from Iraq. UNHCR is also examining a possible second refugee camp in Syria at Sabaa Biar.

UNHCR last week launched a $154 million appeal for assistance to help countries in the region prepare for the arrival of up to 600,000 refugees. The UN refugee agency has so far received more than $25 million from donor countries, while it has spent more than $29 million pre-positioning relief aid and staff in the six countries bordering Iraq.

Syria
Large numbers of Iraqis continue to approach our Damascus office seeking temporary protection letters. Today we received more than 900 Iraqis, while yesterday our office was besieged by more than 750 Iraqis. Most appear to have been residing in Syria since long before the war started on 20 March.

Each of the Iraqis received a temporary protection letter. We are looking into possible vulnerable individuals, such as elderly or handicapped persons, to see if they need any specific assistance.

All appear to be living with family or other relatives in Damascus or nearby towns; no one has requested to be transferred to Al Hawl camp.

Normally, our Damascus office receives only 40 to 50 Iraqis on a daily basis. Last Sunday, 23 March, we saw the number shoot up to 150 persons, so it appears that more of Syria's Iraqis are seeking us out. Also in Syria, we have dispatched a field team to Dayr Az Zawr, from where they will monitor the Abu Kamal border. Tomorrow, staff will move onwards to Al Hasakah, which will be our base of operations in eastern Syria, and from where we will monitor the Al Yarubiyeh and Faysh Khabur border crossings in the far northeast of the country.

Chris Lom, Spokesman for the International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Syria - A group of 119 mostly Sudanese migrant workers fleeing Iraq arrived at the Abu Kamal border crossing this morning.

A further 60 Sudanese without travel documents remain on the Iraqi side of the border and Sudanese embassy officials will travel from Damascus tomorrow to facilitate their entry into Syria.

The former Sudanese ambassador to Baghdad, who travelled out of Iraq by the same route, met IOM officials in Deir el Zor yesterday and notified them of the imminent arrivals.

The Sudanese will stay in the El Heri camp set up by the Syrian Red Crescent at Abu Kamal, until IOM can fly them back to the Sudan from Damascus.

IOM Damascus says that it expects to repatriate the group to Khartoum by the end of this week.

In the past week, IOM has helped 50 Moroccans, Sudanese and Egyptians fleeing Iraq to return home from Syria.

Iran - IOM operations and medical staff from Kermanshah this morning successfully evacuated 144 Sudanese nationals from No Man's Land on the Iran - Iraq border.

The Sudanese group, which included families with newborn babies and small children, had reportedly spent more than a week on the Iraqi side of the border.

IOM staff provided food, water and medical assistance to them at "Zero Point" in No Man's Land, before taking them directly to Kermanshah airport.

At 11.30 am this morning, after a three-hour bus journey, they joined an IOM-chartered Mahan Air flight from Kermanshah for Khartoum.

An IOM medical escort traveled with the flight to help mothers with newborn babies.

The operation, coordinated from Kermanshah, was in close cooperation with BAFIA, the Iranian immigration department, and the Sudanese embassy in Tehran.

Jordan - Last night and this morning another 16 Somalis, nine Djiboutians and two Egyptians arrived at the Karama border with Iraq.

IOM provided them with transport from the border to the Ruweished transit camp, which is run by the Jordanian Red Crescent, with support from the IFRC and IOM. There are currently 244 people in the camp.

Veronique Taveau, Spokeswoman for the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq (OHCI)

As you know, communications with Baghdad are very difficult at the moment. That is why our main source of information today again is the International Committee of the Red Cross


Four delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross accessed Basra from Kuwait across the front line with the full cooperation of all parties. The team delivered spare parts to the main water treatment station, which is functioning at only 50% of its capacity.

ICRC reports that information exchange with the Centre/South is very difficult due to failing telecommunications. Currently, it is unclear which roads in and around Baghdad are safe.

ICRC delivered 13,000 one-litre bags to hospitals in Baghdad and supplementary water was delivered to eight water distribution centres in northern Rasafa.

Power supplies to the whole western side of Baghdad have been down since last Friday. ICRC is working to ensure that water treatment plants are served by backup generators.

ICRC has reports of serious water shortages in at least four populated areas of Anbar governorate east of Baghdad.

High prices of food commodities in northern Iraq together with insufficient household food stocks will soon start to have an impact on food security for the most vulnerable.

The security situation in Erbil is generally stable but intermittent shelling occurs every night.

Fuel scarcity continues in Erbil and Dahuk but according to press reports fuel (benzene, kerosene, diesel) from the Government of Iran is expected to arrive in the next few days.

Questions and Answers
Q: Jill Carroll, Jordan Times: We heard something about two Iraqi refugees showing up at Ruwaished, do you have any information about that?

A: There have been no Iraqi refugees so far reported to the camp.

Q: UNICEF mentioned three children involved injured by a landmine, when was that?

A: We received the report this morning; it occurred yesterday, but as I mentioned the severity of their injuries is not yet known.

Q: Is there any evidence whether the landmine is a new or old one? Is there something about the use of landmines in this war?

A: We don't know whether it is old or not, obviously there are landmines scattered around Iraq that date back to the Iran-Iraq war, and from the 1991 Gulf War. So all through the country, there are problems of landmines; when this landmine was laid, we don't know at this point. The UN has a very firm position on this, landmines kill, they usually kill the most vulnerable, they kill children, women and the UN is absolutely against this and wants to urge all parties in this conflict to ensure that no mines are laid & that this kind of technology is not used in any way.

Q: UNHCR mentioned that around 900 & before that 750 Iraqis came to your office in Syria, but they have been residing in Syria long before the war. Do you have any idea they started showing up now, is there any significance for that & are there more numbers other than the 900 people that come for temporarily registration?

A: We only about those Iraqis in Syria who report to us; the numbers have been steadily raising in the last week, it was 150, which is 3 times the normal amount that approach us seeking to register & undergo a refugee status determination. In light of course of the conflict in Iraq, we have urged all countries to grant temporary protection to Iraqis & to suspend normal refugee status procedure, till at least 3 months. All Iraqis outside their homeland should receive temporary protection. We don't know how long these people have been in Syria, they have different stories, but none appear, or at least very few appear, to have arrived in the last 11 days.

Q: This temporary protection status is it only sought by people when there is a war & if not, why do you think they are seeking it just now. If they have been in Syria for a long time, why didn't they ask for it before?

A: It is hard to imagine. They might be of course wanting to let us know of their presence, in case down the road they do know assistance. Right now, the only place we are assisting Iraqi refugees, unless there are some very specific circumstances, are the designated refugee camps, in Syria at Al Habul or a possible new camp we might be establishing at Saba Beyar. So right now, we don't anticipate & nor do the authorities want to see a large-scale settlements in urban areas.

Q: Charles Hanley, AP: The two shipments through the Turkish borders of food & water & Kuwait, is this the first shipment of the UN to your knowledge & what delay has been at the Turkish border & what is the paperwork problem at the Kuwait border?

A: The shipment took place on Saturday, so I assume it is the first UN shipment to cross the borders into Iraq, since March 18. I think there is a complex process of clearances & letters from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & we have to go through that.

As far as the paper problem in Kuwait, as I mentioned, this was a private contract operation where we hired water tankers to go in. The company itself was responsible to do all the paperwork so we're not sure why some of the papers were not filled in properly. We are looking into it now, so this kind of thing doesn't happen in the future.

Q: Anything new on the Oil for Food Programme especially that yesterday there were two ships that were sent back?

A: The Security Council has yet to meet on the reactions since the end of the week & we have not seen anything so far from the members of the Council or the Secretariat, so it is relatively premature & we cannot judge what is going to happen in New York.

As for the ships, the procedures for Oil for Food are still suspended & we have no clear idea from the Iraqi government so far. There were reports in the media & we have to wait for the Council to pronounce itself on it. I believe their reaction maybe followed by an official position, we don't know until New York wakes up.

Q: Mathew Connelly: UNHCR, can you tell me the temporary protection letters, forgive my ignorance but what do those exactly involve or title somebody to exactly?

A: It is a legal status were by the holder is considered a protected person under the mandate of the UN refugee agency. That involves the individual being protected under the 1951 convention of Geneva, which the individual is an asylum seeker known to the office, in this case an Iraq individual; they should have the benefit of the protection of both the UNHCR & the right to temporarily abode in the country where they are.

Q: UNICEF, will the 13 vehicles all bound to Um Qaser & is this operation now on hold?

A: The 13 vehicles were destined for four different areas, for Faw, Um Qaser, Zubier & Safwan. As you know the paper work prevented some trucks from going through & others turned back for safety reasons. Because it is a private contract, it is up to the drivers & the company to assess the safety of the situation & in this case two drivers felt that it was not safe enough for them to continue & came back. It is not on hold, today we are looking at the problems that did arise; because this was a private contract, you are going to find that problems have raised & that you need to take the time to take stock of that. We are hoping to continue in the next few days.

Q: Does IOM know why we saw the first major flow of TCNs in Syria?

A: My impression is that these people came as the group from Baghdad & they left at approximately the same time as the Sudanese diplomatic mission, who may have organized or participated in this mass departure. The Ambassador went straight through to Damascus & warned both the Embassy there & the IOM office of the pending arrival of these people. The Sudanese Embassy in Damascus then sent counselor officials to Abu Kamal to facilitate the entry of anybody that didn't have the appropriate documents.

Q: So the Sudanese Embassy in Baghdad has closed?

A: Certainly the Ambassador has left but I don't know if the Embassy has closed.

Q: Both yesterday & today you have mentioned that the communication situation with Baghdad is worsening, could somebody elaborate more on that & how it is affecting various aspects of your work?

A: Telecommunications with Baghdad are very difficult because the telecommunications tower was hit by a missile & as a result of that 50% of the population has no more communication & no more telephones. It is very difficult to get in contact with the people there. Some Thuraiya telephones are still working, because that doesn't need the landline, however, even with that, it is very difficult to get in contact with the people.

Q: According to Amnesty International, the US has already deployed 90,000 anti-personnel landmines in the region for possible use in Iraq. What is the international justification for such an act & how can you explain this according to the UN?

A: We don't have official data on this; the UN bans the use of landmines. It is against the Ottawa Convention & as soon as we get information on that, we will get back to you.

Q: How easy is it to find drivers to get aid in from Kuwait & northern Iraq at the moment & is that holding up your operations?

A: As you can imagine some people are not overly eager to enter a combat zone, so it creates delays. But we are finding drivers who are willing to do it & we are very grateful for that. It is going to continue to assist us in our operations.

It creates delays definitely, but it also increases the prices & the wages you have to pay.

Q: If you don't get the security clearance from the UN, but you need to be sending you own aid with your own staff?

A: From our Afghanistan experience, we will never send the thousands of trucks we will need to deploy in that operation as UN trucks. We don't have UN trucks; we always depend on the private sectors. We did that for 2,000 trucks in Afghanistan & we might have to do that for up to 4,000 trucks in Iraq. There is a strong trucking industry in the neighboring countries & we are planning to use them & we believe as a matter of fact, that the truck drivers are very good judges of the security of the town; I'm sure you know that there is traffic still from Amman to Baghdad.

Q: We have heard the Iraqi officials in response to the Oil for Food Programme calling on the UN to address the core problem, which is the war, instead of trying to justify relief aid instead of finding a resolution to stop the bombing which will stop the need for relief aid. What measures did the UN take to try & stop the war or what is the UN's role in that regard?

A: Let me give you some background regarding the Secretary General knowing that the whole is in the hands of the Security Council. He stated through the crisis, that he considered war as the last resort & he worked tirelessly to promote peaceful outcomes in the challenging disarmament of Iraq. He regrets the resort to force & wants to see the war brought to an end as soon as possible. He is focusing on doing everything possible to protect the civilian population & bring relief to the victims.

Q: Can't the Secretary General do anything with the Security Council; what is his role? If he wishes to see this war come to an end, isn't he able to do anything in regards to the Security Council to stop such a process?

A: As far as this question is concerned, I will refer you to the Secretary General's Spokesman, Fred Eckhard & in a few hours you can get in touch with him & get a clearer answer on that.

Q: How the lack of communications has affected your work?

A: As I said, that a missile has hit the telecommunications tower in Baghdad, so 50% of the city is out of communications. It is very difficult to contact our people because of that. So we manage in some ways to get information through ICRC & that is why today my information was from ICRC.

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