Transcript of the UN humanitarian briefing in Amman, Jordan, 26 March, 2003

[David]

Transcript of the UN humanitarian briefing in Amman, Jordan, 26 March, 2003

Nejib Friji, Spokesman

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


Ramiro Lopes da Silva, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, expressed his deepest concern today at reports that there had been an air strike on a market in Baghdad this morning, which resulted in heavy casualties. He reminded the parties to the conflict of their responsibility to respect international humanitarian law under all circumstances. "The civilian population of Iraq has no part in this conflict and must be protected from its consequences at all costs. Attacks on civilians installations are a serious breach of humanitarian international law," he said.

In Baghdad, the emergency room of the Abougreb hospital is full. Premiere Urgence, a French NGO with 60 staff in the city, is extending the emergency room by erecting tents that can take the overflow of patients. Premiere Urgence is also helping protect the vital installations in 15 of the city's 34 hospital, with sandbags and tape to prevent windows from shattering. The International Committee of the Red Cross and CARE are assisting the other 19 hospitals.

Evaluations of Baghdad hospitals made by the ICRC have slowed down due to heavy bombardments. The ICRC continues to prepare hospitals and health centers. Five thousand one litre bags of drinking water were delivered to a CARE-supported hospital, yesterday.

The Iraqi Red Crescent Society has set up 14 first aid posts throughout the city. They are run 24 hours a day by volunteers.

In Erbil, rising prices for commodities are making life of the population even more difficult. The price for a cylinder of gas has more than doubled, jumping from $4 to $10. The average salary for a civil servant in northern Iraq is roughly around $ 20 a month.

Information from Basra indicates that the power supply is only working intermittently. There are no more containers available on the market to store water.

At least 200 people are reported to be in local hospitals, suffering from injuries received during the conflict.

Geoffrey Keele, Spokesman for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)
UNICEF staff in Iraq have continued efforts to tackle immediate humanitarian needs, both in the capital Baghdad and in the north of the country. One hundred First Aid kits have been handed over in the capital to the General Federation of Iraqi Women, which has access to considerable numbers of people at the grass roots level. The water team has been training local technicians on how to establish water bladders for emergency distribution in the event of a total failure of main systems.

In the north of Iraq UNICEF has been facilitating the continuing measles immunisation. The latest report says that 23,000 pupils at 42 schools in Suleimanyeh were reached. UNICEF teams have made visits to all the hospitals and health clinics in Dahuk. They have also established teams to conduct rapid assessment of displaced populations in the area. Increased rates of diarrhoea have been reported amongst children under five in a camp near Mawat. Oral re-hydration salts have been taken to the camp.

The water situation in Basra continues to be a major concern for the agency. The team in Kuwait is planning a road tanker operation with up to 40 vehicles. Fifty-five bladders with a capacity of 5,000 litres have been flown to Kuwait for use in the city and neighbouring areas. Supplies of drugs for the treatment of up to a 1,000 cases of Blackwater fever have also arrived in Kuwait. An outbreak at the beginning of the month claimed more than 75 lives. The drugs were purchased for use at Basra Hospital.

W spoke to the UNICEF team in Baghdad this morning. They said that children are suffering obvious signs of trauma. This shows itself in continuous crying, fear of loud noises, nightmares and so on. Obviously the bombing of the city has impact beyond destruction and casualties. The situation for children has been made worse by the closure of schools. School normally serves as an outlet for children's emotions. In the current situation however parents are often afraid to let their children outdoors. So play is at a minimum as well. UNICEF knows from experience in other conflict zones that trauma of this kind can have a lasting impact on children, and it is one of the many ways in which are the most vulnerable in times of war.

Fadela Chiab, Spokeswoman for the World Health Organization (WHO)

BASRA

Reports from Basra indicate that at least half of the civilian population still lacks access to safe, clean drinking water. This situation has continued since late on Friday, despite the best efforts of the International Committee of the Red Cross to gain access to the key water plants and restore supplies.

In addition to the lack of water, many are also without electricity in these circumstances it's hard to keep food safe and to maintain hygiene. Levels of disease- especially among children- will be rising daily. The public health staff who work for WHO are increasingly concerned. Dysentery and typhoid are serious risks and they will have a serious impact. We have seen such outbreaks in this area in the recent past and are concerned that this situation could worsen rapidly.

The WHO local team in Baghdad is waiting for an opportunity to travel to Basra and help ensure the best ways of safeguarding the health of civilians, as well as those affected by water and power problems. Currently the security situation prevents them from traveling. WHO also has teams in neighboring countries who are ready to assist.

Civilian deaths in Baghdad

The World Health Organization is deeply concerned by reports of a number of civilian deaths in Baghdad market on Wednesday morning. Civilians injuries also inevitably increase the pressure on the already- stretched hospitals and other heath infrastructure.

Ruweished in Jordan

A WHO epidemiologist will arrive today in Amman to work in the sub-office WHO opened near to the governmental hospital of Ruweished where refugees may arrive. A generator has been installed by WHO for the refrigeration of medicines and vaccines in Ruwaished hospital.

Suleimaniya

WHO national staff have been investigating reports of an outbreak of diarrhea disease in the Chawarback camp close to the Iranian border in the Northern Governorate of Suleimaniya. The team continues to monitor the situation, which for now appears to be under control.

Two rapid assessment teams have also been sent to the area of Bazyan following reports that large numbers of people were moving from Chamchamal. Each team consists of a WHO medical officer, a WHO pharmacist and a WHO sanitary engineer, as well as an official from the department of health and a nutrition adviser from UNICEF.

Currently, supplies of most medicines are adequate, although shortages are being reported in some emergency supplies. WHO is working to replenish these supplies. WHO is also ready to supply fuel for hospitals that report critical shortages.

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

Driving winds, dust and bitter cold enveloped the Ruweished transit camp near the Iraqi border last night, flattening tents and terrifying the nearly 200 third-country nationals sheltering there following their escape from Iraq.

Red Crescent workers collapsed unoccupied tents to save them from the wind, after a marquee used by IOM for registration and medical screening was partially destroyed.

With visibility down to a few yards, a planned IOM evacuation of 70 Sudanese to Amman this afternoon was cancelled. From Amman they were scheduled to join a Royal Jordanian Airways flight to Khartoum this evening at midnight.

Today tents were reinforced with additional pegs and camp residents, who now have food, water, stoves and blankets supplied by the IFRC, resolved to sit out the storm.

IOM medical workers reported numerous cases of eye inflammation and incidences of asthma and gastro enteritis among children in the camp, which is run by the Jordanian Red Crescent, supported by IOM and the IFRC.

IOM spokesperson Jean Philippe Chauzy, who is in the camp, said that the weather this afternoon appeared to be deteriorating. "The sky is completely brown. The dust is choking and people just want to stay in the tents," he said.

Over the past week, IOM has bussed some 559 third country nationals fleeing Iraq from the border to the camp. Some 361 of them, including 305 Sudanese and 41 Egyptians, have already returned home with IOM by air, road and sea.

Some 197 people remain in the camp, pending their return home. Over the past 24 hours, the camp has seen no new arrivals.

Ziad Rifai, Spokesman for the UN Population Fund (UNFPA)

Yesterday, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) delivered a fresh shipment of emergency medical equipment, supplies and medications to the Al-Ruwaished Hospital. The supplies are particularly intended to boost the hospital's ability to assist pregnant women and to save the lives of mothers and their babies.

The delivered supplies consist of seven reproductive health emergency kits. Items contained in the kits are enough to equip two delivery rooms. That includes safe delivery kits and emergency obstetric care equipment, including caesarian section. They also include supplies needed for blood transfusion and HIV testing, in addition to medicines for treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, as well as other medications.

The kits were determined based on an earlier UNFPA assessment of the basic needs of the hospital, and in full collaboration with the Jordanian Ministry of Health. UNFPA had also trained a number of Jordanian medical personnel on how to use the emergency medical kits and to address reproductive health needs in refugee situations. More kits will soon be delivered to other nearby hospitals. UNFPA will also be providing storage facilities to accommodate these kits.

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


We have information that the government-run food distribution system is still partially functioning in South and Central Iraq where incomplete rations are still being delivered by food agents. March distribution of incomplete rations for one month has started in areas not affected by the fighting.

This could improve reserve levels for some families benefiting from this distribution. We have no exact info on the level of ration and the completion of the cycle, which normally takes up to one month to finish.

This is a good sign, but we are still operating under the assumption that most families who are entirely dependent on monthly food rations would run out of food by the end of April.

There are noticeably more shops open than in recent days in Dahuk, northern Iraq. In the market, food prices have risen overall by 18% since 15 March. Some items such as fresh tomatoes, milk and weaning cereal have disappeared.

Of major public concern is the sharp price increase, which have risen four-fold in some areas, or unavailability of fuel. This has had a big effect on movement around the cities as well as living conditions (heating) for those who have moved to rural areas.

WFP resumed food distribution to Amadia, a heavily populated area, on Tuesday (25 March). Various commodities, totalling 45 tons, for 47,000 adults and nearly 700 infants, have been delivered to agents to distribute.

Due to the absence of agents and most of the beneficiaries in two other areas there will be no distribution of pulses (from the April/May cycle) until the situation improves.

Peter Kessler, Spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR
There have been no substantial refugee arrivals anywhere in the region.

In Syria, our border teams are continuing to monitor border-crossing points, which are so far quiet. We have seen a rise in the number of Iraqis approaching our Damascus office. Most seem to have arrived in Syria in the past three weeks, rather than since the start of the war.

Heavy winds in eastern Jordan have forced us to dismantle some of the tents erected at Ruwaished. It has been horribly windy out there today, even part of the telecommunications network is down. Our staff have been up to the Al Karama border several times today, which is quiet.

Yesterday, one of our mobile monitoring teams in Turkey was stranded between Batman and Bitlis following two avalanches that blocked the road. The staff recovered their car today and are now near Van. A second team that was similarly stuck yesterday near Hakkari due to weather conditions is moving to Cukurca today. Our third mobile team is operating in the Silopi region. All four-person teams travel through Turkey's border area, visiting villages to inquire about any possible refugee movements.

In Iran, a UNHCR team from Kermanshah today went to the Iranian border area near the Iraqi town of Penjwin. The team will look into ICRC reports that some 22,000 Iraqis had moved to this town near Iran's border province of Kurdistan. ICRC's report indicated these displaced Iraqis were mainly from Sulaimaniyeh and Kirkuk, in northern Iraq. They were reported to be in mosques, schools and houses of relatives and friends. Iranian officials told UNHCR in Kermanshah the people in Penjwin had neither requested assistance nor attempted to cross the border.

Questions & Answers

Q: Yesterday the Foreign Minister said that about 4300 Iraqis have been going back to go to Iraq. Did anybody from the UN talk to any or many of the people who are going back & are the reasons they are giving?

A: We have no details on this move & obviously any Iraqis who wish to go home, are returning to their homeland. I have seen some reports in the media of some journalists who have interviewed those returnees, but nothing other than that.

They are not refugees, they are citizens returning home, I don't think the UN have anything to do with that; it's a bilateral issue between Jordan & Iraq.

Q: The Jordanian government said that there are trucks carrying food are going towards Iraq; the Iraqi government on the other hand say that they have never arrived. Where are those trucks? What we know is that two trucks left Amman to Baghdad, these trucks are with emergency kits, water sanitation kits & antibiotics; hopefully they will reach Baghdad as soon as possible.

A: Since March 18th the World Food Programme has not sent any food convoys or trucks into Iraq. That means that they are not UN food trucks. I'm aware of the media reports but I am just stating that these are not UN trucks or food.

Q: Is the Secretary General supposed to meet some US & UK officials in New York & is he supposed to meet Iraqi officials in New York?

A: The Secretary General has met with Condoleezza Rice, assistant to the US President for the National Security Affairs, at her request. He also met Spain's Foreign Minister, at her request. The Secretary General will also meet British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who requested this meeting. Regarding Iraq, should Iraq request a meeting, the Secretary General will certainly any Iraqi official, as it is undeniable fact that the Iraqi government represents Iraq.

Q: Salim Mahasna, Arab Today & Middle East: There were reports on the lack of water in Basra, what is the role of the UN in this, especially that we were told that many can't find clean water? The spokes person for UNHCR in Egypt said about the refugees that the High Commissioner asked the countries not to give Iraqi refugees the status of a refugee except after a three months period has passed, how is this?

A: We have little information concerning Basra, the power supplies are barely working & there are 200 people are reported in hospitals. UNICEF is trying to find a way to get emergency water supplies into Basra; there are problems of supply in Basra & the whole governorate. We are trying to get water bladders & water tankered into the area, hopefully within the next few days, so the UN is taking a stand on this & playing a role.

The High Commissioner for Refugees has written to all governments in the region to keep their borders open for any Iraqi seeking asylum. I haven't seen the report from Cairo but there has been no limit put on this, we asked all countries & governments that this is not the time to reject Iraqi asylum seekers.

Q: Could you expand a little on what you called a breach by the bombing of the market in Baghdad today?

A: Serious breaches, all attacks against civilians of Iraq, have to be considered & the consequences have to be considered as a serious breach because it's against the International Humanitarian Law.

Q: Other than the two trucks that moved across the border, has the UN any knowledge of any other relief supplies moving from Jordan into Iraq & are there any of your supplies coming from Aqaba?

A: The trucks are the only ones we are aware of that have come from Jordan. I believe that is it from this neighborhood at the moment.

Neither the WFP nor other UN agencies have moved any supplies to Iraq since March 18th, a day before the war started. We have 30,000 tones of food in Iraqi neighboring countries including Amman but we have not moved anything to Ruwaished.

Q: Do you have any additional information about the casualties (question unintelligible.)

A: Reports say that there are heavy casualties, but we don't have the latest figures. We are very concerned about the situation in Baghdad at the moment.

Q: You mentioned some of the camps were dismantled. How long will it take the camp to come running again?

A: When they were setting up the camp they were doing it on the ratio of 50 tents in the morning so it will be very quick to put them up again if there is good number of people.

Q: Many civilians have said that they will join the Iraqi army in fighting the troops, are you afraid of this & will they become a military target?

A: I don't think this should be addressed to us, these are Iraqi nationals going back, and it is their county. The UN has addressed all parties involved not to target civilians.

Q: We have heard that there are humanitarian convoys from Kuwait transiting to Jordan to go to Iraq, anything on that?

A: I don't see why a convoy should transit to Iraq from Kuwait by coming to Jordan. We have no idea about this great detour.

Q: D you have any information about the uprising in Basra?

A: We have no information on that, all we heard were press releases, thus we can't comment.


Q: Do you have any information about moving the Ruwaished camp inside the Iraqi borders, as there is no movement of refugees, movement of the IDP's & no talk about Iraqi refugees to any neighboring country, what is the validity of this information? We haven't heard anything from UNEP on their role in Iraq despite reports on the use of Uranium weapons & setting fire to trenches filled with oil?

A: The government of Jordan as others in the region said they would abide by their humanitarian obligations in the event of any refugee movement. UNHCR is working with governments across the region & the Red Crescent. A refugee movement may occur at any time, hopefully one will never happen but nevertheless, it is vital to have those camps available. In 1991, after the liberation of Kuwait was when 1.8 million people moved from Kuwait. It isn't the time to let our guard down.

The UNEP has conducted a number of studies used in the Balkans, so we have the expertise & the experience & we are available for future appropriate studies. On the oil well, we are monitoring as best as we can the smoke; we do know that the environment protection agency of Kuwait is taking air quality samples & moving a mobile lab to the Iraqi borders to take more samples. We are already monitoring the situation.