Transcript of the UN humanitarian briefing in Amman, Jordan, 1 April, 2003

[David]

Transcript of the UN humanitarian briefing in Amman, Jordan, 1 April, 2003

Nejib Friji, UN Spokesman

Annan meets with Arab countries for talks on situation in Iraq

Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday met with Arab countries to brief them and to hear their views about the situation in Iraq before starting a series of meetings this week with the regional groupings of UN Member States.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the Secretary-General said the Arab Group - which is not one of the five regional groups - were concerned about the situation on the ground, as well as the Iraqi population and the civilian casualties. "They are also anxious that assistance should get to the cities and to the people as soon as possible," he added. "But of course they are worried as to how all this is going to turn out, which nobody really knows."

As for the UN's Oil-for-Food Programme, which the Security Council voted last Friday to restart, giving the Secretary-General more authority to administer the operation, Mr. Annan said he thought the UN was taking steps to be able to get food to those in need. Some 60 per cent of the Iraqi population depends solely on the programme for their daily rations.

"We would expect the belligerents, we would expect the Government of Iraq and the coalition forces to give us humanitarian access and help us create humanitarian space for us to do our work and get assistance to the needy," he said.

Mr. Annan is expected to begin his broad consultations with the five regional groups tomorrow.

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

As you know, UNICEF has been attempting to send humanitarian aid with trucks we have contracted privately -- through several fronts, into Iraq, with varying degrees of success so far.

Today, UNICEF can report that two trucks of essential humanitarian aid are making their way through the customs and inspections processes on the border between Turkey and Northern Iraq. Word from UNICEF staff on the ground on the Turkish side of the border, is that the trucks are in the customs area, have passed the necessary weigh station stop, and we expect them to cross the bridge and the no man's land area into Iraq, this afternoon.

The supplies are destined for Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. And would be the first time humanitarian supplies have been delivered through this route, in the north.

The trucks are carrying 16 metric tones of medical supplies and 6 metric tones of water purification supplies and educational materials, valued at 80-thousand dollars.

In the south, 3 tankers carrying a total of almost 100,000 litres of water managed to make their way safely to Um Qasr, across the border from Kuwait, yesterday. Deliveries were made to local hospitals and health centres - making sure that supplies went to those who needed them most.

It is interesting and important to note that the temperature on the border between Kuwait and Iraq today is a stifling 37 degrees - 99 degrees farenheit. In weather like this, the need for water, already acute in several places, becomes more and more urgent. Dehydration among young children is a concern. Access to safe water also remains a concern, and grows, as the temperature increases. Clearly, we are satisfied to see the tankers carrying UNICEF supplies to those who need them most make their way safely to Um Qasr.

Our goal, quite simply, quite clearly, is to make sure immediate humanitarian assistance gets to the children of Iraq - wherever it is needed, wherever we can.

Peter Kessler, Spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for the Refugees (UNHCR)

There have been no significant refugee arrivals anywhere in the region.

Syria
Large numbers of Iraqis continue to approach our Damascus office seeking temporary protection letters, with 947 received by our staff this morning. This brings to 2,663 the number of Iraqi refugees who have sought our documentation over the last three days. While mostly entire families, some report that their men stayed behind in Iraq.

The Iraqis in Syria are all getting temporary protection letters from UNHCR stating that they should not be sent back to Iraq. All these Iraqis appear to have been residing in Syria for some time and do not face any particular refugee protection problems.

UNHCR staff are monitoring Syria's main border crossings from Iraq, which are quiet. The Al Tanf crossing is reportedly seeing less activity in recent days, with most of the traffic using the Abu Kamal and Al Yarubiyeh borders.

We're boosting our stockpile in Syria with the dispatch of an additional 1,000 tents, 15,000 blankets, 1,000 mattresses and 2,000 stoves from our regional warehouse in Iskenderun, Turkey. This is in addition to the supplies for 10,000 people that we had previously dispatched to Syria from our regional stockpile in Aqaba.

IRAN
Despite the lack of refugee flows, UNHCR and Iranian officials agreed during a meeting last weekend to continue preparations for a possible Iraqi refugee influx into Iran. We explained that while UNHCR hoped that there would be a swift end to the war in Iraq and that there would be no refugees, it was still too early to predict what would happen in Iraq and the possibility of a refugee outflow remained.

UNHCR has so far disbursed $9 million for preparations in Iran to meet any refugee emergency from Iraq. We have handed over to the Iranian refugee agency $1 million for the preparation of basic infrastructure - sanitation and water facilities - in four camp sites in the provinces of Kermanshah, Khuzestan and Ilam. These camps have an initial capacity to receive 60,000 refugees. Six other camp sites have been cleared of land mines, levelled and demarcated. They can be put to immediate use if needed. We have brought $8 million worth of relief supplies to our warehouses in the key western Iranian cities of Ahwaz and Kermanshah. The supplies include tents, blankets, mattresses, jerry cans, kitchen sets, soap, sanitary napkins and supplementary foods.

UNHCR staff travel almost daily to check out reports of large concentrations of displaced Iraqis along the border but we have been told by Iranian authorities and relief workers on the Iraqi side of the border that none of these groups has so far attempted to cross the border into Iran. As you know, the 1,400-kilometer border between Iran and Iraq was heavily mined during the 1980-1988 war between Iran and Iraq and civilian travel to this area is restricted. However, we do manage to get permission to border areas in Iran to look into reported Iraqi presence.

Turkey
Stocks of relief supplies are arriving at our regional warehouse in the port city of Iskenderun, in southern Turkey. As of Monday, we had 10,800 tents (sufficient for up to 54,000 people); 95,500 blankets (for around 48,000 people); 58,000 mattresses (for up to 96,000 people); 20,800 stoves; as well as substantial stocks of plastic sheeting, lanterns and jerry cans. Other items are being transferred inland to our warehouse in Gaziantep.

UNHCR mobile monitoring teams in Turkey continue to face serious difficulties. In the remote and mountainous far south-east of the country, where two teams are now located, bad road conditions with up to four meters of snow in some areas is hampering movement around Cukurca. We've also faced some local access problems in the sensitive border zone. After visiting the Semdinli area on Monday, one team is today returning to Hakkari while the other is moving back Van.

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

Information coming from the centre and south of Iraq indicates there are relatively good medical stocks. Water shortage is the most serious constraint. The hospitals in Samarra, Najaf and Nassiria are believed to be affected by a serious lack of water. For the time being,despite the high potential, there is no reports of any infectious diseases outbreaks throughout the country. Doctors report an increased case load of war-wounded patients.

In the north, health services seem to be functioning. WHO provided medicines and supplies to 12 health centers in Koya district, to two hospitals inside Suleimaniya city, and to 27 rural health centers. WHO also distributed fuel tanks to seven hospitals and continue purchasing fuel for some hospitals on the local market.

WHO confirmed the arrival of five Cholera kits in Kuwait. This will be enough to meet the needs of 5 00 people.

The ICRC team medical team visited three hospitals dealing with war-wounded patients in Baghdad. The organization provided 250 blankets to Al Nur general hospital, and arranged for a local factory to produce 11000 patient's gowns for delivery to hospitals. The organization continued repair and maintenance work at two orphanages and six hospitals in the city.


An ICRC medical officer and a water engineer are planning to go to Ramadi, about 80 km west of Baghdad to evaluate the medical and water supply situation following reports of water shortage.

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


In the three northern governorate of Erbil, Dohuk and Suleimanyiah power is available but with variations throughout the region.

In Sulaymaniyah - The local authorities registered another 220 internally displaced persons. Bazyan is now occupied by 258 IDP families. They fled from Kirkuk. United Nations for project service, UNOPS, which is in charge of providing relief items to them, has also registered 514 IDP families (around 3,000 persons) displaced last week to Aghjalar, Qaradagh-Sangaw and Darbandikhan-Kalar districts. (You will find the spelling of those villages in my notes outside). UNOHCI, the United Nations Office for the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq and UNOPS carried out an assessment at Sirwan IDP camp. The 200 IDP families hosted in the camp fled from Kirkuk City. Only 46 have been registered and will occupy tents (two families per tent). The local NGO, supported by UNICEF, is constructing latrines and water distribution lines for the camp. The IDP issues is quite a complex one and I know that some of you have requested a specific briefing on the IDP's issues we are working on that and will do it early next week with all details and figures...

In Basrah - There is now a limited supply of water and electricity serving different parts of Basrah.

At the Wafa' Al-Qaed pumping station outside the city, the International Committee of the Red Cross and local technicians are trying to connect the remaining three back-up generators providing power to the station. Despite slight improvements in water provision, the ICRC remains concerned about the water and power supply situation.
FUNDING


The European Union responded to the UN Flash Appeal for Iraq with a pledge of three hundred and twenty seven million Euros ($352 million). The Greek government pledged more than sixty four million US dollars ($64 million) in humanitarian aid.

Chris Lom, Spokesman for the International Organization for Migration (IOM)
A group of 144 Sudanese nationals who were evacuated by IOM staff from No Man's Land on the Iran-Iraq border yesterday, arrived safely last night in Khartoum.

The group, which included 109 adults, 28 children and 7 infants, boarded an IOM-chartered Mahan Air plane in Kermanshah for the four-hour flight to Khartoum

An IOM medical officer, Dr. Kliyenko, who accompanied the group, reported that they were all in good health. Some children suffered from airsickness.

On arrival in Khartoum, the group was met by IOM officials, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and of the Secretariat of Sudanese Working Abroad.

IOM's acting Chief of Office in Khartoum Salah Osman reports that many of the returnees were greeted at the airport by relatives. Others will receive assistance from the Secretariat of Sudanese Working Abroad.

The operation was carried out in cooperation with BAFIA, the Iranian immigration department, and the Sudanese embassy in Tehran.

A group of 119 mostly Sudanese migrant workers who fled Iraq yesterday will be flown home to Khartoum tomorrow evening by IOM on a Sudan Airways flight.

The group includes one Eritrean national and one Chadian, who will be flown on to Asmara and Djamena respectively.

Another group of 60 Sudanese without travel documents remains on the Iraqi side of the border and Sudanese embassy officials will travel from Damascus today to facilitate their entry into Syria.

Last night three Egyptians, one Jordanian accompanied by six Palestinian children, two Spaniards and one British peace activist arrived at the Karama border with Iraq.

They were met by IOM buses at the border and transported to the Ruweished transit camp for third country nationals. There are currently 261 people in the camp.

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


Staff members of the World Food Programme continue to work in the three northern provinces. They reported today that they have distributed almost 5,000 tons of food since the war started. This included more than 2,000 tons of rice and more than 1,600 tons of sugar. [see details of the nutrition programme below and note that school feeding projects are suspended as schools remain closed]

WFP runs an essential nutrition programme for the malnourished in the northern provinces as well as provide food to health centers and other social institutions.

Many shops are reported open in the north and prices of essential food commodities are slightly decreasing, but still high compared to the same prices prior to the current situation (between 15 to 23% higher than the pre-war time in Dohuk for example).

Regarding UNESCOs statement on safeguarding the cultural heritage, there is a document outside containing detailed information.
Questions and Answers

Q: Michael Jansen, Irish Times: UNICEF said that the water was delivered to Zubeir, was that a UNICEF effort or another agencies effort? Would you know under who's in control Zubeir is at the moment?

A: As far as control goes, we don't have much information as far as military activities go, or who has control over what. This tanker is, UNICEF is facilitating a private company to take water where it's most needed at this point. We have to work under the UN security framework & at this point the UN staff outside the country cannot get in & access it ourselves; so we are working with private trucking companies to take in essential supplies to take in to areas where it is in need. We are very grateful because it got into Zubeir, because there was an obvious need there.

Q: Does anyone have information from the border to confirm the information about the two buses carrying American Human Shields activists & that were attacked by the US air force on the highway, where they were injured & hospitalized?

A: We have no confirmed reports on that. All we can say is that the UN has always urged the belligerence to respect the safety of the civilians during the conflict.

Q: On the same issue, don't you think there should be a corridor where people can get out of Baghdad or Iraq if they want to; don't you think the UN or ICRC should do something?

A: I don't think it is for the UN to establish corridors; all the UN can do is to urge all warring parties to preserve the safety of civilians in the conflict.

Q: Portugal: UNHCR, as you mentioned there has been no significant refugee arrival in the region, today & the last 13 days; do you or your local staff have any explanation to that? Is it because there are political reasons, control reasons or even lack of danger?

A: As the High Commissioner for Refugees said yesterday, while there might have not been any refugee outflow to date, even with the end of war, there could still be refugee movements; unfortunately this is something we have seen in all conflict zones, is that people move even at the end of conflict. Right now, as you are aware of course, the US led forces have urged Iraqis to stay at home. We have heard nothing particularly from our local staff in Baghdad, but what we know before we left Baghdad, that fuel maybe in a short supply; as you know people have been impoverished for years & years of war, going back some 20 years, & the collapse of their economy, so there might be financial means to move & of course the fuel. Many numbers of contributing factors are preventing people from going; it might be local political or other pressures on the people. We have no knowledge of that.

Q: If some part of the UN isn't going to help organize corridors through this mess, who is going to do it? What I mean is in different ways, if this gets out of hand, clearly the coalition forces were a little surprise in what they found & were getting away from what we normally see in combat. So people cant get in & out & move around, so I was thinking of lots of examples in the Balkans, where the UN helped with the corridors & getting them out. You just said the UN isn't in the business of setting up corridors; my question is if it isn't, who is?

A: Our task & challenge is to ensure that the access into Iraq for humanitarian supplies & resources can be brought & we at the moment are trying to do that through neighboring countries. To be able to get supplies into Iraq, as you know, we cannot, as the Secretary General has mentioned in his last resolution, that we are unable to bring supplies when there is heavy bombings. That is why we are in contact with the military to ensure that the full understanding of humanitarian needs is there. Humanitarian corridors could be an option, but isn't the only one & we are working on that.

Q: Karen, Indian State Television: UNHCR, given that you have a very small number of refugees coming in from Iraq, the UNHCR has spent $29 million putting relief aid & staff in the six countries bordering Iraq. Do you feel that this amount was justified giving the number of refugees coming in & if so are you planning to scale back your operations in the near future?

A: Our stock piling continues in terms of contracts, we have stocks coming in unto 350,000 people & we will maintain that & not go beyond it. The danger in this entire situation is that even the end of war & conflict could still spur refugee movements; as was the case in 1991. It's important that all countries in the region prepare their readiness to receive refugees until such time as security is restored & those people on the move, both internally displaced & those who crossed borders can go back.

Q: Kinda Hattar, Translator for the Daily Telegraph: We heard that there might be a UN convoy going down to Baghdad from the Karama border, that might take some journalist along. Is there a confirmation about this?

A: This is breaking news to us, we have no confirmation about that, it is not true.

Q; Zafer Kamal, German Television ARD: We heard that there are many trucks at the Karama border, for helping from various countries, Jordan, Algeria & so on; they had difficulties to cross the Iraqi points at the border. Do you have any information about these difficulties & are there new rules?

A: We don't have any confirmed information about that, but all we can do is urge all concerned parties not to block humanitarian aid that is particularly need in this context. We urge the belligerents to facilitate the channeling of humanitarian aid.

Comment by Irene Annasassacopoou, Star TV, Radio Sky & Greek Cathy Mariny: My information is that today, there were tw trucks that left the Jordanian borders, & there were Greek colleagues on this truck; two Greek doctors from Athens; they however, will come back in three days.

Nejib Friji: I just want to refer you to the question in which we said we have no confirmation: Are there UN convoys that will be accompanied by journalists? My answer was no. Thank you.