Pakistan: As conflict intensifies, thousands of displaced afraid to return home

The armed conflict in Bajaur Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Swat District of the North WestFrontierProvince intensified during Ramadan, forcing many more families to move into camps for the internally displaced or to seek refuge elsewhere. They urgently need food, other relief goods and health care.

When the conflict suddenly intensified, over 200,000 people left their villages in Bajaur taking practically nothing

In DR Congo, a January peace deal between the government and rebel groups in the east lay in tatters after serious clashes throughout the month between General Laurent Nkunda's CNDP rebels and the Congolese army. Following a late August resumption in hostilities, the CNDP advanced from ceasefire positions towards Goma; the UN said 100,000

Introduction

This annual report describes bilateral development cooperation between Norway and 30 of the countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East that received the most assistance in 2007. Norwegian development assistance totalled NOK 21.8 billion in 2007. Of this amount, bilateral assistance (including multi-bilateral assistance) accounted for NOK 15.7 billion.

BACKGROUND

Disasters including earthquakes, typhoons, floods, landslides, volcanoes, droughts, tsunamis, and wildfires affect populations throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Worsening socio-economic conditions of some populations are increasing the region's vulnerability. Demographic changes, urbanization, and environmental degradation have reduced

1. On 4 April 2008, UNHCR's Division of Operational Services and the Policy Development and Evaluation Service (PDES) co-sponsored a workshop on the use of cash grants in UNHCR repatriation operations. A total of 25 UNHCR staff members participated, together with six experts and researchers from Oxfam GB, the British Red Cross, the International Federation of the Red Cross, the Humanitarian Policy Group (Overseas Development Institute), and Oxford University.

2. The aim of the workshop was twofold:

The nearly 4,000 families started arriving in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar province as fighting intensified across the border in Bajaur Agency in Pakistan's tribal areas over the summer.

They include 2,120 families in Kunar's Shigal district, 748 families in Marawara district, 706 in Dangam district

Islamabad: 29th September, 2008 - The Government of Japan has decided today (29th September) to make a contribution of US$ 4,066,878 as a grant to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for the execution of its project "Emergency Assistance to Internal Displaced People in Pakistan."

The contribution of the Government of Japan is earmarked for providing non-food item, shelter, transportation and UNHCR's Support Costs. This contribution of Japan was announced by

Water systems in many of Pakistan's communities were destroyed in natural disasters, including the October 2005 earthquake and the 2007 cyclone. Other communities, such as those in the Allai valley,

Most are believed to be based in the Kunar province of Afghanistan, along Pakistan's western border.

AFP quoted Afghanistan's deputy refugees minister, Abdul Qader Ahadi, as confirming they had entered Afghanistan after "they escaped fighting between Pakistani Taliban and the security forces".

He told the news agency most were women