Iraq
Submitted by: Hanno Schaefer
General Situation/Overview
According to a Jordanian newspaper report, the Iraqi Red Crescent has rejected a shipment of humanitarian aid donated by their Jordanian counterpart and ordered the six trucks loaded with medicine to return to Jordan. In a letter the Iraqi Red Crescent informed the Jordanian Red Crescent Society that they would not accept any humanitarian assistance or medical relief. Instead they wanted the Jordanian Red Crescent to condemn the "aggression against Iraq". The Jordanian Red Crescent reported that they believe relief from all Red Crescent Societies was refused by the Iraqis and that Jordan was not being targeted specifically.
The UNHCR reported that the number of Iraqi military checkpoints increased. This could be a possible cause for the decreased movement of refugees and TCNs.
United Nations Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) advises that there will be shortages of all types of fuel in Iraq. Humanitarian agencies are advised to bring fuel into Iraq with them for their operations and to use of diesel vehicles, not gasoline.
An ICRC survey indicates that the major water treatment plants in Ramadi and Felluja (Anbar); Iskandariya, Hilla and Mamoudiyah (south of Baghdad) are operating at 40-50% of their capacity due to power cuts.
Baghdad/Center of Iraq:
WHO has received reports that on the night of Wednesday to Thursday a hospital compound on the outskirts of Baghdad was badly damaged. The compound includes a maternity hospital, a surgical hospital, and the headquarters of the Iraq Red Crescent Society. No casualties were reported, since both hospitals and the Red Crescent building had been recently evacuated. However, outside the hospital 27 people were injured and three people died. The hospital is in a residential area, some 10 kilometers from Baghdad. This is the fourth confirmed report of damage to medical facilities during this conflict. Previously, a hospital in Basra was damaged, a primary health centre in Najaf was totally destroyed and a hospital in Nasiriya was damaged.
The ICRC continued to transport drinking water to the suburbs of Baghdad and to orphanages and hospitals. Repairs at the water and power systems are ongoing.
Coalition Civil Affairs teams reports that in Nasiriya water is sufficient but of poor quality, there is no or sporadic electricity, and medical care is "rudimentary".
ICRC is reporting that in Hilla, some 100 kilometers south of Baghdad, medical facilities are having great difficulties in coping with the increased number of war-wounded (300 per day). Most of them are women and children. The ICRC is providing medical supplies to the hospital. The local authorities reported that the water situation is critical.
The ICRC reported heavy fighting in Kerbala, Najaf, and Nasiriya, thus preventing humanitarian access to the area. ICRC reports that Nasiriya and Najaf City have been without water for about a week.
South:
WFP confirmed that there is no food crisis in Basrah.
The ICRC reported that the additional three back-up generators at Basrah's main pumping station are operating, thus increasing the availability of water. ICRC is tankering water to Al-Zubayr district and Basrah's three main hospitals.
North:
WHO reports a measles outbreak in a village 20 km east of Sulaymaniyah, in the North of Iraq. At least 20 children between the ages of 6 and 15 are currently affected by the outbreak. Measles is a highly infectious disease and one of the main causes of the high rate of infant mortality in Iraq.
WHO water quality control tests in Erbil governorate reveal that the percentage of contaminated water has increased from 11.8% in February to 15.2% in March 2003.
The local authorities have requested UN agencies to provide with fuel to continue operating municipality services.
I. Movements of people
UNHCR reported that some families have left Dohuk city again.
II. Caritas Programming
Due to the breakdown of telephone communications there are no reports on the Caritas centers in Iraq.
III. Security Environment
The security situation in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah is stable, despite Iraqi shelling in Chamchamal (Sulaymaniyah). Tension increased in Dohuk due to the continued air raids on Faida.
IV. Local Church
No reports today
V. Donor Climate
No reports today.
VI. Staff Movements and Seconded Positions
No reports today.
Jordan
General situation/Overview
According to the press, 350 Jordanian factories have refused to deliver commodities under the new arrangements of the Oil for Food Programme.
I. Movements of People
UNHCR reported that as of yesterday the number of TCNs arriving in Jordan since the beginning of the war totals to 740. Currently there are 277 TCNs in camp A in Ruweished.
II. Caritas Programming
No reports today.
III. Security Environment
No reports today.
IV. Local Church
No reports today.
V. Donor Climate
No reports today.
VI. Staff Movements and Seconded Positions
No reports today
Northern Iraq
Update Northern Iraq 4 April 2003 by Dutch Consortium:
Sulaimaniya: Bazyan
In Bazyan a committee has been formed for the distributions. It consists of six persons: three from the IDPs (among them one woman) and three from the village authorities.
Coming Saturday we will first do the distributions to the 50 families living in the tents in Bazyan: 100 blankets; 50 kerosene heaters; 50 carpets; 50 jerry-cans filled with kerosene (of 20 litre each)
Sulaimaniya: New Halabja
In New Halabja a committee has been formed for the distributions. The committee consists of five persons: three from the village authorities, one from the IDPs and one woman working as paramedic in the health centre.
Saturday's distribution will be only for the 32 families originating from Central Iraq and from the bombed borderline village.
We will not assist the IDPs who originated from the Islamic villages Halabja and Khurmal now, as these people meanwhile started returning home, and assisting these people in New Halabja would make them stay unnecessarily longer in New Halabja or even move out of Halabja to New Halabja: we already had people coming from Halabja to New Halabja, when they heard that IDPs present in New Halabja and originating from Halabja are being registered for distributions.
Syria
Report from Hassake - April 3, 2003
General Situation:
a) Hassake
No news to be reported since yesterday.
b) Damascus
No news to be reported since yesterday.
Caritas Office:
a) Hassake
Today two Lebanese helpers, sister Simone and Bernadette, a volunteer, arrived to support the team. They had also been with us in the first days of our work here. We are thankful for their presence, because their experience allows us to go on with our medical support for the refugees and their French Arabic knowledge facilitates the only French speaking stuff getting in contact with the Iraqi families.
b) Damascus
Stefan Maier from Caritas Austria and Joelle Masson-Khoury from the Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center are staying till the weekend in Damascus to help run the office and to develop the working area for Jean-Yves Lescazes from Secours Catholique, France.
As there are still many Iraqi refugees coming to the office (today 33 families registered) the staff continues attending these people.
Level of operation/programmes:
a) Hassake
Today 26 children were attending the three school classes.
90 Iraqi refugee families are registered. Visits to the families are ongoing.
b) Damascus
Within five days 165 Iraqi families have been registered. A soon as possible the families shall be visited.
Turkey
General Information:
1- No action yet because still no refugees in the area.
2- We are not yet in the camps.
3- Yesterday, our communicator had a meeting with UNICEF authorities at Diyarbak=FDr Province. They could not provide him with more information than that we already have, but they told him to visit their Silopi office. We found out that they have a communicator consultant in Silopi office and our communicator is going to meet their communication consultant, probably today. He will also visit the UNHCR authorities and IBC warehouse in Silopi. He will do some price researches too in the area for our SOA.
4- Sonia from Secours Catholique will help us reinforce our contacts (in Ankara) with UNHCR and others concerned.