News Release: Office of the United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan 10 Aug 1999

(Islamabad: 10 August) The United Nations has begun providing limited food assistance to civilians displaced by the recent fighting around the front lines north of Kabul. So far, approximately five hundred families, who have found refuge in an abandoned diplomatic compound in Kabul, are being assisted. The World Food Programme, in collaboration with the NGO MEDAIR, has provided one time food aid to these families, while Habitat and CARE are establishing sanitary facilities. Conditions in the crowded compound are less than ideal, and the health situation of women and children is of particular concern.
The United Nations was first alerted about significant population displacement on August 2. While forced displacement from the Shomali valley area seems to have ceased, the United Nations is still trying to determine the numbers affected both in Kabul and in northern Afghanistan. This task has been complicated by what appear to be inflated reports of civilian displacement, issued by both sides to the conflict.

In addition to the families accommodated in diplomatic compound, a larger number of other recently displaced families in Kabul have found refuge with friends and relatives in the capital. Staff from the United Nations, the Red Cross, Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF), MEDAIR, and CARE are assessing their health and living conditions

While there is sufficient food and medicine for those in need at present, the United Nations in Afghanistan and Tajikistan is making contingency arrangements to pre-position humanitarian supplies in the event of increased need. An assessment mission in Badakhshan has advised that such pre-positioning is necessary under the present circumstances.

Kamal Hossain, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, has called upon all Afghan authorities to safeguard the life and well being of civilians. He noted that it is the civilians who have borne the brunt of the fighting including indiscriminate rocketing and bombing of urban areas. Afghanistan, he said, has had more than its share of war-wounded, orphans, widows and disabled.

The United Nations calls upon Afghan authorities to allow all civilians, including displaced persons, total freedom of movement. Displaced persons, in particular, must retain the right to return home in safety and dignity. United Nations Afghanistan is also concerned about reports of men who have been forcibly separated from their families.

"The parties responsible for such disasters cannot, cynically, commit such criminal acts, then turn to the United Nations and the international community as a whole to help save their own people from disasters provoked by those who claim to be their country's leaders," said United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.

For more information contact, Stephanie Bunker, Spokesperson, Office of the UN Co-ordinator for Afghanistan 211451, ext. 415; mobile 0351 261325.

Antonio Donini
Office of the UN Coordinator for Afghanistan
tel: 92-51 211 451; fax: 92-51 211 450