PAKISTAN - EARTHQUAKE: USAID/DART BOLSTERS SHELTER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 ISLAMABAD 018328

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE
DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, RTHAYER, BDEEMER
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA
SOUTH ASIA RESPONSE MANAGEMENT TEAM
SOUTH ASIA EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE
DCHA/FFP FOR JONATHAN DWORKEN
ANE DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR MARK WARD
BANGKOK FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER
ROME PASS FODAG
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH
NSC FOR JMELINE
EUCOM FOR POLA/J3/J4/J5
BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER
NEW YORK FOR TMALY
SECDEF FOR SOLIC/PKHA, USDP/J3
JOINT STAFF WASH DC FOR J3/J4/J5
HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE FOR J3/J5

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AEMR ASEC MASS ECON KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN - EARTHQUAKE: USAID/DART BOLSTERS SHELTER
WINTERIZATION EFFORTS

REF: Islamabad 16345

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SUMMARY
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1. The rapid onset of the Himalayan winter has brought
greater urgency to efforts to winterize shelters of
earthquake-affected populations. Agencies are stepping up
efforts to ensure that families receive adequate
winterization materials and tools, including blankets and
plastic sheeting to reinforce non-winterized tents. The
USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) is strongly
advocating for shelter needs to receive higher priority
through the Shelter Cluster mechanism-an interagency working
group chaired by IOM comprised of GOP officials, UN
representatives, NGOs, and donors. The USAID/DART is also
working closely with the US Embassy and Departments of State
and Defense to reinforce this message with GOP officials.
Further, USAID is airlifting an additional 6,000 sheets of
tarpaulin and 2,500 blankets that can be used to insulate
the walls and floors of tents or shelters. In coordination
with the Shelter Cluster, the USAID/DART is also exploring
other winterization options in order to rapidly address
immediate shelter needs. End Summary.

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Coordinating the Race for Thermal Protection
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2. The USAID/DART Shelter and Settlements Advisor (SSA)
reports that there has not been a significant increase in
the population requiring shelter assistance as estimated
soon after the earthquake of October 8, 2005. What has
changed, however, is the worsening of conditions due to the
onset of the Himalayan winter. As a result, winterization
of current shelters has become increasingly urgent.


3. At present, the number of people requiring shelter
assistance remains imprecise, with agencies using a range of
planning figures. Per reftel, the USAID/DART estimates that
400,000 households or 2.8 million people have shelter needs
as a result of the earthquake. The International
Organization for Migration's (IOM) planning figure for a
worst-case scenario is 3.2 million homeless.


4. The number of remaining shelter needs is also ambiguous.
According to the GOP's Federal Relief Commission (FRC),
shelter needs have largely been met, particularly for
residents at the 5,000 feet elevation, above which people
are particularly at risk due to extreme cold and lack of
access during the winter months. IOM staff in Islamabad
also reported that 100 percent of people still living above
5,000 feet will have received shelter assistance by December

10.


5. (Comment: These assertions of 100 percent shelter
coverage are widely disputed by USAID/DART field staff,
NGOs, and IOM staff in the field, all of whom argue that the
level of shelter assistance achieved thus far falls far
short of 100 percent. At a December 8 Cluster Meeting, NGOs
even disagreed with an estimate that 80 percent of shelter
needs had been met, indicating that the coverage was even
lower in areas where they were working. In its latest draft
of the winterization strategy, IOM reduced the 100 percent
estimate to 90 percent and, in light of the discussion at
the December 8 meeting, may reduce it even further. In
addition, IOM clarified that the 100 percent figure refers
to the actual distribution of shelter materials. However,
residents may not have used the materials for shelter
construction.


6. Comment continued: Local commanders responsible for
populations in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Northwest
Frontier Province (NWFP) are taking two approaches to
meeting shelter needs. In AJK, there is a strategy to
shelter people in place, outside of camps, whereas in NWFP,
the GOP has encouraged camp settlements. The disconnect in
how to best address shelter needs stems in part from the
fact that initially the GOP position on shelter was to
encourage all affected populations to migrate to camps and
in part from the fact that AJK has relatively few sites
suitable for camps and NWFP has many. End comment.)

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Shifting Priorities
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7. In light of rapidly approaching winter conditions when
access to populations requiring shelter assistance will be
restricted, the percentage of shelter materials presently
carried by helicopters should receive higher priority. One
reason for urgency is that shelters cannot be built once
snow is on the ground.


8. Due to concerted efforts by donors, the UN World Food
Program (WFP),and the GOP, the food supply in high altitude
areas is generally considered within the humanitarian
community to be adequate, with a healthy pipeline of food
though the winter. In addition, there is locally-produced
food available from this year's harvest.


9. As a result, USAID/DART field staff and NGO partners
report that at present, shelter is the primary concern of
affected populations remaining in or near their homes. The
GOP and WFP recently redistributed geographic
responsibilities to manage the effective distribution of
food commodities, with WFP covering the most difficult areas
to access. As of December 1, WFP began to move its
operations from main population centers to Allai, Kaghan,
Neelum, Lipa and other high elevation valleys. These areas
are unlikely to be served by the market because of snowfall,
landslides, or the fact that normal harvest and trading
patterns were interrupted by the effects of the earthquake.
Further, the USAID/DART Food for Peace Officer is currently
in Mansehra to assess food needs and explore options for
food relief at a later date should the situation change and
pockets of needs emerge.

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Delays in Transportation of Shelter Supplies
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10. One reason for delays in the delivery of shelter
materials is the inexperience of some NGOs with logistical
operations. For example, the UN Joint Logistics Center
(UNJLC) has cited cases of improperly packaged shelter
materials and instances when NGOs have not followed
established channels to request air support from UNJLC. As
a result, at times helicopters have been ready to pick up
NGO shelter commodities but could not transport them as
scheduled.


11. Further complicating the timely provision of shelter
assistance are some GOP restrictions on the importation of
commodities, which have caused long sourcing and procurement
delays. For example, corrugated galvanized iron (CGI)
sheets, manufactured in India but purchased in Dubai, have
been stalled in customs for nearly three weeks. To date,
waivers appear to have been granted on case-by-case basis,
and the humanitarian community has requested a blanket
waiver from the FRC to facilitate relief efforts. There is
some speculation that delays are due to market protection
issues; however, this has not been confirmed. In an effort
to take immediate corrective action, the USAID/DART is
pursuing the possibility of establishing a joint commodity
warehouse, likely in tandem with the UK's Department for
International Development (DFID),where commodities would be
collectively warehoused and made available to the
humanitarian community as needed.

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USG Efforts Regarding Urgency of Shelter Needs
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12. At this time, the USAID/DART's strategy reflects an
emphasis on expedited shelter relief to the high altitude
affected region. It is anticipated this will be the case
for the next several weeks, with the main objective being to
meet critical shelter requirements while there is access to
these elevations and needs persist. The bulk of relief
commodities transported during this time will consist of CGI
sheets, plastic sheeting and blankets. Based on
recommendations from USAID/DART's SSA, further commodities
for shelter kits, such as nails, screws, rope and sand bags,
are being considered. A "Special Standards Task Force" was
also established as of December 4 at the Forward Operating
Base in Muzaffarabad to ensure quality control and
consistency in shelter supplies. In addition to the
attention to high elevation areas, the USAID/DART will be
closely tracking shelter requirements below 5,000 feet,
especially in organized and spontaneous camps and congested
urban settings. In this regard the USAID/DART strategy
entails diligent oversight of humanitarian relief in the
areas of health, and water and sanitation needs.


13. With the situation becoming more critical, the
USAID/DART has undertaken the following actions in recent
days to raise awareness regarding the urgency of shelter
needs:


14. Encouraged agencies to take immediate action to
transport a greater percentage of shelter materials to
affected areas, and to increase emphasis on meeting shelter
needs. The priority should be providing more emphasis on
shelter needs, rather than discussion leading to consensus
on what percentage of shelter needs remained to be met.


15. Advocated with the FRC to prioritize the immediate
shelter needs of affected populations, especially located in
hard to reach areas above 5,000 feet. With the deadline for
intervention December 15 to 20, the USAID/DART advocated a
shift to shelter rather than continued emphasis on food.
With food largely available in Mansehra and Muzaffarbad,
according to USAID/DART field assessments, and the fact that
food aid can be transported after winter sets in; the
provision of shelter assistance to those without should be
prioritized.


16. Refocused dialogue at Shelter Cluster meetings at the
Islamabad and field levels in Mansehra and Muzaffarabad to
ensure that shelter needs receive appropriate attention.
USAID/DART staff reported a continued disconnect between the
field staff and the agencies in Islamabad.


17. Engaged multi-agency efforts, including DOD, UNJLC, and
WFP to ensure that movements of shelter commodities are most
effectively transported. On December 9, DOD Disaster
Assistance Center (DAC) staff attended an NGO meeting to
provide training and guidance on the proper procedures for
requesting air support and the appropriate packaging and off-
loading of relief materials.


18. The USAID/DART is in discussions with DFID, regarding
joint support of a commodities warehouse with resource
materials purchased locally or within the region for NGOs to
access easily, compared to the current bureaucratic system
that is subject to significant delays.

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Assistance Efforts to Date
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19. USAID: In support of the overall shelter strategy, USAID
has provided 66,500 sheets of tarpaulin, 45,000 blankets,
1,570 winterized tents, and 455 tents since the beginning of
the emergency. In addition, USAID funded eight NGO partners
to provide shelter assistance to approximately 75,500
households. As agencies step up winterization efforts,
USAID is airlifting an additional 6,000 sheets of tarpaulin
and 2,500 blankets that can be used to insulate the walls
and floors of tents or shelters. In addition, the
USAID/DART is conducting field assessments to gauge the
capacity of implementing partners to scale up current
operations in light of winterization needs.


20. DOD: Through the Joint Operations Center (JOC),the US
military is working with the UNJLC and the GOP Military to
develop a "smart pull" or requirements based strategy to
appropriately distribute relief supplies. Instead of
instituting a set percentage of the type of commodities that
are delivered across the board, the shipments are determined
by the end point receivers to "pull" the most-needed
commodities to the field. In addition, as of December 7,
DOD had provided 4,602 tents, 250 rolls of plastic sheeting,
232,092 blankets, and 600 heaters. Additionally, DOD
provided air support to transport shelter commodities.


21. Multi-agency efforts: The Shelter Cluster is
coordinating the multi-agency winterization and shelter
efforts. On December 5, the Shelter Cluster reported that
approximately 35,000 self-help shelter kits have been
distributed and the GOP military has built an estimated
40,000 transitional shelters. In addition, the
international humanitarian community and the GOP military
have distributed more than 612,562 tents and more than 4.1
million blankets. By December 10, the Shelter Cluster
estimates that agencies will have distributed 174,000 sheets
of CGI.

CROCKER