Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ISLAMABAD1226
2009-06-05 03:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
JUNE 4 DISPLACED PERSONS AND MILITARY SITUATION
how-toVZCZCXRO1090 OO RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHIL #1226/01 1560332 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 050332Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3073 INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0428 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0555 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 5029 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 1772 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 7374 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 6318 RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 4007 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 9550
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 001226
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM EAID PTER PGOV PINR PK
SUBJECT: JUNE 4 DISPLACED PERSONS AND MILITARY SITUATION
UPDATE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 001226
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM EAID PTER PGOV PINR PK
SUBJECT: JUNE 4 DISPLACED PERSONS AND MILITARY SITUATION
UPDATE
1. (U) Summary: Accompanied by the Ambassador, SRAP
Holbrooke visited two internally displaced person camps on
June 4. The visits were widely broadcast by the local media.
Ambassador Holbrooke had met the previous evening with a
large group of delegation heads of international agencies and
NGOs. The GoP plans to distribute 50,000 metric tons of
U.S.-donated wheat to the GoP Special Support Group, the GoP
Ministry of Social Welfare and the U.N. World Food Program
(WFP). Police arrested 16 people for the sale of substantial
amounts of humanitarian food. WFP's use of newly verified
registration lists should minimize fraudulent food sales.
GoP Information Minister Qamar Kaira said publicly that
internally displaced persons would begin receiving the
promised 25,000 rupees per family (USD 312) grant on June 9.
June 4 reports on military activity in Swat are focused on
the town of Charbagh; the military claimed that it had
secured the town. Killed in action reports were very light,
only three militants and one soldier. The remaining 51
students and staff kidnapped on June 1 in North Waziristan
were reportedly released unharmed on June 4. End Summary
--------------
SRAP Holbrooke Visits Internally Displaced Persons Camps
--------------
2. (U) Accompanied by the Ambassador, on June 4 SRAP
Holbrooke visited two IDP camps, Shah Mansour in Swabi and
Sheikh Shehzad in Mardan. The visits received heavy media
coverage. Ambassador Holbrooke blamed the taliban and
Al-Qaeda for the internally displaced persons crisis. He was
also quoted as saying that eliminating militancy is the need
of the hour. At both places SRAP Holbrooke met with focus
groups of internally displaced persons from the camps and
hosting communities.
--------------
SRAP Holbrooke Meets with International Agency and NGO Heads
--------------
3. (U) On June 3 Ambassador Holbrooke met with a gathering
of Pakistan-based delegation heads of international agencies
and NGOs. In the context of recent re-verification of
internally displaced persons numbers, UNHCR outlined the
importance of rapid initial registration to permit immediate
humanitarian relief followed by re-verification. WFP
outlined plans to use revised internally displaced persons
lists for food distribution.
--------------
USG Rapid Assessment
--------------
4. (U) On a June 3 rapid assessment of emergency
humanitarian conditions in Sheikh Shehzad displacement camp
in Mardan District, the USAID Disaster Assistance Response
Team (DART) team leader noted good camp management,
sufficient spacing between tents, adequate health and water,
sanitation, and hygiene assistance, and no acute humanitarian
issues in the camp. DART team leader confirmed establishment
of a GoP military-run field hospital. Only a few patients
were receiving treatment from hospital staff.
--------------
Humanitarian Coordination
--------------
5. (U) On June 3, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the results from
the Multi-Cluster Rapid Assessment Mechanism (MCRAM) will be
available during the week of June 8. The MCRAM will focus on
the needs of displaced populations outside of formal camps,
and plans to survey 40 to 50 communities hosting displaced
persons in Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Peshawar, and Charsadda
districts.
ISLAMABAD 00001226 002 OF 003
--------------
Food Assistance
--------------
6. (U) According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) the GoP Ministry of Food and Agriculture plans to
transfer 50,000 metric tons (MT) of wheat donated through
USDA's Food for Progress program as follows: 20,000 MT to the
GoP Special Support Group; 20,000 MT to the U.N. World Food
Program (WFP; and 10,000 MT to the Ministry of Social
Welfare. The recipient organizations will be responsible for
associated handling, milling, and distribution costs of the
food donations.
7. (U) WFP food monitors confirmed local news reports of the
sale of a substantial amount of humanitarian food assistance
through a well-developed network of wholesalers and
retailers. On June 3, local police arrested 16 people
selling food meant for displaced populations. WFP reported
that the problem originated due to double counting and other
inaccuracies in registration lists, resulting in a surplus of
food distributed in May. WFP also noted that some displaced
persons had legitimately sold the wheat grain distributed to
buy wheat flour.
8. (U) WFP assured the USAID/DART food officer that WFP will
henceforth distribute wheat flour and not wheat grain, will
pause operations for five days beginning June 24 to
incorporate the revised, reduced and validated beneficiary
lists created by the National Database and Registration
Authority (NADRA) into food distributions. WFP expects the
problem of substantial sales of food assistance will be
greatly reduced with the new registration lists.
--------------
GoP Actions
--------------
9. (U) Pakistan,s Information Minister, Qamar ul-Zaman
Kaira, said that registered internally displaced persons
would begin receiving a one-off cash grant of 25,000 rupees
(USD 312) per family on Tuesday, June 9. While power, water
and gas remain cut-off in Mingora, he said the utilities will
be restored within the next two weeks, along with schools and
hospitals. Special Support Group (SSG) Chairman Lt Gen
Nadeem Ahmed said that 1,300 soldiers were providing services
to IDPs in the Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Charsada and Peshawar
districts.
--------------
Military Activity
--------------
10. (U) Reporting on June 4 on military operations in Swat
focuses on the town of Charbagh, about 10 kilometers
northeast of Mingora. The military's chief spokesman, Major
General Athar Abbas, said on June 3 that GoP forces had met
stiff resistance in the town but had, nonetheless,
successfully secured it and were consolidating their
positions. Charbagh was a likely destination for some of the
militants who fled Mingora. Abbas reported the discovery of
a very large cache of explosives just north of Charbagh.
Despite the claimed stiff resistance, reported casualties
were very light, with only three militants and one government
soldier killed. MG Abbas was in Mingora and told reporters
that it could take another two months of fighting to rout the
militants from their hideouts in Swat.
11. (U) Just to the west of Mingora, the military appears to
be gearing up for a fight over the town of Kabal. Major
General Ijaz Awan, a senior commander in the battle for
Mingora, said that they have taliban commanders "bottled up"
in Kabal. To the north, along the road that follows the Swat
river, the military continued to consolidate its positions as
far as Kalam, 70 kilometers north of Mingora.
ISLAMABAD 00001226 003.3 OF 003
ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR
PLEASE DELETE THIS MESSAGE ON ALL SYSTEMS
DUPLICATE OF 1225
ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR
PATTERSON
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM EAID PTER PGOV PINR PK
SUBJECT: JUNE 4 DISPLACED PERSONS AND MILITARY SITUATION
UPDATE
1. (U) Summary: Accompanied by the Ambassador, SRAP
Holbrooke visited two internally displaced person camps on
June 4. The visits were widely broadcast by the local media.
Ambassador Holbrooke had met the previous evening with a
large group of delegation heads of international agencies and
NGOs. The GoP plans to distribute 50,000 metric tons of
U.S.-donated wheat to the GoP Special Support Group, the GoP
Ministry of Social Welfare and the U.N. World Food Program
(WFP). Police arrested 16 people for the sale of substantial
amounts of humanitarian food. WFP's use of newly verified
registration lists should minimize fraudulent food sales.
GoP Information Minister Qamar Kaira said publicly that
internally displaced persons would begin receiving the
promised 25,000 rupees per family (USD 312) grant on June 9.
June 4 reports on military activity in Swat are focused on
the town of Charbagh; the military claimed that it had
secured the town. Killed in action reports were very light,
only three militants and one soldier. The remaining 51
students and staff kidnapped on June 1 in North Waziristan
were reportedly released unharmed on June 4. End Summary
--------------
SRAP Holbrooke Visits Internally Displaced Persons Camps
--------------
2. (U) Accompanied by the Ambassador, on June 4 SRAP
Holbrooke visited two IDP camps, Shah Mansour in Swabi and
Sheikh Shehzad in Mardan. The visits received heavy media
coverage. Ambassador Holbrooke blamed the taliban and
Al-Qaeda for the internally displaced persons crisis. He was
also quoted as saying that eliminating militancy is the need
of the hour. At both places SRAP Holbrooke met with focus
groups of internally displaced persons from the camps and
hosting communities.
--------------
SRAP Holbrooke Meets with International Agency and NGO Heads
--------------
3. (U) On June 3 Ambassador Holbrooke met with a gathering
of Pakistan-based delegation heads of international agencies
and NGOs. In the context of recent re-verification of
internally displaced persons numbers, UNHCR outlined the
importance of rapid initial registration to permit immediate
humanitarian relief followed by re-verification. WFP
outlined plans to use revised internally displaced persons
lists for food distribution.
--------------
USG Rapid Assessment
--------------
4. (U) On a June 3 rapid assessment of emergency
humanitarian conditions in Sheikh Shehzad displacement camp
in Mardan District, the USAID Disaster Assistance Response
Team (DART) team leader noted good camp management,
sufficient spacing between tents, adequate health and water,
sanitation, and hygiene assistance, and no acute humanitarian
issues in the camp. DART team leader confirmed establishment
of a GoP military-run field hospital. Only a few patients
were receiving treatment from hospital staff.
--------------
Humanitarian Coordination
--------------
5. (U) On June 3, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the results from
the Multi-Cluster Rapid Assessment Mechanism (MCRAM) will be
available during the week of June 8. The MCRAM will focus on
the needs of displaced populations outside of formal camps,
and plans to survey 40 to 50 communities hosting displaced
persons in Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Peshawar, and Charsadda
districts.
ISLAMABAD 00001226 002 OF 003
--------------
Food Assistance
--------------
6. (U) According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) the GoP Ministry of Food and Agriculture plans to
transfer 50,000 metric tons (MT) of wheat donated through
USDA's Food for Progress program as follows: 20,000 MT to the
GoP Special Support Group; 20,000 MT to the U.N. World Food
Program (WFP; and 10,000 MT to the Ministry of Social
Welfare. The recipient organizations will be responsible for
associated handling, milling, and distribution costs of the
food donations.
7. (U) WFP food monitors confirmed local news reports of the
sale of a substantial amount of humanitarian food assistance
through a well-developed network of wholesalers and
retailers. On June 3, local police arrested 16 people
selling food meant for displaced populations. WFP reported
that the problem originated due to double counting and other
inaccuracies in registration lists, resulting in a surplus of
food distributed in May. WFP also noted that some displaced
persons had legitimately sold the wheat grain distributed to
buy wheat flour.
8. (U) WFP assured the USAID/DART food officer that WFP will
henceforth distribute wheat flour and not wheat grain, will
pause operations for five days beginning June 24 to
incorporate the revised, reduced and validated beneficiary
lists created by the National Database and Registration
Authority (NADRA) into food distributions. WFP expects the
problem of substantial sales of food assistance will be
greatly reduced with the new registration lists.
--------------
GoP Actions
--------------
9. (U) Pakistan,s Information Minister, Qamar ul-Zaman
Kaira, said that registered internally displaced persons
would begin receiving a one-off cash grant of 25,000 rupees
(USD 312) per family on Tuesday, June 9. While power, water
and gas remain cut-off in Mingora, he said the utilities will
be restored within the next two weeks, along with schools and
hospitals. Special Support Group (SSG) Chairman Lt Gen
Nadeem Ahmed said that 1,300 soldiers were providing services
to IDPs in the Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Charsada and Peshawar
districts.
--------------
Military Activity
--------------
10. (U) Reporting on June 4 on military operations in Swat
focuses on the town of Charbagh, about 10 kilometers
northeast of Mingora. The military's chief spokesman, Major
General Athar Abbas, said on June 3 that GoP forces had met
stiff resistance in the town but had, nonetheless,
successfully secured it and were consolidating their
positions. Charbagh was a likely destination for some of the
militants who fled Mingora. Abbas reported the discovery of
a very large cache of explosives just north of Charbagh.
Despite the claimed stiff resistance, reported casualties
were very light, with only three militants and one government
soldier killed. MG Abbas was in Mingora and told reporters
that it could take another two months of fighting to rout the
militants from their hideouts in Swat.
11. (U) Just to the west of Mingora, the military appears to
be gearing up for a fight over the town of Kabal. Major
General Ijaz Awan, a senior commander in the battle for
Mingora, said that they have taliban commanders "bottled up"
in Kabal. To the north, along the road that follows the Swat
river, the military continued to consolidate its positions as
far as Kalam, 70 kilometers north of Mingora.
ISLAMABAD 00001226 003.3 OF 003
ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR
PLEASE DELETE THIS MESSAGE ON ALL SYSTEMS
DUPLICATE OF 1225
ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR ZFR
PATTERSON