JUNE 5 DISPLACED PERSONS AND MILITARY SITUATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 001246 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM EAID PTER PGOV PINR PK SUBJECT: JUNE 5 DISPLACED PERSONS AND MILITARY SITUATION REPORT ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: SRAP Holbrooke's meetings with GOP officials and with Nawaz Sharif received wide coverage in Pakistan's media on June 5. Pakistan's Senate convened after a month's hiatus to debate the military operation in Swat. At a June 4 Army Corps Commanders' meeting, Chief of Staff of the Army General Kayani said that the military had "decisively turned the tide" against the taliban in Swat and adjoining districts. Militant leader Sufi Muhammad and four others were reportedly arrested by security forces but the military has so far denied that they are in custody. On June 5, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) convened a general coordination meeting at which Martin Mogwanja, newly appointed UN Humanitarian Coordinator (HC),highlighted the importance of humanitarian coordination. OCHA reported that the Multi-Cluster Rapid Assessment Mechanism (MCRAM) is scheduled to begin on June 9. UNICEF staff report that several displacement camps are located in areas that may be prone to flooding and increased incidence of waterborne diseases with the onset of the monsoon season in July. UN Habitat has suspended operations in Mardan District for a period of 48 hours, following an IED explosion on June 4. END SUMMARY -------------- POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS -------------- ¶2. (U) President Obama's speech in Cairo and the visit of SRAP Holbrooke dominated the news on June 5. Ambassador Holbrooke's meetings with Prime Minister Gilani and Foreign Minister Qureshi received heavy media coverage. The meeting between SRAP Holbrooke and Nawaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, also received press attention. Nawaz was quoted as appealing for additional international help to the people displaced by the military operation in Swat and adjacent areas and complaining about drone attacks. Nawaz reportedly made the same points in a subsequent meeting with European ambassadors. Holbrooke's comments urging the international community to do more and statement of the U.S. commitment of an additional two hundred million dollars were also widely reported. Foreign Minister Qureshi continued his series of briefings to GCC chiefs of mission in Islamabad, discussing military operations in Swat and IDP needs on June 4 with the ambassadors of UAE, Qatar, Oman and the charge d'affaires of Saudi Arabia. 
¶3. (U) On June 5, the Senate convened again after being out of session in May. It opened with debate on a motion regarding the military action in Swat. ANP Senator Zahid Khan opened with a statement supporting the operation, blaming the militants for breaking the agreement with the GOP. Other senators also expressed support, with one saying that the militants had established a state within a state, an unacceptable situation. Opponents criticized the failure to consult with civilian political forces before the operation, blamed the U.S. for using the conflict for its own ends, and claimed that India had a role in fomenting violence in Malakand. -------------- MILITARY/SECURITY DEVELOPMENTS -------------- ¶4. (U) Chief of Staff of the Army (COAS) General Ashfaq Kayani said on June 4 that the military had "decisively turned the tide" against the taliban in Swat and adjoining districts. He said major population centers and roads in the valley have been cleared of organized resistance. Kayani was speaking at a Corps Commanders' meeting at Army General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The COAS told the meeting that the military would stay in Swat to provide security. He said the Army would continue operations on a "limited scale" to clear remaining hideouts and that high value targets are being aggressively hunted. Kayani also spoke about the "heroic resilience" of the internally displaced persons and urged the government to launch a robust administrative effort ISLAMABAD 00001246 002 OF 003 on the heels of the successful military operation to make it possible for the displaced people to return to their homes as soon as possible. ¶5. (U) The media ran reports on June 5 of the arrests of Sufi Muhammad, leader of the Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi. The reports indicated that Sufi Muhammad's spokesman, Maulana Ameer Izzat, and three others were also apprehended. The arrests were said to have taken place by security forces at the organization's headquarters at Amandara in Malakand. But military spokesman MG Athar Abbas, while acknowledging a raid on a madrassa in Amandara, denied that Muhammad and the others had been arrested. Sufi Muhammad was released from custody in April 2008 after renouncing militancy. Earlier this year, he represented the militants in Swat in demanding that the GOP sign the Nizam-e-Adl Regulations, which President Zardari did on April ¶13. Local Embassy contacts say the arrests did take place but the issue remains clouded. Post will continue to follow. ¶6. (U) In Mardan on June 4, seven security personnel were killed in an attack by militants. The dead included a Frontier Corps captain and a deputy superintendent of police. For its part, the GOP military spokesman claimed that it had killed 10 militants in Swat and Buner. There were also reports that Abdul Wadood, a Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan commander, had been killed in a firefight with government troops. A lesser ranking militant commander was arrested. -------------- Humanitarian Coordination -------------- ¶7. (U) On June 5, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) convened a general coordination meeting at which Martin Mogwanja, newly appointed UN Humanitarian Coordinator (HC),highlighted the importance of humanitarian coordination to ensure that humanitarian assistance is delivered efficiently, effectively and safely to international standards. The HC intends to increase information to donors, ensure regular cluster meetings, facilitate donor visits to affected areas, encourage increased media coverage of the IDP crisis, and urge specific donor giving. The HC indicated no immediate plans to request new Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) funding. ¶8. (U) According to the UK Department for International Development (DFID) humanitarian representative June 5, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has instructed UK Embassies to demarche European governments to provide or expand support for ongoing humanitarian efforts in Pakistan. ¶9. (U) On June 5, OCHA reported that the Multi-Cluster Rapid Assessment Mechanism (MCRAM) is scheduled to begin on June 9, following training of assessment enumerators from June 7 to June 8. The assessment, expected to last for approximately three days, will evaluate 650 displaced families residing in schools, host communities, and spontaneous camps. OCHA expects to release the assessment results on June 16. Save the Children will also shortly release results of an assessment survey of hosted IDPs. Save noted in a meeting with Ambassador Holbrooke that of a sampling of 340 households in Mardan and Swabi, 35 percent of hosted internally displaced families were hosted by family, 35 percent by friends and 30 percent by strangers. Of those hosted by strangers only four percent paid any rent. UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) is also undertaking a survey of hosted IDPs and will focus on gender issues. ¶10. (U) As of June 5, OCHA reported that as per the UN financial tracking system, the UN Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) is 25 percent funded, an increase from 17 percent during the previous week. Currently, the UN has received approximately USD 136 million of the USD 543 million requested in the HRP. However, OCHA noted that humanitarian organizations have received an additional USD 80 million ISLAMABAD 00001246 003 OF 003 outside of the UN's HRP for internally displaced persons projects. -------------- Water, Sanitation, Hygiene -------------- ¶11. (U) The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has ordered 25,000 hygiene kits through local suppliers in Karachi, scheduled to arrive in seven to ten days. UNICEF is also working to procure an additional 100,000 kits to meet NGO requests. ¶12. (U) UNICEF staff report that several displacement camps are located in bowl-shaped areas, increasing the likelihood of flooding and increased incidence of waterborne diseases with the onset of the monsoon season in July. To date, UNICEF has no focused planning efforts on anticipated problems arising from monsoon season, although UNICEF reports staff are aware of the potential problems and continue to perform regular water-system maintenance in displacement camps. ICRC has already begun drainage projects to protect Shah Mansoor Camp against possible flooding. ¶13. (U) As of June 3, poor road infrastructure and insecurity have impeded humanitarian access to Palai displacement camp, Northwest Frontier Province, according to the GOP. Approximately 185 families currently residing in the camp lack adequate sanitation facilities and access to clean drinking water. The GOP cautioned that with increased expected rainfall by the end of June, the potential for waterborne disease outbreaks will increase. -------------- Logistics and Relief Commodities -------------- ¶14. (U) The DART notes that household non-food item kits (NFI) distributed by UN agencies and humanitarian partners cost approximately USD 120 each, but estimates and kit composition vary between agencies. USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance-supported FNI kits, distributed through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),serve a family of six, and contain fleece blankets, quilts, sleeping mats, 10-liter water containers, mosquito nets, kitchen sets, and soap. -------------- Early Recovery -------------- ¶15. (U) On May 30, a GOP assessment team travelled to Loe Sam Corridor, Bajaur District, to assess damage to water supply and electricity infrastructure caused by August 2008 fighting. In Tang Khatta town, the team identified an acute water shortage resulting from a damaged power supply and water storage tank. The team also reported damaged water and electric infrastructure in Rashaki and Loe Sam towns. Throughout the assessed areas, the team noted limited to no civilian population returns to date. -------------- Security -------------- ¶16. (U) On June 5, the UN Habitat director in Pakistan informed the DART team leader that UN Habitat has suspended operations in Mardan District for a period of 48 hours, following an IED explosion on June 4. PATTERSON