Paktika Prepares for Returnees and Refugees from

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001835 DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, SCA/P, EUR/RPM, PRM/ECA STATE PASS TO AID FOR ASIA/SCAA USFOR-A FOR POLAD SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREF AF PK SUBJECT: Paktika Prepares for Returnees and Refugees from Waziristan This cable has been coordinated with and cleared by Embassy Islamabad. Summary -------------- ¶1. Paktika provincial government and international organizations (IOs) discussed humanitarian assistance to possibly hundreds of families fleeing from military operations in North and South Waziristan, Pakistan. IOs have delivered supplies to the provincial capital Sharana, but transport to the affected areas is challenging. IOs and NGOs involved in preliminary needs assessments were cautious in responding to requests from provincial officials to pre-position more assistance. Local Government, IOs and NGOs Discuss Refugees/Returnees from Waziristan -------------- ¶2. On July 7 Paktika Governor Katawazay, line directors for the Departments of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (DRRD) and Refugee Affairs, Paktika's clinic contractor International Medical Corps (IMC),the Paktika Red Crescent Society, BRAC, and visiting representatives from UNAMA, UNHCR, and WFP met to discuss provision of emergency humanitarian assistance for persons who have crossed the border from Pakistan into Paktika as a result of Pakistani military operations in Waziristan. The meeting followed a June 23 UNHCR visit and a June 24 Provincial Disaster Management Committee (PDMC) meeting on the same topic. ¶3. Based on the number of families already present, the donor agencies and PDMC agreed they should prepare for 1,000 families that may require assistance. Since the July 24 PDMC, provincial officials had not been able to travel to the affected areas in Paktika's border districts, and thus the discussion was based on earlier estimates of 337 families present in Paktika (90 in Bermel, 30 in Ziruk, 20 in Naka, 48 in Wor Mamay, 80 in Gayan, and 69 in Gomal). Most of the families are believed to be staying with relatives, although a small number of families are reportedly living in tents. Governor Katawazay said that thousands more Afghans residing in Wana are likely to come to Paktika in the coming weeks if Pakistani military operations intensify significantly. Some families had already come as far as the provincial capital Sharana. (Consulate Peshawar Comment: At present, South Waziristan's Mehsud area rather than Wana/Wazir territory is the focal point of Pakistani military operations. Numbers of Afghans residing in the Waziristans are difficult to estimate because of severely restricted access to the area. Humanitarian outflow patterns from the Bajaur operations in 2008 indicate that populations in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas are likely to choose a location where there are family ties or property. Afghans who had settled in Bajaur post-1979 moved west to Kunar while native Bajauris went east into the Northwest Frontier Province.) Actual Needs Uncertain -------------- ¶4. UNHCR said it had delivered non-food kits for 1,000 families to Sharana, totaling 2,000 plastic sheets, 6,000 blankets, and 2,000 jerry cans. These items could be distributed immediately to those in need as humanitarian assistance. DRRD also noted that the provincial government received 500 USG-funded non-food item kits from IOM, but these are supplies previously requested for distribution to Paktika's neediest residents. ¶5. For greater support, UNHCR must determine the status of each family (Pakistani refugee/asylum seeker, Afghan returnee with refugee status in Pakistan, economic migrant returning to Afghanistan, or internally displaced Afghan). UNHCR is not mandated to support returning economic migrants who do not have refugee status in Pakistan (usually verified by Proof of Registration cards issued by Pakistani authorities). Those present at the meeting continued to believe that most of the families are Afghan returnees with refugee status in Pakistan, with a smaller number of Pakistanis seeking refuge in Afghanistan. ¶6. The WFP representative was not able to commit the organization to deliver food assistance for 1,000 families, but added that WFP generally avoids prepositioning large amounts of food during the summer months to prevent spoilage. She said she would report to her management that 337 families require immediate food assistance and convey the request to preposition food for 1,000 families. ¶7. Paktika's DRRD representative said tents are needed for Pakistani families who would be directed to specified locations for camps; however, UNHCR requires a determination of refugee status before assistance to establish refugee camps could be considered. KABUL 00001835 002 OF 002 ¶8. The provincial government agreed to provide cost estimates to UNHCR and WFP, who said their organizations could fund reasonable costs for renting trucks to transport items from Sharana to the districts for the earlier estimate of 337 families. Governor Katawazay said ANSF could escort convoys to several of the affected districts, working with truckers who know little-used routes to deliver supplies surreptitiously to Gayan. Supplies should be delivered to the district centers where they can be picked up by recipients, but not to Naka district until it is retaken from the Taliban. (Note: The Naka district center fell to enemy forces in early July, and Governor Katawazay has requested Coalition Forces' (CF) assistance to retake it.) PRT Commander noted that CF would have limited ability to assist with transportation of supplies. ¶9. International organizations cannot deploy personnel to the affected areas due to poor security and will rely on information collected by the provincial government. UNHCR, WFP, and UNAMA agreed to work together to provide guidance to the provincial government on what information must be obtained about the returnees/refugees in the districts to determine next steps for humanitarian assistance response. EIKENBERRY