PESHAWAR UNHCR CHIEF ON UNHCR ACTIVITIES IN NWFP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PESHAWAR 000116

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/29/2019
TAGS: PREF EAID PGOV PK PREL
SUBJECT: PESHAWAR UNHCR CHIEF ON UNHCR ACTIVITIES IN NWFP

CLASSIFIED BY: Lynne Tracy, Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate
Peshawar, U.S. Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
Summary

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1. (C) UNHCR Peshawar told Peshawar PO on May 28 that the IDP
population stands at 2.5 million with many in "transit" and
"spontaneous" camps still not registered. UNHCR Peshawar is
increasingly focusing on assisting IDP populations in these
unofficial camps and schools. Most outflows from South
Waziristan appear to be headed for winter homes in adjacent Dera
Ismail Khan district. While the need for camps for Waziristan
IDPs does not appear to exist yet, UNHCR Peshawar is assisting
local authorities with identification of appropriate locations.
UNHCR Peshawar's senior officer departs in July, but a permanent
successor has been difficult to recruit in the wake of the
Solecki kidnapping in Quetta. End Summary.



IDP Numbers Skewed by Registration Fraud

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2. (U) UNHCR's Peshawar representative Mohammad Adar told
Peshawar PO and USAID officers on May 28 that the newly arrived
IDP population stood at 2.5 million (314,000 families). The
Malakand District Coordination Officer had reported 110,000
unregistered individuals at a "transit" center in Palai. The
area is currently off-limits to UNHCR, but UNHCR will attempt to
visit the center early next week. The number of civilians
unable to leave Swat or Dir remains unclear. Adar cautioned
that there was an inflation in IDP numbers because of duplicate
registrations, families' using outdated Malakand addresses, and
wide interest in receiving the 25,000 rupee stipend promised by
the government to IDP families. The NWFP's Ministry for Social
Welfare, he said, is working with the National Database and
Registration Authority (NADRA)to match registration information
against NADRA's national identity database in an effort to
eliminate some of the fraud.



Expanding UNHCR Focus

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3. (U) Beginning June 1, local authorities and relief agencies,
Adar continued, will begin focusing more intensively on IDPs in
schools and "spontaneous" camps. Shade at official and
spontaneous camps, he said, is one of the highest priorities.
Return home of some Bajaur and Mohmand IDPs has created space at
Jalozai camp (Nowshera District). While clearing some Jalozai
houses that had been vacated by Afghan refugees (spring-summer
2008),camp management discovered and disposed of unexploded
ordnance (anti-personnel land mines). Adar noted the need to
transition from cooked food to rations in the official camps for
the newly arrived IDPs. UNHCR was exploring the building of
individual fire-pits, but settling on an appropriate source of
firewood was an issue. IDPs were not willing, he said, to use
communal kitchens because of tensions over mixing with
strangers. While food supply was not an issue, some IDPs were
generally angry because of being forced to flee with so little
warning that most possessions had to be left behind.



South Waziristan

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4. (U) In reponse to PO's question about outflows from South
Waziristan, Adar observed that there were conflicting estimates,
but many appeared to be going to their winter homes in the
adjacent Dera Ismail Khan district. PO asked whether UNHCR
would begin registration of Waziristan IDPs and noted that NWFP
officials had commented on their interest in increased UNHCR
engagement in the south. While UNHCR is helping the DI Khan
Coordination Officer identify camps, Adar recalled the general
difficulty UNHCR had in operating in Dera Ismail Khan in late
2007-2008 when a military blockade of Mehsud areas created
approximately 200,000 IDPs. UNHCR's local partner, the Social
Welfare Department staff, had been unwilling to leave their
offices because of security concerns. UNHCR is intending to use
Mianwali (Punjab) as its logistical hub.



UNHCR Staffing Difficulties

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5. (C) Adar said that he will be leaving in July after two and a
half years in Peshawar, and his position will be filled with an
interim replacement for approximately five months. He commented
that finding a successor has been difficult, particularly after
John Solecki's kidnapping in Quetta. UNHCR is beefing up the
status of the position and adding other incentives.
TRACY