Across the barbed wire

ACT members are adjusting to the rapidly changing situation in Afghanistan and are expanding their presence in the country. A new interim government is now in place and a UN peace keeping force is being deployed, while plans for the reconstruction of Afghanistan are being made by western governments, the big international organisations like UN and EU and the NGO community. An earthquake that hit Afghanistan on January 3 was minor, causing very little damage in Kabul. A few people suffered minor injuries.

The earthquake had no impact on humanitarian relief programmes, according to ACT members, who are part of the extensive effort to support the people and help rebuild the country. At present aid workers are struggling to meet the basic needs of the of the people who under difficult circumstances also have to endure the harsh conditions of winter. ACT members report that people in remote mountainous areas have no food left and depend solely on humanitarian aid. ACT members continue to distribute food and shelter material to the most needy people inside Afghanistan and refugees in neighbouring countries.

• In its latest update the UNHCR reports that despite security problems and relatively small humanitarian presence in some areas, an estimated 80,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan since the end of November 2001. At the same time new refugees have arrived in Pakistan. Some 3,000 Afghans reportedly crossed the border to Pakistan last week. They said they were driven out by the lack of international relief in southern Afghanistan, the fear of new bombing raids and the devastating effects of a three-year drought. They added that more people may be waiting further inside Afghanistan for a chance to leave.
• ACT member Church World Service (CWS) reports on the situation at the border near Quetta after a visit by two staff members: "The Chaman border has been re-opened after four days of closure to host several refugees who were waiting across the border without sufficient food and water, warm clothes and shelter. After the reopening of the border once again the distressed and tired refugees started to pour in the camps:
  
  Killi Faizo Camp registered 112 families on January 8, 2002. The following day 2,500 refugees were waiting across the barbwire for registration not knowing whether they would get registered or not. Most of these refugees belong to the Pushtoon community. Currently Killi Faizo Camp accommodates 780 tents.
  
  Landi Karez Camp was established recently and is serving as a permanent camp. This camp has 14 blocks (A to N block). On 8 January 62 families were moved to Kandi Karez and on 9 January, 202 families were transferred to Landi Karez.
  
  Roghani Camp with a population of about 18,000 refugees is full."
  
  Based on the current statistics CWS believes that the refugee influx is not decreasing and that many refugees are not returning.
  
  CWS is currently distributing urgently needed quilts due to the severe cold in the camps. CWS is also distributing 1,500 shelter kits in the camps through UNHCR. The needs of people in the camps are increasing due to new influxes of refugees, CWS says.
  
  CWS is also continuing to provide food parcels that contain beans, rice, wheat, cooking oil, sugar and tea for uprooted families both inside Afghanistan and in Pakistan.
  
  The quilt project in Quetta continues, providing Afghan refugee women the opportunity to earn some income. Some 400 women are part of the CWS "tools of hope" and blanket-supported quilt-making project. They are producing 60,000 quilts, 20,000 of which are being used in CWS family shelter kits. The other 40,000 are being purchased by UNHCR and UNICEF for use in their emergency programs in Afghanistan. CWS points out that the project has had a positive emotional impact among the refugee women, and has also boosted the local market of cotton and cloth in Quetta.
• ACT member Christian Aid (CAID) reports that the situation in Afghanistan remained relatively stable over the Christmas and New Year period. Food deliveries by the World Food Programme have increased, and some 4,000 tonnes of food is reportedly being delivered to Afghanistan daily at the moment. However the key to averting serious hunger is ensuring that the food can be distributed to those in need. While security is good around Herat in west Afghanistan, where Christian Aid’s field office is based, other areas remain very insecure.
  
  Christian Aid’s local partners have continued their vital work over the Christmas and New year period. In December, Co-ordination for Humanitarian Assistance completed its distribution of food to needy families in Kabul. In Kandahar, the food has been purchased and distribution will be completed by the middle of January. In Balkh, families have received wheat. Food distribution to almost 15,000 people in 8 different provinces across Afghanistan has almost been completed. Additional food items such as cooking oil, beans, rice and sugar will be distributed over the next 10 days. Because of this project, 40,000 people will have enough food for the next two months during the crucial winter period.
• Seven local partners of ACT member Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) are in the process of finalising distribution of food to 21,380 families in 8 different provinces: Ghazni, Heart, Farah, Kabul, Bamyan, Wardak, Samangan and Kunar. The rations are given in 2 to 3 month packages and are supposed to meet the needs of people for the winter period. While WFP supplies wheat flour and NCA partners have agreements for distribution with WFP, the monthly pakcage of supplementary food provided by NCA contains rice (10kg), sugar (3kg), beans (5kg) and ghee (5lt).
  
  Hundreds of tents are being dispatched into the country from NCA’s deposits in Pakistan: they will provide shelter to hundreds of families who lost their homes during the civil war or during the bombing campaign. Some 5000 tents are being delivered to Afghanistan by NCA as well as 16,000 blankets. All of the items are being transported by trucks from Peshawar in pakistan to Kabul. Furthermore, NCA is collaborating with UNHCR in the refugee camps of Shalman, in Pakistan, providing thousands of Afghans not only with water and sanitation equipment, but also with initial psycho-social support.
  An income-generating quilt-making project in Kabul has been initiated by NCA partners, creating work for about 300 families. They could produce 30,000 quilts within the coming three months.But NCA signed a new contract on delivery of 10,000 quilts now. They could not afford to wait for the quilt-making project to be established in Kabul. It has to be looked into the availability of raw-materials in Kabul first and then rather start on a smaller scale.
  
  
• ACT member MECC has finalised its program and is preparing a new proposal. Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) is continuing its operations from Uzbekistan, while the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is implementing cross-border assistance from Tajikistan where ACT operation is also by Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). Next week ACT Coordinating Office will issue a new revision of the current appeal for the Afghanistan crisis ASAF-11.