US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT1181

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KUWAIT 001181 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID/W 
STATE PLEASE REPEAT TO IO COLLECTIVE 
STATE FOR PRM/ANE, EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, IO AND SA/PAB 
NSC FOR EABRAMS, SMCCORMICK, STAHIR-KHELI, JDWORKEN 
USAID FOR USAID/A, DCHA/AA, DCHA/RMT, DCHA/FFP 
USAID FOR DCHA/OTI, DCHA/DG, ANE/AA 
USAID FOR USAID/AA:NATSIOS 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA:WGARVELINK, BMCCONNELL, KFARNSWORTH 
USAID FOR ANE/AA:WCHAMBERLIN 
ROME FOR FODAG 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH 
DOHA FOR MSHIRLEY 
ANKARA FOR AMB WRPEARSON, ECON AJSIROTIC AND DART 
AMMAN FOR USAID AND DART 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREF, IZ, WFP 
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01: USAID/PRM HUMANITARIAN/RECONSTRUCTION 
SITUATION REPORT #5, 29 MARCH 2003 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  Humanitarian assistance is beginning to flow into parts 
of southern Iraq provided by both the Kuwaiti Red Crescent 
and Coalition forces.  An UNSECOORD security assessment team 
is expected to travel to Umm Qasr on 30 March to determine 
whether the town can be deemed a permissive environment for 
future U.N. humanitarian operations.  On 27 March, the ORHA 
/ USAID Reconstruction Team leaders met with representatives 
of CENTCOM and CFLCC to prepare an integrated operations 
plan. On 28 March, Ambassador Bodine chaired a daylong 
planning session, which included representatives from all 
relevant U.S. agencies and groups that will be on the ground 
in the Central Region.  End Summary. 
 
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HUMANITARIAN OPERATION CENTER (HOC) DAILY BREIFING 
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2.  According to the Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC), 
Coalition forces have reported an area of low, mud-hut 
dwellings on the outskirts of Al Nasiriyah populated by an 
unknown number of people in need of food and water.  In 
response, Coalition forces plan to supply 20,000 
humanitarian daily rations and 24,000 liters of bottled 
water to the population. 
 
3.  On 28 March, the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society sent a 
nine-truck convoy to Safwan.   Five trucks are carrying 
daily rations and four trucks are transporting monthly 
family rations.  The Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society has not 
discussed operational plans with the HOC.  The Kuwaiti Red 
Crescent Society also conducted a survey on 28 March to 
determine the site for a field hospital within the UNIKOM 
compound. 
 
4.  A UNICEF-sponsored three-truck convoy was expected to 
leave on 29 March for Umm Qasr.  The convoy is transporting 
water, water bladders, and health kits.  No UNICEF staff is 
part of the convoy and funding is coming from private 
sources using local drivers.   The International Committee 
of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations Children's 
Fund (UNICEF) have agreed to send a convoy to Basra on 29 
March.   Several trucks will be carrying water and one ICRC 
medical kit to the hospital.  ICRC is expected to be in 
charge of the distribution. 
 
5.  An UNSECOORD security assessment team is expected to 
travel to Umm Qasr on 30 March to determine whether the town 
can be deemed a permissive environment for future U.N. 
humanitarian operations. 
 
6.  UNICEF-sponsored water tanker deliveries were made to 
Umm Qasr, Safwan, and Az Zubayr on 28 March.  In addition, 
the convoys transported a number of 5,000 cubic meter water 
bladders to the three locations.  The water bladders are 
being pre-positioned to provide a continuous supply of water 
to these vulnerable populations.  On 29 March, a water 
delivery is being made to the town of Umm Qhayal, northwest 
of Umm Qasr with a population of 30,000. 
 
7.  The three-kilometer pipeline being constructed from 
Kuwait towards Umm Qasr is expected to be completed on 30 
March.  This new source of water will provide 2.4 million 
liters of water per day to southern Iraq.  Water tankers 
currently trucking water from inside Kuwait will be able to 
use the new source to provide water to areas including Umm 
Qasr, Safwan, Basra, Umm Qhayal, and Az Zubayr. 
 
8.  A U.S. military spokesman estimated that between 1,000 
and 2,000 residents fled the ongoing conflict in Basra on 28 
March.  There was no indication as to the current location 
of the displaced, but they are reported to be in the local 
area.  No information was provided on injuries or casualties 
or whether they were forced to flee or voluntarily departed. 
The spokesperson also reported that residents of Basra are 
receiving approximately 100 liters of water per day instead 
of the usual daily 300 to 350 liters per day.  The DART will 
attempt to confirm daily water delivery levels with UNICEF 
and/or ICRC representatives. 
 
9.  Sixty percent of the southern Iraqi oilfields are under 
Coalition control.  Three oil wells remain to be 
extinguished. 
 
10.  The daily HOC briefing is available on the Humanitarian 
Information Center's website at www.agoodplacetostart.org 
under the tabs Coordination Structures, Regions, Kuwait. 
 
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USAID - RECONSTRUCTION 
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11.  On 27 March, the ORHA / USAID Reconstruction Team 
leaders met with representatives of CENTCOM and CFLCC to 
prepare an integrated operations plan.  Functional groups 
from all three entities prepared and presented concept 
papers outlining their respective operations plans, 
including assets available for implementation. 
Additionally, the groups sought to identify operational gaps 
and potential remedies.  Overall, USAID responses were well 
received by the military and revealed no serious issues at 
this point.  It was emphasized that the greatest impediment 
to implementation remains the physical security situation in 
Iraq, and until that changes for the better, plans will 
remain on hold. 
 
12.  On 28 March, Ambassador Bodine chaired a daylong 
planning session, which included representatives from all 
relevant U.S. agencies and groups that will be on the ground 
in the Central Region.  Most of the ORHA / USAID 
Reconstruction Team leaders participated in the sessions, 
aimed at identifying sectoral issues in water/sanitation, 
health, transportation, municipal services, and other 
management. 
 
13.  Upon reviewing the terms of the airport reconstruction 
and operations contract, the military has advised that they 
will not support any airport not under their control. 
Therefore, the existing airport contracts may need to be 
examined to assure inclusion of tower and approach 
capabilities at all airports, including radar equipment and 
maintenance, as well as FAA liaison. 
 
14.  By way of clarification, the USAID Mission did not 
report any intention to implement plans to provide, on an 
exceptional basis, 900,000 liters of bottled water to the 
Iraqi population; rather the USAID Mission evaluated 
available quick-response capabilities for providing drinking 
water.  Such responses, under the Logcap logistics contract, 
have been deemed doable, but there are no current plans to 
activate them barring a clear need, assessment, and 
coordination with the DART and others. 
 
15.  The USAID Mission plans to begin reporting a once- 
weekly update on security beginning on 28 March in view of 
the fact that the security environment may impact operations 
from time to time. 
 
16.  The Port of Umm Qasr is still not considered permissive 
for the entrance of USAID's Port Reconstruction Manager. 
(EMBASSY NOTE:  The port was declared "permissive" on March 
31.  END NOTE.) The Mission has investigated the operational 
and logistic requirements for the manager's entrance. 
Security and logistics arrangements have been made to assure 
his arrival there as soon as the situation is deemed 
permissive. 
 
JONES