US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT1766

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 001766 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY (WORD CHANGE IN PARA 1) 
 
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 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, PREF, PREF, IZ, WFP, IZEAID, WFP, IZEAID, WFP 
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01: DART NORTHERN IRAQ UPDATE 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  The situation in northern Iraq areas remains semi-stable.  There 
is almost no movement of IDPs, and UNOPS believes there is no IDP 
emergency in the North.  UNOPS is considering returning to pre- 
war activities once the status of the U.N. in Iraq is clarified. 
ICRC also reported that the need for emergency humanitarian 
assistance no longer exists in the North, but plans to continue 
assessments in the Kirkuk and Mosul areas. 
 
2.  Due to increased supplies and a reduction in pre-war shortage 
concerns, the market cost of a sack of wheat flour is now 75 
Iraqi dinars.  This is 20 dinars less (approximately USD 3.50) 
than it was six to eight weeks ago.  WFP delivered 550 metric 
tons (MT) of food to a warehouse in Mosul on 25 April.  Eighty- 
three trucks departed WFP locations in Syria for the northern 
Iraq region on 26 April.  End Summary. 
 
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INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS 
---------------------------- 
 
3.  The DART met with the United Nations Office for Project 
Services (UNOPS) Internally Displaced Persons Unit on 26 April to 
discuss current operations regarding internally displaced persons 
(IDPs) in northern Iraq.  In anticipation of a possible IDP 
emergency resulting from military action, UNOPS mapped the 
locations of public buildings in the three governorates that 
could be used to temporarily house IDPs.  At the start of 
hostilities, UNOPS established seven camps and four reception 
centers throughout the region.  UNOPS's assistance to the new 
caseload (those who came as a direct result of impending military 
action) included distribution of kerosene, fuel for local 
authorities' water trucks, and training for local authorities on 
SPHERE standards. 
 
4.  UNOPS stressed the excellent coordination between themselves 
and other international and non-governmental organizations (IOs 
and NGOs), such as the International Committee of the Red Cross 
(ICRC), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Save the 
Children-UK, and the Iraqi Red Crescent Society.  UNOPS estimated 
that, at its peak, approximately 9,000 IDPs were housed in public 
building and open-air camps.  The latest figures indicate that 
only 53 remain.  An assessment was conducted on 26 and 27 April 
that will provide up-to-date estimates.  UNOPS noted that there 
are no IDP emergency needs and is considering returning to its 
pre-war activities.  This remains in question, however, due to 
the unclear future of the U.N. in Iraq because of U.N. Security 
Council Resolution 986, which ends on 3 June. 
 
5.  Prior to military action, UNOPS focused its efforts on the 
social and economic integration of vulnerable IDPs displaced less 
than five years ago.  UNOPS estimates that this group comprised 
approximately 25 percent of the 805,000 IDPs in the North.  Many 
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 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, WFP, IZ 
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01: DART NORTHERN IRAQ UPDATE 
 
of these IDPS were housed in transit camps and public buildings 
through northern Iraq.  Begun in December 2000, UNOPS initial 
activities included the distribution of non-food items (NFIs), 
shelter construction, and rehabilitation of water and sanitation 
systems. 
6.  In preparation for a potential emergency situation resulting 
from the impending military action, UNOPS stockpiled NFIs, 
including 4,000 tents and 8,000 relief packages.  They also 
mapped the locations of public buildings in the three 
governorates that could be used to temporarily house IDPs.  They 
funded a variety of activities, such as transportation and 
garbage collection, to ensure that services were not interrupted 
for vulnerable IDPs housed in public buildings. 
 
------------------------ 
MINISTRY OF HUMAN RIGHTS 
------------------------ 
 
7.  The DART also met with the Kurdish Regional Government's 
Ministry of Human Rights on 26 April.  The Ministry was created 
in 2001 to promote and protect human rights.  It is particularly 
interested in improving its capacity to deal with children's and 
women's rights.  The Ministry is involved in civic education and 
strengthening NGOs.  The Ministry also monitors prison and 
juvenile detention center conditions, and it has been supporting 
a center for battered women in Arbil. 
 
8.  School curricula on civic education for all levels (pre- 
school to university) in Kurdish, Arabic, Turkomen, and Aramaic 
have been written by the Ministry and are in first draft form. 
These need to be finalized and printed.  The Ministry is looking 
for funding for this activity, as well as for training of 
teachers, media, police, and other civil servants who may be 
involved in civic education programs. 
 
9.  The Ministry has prepared materials for conflict resolution 
and reconciliation training.  The Minister participated in 
conflict resolution and reconciliation training in South Africa, 
and he hopes to replicate those sessions in Iraq.  Notably, the 
Minister did not mention ethnic tensions as a concern until 
raised by team members. 
 
10.  The Minister's main agenda in the meeting was to seek 
funding.  Team members explained that DART was not in the 
position to provide financial support to the Ministry and 
suggested that Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian 
Assistance (ORHA) be contacted, particularly in regard to civil 
administration issues. 
 
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FOOD 
---- 
 
11.  WFP has moved over 20,000 MT of food commodities into the 
north.  Eleven 50-MT trucks delivered food supplies to Mosul on 
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 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, WFP, IZ 
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01: DART NORTHERN IRAQ UPDATE 
 
25 April.  Eighty-three were departing from WFP locations in 
Syria on 26 April.  Food flow appears to be moving well in the 
north in most locations.  Security, especially in the Mosul 
region, is still a concern. 
 
12.  WFP has many programs including school feeding, assistance 
to IDPs, and general rations. WFP will continue using the region 
authorities for food distribution, but re-evaluation will be 
necessary.  WFP is evaluating the possibility of purchasing local 
grains left over from last year's harvest.  A proper survey is 
required but there are estimates from local officials that there 
is 50,000 to 70,000 MT. 
 
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ICRC 
---- 
 
13.  The DART met with the ICRC's head of sub-delegation in Arbil 
on 24 April to discuss current and future ICRC operations in the 
region.  While ICRC reduced operations during hostilities, they 
expect to be fully staffed by the end of the week with over 20 
international and 150 local staff.  In the last weeks, ICRC 
provided NFIs, including blankets, heaters, hygienic kits, pots, 
and stoves, to 2,000 to 3,000 vulnerable IDPs crossing from 
Kirkuk and Mosul to Arbil, in Duhok and As Sulaymaniyah 
governorates.  ICRC also provided medical supplies to assist in 
the care of 100 war-wounded, as well as registered enemy 
prisoners of war held by Coalition, KDP, and PUK forces. 
 
14.  Upcoming activities of the ICRC include: further assessments 
of Kirkuk and Mosul, linking families through the creation of 
Thuriya stations where people can call relatives abroad; 
identifying and notifying families of mortal remains; and looking 
at protection issues, including ethnic tensions in Kirkuk and 
Mosul.   According to Giuseppe Renda of the ICRC, "We have just 
ended the first phase; the emergency phase is already over." 
 
JONES