US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT2108

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KUWAIT 002108 
 
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 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:  DART ASSESSMENT OF AL TASH REFUGEE CAMP 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  The DART conducted an assessment of the Al Tash Refugee 
Camp near Ar Ramadi on 9 May.  Based on meetings with the 
camp council and movement through the camp, the DART 
determined there is not a critical humanitarian situation 
within the camp.  End Summary. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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2.  The Al Tash Refugee Camp is located approximately 12 
kilometers (km) south of the Iraqi city of Ar Ramadi and 
approximately 110 km west of Baghdad.  The camp has been in 
place for 23 years, and the population consists of ethnic 
Kurds from Iran.  In 1982, the population of the camp was 
reported to be approximately 45,000.  The DART was told that 
many of that number repatriated and others emmigrated to 
third countries.  Currently, the camp population is reported 
to be 12,000 people (2,000 families), equally divided 
between political refugees and those that arrived during the 
Iran/Iraq war.  Over the last six weeks, approximately 1,100 
people from the camp have moved to the Jordanian border. 
Approximately three families leave the camp daily for the 
border region.  There was an International Committee of the 
Red Cross (ICRC) presence in the camp from 1983 until 1988. 
Until recently, there has been a United Nations High 
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) presence in the camp. 
 
3.  A UNHCR facility within the camp appeared to be in very 
good condition.  The UNHCR personnel left just prior to the 
recent conflict and have not returned.  In discussions with 
the town council, it was quite apparent that there was much 
displeasure with the UNHCR personnel that had been assigned 
to the camp.  It was reported that letters requesting 
repatriation that had been given to UNHCR staff, had not 
been forwarded for action.  It is felt that the UNHCR will 
have to do much damage control in order to mend its 
relationship in the village. 
 
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CAMP COUNCIL 
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4.  The DART met with the camp council for approximately one 
hour.  Various issues were covered, but two demands were 
adamantly stressed.  The first demand was for the 
repatriation of approximately one-half the population.  The 
second was the resettlement of the remaining camp population 
that consider themselves political refugees, to third 
countries.  It was noted that most would accept, as a 
temporary solution, resettlement in Kurdish areas of Iraq. 
The camp council also told the DART that camp residents 
suffered from disorder and insecurity during the current 
post-conflict period.  Prior to the conflict, each family 
received a payment of 250 dinars every two months. 
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FOOD 
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5.  Food has been distributed within the camp through the 
Public Distribution System (PDS).  The last distribution 
took place during the first week of May and consisted of 
tea, sugar, and salt.  The council told the DART that the 
last two distributions have not included rice and that there 
is a lack of oil and rice.  Current food stocks consist of 
flour, tea, sugar, and salt.  These stocks are sufficient to 
last until August.  Of concern to camp residents was the 
fact that due to the loss of the family stipend, there is no 
way to access vegetables, wheat, or rice to supplement food 
stocks.  Women within the camp claim that they have adequate 
food resources; however, as noted above, the list does not 
include protein-rich foods or essential oils. 
 
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WATER 
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6.  The camp receives its water from a pumping station one 
km from the camp.  The DART visited the pumping station on 
its way to Al Tash.  At the time of the visit, no operator 
was on site, but local residents were present.  The pumping 
station uses the Euphrates River as its source of water and 
had, until recently, stored the untreated water in two above 
ground storage tanks, with an approximate capacity of 
200,000 liters.  The local residents present at the station 
said that the pumps that transfer water to the Al Tash camp 
had not functioned for two weeks.  The pumps appeared to be 
in good condition, and the cause of the disfunction could 
not be determined.  Water continues to be distributed to the 
camp by a gravity-fed cast iron pipe one km to the camp. 
 
7.  The water at the pumping station was tested for chlorine 
and no residual chlorine was detected.  Residents of the 
camp reported low pressure due to numerous leaks, many due 
to residents along the pipe's course tapping into the line. 
The camp has a small water pumping station, which receives 
water from the main pumping station.  The pump station had a 
pressure pump and a partially buried water storage tank. 
The storage tank capacity could not be determined. 
 
8.  Two backup generators, one 100-kilovolt amperes (kva) 
and one 250-kva, provide power to the water system when 
electricity to the camp is not available.  An operator was 
present at the site and provided information on the 
distribution of water in the camp.  The operator has 
maintained records of his pumping and distribution 
activities.  Water is distributed through iron pipes to 
homes in the camp.  The camp water distribution system is 
divided into 34 sectors.  Water is distributed to sectors of 
the camp for one hour every 15 days.  During this time 
homeowners fill their individual storage tanks.  Water 
storage capacity in homes visited ranged from 2,000 to 5,500 
liters.  Individual homeowners owned metal and concrete 
tanks and the homes visited appeared to have adequate 
quantities stored in their water tanks. 
 
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SANITATION 
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9.  In moving through the camp, the DART noted that the 
streets were relatively clear of rubbish.  Open ditches are 
used to transport wash water from the homes to a ditch 
outside the camp.  These ditches were clogged with garbage. 
No discharge of sewage from toilet facilities to the ditches 
was observed.  Residents stated that sewage is not 
discharged to the ditch.  Toilet facilities within 
residences consisted of water seal toilets directly above 
cesspits.  The toilets visited were clean and well 
maintained.  General overall hygiene is poor.  Hygiene 
issues could probably be addressed with a more frequent 
water delivery schedule as well as hygiene education. 
 
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HEALTH 
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10.  As the camp was visited on a Friday, the small clinic 
that serves the camp's medical needs was closed.  Normally, 
patients with acute problems are referred to the Ar Ramadi 
hospital.  A pharmacist who accompanied the DART Health 
Specialist throughout the assessment staffs the camp clinic. 
There is neither a physician nor a nurse in the camp.  There 
are a number of chronic diseases in the camp such as 
thallasemia, cancer, epilepsy, mental illness, anemia, 
tuberculosis, asthma, chronic eczema, and alopecia.  All of 
these receive less-than-optimal follow-up but are typical of 
chronic neglect that the camp has received for many years. 
No cases of chronic or acute malnutrition were identified. 
 
11.  It was reported that the end of the former regime has 
led to an increased resistance from the Arab-run hospital at 
Ar Ramadi to treating the camp population without immediate 
payment.  Cost of services, both acute and chronic follow- 
up, has also escalated at the Ar Ramadi hospital.  During 
the DART visit, much attention was given to about a half- 
dozen children who suffered flash burns resulting from 
igniting toys containing gunpowder.  All the burns were 
first-degree and superficial second-degree that were treated 
with salves and were healing.  Two cases of typhoid were 
noted. Both cases are under appropriate treatment and are 
improving. 
 
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CONCLUSION 
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12.  There is not a humanitarian crisis within the camp. 
The situation within the camp appears to not have changed 
significantly in the recent past, with the exception of the 
loss of the small stipend.  Nutrition issues could become a 
concern if protein sources and vegetables are not 
obtainable.  The concerns of the camp residents concerning 
their future options should be addressed by the UNHCR when 
staff are allowed to return to Al Tash. 
 
JONES