WFP EMERGENCY REPORT NO.3, JAN 16, 1998

Issued weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme

Report No. 03 of 1998 Date: 16 January 1998

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a) Discussions with the Taliban on resumption of airlift to Bamyan continue. b) Relief operations in Panjao, Lal and Waras end as areas become inaccessible due to snowfall. Stranded WFP staff evacuated. Operations continue in Yakawlang; assessment made by horseback in areas inaccessible by road. c) Weather in entire region deteriorating; route from Yakawlang to Bamyan currently passable only by heavy six-ton trucks.

PART II - DETAILS

UPDATE - information as of 14 January.

1.1 A protest was delivered to the Taliban authorities by a UN mission to Kandahar on 3 January, regarding the bombings of Bamyan air field on 31 December 1997 and 1 January 1998; WFP airlift to the area at the time had been with the permission of the Taliban.

1.2 The Taliban have not given necessary guarantees of safety for the airlift to resume. The UN Coordinator is scheduled this week to undertake further discussions with the Taliban in Kabul, Bamyan and Kandahar.

1.3 Permission obtained from the Taliban to fly to Bamyan to make repairs to the Antinov which remains on the ground in Bamyan, but planned flight of the other Antinov to Bamyan for this purpose was cancelled due to bad weather. A permitted flight of the UNOCHA plane to Bamyan on 14 January was cancelled for the same reason.

1.4 Of a total target of 8,600 tons of food (mainly potatoes) to be distributed in Bamyan, 6,400 tons have been procured and received, and approximately 5,800 tons have been distributed. So far, 132,000 persons have been reached, most with rations for two to three months. In addition, 1,660 persons are being fed in hospitals and schools in Bamyan, Yakawlang and Panjao.

1.5 Operations in Panjao, Lal and Waras have now stopped since these areas are completely inaccessible due to snowfall. Stranded WFP staff in these locations were finally evacuated, some of them walking through the high passes when their vehicles became stuck. All staff are currently in either Yakawlang or Bamyan. Operations are continuing in Yakawlang, where an eighteen-member team has been dispatched on horseback to identify vulnerable families in the district who cannot be reached by road. It is expected that distribution for up to 2,000 families may be necessary in those areas, depending on the findings of the assessment mission.

1.6 With the winding down of the first phase of the operation, further distribution is not planned unless areas which are accessible are identified. The strategy from now until the reopening of the area when the snows melt is to build up stocks via supply from the north. WFP hopes to pre-position a total of 2,500 tons of wheat by March/April, of which 1,500 tons will be stored in Bamyan and 1,000 tons in Yakawlang. Continued intransigence on the part of local commanders along the route means that the supply of wheat from the north is progressing very slowly.

1.7 An attempted assessment mission from Bamyan to Jaghori and Malistan districts of Ghazni province, where WFP has received reports that residents are suffering from food shortages due to the Taliban blockade, proved impossible due to the closure of roads on account of snowfall.

1.8 Three WFP international staff remain in Yakawlang for the time being, assisted by local staff. Bamyan is currently being staffed by local WFP personnel until international staff from Bamyan and from Islamabad re-locate there. The weather in the entire region is deteriorating and heavy snowfall is being received in Bamyan and Yakawlang. The route from Yakawlang to Bamyan is currently passable only on heavy six-ton trucks.