More Food Aid Urgently Needed for Civilian Population in Afghanistan
8 October 2001
The U.S. and U.K. strategy on Afghanistan is presented as a coherent combination of military, diplomatic and humanitarian action, but Oxfam America believes there is much more to be done. Oxfam's Director of Humanitarian Response Michael Delaney said Monday, "We understand the symbolism of the food drops to show the people of Afghanistan that this is not a war against them. But far more must urgently be done to save the tens of thousands of civilian lives threatened by starvation."
"Humanitarian action must be as distinct from the military action as is at all possible--because both humanitarian aid, and humanitarian workers will be at risk if they are not seen to be impartial."
WFP has not sent in any food convoy into Afghanistan today (October 8) and is awaiting confirmation that the 10 trucks that left Pakistan yesterday have arrived safely. It is vital that the food supplies continue, and indeed increase, even as military action continues. Whether this will require added protection, and, if so, by whom, must be urgently determined by the UN.
Up to October 7, 5000 tons had been trucked into Afghanistan by WFP since October 1--as well as 1800 tons by Oxfam since September 12, and a similar amount by another NGO. This was far better than the position when WFP completely suspended supplies for the second half of September. But supplies must be rapidly scaled up if there is any chance of getting even a bare minimum of food to the 5 million Afghans in need of food aid, including those who will be inaccessible by road due to snow from the middle of November. Oxfam and other NGOs, including local Afghan partners, are still able to deliver the food that WFP can bring into the country. Even when winter closes in, we would seek to use donkeys to take food to people cut off, considering air drops only as a last resort.
Airdrops are not by any means the best solution to the current food crisis. They are hugely expensive and likely to meet only a fraction of the need. Oxfam, its partners in Afghanistan and the WFP have already shown that delivery by land is still feasible and the best option. Using military aircraft risks confusing the separate nature of military and humanitarian action--potentially imperiling aid workers and the life-saving aid effort. The real aid priority is to get the above trucking operation moving faster.
There is a dangerous lack of preparedness in the sites identified for new refugees in Pakistan. Currently, Oxfam and all other humanitarian agencies are unable to access sites due to security concerns in northern Pakistan. All UN and other staff inside Pakistan have been pulled away from the Afghan border since October 7. UNHCR admits that the sites within Pakistan will not be ready for another 2 weeks. Oxfam and other agencies are ready to respond once the UN and Pakistan can secure access.
Donor governments have generously promised more than the $584 million that the UN appealed for. But 3 things are now vital:
Action to scale up and speed up WFP's food supplies into Afghanistan. If the military action since 7 October suspends these for any significant time, it will have a devastating effect on the chances of saving Afghan lives from starvation during the winter. Days count in getting as much food as possible stockpiled now. If possible, it is obviously preferable for those convoys to continue without armed protection. But if that is not possible, the UN must urgently consider how convoys could move along secure corridors.
Action to get sites in Pakistan ready for new refugees. Now that military action has started, Pakistan and Iran must fulfil their commitment to open their borders to new refugees. But more importantly still, the sites where they are received must be rapidly made secure and adequate.
Air drops, at the very least, are not enough. If they prove necessary, it would be highly preferable for WFP, not military aircraft, to make those drops. The current air drops threaten to undermine the impartiality of the humanitarian operation. They risk confusing the military and humanitarian strategies with fatal consequences for the humanitarian effort. They also threaten to take attention off the far more vital need to get the land convoys scaled up (and, if necessary, secure), and the refugee sites fully ready.
