Oxfam's Response to Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan

Posted: 4 October 2001

WASHINGTON--International humanitarian aid agency Oxfam America welcomes the news that the Bush administration will offer a $320 million aid package for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

"This is a generous aid package if much of it is delivered immediately. We have to get food moving into the country before the onset of winter or it will be too late to help the already struggling people of Afghanistan," said Oxfam Deputy Policy Director Bernice Romero.

In Islamabad Pakistan, Oxfam spokesman Alex Renton also emphasized the urgency of the situation, "This aid is urgently needed, three million people inside Afghanistan need the food aid pipeline flowing now."

As an international development and relief organization operating in over 118 developing countries, Oxfam calls for:

Sufficient food to reach both government and opposition-held areas before the onset of winter. Trucking seems to be the best option.
Borders must be opened immediately.
Refugee camps must be screened to ensure they remain civilian, secure and adequately provisioned. Attention must be given to the special needs of women.

Oxfam also urged the Taliban to ensure that aid agencies be allowed to deliver humanitarian supplies to civilians safely, including being allowed proper communications to verify that the most needy people get the proper food.

Meanwhile, Oxfam water engineers, working with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Pakistan government, began inspection of 12 government-proposed sites for refugee camps in Baluchistan, western Pakistan. The agency also flew in more water engineers as it geared up for potentially one of the biggest emergency responses in its history. Oxfam has worked in Afghanistan for 12 years.

In all, the government has nominated 100 campsites for Afghan refugees--though the border remained closed yesterday despite calls for it to be opened to allow refugees in, as international law demands.