Relief agencies preparing for influx of refugees

Aid agencies are expecting a huge influx of refugees to Jordan after warbreaks out in Iraq. Michael Jansen in Amman describes thecontingency plans to help them when they arrive

UN and non-governmental aid agencies are gearing up for a war on Iraq. A dozen UN agencies and 40 NGOs, with no permanent presence in the kingdom, have been registered over the past 10 days to operate in Jordan on a temporary, emergency basis.

Until this week Jordan and the agencies were reluctant to make overt preparations for war because they could be seen as either colluding with or even condoning the Bush administration's war effort.

Since Jordan bore most of the financial burden of sheltering and providing for the tens of thousands of refugees who poured into the kingdom following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990 as well as the Iraqis who fled the 1991 war, the government demanded funds in the bank before it would commit itself to make preparations for a new influx.

But Amman was forced to go ahead with the establishment of facilities without funding because the UN and international relief organisations have not been able to raise money to deal with the consequences of a US military campaign.

UN and foreign agencies are set to operate under the auspices of the Jordanian Hashemite Charitable Organisation and the local Red Crescent Society. Two camps are in the process of being established in the 70 kilometre band of territory between the Jordanian town of Ruwaished and the Iraqi frontier.

Camp A is for refugees and asylum-seekers, accommodating 10,000 to 35,000 for at least six months, and Camp B is for third country nationals, the majority of them Egyptian labourers. An estimated 60,000 could come in waves. They will be accommodated for 72 hours before being transferred to Aqaba and put on board ferries for Egypt.

Tents are prepositioned near these sites and will be erected when the first refugees arrive. "They will help set them up," remarked Mr Peter Kessler of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). "Tents have to be lived in to stay up."

According to Mr Simon Springett, Oxfam's spokesman, conditions for the refugees will conform to international standards. Four boreholes will produce 20 litres of desalinated water per day per person, 3.5 metres of space will be allocated per person and one latrine was being provided for every 20 people. Oxfam, which is responsible for water, will provide a piped system and storage for 10,000 litres. Capacity can be quickly doubled.

Oxfam has taken the principled decision not to accept funding from governments attacking Iraq. Mr Springett said Oxfam "will not accept money from belligerent governments: we will not hold a gun in one hand and give bread with the other."

The Jordan delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mr Guy Mellet, told The Irish Times that it has stocks now in place in Jordan, Kuwait, and Iran to provide for 150,000 people. The ICRC is ready to offer protection to prisoners of war, emergency medical treatment for civilians, and assistance in tracing relatives of refugees. The ICRC will also help with water and sanitation both inside and outside Iraq. UNHCR has tents, tarpaulins, jerry cans, blankets, mattresses and stoves for 300,000 people.

Mr Ray Jordan, of the Irish relief agency Goal, observed that relationships between occupying powers and international relief agencies are often difficult. He said that UN agencies and NGOs had to keep their distance from the military and take an independent line.

"It is \ imperative that the military give space to NGOs to do their work. NGOs have to be honest brokers." Furthermore, they must not impose themselves on the countries or people they are trying to help.

"Iraqis must take the decisions on what they need. If the correct approach is not followed from day one," he said, "it will be difficult to change course."

In Mr Jordan's view, if the US military is left to "run its own show" this could be "catastrophic".

The Bush administration's approach to the consequences of a war has been indicated by allocations of only $50 million for UN and NGO programmes. US companies will be asked to bid on contracts for $800 million in humanitarian assistance and $1.8 billion for reconstruction in Iraq over one year.

This compares with a request for an appropriation of $90 billion for the military campaign. The UN Development Programme estimates that the reconstruction of Iraq could cost $10 billion a year over three years.