Q&A: Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis

Why were there no food drops prior to the bombings – for those 26 days the people were hungry and in need? Why can't the US and Taliban authorities negotiate passage for food aid to be dropped by civil planes, disassociated from the military actions?

3) How bad is the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and what are its underlying causes?

MSF has been working in Afghanistan since 1979, on both sides of the conflict. The country has been in constant crisis all this time, affected by the war and the associated collapse in government and the social infrastructure (such as health care, education services, water, electricity etc.). The war has continued to different degrees for 22 years.

In the last year, MSF has become extremely worried by the current extent of the crisis and the capacity of the aid agencies, governments, markets, and local production to deal with this disaster. Central Asia is suffering from the worst drought in 30 years – and the drought has continued for three years now. This means that seed stocks have been eaten, grazing lands for cattle turned to desert and fruit trees chopped down for fuel. Basic food prices have skyrocketed and cattle prices have collapsed. Families have had to sell everything to continue to eat. In Afghanistan, the war has compounded the effects of the drought by disrupting the importation of cheap foods and destroying opportunities to earn an income, and by exposing people to violence and forcing large populations to flee their homes and land. In all areas of Afghanistan the starving populations have been leaving their lands, homes and families out of fear or hunger or both, and fleeing to neighboring countries or to vast makeshift camps around the major cities.

Before September 11, we had been demanding that humanitarian agencies and the UN raise more money, truck in more food, and develop more capacity to help – otherwise there would be a famine of huge proportions. With all the aid agencies leaving Afghanistan after September 11th, not only is there no assistance to those dying from hunger and disease today – but we are losing critical time to bring in the food to distribute before this coming winter.

4) What humanitarian efforts has MSF undertaken in Afghanistan (and surrounding nations)? What impact has the US military action had on your operations in Afghanistan?

MSF is still managing operations inside Afghanistan, largely through local staff. We have been feeding people and running health centers and hospital wards. We have teams in Iran, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan. We have supplies in all the surrounding countries with teams ready to re-enter Afghanistan. We have sent in convoys of materials since September the 11th to re-supply our projects.

Since the bombings, there have been violent demonstrations in various locations in Pakistan, forcing our expatriate staff to withdraw from Quetta and Peshawar to Islamabad. UN offices have been attacked and aid workers denied access to potential areas where refugees might be arriving or abused. Communications with local staff left in Afghanistan have been cut and operations put on standby, as the risk is too great to their lives. Even actions by local staff in Pakistan, serving Afghan refugees in Jalozai camp have been suspended due to the insecurity.

5) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees predicted a widespread exodus of refugees from Afghanistan in anticipation of US military strikes. Has this happened? Are refugee camps overburdened?

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