Afghanistan HAR 081304 - WHOthat they should travel with armed escorts amid deteriorating security. NGO security experts are calling the suggestion “condescending,” adding that

Note: This report has been compiled from publicly available information. Although information has been gathered from reliable sources the currency and completeness of the information reported herein is subject to change and cannot be guaranteed. Except for Overview section that is rewritten weekly, any changes in the other parts of the report are highlighted in red. Inquiries, updates and comments are welcome and should be directed to PDMIN team at [email protected].

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August 13, 2004

Overview Afghan election officials say 18 candidates running in October's presidential elections Afghanistan’s Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) announced earlier in the week (Tuesday, August 10) that a total of 18 candidates had qualified to run for the upcoming Afghan presidential elections set for October 9. According to JEMB, of the 23 original candidates who had submitted their nomination papers, three were disqualified due to their failure to comply with the nomination procedures. Two other candidates reportedly withdrew their candidacies on Monday, August 9, leaving 18 candidates in the running for the presidency. Significant candidates include incumbent Afghan President Hamid Karzai, former Afghan Education Minister Yunus Qanouni, northern warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum, Latif Pedram, a Tajik writer and scholar, and Massouda Jalal, a female pediatrician from Kabul, currently working for the United Nations World Food Program. Only Qanouni,


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who is an ethnic Tajik and is backed by the ruling Northern Alliance, is seen as a major contender for the presidency against Karzai. Afghanistan to set up 5,000 polling centers for upcoming presidential elections in October Julian Type, an Australian official at Afghanistan’s Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB), said yesterday (Thursday, August 12) that some 5,000 voting centers would be set up across Afghanistan for the upcoming presidential elections on October 9. Type said each polling center would have about five polling stations where people would vote. The paper ballot that was finalized on Wednesday, August 11 is reportedly as long as a newspaper page and about half as wide. The ballot, currently being printed in Canada, has names and pictures of all 18 presidential candidates due to Afghanistan’s extremely low literacy rate. Type said some 30,000 ballot boxes should arrive in Afghanistan next week, followed by the newly printed ballot boxes next month (September). According to Type, voting for the presidential election would be held on a single day and the finally tally could take as many as three weeks. He said it is JEMB’s intent to have the provincial count done within the provinces. He said that in the event of a possible runoff, new ballots would have to be printed and it could take up to six weeks to hold the runoff election. Type added that the beginning of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan in late October could present some logistical difficulties. UN condemns killing of election workers in central Afghanistan; Security experts warn of worsening violence ahead of elections The United Nations is condemning the latest killings of election workers in Afghanistan’s central Uruzgan province (also spelled Oruzgan) last Friday (August 6). Manoel de Almeida e Silva, spokesman for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA), told a press briefing in the Afghan capital Kabul last Sunday (August 8) that Jean Arnault, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and the head of UNAMA, strongly condemned Friday’s murderous attack against Afghan election workers near the village of Yakhdan in the Shahidi Hassas district of Uruzgan province that left two workers dead and one missing. According to UNAMA, the attack took place Friday evening between 5:30 and 6:00 when unidentified gunmen ambushed a four-vehicle convoy of the Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) Secretariat, an independent organization comprising UN and Afghan officials who are mandated to conduct and supervise the upcoming Afghan elections. All vehicles were reportedly destroyed in the attack. In his message, Arnault hoped that one missing member of the convoy is found alive and soon. The latest attack brings the total number of election workers that have been killed while working for the JEMB Secretariat to 12, including two expatriates. Arnault said he was encouraged that police accompanying the convoy had arrested one perpetrator, and expressed hope that the others would be apprehended and brought to justice soon. The UN says that all voter registration sites in Uruzgan remain open, except the one where the attack took place, which has been temporarily closed. Separately, aid groups are denouncing a US military suggestion that they should travel with armed escorts amid deteriorating security. NGO security experts are calling the suggestion “condescending,” adding that it reflected poor comprehension of the security on the ground. Nick Downey, who heads the Afghanistan NGO Security Office in Kabul said, “certainly coalition forces cannot suggest that armour and arms prevents or protects (against) attacks -- it is clearly evident that guns have not prevented deaths, and that high profile measures have invited attacks." Downey also warned that the “security situation has deteriorated in recent months and things are only set to get worse.” NGOs have long voiced their concerns about the US military’s involvement in humanitarian aid work. They have accused the military of blurring the lines between military activities and relief work, and creating a false perception among Afghans that perhaps humanitarian aid was tied with military operations, thus endangering aid workers.


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Movement 3.5 million refugees and IDP returns since early 2002, with over three million refugees returning to

Afghanistan and over 500,000 IDPs going home. 2.1 million refugees returned from Pakistan; 920,000 returned from Iran.

In 2004, UNHCR (UN High Commission for Refugees) plans for 500,000 to return from Pakistan and 500,000 returns from Iran. About 550,000 refugees returned by early August - 239,000 from Pakistan, including 100,000 from urban centers. An estimated 296,000 also came from Iran, including more than 50,000 spontaneous returns. August on course for 100,000 returns, similar to May, June, and July. UNHCR plans to close new post-September 2001 camps in Pakistan near the border by September 2004. About 800,000 refugees remain in Iran and 1.6 million in Pakistan. Remaining in Pakistan are over 100,000 in cities, one million in old camps and nearly 200,000 in new post-2001 camps.

Emphasis in 2003 was on repatriation from old camps and cities in Pakistan to rural areas in Afghanistan. 70% of returnees from Pakistan were from cities and 30% from camps. Over a third returned to Kabul, another 10% went to other central provinces, and just over 20% returned to each of the north and east. The Southern region received 6% and the Western region 4%. The 2003 peak months were June with 92,000 and July with 78,000.

In 2002 over 2.3 million Afghan refugees returned with 2 million assisted by UNHCR. UNHCR repatriated 1.53 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan, including 125,000 from Baluchistan and 1.4 million from the North West Frontier Province. 82% were from urban areas; only 3% were from new camps. 265,000 refugees were assisted in returning from Iran; and 10,000 refugees from the central Asian republics.

UNHCR, the Afghan Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation, and IOM (International Organization for Migration) plan to assist 90,000 IDPs return home in 2004. So far, 13,000 IDPs have been assisted this year. There are 188,000 recorded, active IDPs, with the actual total being, perhaps, some 300,000. Active IDP numbers are 145,000 in the South, 20,000 in the West, 20,000 in the Center, 10,500 in the East and Southeast, and 9,000 in the North. UNHCR assisted 60,000 IDPs to return in 2003.

During the first quarter of 2004, WFP provided food assistance to over 2 million Afghans. During a typical week, around half a million people receive around 4,000 tons of food. Several hundred thousand Afghans are employed on work-for-food programs.

Routes for Humanitarian Aid and Refugees Country Supply Routes

From Supply/Return Routes To Comments

Mashhad

Dogharun, Herat, Badghis & Ghor

Major refugee repatriation route;

Iran

Zabol Nimruz Refugee repatriation route; Peshawar Khyber Pass Torkham

Jalalabad, Kabul, Bamiyan & refugee camps in NWFP, Pakistan

Major refugee repatriation route;

Pakistan

Quetta Refugee camps in Baluchistan, Pakistan & Kandahar and Herat

Significant refugee repatriation route

Tajikistan

Nizhny Pyandzh

Sherkhan, Kunduz, Northern region, & Kabul

Salang tunnel between north and Kabul; Tunnel closed 7 AM – 5 PM for repairs through September

Kyrgyzstan Osh Ishkashim, Faizabad, & NE WFP no longer needs route Turkmenabat, Kushka

Herat, Badghis & Ghor

UNHCR no long needs route

Turkmenistan

Turkmenabat, Kerki Andkhoy, Mazar-e-Sharif, & Northern Region

UNHCR no longer needs route

Uzbekistan

Termez

Mazar-e-Sharif and North

Friendship Bridge for rail and road


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Afghanistan Relief Efforts: United Nations Coordination Regions

Central Region Security: Policeman killed in Taliban attack on voter registration site in Ghazni province; Two election workers killed by bomb in mosque in Ghazni province;

Location Bamiyan Coordination Population

2,800 active IDPs in Central and East Central

IDP Movement Food

WFP; preparations for winter complete

Health

ICRC, IMC, MSF; malnutrition high

NFIs -Shelter

IOM, UNICEF, UNOCHA, & OXFAM

Water & Sanitation UNICEF Security

New Zealand PRT in Bamiyan; Main phase of Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) on-going;

Comments


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East Central Region

Security: PRT in Parwan; Location Kabul Coordination

UNHCR

Population

2,800 active IDPs in Central and East Central

IDP Movement

UN; currently few returning home from Kabul

Food

WFP, IRC, Action Contre la Faim

Health

CARITAS, MSF, IFRC, IRC, ICRC Russian relief center and hospital; improved ambulance service

Non-Food Items - Shelter

UNHCR, ACTED, MSF, IRC, ICRC, IOM; housing being built for squatters

Security

Main phase of DDR in progress

Water & Sanitation

ICRC; Wells, pumps, and clean water considerably improved; chlorination of wells on-going

Comments

Eastern Region Security: Coalition operations continue along border with Pakistan; Two aid workers gunned down in Paktia on August 3—German NGO Malteser pulls out of Paktia and Paktika provinces; No word on 20,000 refugees reportedly fleeing operations in Pakistan and entering Paktika province; Coalition says it will launch “Lightning Resolve” operation to improve election security; US PRT in Gardez; US PRT in Kunar; US PRT in Ghazni province; Coalition says it will establish more PRTs in east and south to improve security and humanitarian support; Main phase of DDR in progress in Gardez;

Location Jalalabad Coordination

UNHCR

Population

5,500 active IDPs in East

IDP Movement Food

WFP, IRC

Health

UNICEF, MSF, IMC, WHO; ICRC

Non-Food Items - Shelter

CWS, UNICEF

Security

US PRT in Jalalabad; Main phase of DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration) started;

Water & Sanitation

CARITAS; ICRC, UNICEF


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Eastern Region IDP Camps

Location Hesarshahi (12 km

east of Jalalabad) Sar Shahi

Type

IDP

IDP

Coordination

International Islamic Relief Organization (ISRO)

Capacity Population

9,000 remaining

15,000

Movement IDPs UNHCR assisted 15,000 return home

Food Health UNICEF Non-Food Items (NFIs) - Shelter

Security Water & Sanitation UNICEF Comments WES activities of UNICEF in this camp

completed in 2002 and Immunization activities are going on.

Northeastern Region Security: Election workers attacked in Faryab province on August 2; DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration) started in Takhar province;

Location Faizabad Organization Population

11,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast

Movement IDPs

117,000 returned spontaneously in Northeastern region

Food

OXFAM, UNICEF, WFP, World Concern Preparations for winter underway

Health

WHO, Merlin, UNICEF, MSF; ICRC

Non-Food Items (NFIs) -Shelter

UNICEF, ACTED, Refugees Int’l, Mercy Corps

Security

German/NATO PRT in Feyzabad;

Water & Sanitation Comments


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Northern Region Security: US PRT in Parwan; DDR started in Baghlan;

Location Kunduz Coordination Population

11,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast; 60,000 IDPs from North elsewhere in country;

Movement IDPs IOM targeting 45,000 IDPs to identify those interested in voluntary assisted return home starting 31 March

Food

ACF, FOCUS, OXFAM, IOM, Save the Children;

Health

WHO, MSF, UNICEF

Non-Food Items (NFIs) –Shelter

Convoys from Mazar-e-Sharif, Kabul, and Tajikistan IOM, ACTED, Mercy Corps

Security

NATO/German PRT in Kunduz; Main phase of DDR in progress

Water & Sanitation UNICEF Comments

UNICEF Immunization activities Aid and relief supplies from North, South, and West

Northern Region IDP Camps (Kunduz) Location Bagh-e-Sherkat Amirabad Type IDP IDP Coordination IOM IOM Camp Capacity

22,000

Population

Less than 5,000 between the two camps

Less than 5,000 between the two camps

Movement IDPs

Largely stopped

Largely stopped

Food

WFP

WFP, ACTED, Focus

Health

UNICEF

UNICEF

Non-Food Items (NFIs) - Shelter

IOM

Security

Water & Sanitation

UNICEF UNICIEF

Comments UNICEF has completed WES activities in the camps in 2002


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Location Mazar-e-Sharif Coordination UNHCR Population

11,000 active IDPs in North and Northeast; 60,000 IDPs from North elsewhere in country;

Movement IDPs

IOM moving some IDPs home

Food

WFP; preparations for winter underway

Health

WHO; ICRC. UNICEF Jordanian field hospital


IRC, IOM, UNICEF, Action Contre la Faim; FAO

Security

British PRT in Mazar-e-Sharif turned over to NATO; Main phase of DDR on-going;

Water & Sanitation

ICRC

Comments

Southern Region Southern region has 145,000 active IDPs; Security: Coalition operations continue along border with Pakistan; UNHCR scales back operations in the southeastern region; Coalition says it is launching “Lightning Resolve” operation to improve election security; Coalition says it will establish more PRTs in east and south to improve security and support humanitarian activities;

Location Kandahar Coordination UNHCR Population

145,000 active IDPs in South

Movement of IDPs Food

International staff present and operating Mercy Corps in southern Kandahar Province

Health

WHO, ICRC, CARITAS, Mercy Corps; UNICEF;

NFIs - Shelter

UNHCR, Mercy Corps

Security

US PRT in Kandahar; main phase of DDR in progress

Water & Sanitation

UNICEF

Comments


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Southern Region IDP Camps (Kandahar)

Location Kandahar Type IDP Capacity

90,000 in 39 camps in Panjwai district

Population

Survey of IDPs in the Southern Region to be conducted later this month

Movement IDPs Food Health

UNICEF

NFIs - Shelter Security

Coalition operations continue

Water & Sanitation

UNICEF

Comments

WES projects of UNICEF in IDP camps completed in 2002 and immunization activities are going on.

Southern Region IDP camps south of Kandahar Location Zhare Dasht (South of Kandhar – 6 camps) Type IDP Camp Coordination

Int’l Save our Souls

Camp Capacity

30,000; expandable to 60,000

Population

36,000

Movement IDP

About 4,000 from Spin Boldak to relocate to Zhare Dasht before humanitarian support ends in August this year;

Food

WFP

Health

UNICEF, MSF; outbreak of diphtheria among under-18

NFIs - Shelter Security Water & Sanitation

UNICEF wells

Comments

New camps designed to attract IDPs from Spin Boldak


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Eight Southern Region camps in Panjwai and Maiwand west of Kandahar for 30,000 nomadic Kuchis Location Mandozai (60 kn from

Kandahar) Marghar Morsham

Type

IDP Camp

IDP Camp

IDP Camp

Coordination

Cordaid

Cordaid

Cordaid

Camp Capacity

Population

1,700

4,500

16,000

Movement IDP Refugees in no-man’s land

Food

Caritas

Caritas

Caritas

Health

Caritas-UNICEF

Caritas_UNICEF

Caritas-UNICEF

NFIs - Shelter Security Water & Sanitation Comments UNICEF is doing immunization activities

Southern Region IDP Camps (Spin Boldak--Near Afghan-Pakistan Border Chaman Area) About 20,000 IDPs in the Spin Boldak area; Government has ordered that Spin Boldak humanitarian assistance end in August; 4,000 IDPs to go to Zhare Dasht, several hundred to return home, and nearly 16,000 to remain in Spin Boldak area without humanitarian assistance;

Location Al Rashid (Spin Boldak)

Ben Rashid Maktum (Spin Boldak)

Rabita Alam el Islam (Spin Boldak)

Type IDP Camp IDP Camp IDP Camp Coordination

UNHCR

UNHCR

UNHCR

Camp Capacity Population 1,100 Movement IDP Food WFP WFP Distribution interrupted in

mid-May Health

UNICEF and MSF

UNICEF and MSF

UNICEF and MSF

NFIs - Shelter

Security Water & Sanitation

Trucks and water tanks


UNHCR supplying limited quantities

Comments

New camp

New camp

New camp


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Location Spin Boldak Spin Boldak Wesh

Type IDP Camp IDP Camp IDP Camp Coordination

International Islamic Relief Organization

NGO from United Arab Emirates

International Islamic Relief Organization

Camp Capacity

6,000

Population

6,000

Movement IDP Food WFP WFP WFP Health

UNICEF and MSF

UNICEF and MSF

UNICEF and MSF





Comments

New camp

New camp

New camp

Western Region 20,500 active IDPs; Security: Limited disarmament taking place among competing local factions in Chaghcharan, capital of Ghor province; 600 Afghan Army troops sent to ensure order; Location Herat Province Coordination UNHCR; ICMC Population

70,000 or less in 5 remaining camps down from 200,000 to 360,000 depending on estimates

Movement IDPs Food

WFP, IRC, CARITAS, UNICEF, World Vision, IOM, Action Contre la Faim

Health

WHO, MSF, MDM, Order of Malta, CHA, IbniSina, HRS; ICRC; UNICEF

Non-Food Items (NFIs) – Shelter

UNHCR, Iranian Red Crescent, UNICEF, IOM, Blankets and fuel being distributed; Ockenden Int’l, MSF, IMC

Security

Fighting between local warlords; US PRT in Heart; Main phase of DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration) begun;

Water & Sanitation

UNICEF


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Western Region IDP Camps Location Mir Daud (25 km

west of Heart) Maslakh (20 km west of Herat)

Shaydayee (18 km east of Heart)

Type

IDP Camp

IDP camp

IDP camp

Coordination

ICMC

ICMC

ICMC

Camp Capacity

100,000

Population

New arrivals from Badghis and Ghor

11,000

16,000

Movement IDPs IOM assisted IDPs return home in North-West for 2003 total of 23,000

IOM assisted 23,000 IDPs to return home from Mashlakh and Shaydayee in 2003; MSF reports Shaydayee to close—remaining IDPs to be shifted to Maslakh

Food WFP; food-for-work program vice distribution

WFP; general food distribution to end April; Shift to food-for-work program vice distribution

Health WHO, IMC, MSF, MDM, HRS, CHA, IbniSina; ICRC-UNICEF

UNICEF MSF

(NFIs) - Shelter IOM, UNHCR distributing additional tarps and blankets

UNICEF, UNHCR

Security Water & Sanitation UNICEF UNICEF Comments

Western Region IDP Camps (cont.) Location Minaret 1 & 2 Rawza Herat City

Type IDP camp IDP camp IDP camp Coordination

ICMC

ICMC

Camp Capacity Population

Less than 2,000

Less than 500 remain

Less than 5,000

Movement IDPs

Food

MDM doing food supplements

Health UNICEF UNICEF UNICEF Non-Food Items (NFIs) - Shelter

UNHCR and NGO providing tents


UNICEF

UNICEF

UNICEF

Comments Officially closed


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Refugee Locations in Pakistan

UNHCR is caring for almost 200,000 refugees in Pakistan, including 120,000 people in nine camps and one transit area in Baluchistan Province, and 65,000 in seven camps in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP). UNHCR plans to close all post-September 2001 new camps near the border by September 2004—six camps in Baluchistan and six camps in NWFP; Over 20,000 refugees reported fleeing Pakistani anti-foreign fighter operations and entering Afghanistan’s Paktika province; IOM to organize overseas polling for upcoming Afghan presidential elections in October on behalf of UNAMA.

Baluchistan Province Location Baluchistan Province Coordination Population

120,000 people in 9 camps and one transit area

Movement of Refugees

Afghans in no-man’s land relocated to Zhare Dasht and Mohamed Khele; Plans to close other camps in vicinity of Chaman before September; Extra inducements offered this month for refugees to return to Afghanistan;

Food

WFP

Health

Medicins du Monde; MSF, AMDA

NFIs – Shelter

Security Sufficient security that allows UN and NGOs to conduct full operations implemented in camps after threat in June;

Water & Sanitation

IFRC, Medicins du Monde; Action Contre la Faim

Comments

Refugee Camps in Baluchistan, Pakistan

Location Mohamed Khele 1 & 2 (85 km southwest of Quetta)

Roghani (new) (16 km from Chaman)

Type Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Coordination

UNHCR/Rotary Intl.

UNHCR

Camp Capacity

80,000

17,000 - full

Population

37,000 Pashtuns

17,000

No-man’s land

8,000 refugees have been relocated from no-man’s land

Refugee Movement


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Food WFP, CRS, ARC WFP Health

UNICEF, MSF

UNICEF,MSF


CRS

Security Water & Sanitation IFRC, MDM IFRC, MDM, Oxfam

Refugee Camps in Baluchistan, Pakistan (cont.) Location Landi Karez (5 km

from Roghani) Tor Tangi (20 km from Chaman)

Lejay Karez (75 km from Quetta) – new

Latifabad (10 km from Mohammad Kheil)

Type Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Coordination

UNHCR

UAE Red Crescent

UNHCR

UNHCR

Camp Capacity

10,000

10,000

8,600

Population

16,500

10,000

5,700

6,350 ethnic minorities

Refugee Movement

From Quetta

Food

WFP

WFP

WFP

Health

MSF

AMDA

AMDA


IFRC, MDM, Oxfam

IFRC, MDM

IFRC, MDM

IFRC

North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan

;

Location North West Frontier Province Coordination Population

65,000 in seven camps;

Refugee Movement

1,404,000 refugees have returned;

Food WFP Health Non-Food Items (NFIs) - Shelter Security Security continues to be a problem in

Kurram Agency Water & Sanitation Comments


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Refugee Camps in NWFP, Pakistan 37,600 were in Shamshatoo; 35,000 among five remaining camps

Location New Shamshatoo (60 km southwest of Peshawar)

Kotkai (Bajur Agency 120 Km northwest of Peshawar)

Barkali (Bajur Agency)

Type Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Coordination

UNHCR

Camp Capacity

75,000

20,000

Population

26,000

16,000

1,000

Refugee Movement

Refugees returning to Afghanistan;

5,000 from Shalman

Food

WFP, IRC

WFP

WFP

Health

NFI - Shelter

CRS

UNICEF


UNICEF

Comments

Primarily for Pashtuns

Location

Old Bagzai (Kurram Agency)

Bassu (Kurram Agency) Asgharo (Kurram Agency)

Type Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Refugee Camp Coordination

UNHCR

UNHCR

UNHCR

Camp Capacity

10,000

12,200

Population

18,000 among three Kurram Agency camps



Refugee Movement Food

WFP;

WFP

WFP

Health NFIs - Shelter IRC Security

Private trucks deliver food due to security situation



Water & San CRS Comments

Established camp for Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Turkmens

For Shiite refugees, mostly Tajik and Hazaras

Relocated refugees from Jalozai and urban Peshawar

Documents

Afghanistan HAR 081304 - WHOthat they should travel with armed escorts amid deteriorating security. NGO security experts are calling the suggestion “condescending,” adding that