April 4, 2003
On April 2, the USAID-PRM's Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) made a second assessment trip to Umm Qasr. Between April 2 and April 3, the DART met with the Coalition's Chief Engineer for Umm Qasr Port, other Coalition forces, and several local residents, who have assumed the role of the civilian leadership of the town following the departure of most Baath party officials. The following report is a sectoral update based on these meetings.
Security
Coalition forces reported that 200 residents looted the new port area on April 2 by breaching the port perimeter, taking "anything not nailed down" including desks, tables, and chairs from the administration offices. Town representatives urged the DART to try to increase security in the area. Coalition forces told the DART that they do not have enough troops to contain looters, and urged the U.S. or other donors to use a security contractor similar to one used for Camp Doha, at least for the port and silo areas. Australian divers are currently working to de-mine the old port.
The Chief Engineer and crew for Umm Qasr Port are trying to restore operations to the port and silo amidst a chaotic scene of large-scale looting by local residents. Looters have stripped the generators used for the silo operation and conveyor belts, taking alternators and all of the generator's batteries. A forklift was also taken from the silo operation.
Water
With the opening of the water pipeline from Kuwait to Umm Qasr, Coalition-funded Iraqi drivers delivered 320,000 liters of water on April 1. The overflow water is being used for washing. According to Coalition sources, UNICEF has focused its water distribution on Az Zubayr, leaving the Coalition to concentrate water deliveries to Umm Qasr, Safwan, Umm Khayyal, and Al Faw. However, Coalition forces are anxiously awaiting the arrival of NGOs and IOs to take over those distributions.
Some residents may be lacking appropriate containers for collecting water. DART members suggested that either the DART or the World Food Program (WFP) contribute jerry cans to Umm Qasr for water collection as a supplement to food distributions. There are water tanks in the town shared by every two households, and according to Coalition forces, the potable water needs of the local community are being met.
Coalition forces came under fire initially for encouraging the Iraqi drivers to charge for delivering the supplies, as a means to continue pre-conflict practices and reimburse the drivers for their time and fuel. However, following media reports, Coalition forces have begun paying the approximately 25 drivers and instructing them not to charge for the water. Coalition forces are encountering difficulties enforcing the free water policy and have begun military patrols to oversee the distributions. To help ensure that residents are not charged, Coalition forces are considering delivering messages to the population, informing them that the water is free and that they should report any drivers charging for water. The DART proposed that the Office of Transition Initiatives send a similar message to southern Iraq via radio broadcasts.
The Iraqi community leaders expressed their desire to both the DART and Coalition forces that the water pipeline from Kuwait be extended into town to provide residents with potable water. They also suggested that the existing water tank in the town be repaired and filled and water lines established to people's homes. Coalition forces have performed an assessment of the water tank and have also tested the water coming from Kuwait-Umm Qasr pipeline. The initial test showed that the Kuwaiti water is satisfactory for drinking.
All the tankers used for water distribution were flushed through with chlorine and tested before being filled with water from the pipeline. The DART spoke with a water tanker driver who delivers water to his fellow residents in the village of "Fertilizer," 15 kilometers from Umm Qasr. The town is so named for the state-run fertilizer company based there. His water tanker was used to provide the fertilizer company employees with water. He said his town now has enough water with his daily deliveries, and he is not charging for the water.
Electricity
One major achievement that satisfied many residents of Umm Qasr was the fact that Coalition forces were able to restore electricity to three-quarters of the town; the final fourth of the city is dependent upon a connection to Basra, which Coalition forces have been unable to fix. However, on April 2, the restored electricity was temporarily cut off, and local residents blamed Baathist party sympathizers of sabotaging the substation by destroying key elements of the generator system, which feeds power into the town. Electricity was restored approximately an hour later.
Food
According to Coalition forces, the proposed April 3 food distribution of commodities donated by the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society was postponed pending approval of Coalition commanders. The DART urged further postponement as there is no immediate need for the relief food supplies in Umm Qasr. Community leaders have confirmed that there is currently no humanitarian crisis with regards to food. Coalition forces agreed to hold off distributions for seven to ten days.
According to Coalition forces, all families have adequate supplies of basic food commodities such as rice and flour, but are lacking protein-rich foods such as meat, eggs, and dairy products. Coalition forces have recommended that international donors consider supplying these foods. One of the community leaders said that vegetables, such as potatoes and tomatoes, and some lamb have been available in the local market, but residents have no means to purchase these items.
There is some confusion over whether the populace still could work with the former public distribution system (PDS) agents. During a meeting with community leaders, the DART was informed that most of the 45 PDS agents were 'good' Baathists, with whom the community could work. According to local leaders, most residents have ration cards, and the leaders are working with the PDS agents to compile lists of the ration recipients. This information contradicts what Coalition forces had been told previously by community members and more investigation is needed. One of the local leaders recommended that once the ration system is restarted, announcements be made informing the public what goods are included in the ration to eliminate the possibility of graft.
Community leaders asked whether supplies of propane gas could be shipped to Umm Qasr because there are no local supplies, and available fuel is used to bake bread and prepare food. Residents are reportedly beginning to cut down the few trees to use as fuel.
Health
Community leaders who met with the DART criticized the local hospital administrator. They did not understand his apparent reluctance to accept help from the Kuwaiti government. According to Coalition forces, the Kuwaiti government has offered to build a new hospital in Umm Qasr, but were persuaded not to by the administrator, who asked that they help his facility. The Kuwaiti government then agreed to provide additional surgical equipment, help in the pediatrics unit, etc. but according to these local leader, the administrator has now turned down the Kuwaiti help.
Protection and local governance
The DART continues to see signs that residents of Umm Qasr remain wary of openly supporting coalition forces. One resident, who was very fearful about having his photo taken, said to a photographer: "Kill Saddam, then you can take my picture!" One of the local leaders had three brothers executed for their role in the uprising in 1991. The local leaders presented their views on the immediate and longer-term needs of the town's residents. They see the priorities as increased security, establishment of water lines for potable water into the town, reestablishment of electricity, and restarting a PDS for food. These community leaders also want to establish a town council and have already identified a building to use as a town hall. They asked for DART help in equipping the building and in getting local government started in the town.
According to Coalition forces, on April 2, some residents burned the house of a Baath party member who had fled town. The original plan was reportedly to set fire to four houses, but the arsonists were prevented by the intervention of local leaders. Coalition forces have reported that although almost all of the residents seem to own their own guns, so far they are relying on Coalition forces to provide security. Coalition forces have expressed concerned over the lack of any police in Umm Qasr.
Schools
There are at least 13 primary schools (four for boys, four for girls, and five coeducational), two intermediate schools for boys, and five secondary schools (two for boys, one night school for boys, and two for girls). Schooling and textbooks have been provided free to Iraqi children, but nearly all the textbooks contain language that praises Saddam. One of the local leaders said that all Iraqi schools were ordered shut at the onset of the war, and that many teachers were staying at home or had fled the town. But the leaders were confident that once Saddam is defeated, the teachers will return to the schools.
Port
Coalition forces indicated that restoring operations to the silos between the old and new port is a priority. Some level of operation in the silo facility is expected in four to six weeks. Coalition forces are also working to getting two standby generators to function, which may allow the silos to be used once again to store grain. According to Coalition forces, nothing appears to be missing from the silos, the conveyor belts are continuous, and there is no obvious damage to the assembly. Coalition forces are optimistic that power can be restored to the facility so that the conveyor belts can be operated individually, if not automatically. The 12-story high silos have an estimated storage capacity of approximately 45,000 metric tons of grain.
The Coalition's Chief Engineer for the port marveled at the capacity of both the old and new ports, which have five miles of waterfront and one and a half miles of berthing in each of the old and new facilities. However, Coalition forces stress that port rehabilitation is a long-term project. To facilitate immediate use of the port areas, the Chief Engineer suggested disconnecting the transformers, which were used before, and establishing a grid of about six generators, of 200-500 kilovolts each. Once the generators are fired up, Coalition forces can determine how many of the cranes and other equipment are usable. However, the Chief Engineer suggested that before the international community pours a lot of money into the Umm Qasr port, it should focus on Basra, which he believes is a better and even bigger port.
Within the next couple of weeks, the channel is expected to be de-mined. Coalition forces are contacting local dredging companies in Kuwait, as dredging the channel may be beyond the scope of the dredgers at the port. There are four mining hot spots are in the channel and to date only a 200-meter wide path has been cleared, which is not large enough to handle ships the size of those carrying the Australian wheat.
