UNHCR reviewing the way it operates

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is reviewing the way it operates and assessing what adjustments need to be made to ensure the safety of its staff, following the latest bombing incident in Peshawar in which two UN staff were killed.



However, a UNHCR briefing note said there was no question of pulling out.



“We are committed to helping the millions of displaced people in the region. Our operations have continued this week, and we have been working with our partners to register new arrivals in camps and to improve conditions - installing fencing, shades over tents and privacy walls. We intend to remain responsive to humanitarian needs and flexible in how we deliver them.”



The head of the UN system in Pakistan, Fikret Akcura, has told IRIN the 9 June bombing of the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar would “not affect our humanitarian relief operations”.

Highlights from OCHA update 5-11 June 2009
	WFP and the food cluster members restarted food distribution on 11 June after a five day break. The break followed the completion of May food rations and allowed the Government of Pakistan to verify and update the registration list of displaced persons.
	More land is needed to accommodate the increasing number of IDPs seeking shelter in camps. Four camps are still receiving IDPs with an average daily arrival of 300 to 500 families. Other camps are already full to capacity.
	As of 10 June, six new humanitarian hubs have been set up in Mardan District to provide temporary storage and distribution facilities for food and non-food item to IDPs staying with host communities.
	Since 1 June, an additional 543 schools are being used to house IDPs, bringing the total to 2,646 schools in nine districts.
	Funding for the Pakistan Humanitarian Response Plan (PHRP) continues to be a significant challenge with only 26 per cent coverage.

"We are fully aware that around two million IDPs [internally displaced persons] depend on us... Up to May we had distributed 40,000 tons of food items. In camps every day four million litres of water are provided. We are spending about US$2 million a day on IDPs. So we cannot abandon these people," Akcura told IRIN.



“Of course yesterday's [9 June] event has shaken us badly, but we have a responsibility; we cannot leave two million [people] without daily assistance. This is very important for us. We’ll have to deal with the logistics of the situation,” he said.



The UN lost two colleagues in the blast - Aleksandar Vorkapic of the UN Refugee Agency (from Serbia) and Perseveranda So of the UN Children's Fund (from the Philippines).



“On behalf of the United Nations community in Pakistan, I strongly condemn this heinous attack. No cause can justify the killing and injuring of humanitarian workers and innocent civilians,” Akcura said.



Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appealed for donors to come forward with more aid, saying that if new money was not forthcoming “there could soon be serious breaks in the food pipeline… We must alleviate distress and avoid putting the country at risk of a spiralling secondary crisis.”



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