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Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2022 10:31:11 +0000 (UTC)
From: INSO_AFG_NORTHEAST_SA <sa.northeast@afg.ngosafety.org>
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Message-ID: <62DGHr6MTbCTl17jmF8zBw@geopod-ismtpd-3-2>
Subject: INSO REPORT - AFG - BAGHLAN:  Harassment of NGO Staff
To: Naseer Ahmad Gulzai <gulzai@jack.ngo>

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enter><table width=3D"580" style=3D" width: 580px;  border:1px solid #C1C2C=
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				This report is for the exclusive use of INSO partners and must not be s=
hared outside your organisation			</td>
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									<div><span style=3D"font-size:24.0pt; font-weight: bold; margin: 0=
; padding: 0; font-family:'Arial', sans-serif; color:#5376b6">&nbsp;&nbsp;R=
EPORT</span></div>
									<div><span style=3D"font-size:10.0pt; font-weight: bold; margin: 0=
; padding: 0; font-family:'Arial', sans-serif; color:#182748">&nbsp;&nbsp;&=
nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ATTENTION RECOMMENDED</span></div>
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								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">LOCATION=
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Afghanistan, Baghlan Province, =
Khenjan District, <a href=3D"https://goo.gl/maps/5RwwvKsJg4KJz2s1A">Dushakh=
</a> Area</div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">INCIDENT=
 TYPE</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								 Harassment of NGO Staff								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">DATE & T=
IME</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								06/07/2022 11:15								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">INFORMAT=
ION</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">On 06 June, IEA members stopped=
 an NGO vehicle for a routine check at a checkpoint in the Dushakh area of =
Khenjan District. The NGO staff members, three male and one female, were tr=
avelling on Khenjan-Charikar Road to Kabul. Two members of the IEA security=
 forces started asking the occupants of the vehicle their names and origin.=
 Prior to replying to the question of the IEA members, the driver behind th=
e steering wheel informed the security forces that the occupants of the veh=
icle were all NGO staff. The IEA members asked a local staff member sitting=
 in the back seat to hand over his national ID card for information checkin=
g. The staff member informed that while he did not have the required identi=
fication document on him, he had an NGO ID card which he handed over. After=
 identifying the men in the vehicle, the IEA security forces demanded infor=
mation regarding the female traveller. One of the male staff members inform=
ed the IEA members that the woman was a foreigner working for the same NGO,=
 and that while she was an American citizen, she was originally from Iraq a=
nd furthermore a Muslim.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Following the above, the IEA security f=
orce members proceeded to verbally assault raising their voices and insulti=
ng the NGO national staff. According to the IEA members at the checkpoint, =
regardless of citizenship or age, women must travel escorted by their mahra=
m. Furthermore, the two members of the IEA security forces criticised the N=
GO national staff members for offering the front seat to a citizen of one o=
f the countries that had militarily opposed the current administration.<br =
/><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">Finally, the IEA security forces asked =
the travellers for details regarding the content of the briefcases transpor=
ted in the trunk. While the NGO staff informed the IEA of the nature of the=
 materials transported, one of the IEA members proceeded to take everything=
 out of the suitcases and put everything on the ground. Once the entire sea=
rch ended, the NGO vehicle was held waiting for another 20 minutes and was =
allowed to continue its movement.</div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">ANALYSIS=
</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">The 06 June incident does not i=
ndicate a new level of enforcement of &lsquo;vice and virtue rules&rsquo; b=
ut rather speaks to the attitude of the individual IEA members and their fr=
eedom to interpret the rules the way they see fit. Since 15 August 2021, th=
e IEA has steadily increased the number of vice and virtue rules, especiall=
y regarding women&rsquo;s freedom of movement and how they should be covere=
d while outside their residence. The NGO incident recorded on 06 July in Kh=
enjan District is the first on INSO record, where the IEA security forces r=
equired an international female NGO staff member to be escorted by a mahram=
 in the Northeastern Region, a rule previously enforced only on Afghan fema=
le staff members. Previously, Baghlan Province had logged three incidents o=
f IEA members enforcing &lsquo;vice and virtue rules&rsquo;, out of which o=
nly one targeted women. On 01 July, IEA members physically assaulted two wo=
men for travelling in the Do Abi area of Khost District without a mahram.<b=
r /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">The NGO staff members&rsquo; failure to=
 present their national identification documents when stopped by the IEA in=
 VCPs, is likely to increase the level of scrutiny the security forces exer=
t during routine vehicle checks. While the IEA security forces rarely ask f=
or identification documents, when the travellers cannot provide the request=
ed IDs, the IEA members become more suspicious, continue their line of ques=
tioning, and proceed with a more in-depth verification of the vehicle. Loca=
l reports suggest that the members of the security forces interpret any fai=
lure of the travellers to comply with their demands as a gesture of defianc=
e. This has been shown to be most prevalent with younger IEA members.<br />=
<br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">The recent rhetoric of the Kabul-based =
IEA leadership could embolden individual IEA members with existing grievanc=
es towards internationals, however this is likely to only occasionally impa=
ct the behaviour of the local IEA authorities in the coming weeks. During t=
he recent IEA assembly, the IEA supreme leader expressed an overall negativ=
e opinion regarding the western governments policies, their criticism towar=
ds IEA ruling, and level of involvement in Afghanistan&rsquo;s internal aff=
airs, stressing the fact that the development of the country can only come =
as a result of its citizen&rsquo;s efforts, suggesting a potential future l=
imitation of the activities that foreign citizens might be allowed to carry=
 out while in Afghanistan. NGOs are more likely to face challenges in the a=
reas where the IEA authorities have previously hindered NGOs&rsquo; project=
s implementation than in new areas of aid delivery. However, most of the lo=
cal IEA officials in Baghlan Province welcome the NGOs to implement project=
s in the areas they administer.</div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">ADVICE</=
div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">NGO staff members are advised t=
o carry their national identification documents, national ID card or passpo=
rt, in addition to their NGO ID, during working hours, especially during ro=
ad movements. The drivers should be able to explain the NGO&rsquo;s mandate=
 and be the main focal point for communication with the IEA security forces=
 to prevent misunderstandings, unless instructed otherwise by the IEA membe=
rs.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">To the extent possible, NGO staff shoul=
d remain calm and respectful when interacting with IEA security forces in a=
 checkpoint. A respectful approach will reduce any tension and may expedite=
 the time taken to clear the checkpoint.<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">NGO safety managers should advocate for=
 unhindered humanitarian access for their staff members and ask for the sup=
port of the established humanitarian coordination bodies, OCHA and ACBAR,&n=
bsp; to promote principled NGO project implementation in meetings with the =
IEA authorities. Furthermore, NGOs should prioritise engagement with IEA au=
thorities to deconflict potential issues related to female staff.</div>				=
				</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">ISSUED B=
Y</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								<div style=3D"text-align: justify;">SA Northeast, Eliade Al-Hamdoun=
i<br /><br /></div>
<div style=3D"text-align: justify;"><a href=3D"mailto:sa.northeast@afg.ngos=
afety.org">sa.northeast@afg.ngosafety.org</a></div>								</div>
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lor:#15274B;  ">
								<div style=3D"margin: 12.5px 25px; padding: 0 12.5px 0 0;">INSO SER=
IAL #</div>
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2.0pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; line-height:115%;  ">
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ttom:1px solid #C1C2C4;">
								AFGHANISTAN/NORTHEAST/R/10072022/#001								</div>
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rial', sans-serif; color:white; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;=
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				INSO exists to provide dedicated security services to the NGO community=
. As a free service, INSO and its donors or partners, accept no liability w=
hatsoever for claims as may result from the provision or utilisation of the=
se free services. Whilst every effort is made to the verify data, INSO cann=
ot guarantee the accuracy of information provided. Reproduction of INSO inf=
ormation is prohibited.									<br>
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