UNHCR Sub-Office Central Region

DISTRICT PROFILE
DATE: 18 September 2002
PROVINCE: BAMYAN Geo Code: 28
DISTRICT: Shibar Geo Code: 2802
POPULATION DATA
POPULATION in 1990: CURRENT ESTIMATED POPULATION
Settled: 22804 Refugees in Pakistan: 191 IDPs Returned IDPs Returnee Local Population
& in Iran: 1200.

Current Estimated Population: 6 040 200 F 300F 500F 3203-families.14 %

families (30 200 individuals). female headed
families.
ETHNIC COMPOSITION: 47% Tajik, 35% Hazara, 17% Ismaili, 1% Sadat.
EXPECTED RETURNING PULATION 2002
IDPS 1500 F RETURNEES 1500F
AUTHORITY
Head Of District:
General Jalal Abass (Hazara), appointed by Mr.Khalili, head of Wahdat Party.
Other Information: Functioning authorities in the district are: Shura headed by Mr Timur Shah and
composed of 7 members (all Hazara). First instance court located in Shumbul in
which Mr. Shaik Mohammad Hossain and Mr. John Ali are working as judges.
Police having 2 stations in Shumbul and Khalu respectively headed by
Mr.Arbabrajab
Reportedly, the Tajik areas, namely Ghandak and Jalmish, have separate Shura and
Court.
GENERAL SITUATION

Shibar is at 48 km away from Bamyan centre and located at North East of Bamyan province. The district is located at an altitude of
2600 metres and is composed of five big valleys (Ghandak and Jalmish (98% Tajik and 2% Hazara), Shumbul and Shibar valleys
(70% shi’a Hazara and 25 % Ismailia Hazara) and Kalu valley (95% Shia Hazara and 5% Ismailia Hazara). The district comprises 94
villages.
Shumbul and Shibar valleys originate from Shekh Ali district of the Parwan province and extend to the north west of Gala-e-Shikari.
The area at the end of the valley is called Blula and Iraq. The old Kabul high way going to the north passes through this valley. The
majorities of these people in the valley belong are Ismailia.
The Kalu Valley begins from Hajigak Pass in the neighbouring of Wardak Province and extends to Shunbol or Dara-e-Bamyan. . The
inhabitants of this valley are also Ismailia and speak Dari.
Ghandak and Jalmish valleys begin from Dara-e-Bamyan and extend to Kahmard. The population in this valley are Tajik. The district
is in the partial control of Hezb- e-Wahdat. The region of Ghandak and Jalmish, mainly inhabited by Ethnic Tajik, are in control of
Jamiat party.
From1999 to 2001 the district was occupied by Taliban. The southern parts of the district, mainly inhabited by ethnic Hazara, were
exposed to heavy fighting, bringing about more house destruction.

SECTORAL INFORMATION
SHELTER: Percentage of houses destroyed:
Totally destroyed 298
Partially destroyed 643

Housing Situation of Returning Population : In some cases, up to 4 or 5 families

have been sharing the same house.
Comments
Shumbul and Kalu are the areas most affected by destruction. Some of the residential houses,
markets, educational and health centres as well as the irrigation system have been destroyed
during the fighting between Taliban and Wahdat Party.

WATER: Type of Potable Water Sources: Well, spring, kareze, river and tanks.

Availability of Potable water (%): 30%

 SECTORAL INFORMATION
Sanitation and Drainage: Local system of septic tanks.

Comments:
There are 40 wells, 5 rivers (but severely affected by the drought,) 311 springs, 3 karezes (but
flow have decreased by 50 to 90%) and 10 tanks (not functioning and in bad conditions) in the
district. The average time to reach a water source from a village is 18 mn.
Water for irrigation is not sufficient in the area. Some area has been severely affected by the
drought such as Shumbul valley where no well and springs are available and the river flow has
decreased by 50%. Canalisation of clear water is destroyed. There are 50 people in charge of
the routine maintenance of water systems and 30 skilled water managers. Usually women and
children collect water if distance is limited, otherwise men do.
In 8 villages in Ghnadak Valley, spring protection and construction of wells is being
implemented by Solidarites. The agency also is constructing 8 wells in the valley of Jalmish
and 8 wells in Shumbol, rehabilitated a canal in Kalo and constructed wells and reservoir in the
centre of the district. Focus is also constructing wells and rehabilitating springs in Aman Qol,
Willayatuk and Gujharak
Regarding sanitation and drainage, reportedly routine maintenance and emptying methods
raise some health-related concerns.

AGRICULTURE: Main crops: Wheat and barley.

Current Land Condition: Only between 30% and 50 % of the land is

cultivated due to drought and damages to irrigation
systems.

Existing Irrigation schemes: River and spring.

Agri/tool Banks: Locally made tools.

Animal Husbandry 18 129 herds: sheep (42.5%), cows, goats, oxen,

donkeys.

Comments:
47 % of the land is irrigated and rest is rain fed. Water canalisation is damaged. Most of the
arable land is located in Hazara area. A big landowner (7 % of families) owns about 11 jerrib
and a small landowner (57% of families) 1 jerrib. The economy does not reach the subsistence
level. WFP has organised a free food distribution in the whole district.
Focus and Soldiarities are distributing seedlings to the community. In addition, Soldiarities
distribute fertilisers, and develop a programme of vegetable gardens and projects designed to
improve the orchards production.
Solidarites runs a veterinarian clinic and is organising vaccination and de-worming campaigns.
Animal husbandry is good, though 15 % of herd died in 2001 due to disease and drought.
Most of the livestock is owned by ethnic Tajik.
INCOME GENERATION: Main sources More than 90 % of the % of No income 8%
of Income: population get their in the district
income form agriculture
and animal rearing.
Livestock is the main
source of income (8 times
as big as the one from
agriculture).
 SECTORAL INFORMATION
Comments:
Trade and commerce are very much limited and the main income activity – though severely
affected by the drought – is agriculture.
Most of the families who live on charity are located in the Ismaeli area (Kaku Valley).
3% of families (mainly Tajik) earn income from shop keeping.
Drought is the main cause of unemployment. Children are reportedly employed in farming by
50% and in trade and commerce by 10%. Women are reportedly employed in farming by 20%
and in carpet weaving by 20%.
The majority of families have not started re-capitalising their assets and remains dependent of
the humanitarian assistance. A significant portion of the population has debts (in cash or
wheat).
HEALTH: Health Types Currently functioning Before
Centre: No. of Clinic: 1 0
No. of Mobile Clinic: 1 0
No. of Hospital: 0 0
Nurses and Mid-wives 1 0
Doctor 1 0
Comments:
The population has difficult access to health care, particularly affected are women and children
living in the most remote areas. No beds and specialist treatment are available and people are to
walk at least 1.5 hours to reach the Provincial capital. Only one doctor is available. A mobile
clinic, run by IBSINA, stays for 7 days a month. High mortality rate has been reported in cases
of pregnancy and typhoid. UNICEF performed measles and polio immunisation campaigns last
year. IMC runs one clinic and operates one laboratory in Shumbul. They also run a health post
in Sadberg.

EDUCATION: Education Types. Currently functioning Before

Centre: No. of high School: 0 0
No. of Primary School: 11 8
No. of Home Base Sch: 0 1
Teacher: Female: 2 Student: Girls: 252
Male: 45 Boys: 1380
Literacy Rate %: 20%

Comments:
UNICEF is assisting the primary schools.
3 schools are being rehabilitated by PINF in Ghandak and Kalu, and one school has been
reconstructed by WFP in Kholu.

MINE/UXOs: Existence of mines & UXOs: Some areas have both UXOs and mines.

Identified priority villages to clear: Jalmish valley, Sarkhushak, Ghandak

valley, Kobazar-e-Ghandak, Zone 3, Iraqi
village, Autapoor and Blola, Paimury and
Jandargal Aulya.
Comments

PROTECTION
 SECTORAL INFORMATION
Population Movement: Since March, about 30 families have left the area due to drought and economic
problems. No displacement is reported for security reason. Tajik IDPs in the valleys
of Ghandak and Jalmish are not willing to return to other districts of Bamyan
Province due to security reasons. Most of the IDPs are displaced from other districts
of Bamyan province. The majority of the families displaced to Bamyan have
returned to Shibar.
Tajik families from Bamyan were displaced to Ghandash and Jalmesh.
Reportedly, the Tajik commander of the area has made pressure on them not to
return to their places of origin. In the meantime, many IDPs believe that the security
condition in Bamyan does not guaranty their safe return.
Minority Issue: Tajiks report various forms of harassment and threat against them and acts of
violence and harassment to their detriment. No reported problems are for Hazaras
Shia, Sadat and Ismail.
Land Ownership: Registration has not resumed as yet.
Reportedly, there are no problems related to land ownership. The local problem-
solving mechanism is the Shura.
House Occupation: Some Tajik have occupied the Hazara houses

Others:

NGOs Working in the District

Focus: Shelter, water.

Focus: Water
SDC: Education
Focus: Food distribution and is implementing a shelter rehabilitation project.
Solidarites: Road , water, Seeds distribution
IMC: Health
IBN: Health

Other comments (Mission Possibility, accommodation, etc):

Overnight accommodation is not available

The distance is 2 hours drive and the road is safe and with no mine.