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International Assistance Mission (IAM) Press Release - 2 September, 2001

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IAM foreign
   staff leave
   Afghanistan 		All IAM expatriate personnel have now left Afghanistan.

At 7.25 p.m. on Thursday 30th August the IAM Acting Executive Director, Mr. Tim Mindling, was requested for a meeting by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to answer some questions regarding the IAM. Mr. Mindling was in discussions until the early hours of Friday morning, after which all IAM offices, projects and some houses were sealed. At 10.00 am on Friday, Mr. Mindling was informed that all expatriate team members had to leave the country within 72 hours.

The International Assistance Mission (IAM) was established as a private voluntary agency in 1966 and is registered with the Swiss Government. IAM consists of 117 professionals (some with families) from 17 countries. The IAM, motivated by a Christian faith based concern for the poor, has served the people of Afghanistan working alongside Afghans in the fields of Health, Economic Development, and Education and Rehabilitation for 35 years.

Approximately 300 Afghans were employed by the IAM. Many other government-employed Afghans worked in and were supported by IAM projects.

Funding comes from many international donor agencies on the basis of approved proposals. Churches and sympathetic individuals also support the work.

IAM expatriate personnel were based in Herat, Mazar, Kabul, Jalalabad and the Hazarajat. The work reached outlying rural areas. Through all the changes of government and years of intense fighting IAM maintained a presence and continued work until 31 August 2001 when the Taliban sealed all IAM offices and projects, giving all expatriate workers 72 hours to leave the country.

All of the IAM programmes had a core focus of training Afghans so that the long-term programmes could be handed over to the Afghan people once the situation in the country made this viable. IAM's work consists of 10programmes: National Organisation for Ophthalmic Rehabilitation (NOOR), the primary provider of medical and surgical eye care in Afghanistan; the Physiotherapy School in Kabul (PSK), which has been teaching physiotherapy for the last 15 years; English as a Foreign Language (EFL) schools; Skills Development; Maternal Child Health Care Clinics and community based health training programmes; schooling for blind children and adults; Community Development; Primary Mental Health Care; and renewable energy source development. The Disaster Management Programme began in April this year with a 2.5 million dollar budget to assist people in drought affected areas of the country.

All IAM programmes have operated under negotiated and signed protocols with the Taliban Ministry of Planning of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. IAM has always been meticulous in respecting and honouring the laws, regulations and culture of Afghanistan and the current Government. International Assistance Mission (IAM) Press Release - 2 September, 2001 page 2

IAM is stunned by the sudden and total closure of its activities. Work and relations with the government continued as normal on the 30th of August.

IAM is very concerned about the effects of this action both on local staff and programme beneficiaries. Hundreds of thousands of people will be deprived of vital assistance at this critical time.

IAM is still committed to the mutually agreed protocols with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. IAM also remains committed to work towards the alleviation of human suffering and the development of Afghanistan.

IAM Office
8-D1, Circular Lane,
University Town, Box 1167,
PESHAWAR
PAKISTAN

PLEASE NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: iampwr@pactec.net
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