UNHCR defends Afghan refugee programme

The Joint Programme for Afghan refugees operated by the Iranian government and UNHCR was “a positive development, contributing significantly to the protection of Afghan refugees in Iran, UNHCR has stated in reply to an open letter criticising it by the NGO Medecins sans frontieres (MSF). The programme had its shortcomings, and a number of MSF’s concerns which would be followed up, the UN refugee agency stated, in a response released to IRIN on Monday. Overall, however, the programme had “improved the quality of returns to Afghanistan as well as the quality of asylum in Iran for those who genuinely need protection,” the statement said. Unassisted repatriation of Afghans was monitored by UNHCR, and its voluntary character ascertained, and interviews had shown a majority were by single males who had resources of their own and did not wish to prolong their stay in Iran, it said. There were also some deportations, some 3,000 to 5,000 each year, which the government out down to judiciary decisions, but this was still a vast improvement on the situation that prevailed a year ago, it added. MSF had called for the repatriation process to be suspended since the programme had not fulfilled the promise of protection and assistance for refugees.