Afghans still await assistance at Chaman border

While 47,000 new Afghan refugees have been admitted into Pakistan this year by Islamabad at the Chaman border crossing in the country's southwest Baluchistan province, more than 30,000 Afghans are still awaiting a solution to their plight at the edge of UNHCR's Killi Faizo camp, a squalid frontier site, just inside the border.

"This is a big group and many of them have been there since the beginning of the Islamic Eid holiday," UNHCR spokeswoman, Ragnhild Ek told IRIN in the Pakistani capital on Thursday. "There were 10,000 people waiting to be preregistered when it was discontinued on 21 February. That number has now tripled," she explained.

Commenting on conditions, Ek maintained: "They would be given better assistance if they were admitted into the country." While emergency medical needs were being met by NGOs, including Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and Islamic Relief, shelter and sanitation remain a major source of concern.

Describing circumstances as poor, MSF head of mission, Andrew Cunningham argued an inadequate provision of basic services such as water, distribution of food and the provision of medical care had been made. "Minimal standards have not been provided for those in no man's land," he told IRIN from the southern city of Quetta, adding those with a legitimate claim for seeking asylum should be allowed in.

Highlighting the reasons for their coming, in addition to a lack of assistance inside the country, some of the largely Pastun refugees complained of ethnic persecution in the north. Others, notably the nomadic Kutchis, cited drought as the main motivating factor. Ek noted, however, that approximately one third of those present said they were willing to return to Afghanistan if more assistance was available. "Our problem now is to find a solution for the two thirds that don't want to return," she exclaimed.

UNHCR's main concern is to get those stuck at the borde adequate assistance, including food, sanitation and shelter. Many of the arrivals are living in crowded makeshift tents and shelters. "Conditions are not as good as they would be in established camps inside the country," Ek maintained, adding ongoing negotiations with the Pakistani authorities were underway to reach a solution to the issue. "We are optimistic that a solution can be found for those who are genuine refugees and cannot return home for the time being," she said.

At present UNHCR is caring for more than 231,000 Afghan refugees in 19 new camps that have been established in Pakistan's border regions since October - including 10 in Baluchistan and nine in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). While the agency continues to transfer to the camps willing refugees who approach its office in NWFP, relocation operations in Baluchistan halted on 18 March.

Meanwhile, UNHCR reported on Wednesday that more than 100,000 Afghan refugees had voluntarily repatriated back from Pakistan via the Takhtabaig voluntary registration centre (VRC), 16 km west of NWFP's provincial capital Peshawar since the launch of its repatriation programme on 1 March. With more than 100,000 people repatriating in less than a month, the initiative is on track to surpass the 400,000 person target from Pakistan for 2002 initially planned, the agency noted.

UNHCR cautions Afghans returning home to avoid parts of the Central Asian country still experiencing insecurity or ethnic tension, as well as those areas heavily affected by land mines and unexploded ordnance. Those from earthquake-affected Baghlan province are also being cautioned.

UNHCR, in cooperation with the government of Iran and Afghanistan, expects to kick off a similar joint repatriation programme from Iran beginning 9 April.