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PAKISTAN: Gearing up for another Afghan repatriation drive

13 Feb 2008 16:15:42 GMT
Source: IRIN

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• Afghan turmoil

ISLAMABAD, 13 February 2008 (IRIN) - As the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) gears up for another Afghan repatriation drive, it is clear that fewer Afghans could return home from Pakistan this year because of continuing insecurity in Afghanistan and the fact that there will be no special UN assistance for unregistered refugees as in 2007.

"After six years of voluntary repatriation, it's hard to maintain large numbers. It's clear the numbers could be much less," Kilian Kleinschmidt, the assistant country representative for the UNHCR told IRIN in Islamabad.

According to UNHCR, there are currently two million registered Afghans in the country today, making it one of the most intractable refugee problems.

His comments come less than a month before the UNHCR launches this year's Afghan repatriation programme - a voluntary effort that over the past six years has successfully helped over three million Afghans to return home.

From 2 March returnees may register at one of two voluntary repatriation centres (VRCs) - one in Quetta and the other just outside Peshawar.

Participants will then proceed to one of four encashment centres in Afghanistan - Jalalabad, Kabul, Kandahar and Gardez - where they will receive a monetary grant of about US$100 per person, as well as be pre-screened for any special needs.

Successes to date

In the first year of the programme 1.5 million Afghans returned with UNHCR assistance, but over the past few years those numbers have since dropped off.

In 2003, just over 343,000 returned, followed by 383,000 in 2004; 450,000 in 2005; and 133,000 in 2006.

In 2007, over 360,000 returned. Many of them were unregistered but took advantage of UNHCR assistance during a government grace period from 1 March to 15 April.

In Pakistan for decades

Yet with no grace period for unregistered Afghans this time around, coupled with the fact that most Afghans now living in Pakistan have been in the country for decades, it is unlikely that this year's numbers will be very high.

"I don't want to return. It's not safe," said one 23-year-old Afghan in Rawalpindi, who declined to give his name.

"If I go back, what am I supposed to do for a job?" another demanded.

Under the government's current three-year plan, all Afghans are expected to return to their country by the end of 2009.

Given the realities on the ground in Afghanistan, such a plan is looking increasingly less tenable, and underscores the need for a more realistic approach by all parties if the voluntary nature of return - agreed to by UNHCR and the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan - is to be maintained.

Camp closures

Another contentious issue under the government's current plan is the proposed closure of over 80 refugee camps - where half of Pakistan's Afghan population lives - by the end of 2009.

Under the terms of an agreement between the governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan and UNHCR, just three of these camps are agreed for closure.

But closing the three camps this year will probably prove challenging.

"We've agreed to close these camps and staying in situ is not an option," Kleinschmidt said, adding, however, that it will not be easy as UNHCR does not have access to the two camps in Balochistan.

"In Jalozai [in the North West Frontier Province], we reached an agreement with the Afghan elders last year, so we're more optimistic about closing that camp," Kleinschmidt said.

Inherent in this challenge is likely resistance by many camp residents to return, particularly in Balochistan where many have lived since the 1979 Soviet invasion.

Also, of the two million registered Afghans, over half were born in Pakistan and know no other country.

ds/cb

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