U N I T E D  N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network
Afghanistan: Latest IOM figures for internal returns
31 July 2002


ISLAMABAD, 31 July (IRIN) - As the number of refugees repatriating from
Pakistan and Iran continues, the number of internally displaced persons
(IDPs) returning to their homes since the beginning of the year has
surpassed 218,000, according to the International Organization for
Migration (IOM).

"We have returned 218,286 people to 25 of the 32 provinces," IOM
spokeswoman, Niurka Pineiro told IRIN on Wednesday from the Swiss city of
Geneva. "While we have returned a few people to the south, our primary
emphasis is on the north, central and west of the country," she explained.

According to IOM, there is more movement in and around the western city of
Herat and the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif, while movement in and
around the Afghan capital remains small.  Despite large numbers of
registered IDPs in Kabul, relatively few people are returning home. "We
don't have a sure reason, but we feel the IDPs that are in Kabul are there
to stay," Pineiro said.

She noted, however, after a lull in IDP movement, returns from the capital
had restarted, with over 1,300 people joining IOM convoys in the past 10
days.

Regarding assistance, since IOM began returning IDPs last year, the agency
had been providing reintegration kits, and to those who were farmers, also
agricultural kits. However, as a result of a major funding crisis and a
decision in late April designating UNHCR as the sector lead for returnees,
those kits were now being provided by the refugee agency, while wheat
allotments were being provided by the World Food Programme (WFP).

Highlighting the current effort, Pineiro said returning people to places
cleared of mines, as well as the sustainability of the returns were the
main challenges facing IOM at the moment. At current funding levels, IOM
hopes to assist 100,000 people return by the end of September or roughly
25 percent of the remaining 410,000 displaced persons remaining in the
north, west and central regions of the country, she added.


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Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2002


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