IRIN
PAKISTAN: Gearing up for another Afghan repatriation drive
13 February 2008


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.


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