Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Returnees: No Food, Shelter & Clothing

Since the fall of Taliban, according to UNHCR figures, 5.7 million Afghans have return to Afghanistan. But figure pertaining to Afghans who returned and again migrated to neighboring and other countries of the world - seeing the terrible living condition here, is unknown. In the recent years, not only the number of Afghans coming back home has reduced up to a great extent but also the number of Afghans migrating to other countries in search of better life has significantly gone up. The reasons are clear.

The Afghan government although backed by international community, has failed to bring about any development in creating job opportunities for the people. Insecurity has further disappointed Afghans about their future. The returnees face grave problems because of not having jobs, shelter, clothing, food and drinking water.

After ten years, the UNHCR that has been helping and encouraging Afghans to return their country has realized its mistake. Peter Nicolaus, UNHCR representative in Afghanistan, on Tuesday described the organization's strategy in the war-wracked country since 2002 as the "biggest mistake UNHCR ever made".

Almost a quarter of the population of Afghanistan is made up of refugees returning from Pakistan and Iran. Many find themselves homeless or living in slums under tarpaulin. "We thought if we gave humanitarian assistance then macro development would kick in." Nicolaus said.

More than 50 percent of Afghan population lives below or slightly above the line of poverty. Every year, thousands of Afghans illegally travel to various countries of the world at the risk of their lives. They try to escape the severe insurgency and lack of employment opportunities in Afghanistan.

In the recent years, despite strict immigration rules in many advanced countries, the number of Afghans immigrants reaching Australia, Europe and other developed countries of the world has dramatically increased.

The funds received by Afghanistan in the last ten year seem not to have changed the life of common people positively. The poverty reduction schemes and other programs to better the living standards of Afghans have also been inefficacious. But as the international troops are withdrawing from Afghanistan and donors' aids are to diminish, poverty is expected to affect more people and employment rate would go down further.