Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Repatriation of Refugees and Stability

United Nations High Commission for Refugees has announced a 3-year plan for repatriation and reintegration of Afghan refugees at a two-day international conference in Geneva. UNHCR says about three million Afghan refugees living in Pakistan and Iran should be encouraged to return back to their homes and take part in stabilization of their country. The Commission called for $1.9 billion in aid to help volunteer repatriation and reintegration of Afghan refugees.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said the ability for refugees to return in safety and dignity and become productive citizens in their communities upon return is also integral to the stability and progress of Afghanistan. He added that improving the refugee issue is a vital part of long-term stability and security in Afghanistan.

According to UNHCR, more than 5.7million Afghan refugees have returned and settled to their communities or in urban centers after the ouster of Taliban and arrival of US-led international troops. It is the only war in history that has enabled such a large scale repatriation of refugees, while other wars cause mass exodus of them.

However, statistics show that due to deteriorating situation of security, extreme poverty, and high unemployment rate, the number of returnees has decreased since last year. In 2010, 112,600 Afghan refugees came back to their hometowns from Pakistan and Iran. But this number was 70,000 in 2011.

On the other hand, the number of Afghans seeking asylum in western countries has dramatically increased. More than 35,700 Afghans appealed asylum requests in western countries last year. Over 60 percent of refugee returnees live below poverty line, compared to the rest of population in Afghanistan.

One can see the lack of international interest in issues such as reintegration of Afghan refugees by the level of attention the UNHCR-organized conference got in international media or countries that have been leading donors in related programs.

The failure of international troops to completely defeat a sophisticated Taliban insurgency has led many ordinary Afghans to believe that their country will not return to normal situation after more than three decades of conflicts. Media reports have highlighted an increasing number of Afghans leaving the country during the last two years.

They may not be the over 5.7 million refugees who returned during the last ten years, but the influx outside show people have lost confidence in stabilization of the country.

The current exit strategy of the US and NATO does not include a concrete plan to avoid crisis after withdrawal of international troops. They should include plans that can ensure long-term solution to fundamental issues like repatriation of refugees and security to ensure stability.