UNHCR chief to assess Afghan scene

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, APRIL 30. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Mr. Ruud Lubbers, is making his first official visit to Afghanistan for a first hand assessment of the situation in the warn-torn and drought-hit country.

Several United Nations and international aid agencies have warned of a serious humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan if the international community is not prepared to launch a major programme to provide relief to the displaced people. An estimated seven lakh persons in Afghanistan have been displaced in the last one-year. Of these, two-lakhs have crossed over to Pakistan despite severe restrictions against entry of new refugees.

The U.N. has made repeated appeals to the international community for generous assistance to help the refugees. But thanks to what is known as `donor fatigue', the flow of funds has virtually dried up. Pakistan and Iran which host a record number of Afghan refugees between them have become wary of fresh flows.

The visit of the UNHCR to Afghanistan assumes significance in the context of the recent spat between the U.N. and Pakistan over the reported mistreatment of refugees. The decision of Pakistan to `send back' the new refugees sparked a row with some of the U.N. agencies complaining against the military government.

The matter reached such a pass that the U.N. Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, had to speak to the Pakistan military ruler and Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf. An angry Pakistan strongly contested the charge that it was discriminating between Pasthun and non-Pasthun refugees.

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Section  : International
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