Closure of Pak-Afghan border will exacerbate humanitarian situation

Islamabad (Office of the United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan), 17 November 2000 -- The United Nations system in Afghanistan remains concerned about the continued closure of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The United Nations acknowledges the continued hospitality of the Government of Pakistan to Afghan refugees during prolonged instability in Afghanistan, which includes the reception of over 30,000 Afghans recently fleeing both fighting and drought in Afghanistan.

UN Co-ordinator Erick de Mul noted that Pakistan serves as an ultimate safety net for Afghans confronted with extreme insecurity due to conflict or economic distress because of drought. "If people are forced to leave their homes to survive, they have the right to decide where their best chance for survival rests," he said. "We are especially concerned about Afghan minorities, who may be denied their right to asylum as a result of this border closure," he said.

He added that Afghanistan would face an increase in the number of internally displaced persons if the border were to remain closed. At present, the United Nations estimates there are approximately 200,000 displaced persons in Afghanistan, including those displaced by conflict in 1999. In the absence of local authorities providing adequate assistance for internally displaced persons, their support depends on the local population, often impoverished, and on the assistance community, which faces an uphill struggle with just under half of funding needs met so far this year. The United Nations in Afghanistan is currently assisting tens of thousands of displaced persons in northeastern, western, central and southern Afghanistan.

At present, some 11,000 families are displaced as a result of conflict in Afghanistan's northeast. Joint UN-NGO missions took place from 11 to 13 November from Tajikistan to assess reports of additional displaced people, mainly women, children and the elderly, who are displaced on islands between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The mission found approximately 11,400 displaced persons in this location, living in makeshift shelters. Further in-depth assessments are required to determine what assistance, if any, is needed.

Like Afghanistan, Tajikistan is also suffering from the effects of severe drought. It is still unclear whether Afghan refugees would be allowed to enter Tajikistan following the government's decision to seal its border in mid-September. Tajikistan is a party to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and the closure of its borders with Afghanistan violates its obligations under the treaty.

The Office of the UN Co-ordinator for Afghanistan calls upon all countries neighbouring Afghanistan to act in accordance with international humanitarian law.

For further information, please call: Stephanie Bunker, Office of the UN Co-ordinator for Afghanistan: 92 51 2211451; mobile 0320 261325