IDPs from Afghanistan's largest camp begin their journey home

(Herat, 1 March 2002): Maslakh Camp, situated 17 kilometers south of Herat, is the largest IDP camp in Afghanistan. Yesterday, the International Organisation for Migration in co-operation with UNOCHA, began to return inhabitants to their villages, an important move which may lead to the eventual closure of the camp.
77 families, some 269 women, men and children patiently waited from dawn to begin their journey home. The trucks were packed with food and non-food items. Each family has been given a tent, a family kit which includes 4 blankets a cooking set and a bag of wheat, as well as seeds and fertilizer. Later they will be given a farming kit to help them establish a more permanent source of food and income.

Abdul Aziz, 62 years old, is married with 5 children. He is pleased to be leaving Maslakh and is particularly happy with his seeds, "We are waiting to leave, I want to go home now that I have what I need. I have been here 7 months, it is too long." Abdul queues to receive his 135, 000 afghanis, for food for the journey home.

This group has been carefully chosen as they all come from the same area of Qala-e Naw in Badghis Province where they will spend the night before being transported back to their villages. IOM's re-registration process distinguishes families according to their desire to return. The United Nations in collaboration with IOM and MSF have been working to return IDPs, on a voluntary basis, to their homes. According to a recent survey approximately 60 % of IDPs originate from the province of Badghis, the rest from Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor and Herat. Approximately 70% wish to return home.

Displaced persons have been one of the main causes of concern for the humanitarian community and much aid has been focused on this area. The return of internally displaced persons marks the beginning of the recovery of the country in this new era.

For further information please contact

Stephanie Bunker, phone 0046730044483
Rebecca Vetharaniam, phone 0092-51-2213487
Ariana Yaftali, 92 51 2211451; mobile 92 320 4261325