UNHCR and Iran programme aids Afghan refugees

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says Afghans have responded positively to a special programme initiated by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and UNHCR aimed at addressing the problem of undocumented refugees. Hundreds have repatriated or submitted claims seeking protection in Iran since the start of the Joint Programme for the Voluntary Repatriation of Afghans on 8 April.
The programme, which was agreed between UNHCR and Iran on 14 February, for the first time offers undocumented Afghans a true choice: to return home or normalise their presence in Iran. Afghans who opt for voluntary repatriation will receive material assistance and free passage to Afghanistan in safety and dignity.

Afghans who are unable to return have the right to present their claims at screening centres where they would be examined by teams jointly appointed by UNHCR and Iran and those considered to be in need of protection granted a stay in Iran

"It is an important process which is bound to improve the plight of the unprotected Afghans in Iran," said Carrol Faubert, Chief of UNHCR Operations in Iran. "There are masses of them out there, undocumented with vulnerable status and needs that have to be looked at. It will at least resolve the issue of the unknown Afghan refugee by providing a transparent and fair procedure and giving protection to those who deserve it," he added.

To put the programme into action, UNHCR and its government counter-part - BAFIA - have established voluntary repatriation and screening centres in areas with large Afghan presence.

Three voluntary repatriation centres have opened in Tehran, Mashad, and Zahedan, where refugees who wish to return are provided with information and assistance. There are also collection points at provincial capitals, where undocumented Afghans can get transport to the nearest repatriation centre.

UNHCR and Iran have also set up screening centres where applicants can lodge their claims for protection. By mid-May, three centres had opened in Mashad, Tehran, and Zahedan. Two more centres, one in Esfahan and the other in Shiraz, will start shortly. Four more centres are expected to open in the coming weeks.

Since the launch of the programme six weeks ago, UNHCR has assisted the return of more than 18,000 Afghans while 12,000 Afghans who fear to return home have filed claims to regularise their presence in Iran. "It's gone much better than we expected," says Faubert. "We have had to constantly adjust our projections. Our initial assumption was to facilitate 3,000 returnees a week, but we surpassed this within the fifth week."

Three convoys ferry the refugees to the border, three times a week, on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. The convoys carried an average of 1,500 refugees per trip, raising the weekly repatriation figures to more than 4,500, one of the largest returns in recent times.

Similarly, the initial assumptions for screening had to be reviewed. At some centres, the demand has been overwhelming. A massive turnout forced the temporary closure of the Tehran Screening Centre on 10 May. UNHCR and BAFIA officials are now scouting for a spacious building that could accommodate sizeable numbers.

Successful applicants will obtain permits that will allow them to temporarily stay in Iran until conditions in Afghanistan are conducive to return. Rejected ones would have a second chance. They have the right to lodge an appeal within ten days and have their cases re-examined by a separate committee composed of representatives from UNHCR and BAFIA. The decision of this committee is final.

Continued instability in Afghanistan has reduced the possibility of large-scale repatriation. However, from 1992 to 21 May 2000, some 615,000 Afghans voluntarily repatriated home from Iran with the assistance of UNHCR. During 2000, UNHCR will facilitate the voluntary repatriation of some 100,000 Afghans from Iran. Iran hosts some 1.4 million Afghan refugees.

The repatriation of the Afghans is a collaborative effort involving several UN agencies and NGOs. IOM provides transport, WFP food, WHO and UNICEF medical supplies, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Medecins du Monde (MDM) and International Rescue Committee (IRC) medical services and the UN Mine Action Programme (MAPA) provides mine awareness training to the returnees.