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Last Afghan refugee leaving Bassu camp in NWFP on Wednesday

August 24, 2004

Peshawar: 23 August: (UNHCR) - The last convoy of 83 Afghan refugee families from "Bassu" camp in Kurram Agency of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) will leave for Afghanistan on Wednesday under a UNHCR organized convoy through Kharlaachi border crossing in upper Kurram. This seventh and final convoy from the camp, marks an end to one of the eight post 9/11 "new" camps in the Province.

A vast majority of Afghan refugees hosted in these camps opted for an enhanced UNHCR offered repatriation package after the Government of Pakistan, UN World Food Programme (WFP) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) jointly announced a cessation of assistance from these camps by September 1st, 2004.

Through meetings with refugee elders addressed by UNHCR and the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees (CAR) Provincial Officials, residents of the camps, mainly located in insecure tribal areas near the border with Afghanistan were informed of the joint decision to cease food and all other sectoral assistance including food, water, education and health assistance by September 1st. Those opting to repatriate are issued with an enhanced repatriation package upon arrival in Afghanistan in addition to the normal assistance given to those repatriating from other areas.

Since the announcement early July, 758 families have already left Bassu camp and tomorrow's departure will bring the total to 841 families. There will be no refugee left in the camp afterwards. In the rest of the new camps, 4,107 families (out of 5,545 families that opted to return) have been facilitated from Old Bagzai and Ashgharo camps in Kurram agency; Barkaly and Kotki camps in Bajaur Agency and new Shamshatoo camp located just outside Peshawar city.

In addition to receiving a three months food supplies on arrival in Afghanistan, families repatriating from these camps will receive non-food benefits that include a tent and other items.

In general, each Afghan returning from Pakistan - whether from the new, old camps or elsewhere - receives a travel grant on arrival ranging from $3 to $30 to cover transportation cost plus $8 instead of food and other material assistance provided in previous years. Those dismantling their homes to take construction materials back to Afghanistan receive an extra $5. All benefits are paid after arrival in Afghanistan.

All refugees over the age of six years must go through a computerized iris recognition check before departure to ensure they do not receive assistance twice.

This is a voluntary repatriation programme which UNHCR has undertaken since March 2002 and is expected to continue until March 2006 under the terms of the Tripartite Agreement. UNHCR has assisted more than 294,000 Afghan refugees to their homeland from Pakistan since March 2004.

Media Contact: Asif Shahzad, Mobile: ++92-0300 500 2620