DISPLACED PERSONS FROM AFGHANISTAN’S LARGEST CAMP BEGIN THEIR JOURNEY HOME

HERAT, 1 March (UNDP) -- Maslakh Camp, situated 17 kilometers south of Herat, is the largest internally displaced persons camp in Afghanistan.  Yesterday, the International Organization for Migration in cooperation with United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, began to return inhabitants to their villages, an important move which may lead to the eventual closure of the camp.

Seventy-seven 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 four 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 five 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. the International Organization for Migration’s re-registration process distinguishes families according to their desire to return.  The United Nations, in collaboration with International Organisation for Migration and Médecines sans frontièreshave been working to return internally displaced persons, on a voluntary basis, to their homes.  According to a recent survey, approximately 60 per cent of internally displaced persons originate from the province of Badghis, the rest from Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor and Herat.  Approximately 70 per cent 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, or Ariana Yaftali, 92 51 2211451; mobile 92 320 4261325.

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