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  • Aug 31st, 2004
  • Comments Off on Repatriation of Afghan DPs ends on September 1
More than 0.3 million Afghans have returned this year under the UN Refugee Agency's voluntary repatriation programme taking the total assisted to return since 2002 to more than 2.2 million.

According to UNHCR, the desirous of returning increased hardly in August.

UNHCR, the World Food Programme and the Government of Pakistan had announced in July that they were ending assistance to those camps on September 1 and residents were offered a package of enhanced aid if they wished to repatriate.

All Afghans wishing to return could request UNHCR assistance which consisted of a travel grant ranging between $3 and $8 plus a cash grant of $8.

UNHCR staff carries out an 'iris' recognition test to ensure claimants do not receive assistance second time.

Nearly 1.6 million Afghans returned home during 2002 in the initial stage that followed the removal of Taleban government in late 2001.

UNHCR assisted another 340,000 Afghans to return last year under the voluntary repatriation programme.

Nearly a million Afghans have also returned from Iran during the same period including 340,000 this year. Of the total, 667,000 left with UNHCR assistance and the rest returned on their own.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2004


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