Afghanistan 10 years after Soviet pull-out
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
A decade after the last Soviet soldier left Afghan soil, and 20 years after the first groups of Afghan refugees fled the Soviet invasion, more than 2.6 million Afghans still remain in exile.
The Afghans have remained the single largest refugee group in the world for 19 years in succession, although their continuing plight has, in recent years, been overshadowed by newer conflicts and refugee movements elsewhere in the world.
By the end of 1979 - the year the Soviet army entered Afghanistan in support of the communist regime which had seized power the previous year - there were already 400,000 refugees in Pakistan and 200,000 in Iran. By 15 February 1989, the number had risen to a staggering 6.2 million, split almost equally between the two neighbouring countries, which showed extraordinary generosity in hosting such a vast number of refugees on their territory, despite the burden they represented to their own societies, environment and infrastructure. In both Iran and Pakistan, the refugees were allowed to work, and received considerable government support in the education and health sectors.
Since the Soviet withdrawal, almost two thirds of the refugees have returned to their devastated and poverty-stricken country, despite the outbreak of a new war between different Afghan groups competing for power. In all, more than 4 million Afghans have returned home voluntarily since 1989 - another refugee record - and a remarkable testimony to their courage.
While it was the Soviet invasion and occupation of Afghanistan that caused the majority of the refugees to flee, it is subsequent events - almost uninterrupted fighting between constantly shifting alliances of Afghan political groups and militias, continued human rights abuses, and a shattered economy and infrastructure - that is preventing the final settlement of the Soviet legacy.
The strength of the refugees' desire to rebuild their lives in their home country was amply demonstrated in 1992, after the communist government, shorn of its superpower support, finally fell from power. During the course of that year, a total of 1.6 million refugees went home. In 1993, another million followed suit, even though by then the capital city, Kabul, was being torn apart by infighting between different Afghan factions.
By the late 1990s, the numbers returning to relatively safe parts of the country - of which there are plenty - were still adding up to around 100,000 a year. However, many of the remaining refugees are understandably reluctant to return under current circumstances.
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Afghanistan: returns pick up sharply
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Afghanistan: returns continue despite drop in temperatures
5 Nov 2002 ... Despite the rapidly cooling temperatures in Afghanistan, people continue to return home from neighbouring asylum countries. Since March this year we've seen more than 1.7 million people repatriate, ...... -
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10 Oct 2006 ... UNHCR yesterday began two days of discussions here in Geneva on voluntary repatriation to Afghanistan. ... This year's returns from Iran has been the lowest in years, to just over 4,500 until September ...... -
Afghanistan: returns latest
10 May 2002 ... Afghan refugees continue to return homewards. We surpassed the half million mark last Wednesday, ... earlier this year, fleeing the effects of drought and insecurity in the north of Afghanistan.... -
Afghanistan: IDP returns
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Afghan refugee returns
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UNHCR trims aid programmes as record numbers return to Afghanistan
23 Jul 2002 ... The number of assisted returns to Afghanistan surpassed 1.3 million over the weekend, including more than 1.2 million from Pakistan, three times the total expected for this year. Some 100,000 have ...... -
Afghanistan: pace of return remains strong
20 Jul 2004 ... The pace of return to Afghanistan remains strong, with thousands of refugees going back daily. So far this year, we've seen some 450,000 refugees repatriate. Unlike the previous two years of ...... -
Real-time evaluation of UNHCR's response to the Afghanistan emergency: Bulletin No. 3
31 May 2002 ... Real-time evaluation of UNHCR's response to the Afghanistan emergency Bulletin No. 3 31 May 2002 After ... But as this bulletin suggests, it is not yet clear how many refugees will return from ......