Editorial: Returnees facing hunger and homelessness problems

According to a reliable source from the Afghan Refugees and Repatriation Ministry, 4.3 million Afghan refugees have returned home over the past three years. Unfortunately most of these returnees face problems of unemployment, hunger and homelessness, and still no humanitarian aid has been provided for them. According to some estimates, nearly 40,000 returnee families in Kabul face unemployment, homelessness and other problems. In order to resolve these problems, the Afghan Refugees and Repatriation Ministry has established contacts with aid organisations and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, asking them to provide these people with suitable shelter and to help them in other ways. We hope the government officials concerned will hurry to provide the returned refugees with the essentials before the winter comes. Last winter, hundreds of returnees, children and old people died because of the cold weather. If the 40, 000 returnees living in tents are not provided with homes, their children’s lives will be in danger. Symbolic acts by the government will achieve nothing.