DUSHANBE, June 14, Asia-Plus — The issue of Afghan refugees is still under consideration and we have full mutual understanding with Tajik authorities in tackling this problems, the source at the UNHCR Dushanbe Office told Asia-Plus.
However, the source refrained from giving further details of the issue.
Asia-Plus has failed to find out any new information about a group of Afghan refugees, who were given ten days to move out of Dushanbe in the Afghan Embassy as well.
We will recall that by capital mayor’s resolution of June 8 Afghan refugees illegally living in Dushanbe were given ten days to leave the capital city for Tajik regions, where they have registration. The same day, a group of Afghan female refugees appealed to the UNHCR Dushanbe Office asking for providing observance of their rights and some 30 Afghan refugees gathered in the building of the UNHCR Dushanbe Office, seeking support.
Tajik MFA said that in accordance with Tajikistan’s laws on refugees and legal status of foreign citizens in Tajikistan, foreign citizens or persons having refugee status should live in places where they have registration.
“However, the results of recent raids have shown that the majority of Afghan refugees registered in the regions are currently living and working in Dushanbe,” the source said, noting that the resolution requiring them to leave Dushanbe for the places of registration does not hurt their rights.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan.ru reported on June 9 that the Afghan refugees living in Tajikistan said that Tajik authorities’ decision to resettle them is unfriendly aimed at forcing them to move out of Dushanbe. According to the Afghan female refugees, there are no schools or hospitals, and no jobs in the regions where their families are registered, raising a real threat of starvation to their children.
According to the Agency for Labor, Employment and Social Security of the Population of the Ministry of Labor, about 1,000 Afghan refugees currently live in Tajikistan. They congregate in urban areas of the country, mostly in Dushanbe, with smaller number in Khujand.
Over 20 years, Afghans remain the biggest single refugee group in the world. More than 2 million of them remain in exile. Tajikistan has played host to several thousand Afghan refugees. In 2000, some 4,500 Afghan refugees lived in Tajikistan.
