DUSHANBE, October 7, 2011, Asia-Plus — UNHCR Office highly appraises efforts taken by the Tajik government to protect refugees rights, Mr. Saber Azam, UNHCR Regional Representative/Regional Coordinator for Central Asia remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe yesterday.
According to him, protection of refugees is the task of a government, while international and non-governmental organizations may just provide necessary support to the authorities in that issue. “Like in all Central Asia’s, in Tajikistan practically 100 percent of refugees are under protection of local authorities,” Mr. Saber Azam stressed.
Afghan refugees are finding shelter mainly in Tajikistan, which has a long common border with Afghanistan. There are some 3,000 Afghan refugees and 1,400 Afghan asylum seekers currently in Tajikistan.
Mr. Jose Euceda, UNHCR Representative in Tajikistan, noted that 10-15 Afghan families were arriving in Tajikistan every month to seek asylum.
In Tajikistan, Afghan refugees are living mostly in Dushanbe, in Vahdat, small town about 20 kilometers east of Dushanbe, and in the Bobojonghafurov district, Sughd province.
Many refugees adapt quickly to a new and strange country, set up their social centers and associations, work and study. In Tajikistan, Afghan refugees have the Association of Afghan refugees, Ariana, and school for afghan children, Somon, in Dushanbe and the social center in Vahdat.
The UNHCR representatives consider that all this helps them integrate better into Tajik society.
The UNHCR regional coordinator for Central Asia, however, considers that integration is a complex issue and all sides must be involved in this process in order to obtain better result. According to him, full and thorough integration of Afghan refugees into local community is a collective affair. Mr. Saber Azam once again called on all citizens to show tolerance toward refugees in Tajikistan.
In Tajikistan, UNHCR opened its office in 1993 following the invitation of the Government to assist the country with the emergency relief-related activities aimed at helping internally displaced persons and refugees.
Main UNHCR objectives in Tajikistan are: support the Government in developing a proper asylum regime, in line with the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugee, following the transfer of the asylum issues from the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection to the Ministry of Internal Affairs; amend the implementing legislation and resolutions to bring them to internationally recognized standards; pursue durable solutions, in particular to create conditions for local integration and facilitate self-reliance of refugees; lobby for the accession of Tajikistan to the international statelessness instruments and provide support to stateless persons in finding permanent solutions; cooperate with Tajik authorities in border monitoring and border management; play an active role in the REACT disaster reduction and recovery mechanisms; continue efforts to improve the social and economic well being of persons of concern; and continue to support human rights activities to ensure that refugee issues are part of the general human rights agenda of the country.
