DATE=2/22/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N-H-C-R / AFGHAN REFUGEES (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-259433
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The government of Iran and the United Nations
refugee agency, U-N-H-C-R, have agreed on ways to
repatriate an estimated one-point-four-million Afghan
refugees still living in Iran. Lisa Schlein reports
from Geneva.
TEXT: The U-N refugee agency says the agreement is
good news because it will put some order into the way
refugees will return to Afghanistan. U-N-H-C-R
spokesman Kris Janowski says the new deal will
possibly prevent refugees from being deported to
Afghanistan against their will.
Mr. Janowski says that last year, more than 90-
thousand Afghan refugees went back home from Iran. He
says 15-thousand of them were returned voluntarily
under a U-N-H-C-R program. He says the rest either
returned on their own or were forcibly deported by
Iranian authorities.
/// JANOWSKI ACT ///
Under this new agreement, the people remaining
in Iran, especially those without any documents,
will have six months to come forward and
basically, either sign up for repatriation into
Afghanistan or make a case for staying in Iran
in case they have an individual fear of
repression or persecution if they return to
Afghanistan.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Janowski says U-N-H-C-R will take part in the
process and will be able to make sure that the
refugees are returning to Afghanistan voluntarily.
Many of the refugees fled to Iran after the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan in the late 1970's. Some of
the refugees are living in camps. But, most are
spread out throughout the country.
Iran's liberal policy toward the Afghan refugees
changed two years ago. Mr. Janowski says Iranian
authorities acknowledge their stricter policy toward
the Afghans is due to public pressure and a worsening
economy.
He says he does not know how many of the refugees
want to go back to Afghanistan. He also says the
agency does not know what has happened to the refugees
who have already returned to Afghanistan.
/// JANOWSKI ACT ///
On whether anything has happened to the people
who have gone back, we don't know. We don't
have any significant monitoring presence in
Afghanistan. So, we have absolutely no idea
how the people who have been sent back or have
gone back have really done there. No idea.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Janowski says the refugee agency will help to
establish transit camps in several Iranian provinces
to register the refugees and to handle their cases.
He says those returning will receive food and money.
(Signed)
NEB/LS/LTD/JP
22-Feb-2000 11:04 AM EDT (22-Feb-2000 1604 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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