05/14/2002

"I am going home because there is peace and because life as a refugee is not good. I owned three car workshops in Kabul, but in Pakistan I work as a laborer for one dollar a day, if I am lucky. Pakistan is a poor country and refugees don't get much support from foreign countries, but we hear that rehabilitation is going on in Afghanistan, and the international community will assist us with lots of money." It is unlikely that this man's expectations will be met. A majority of donor pledges have not yet arrived in Afghanistan and reintegration projects are lagging. UNHCR, WFP, UNDP, IOM, and other agencies are all facing severe budget shortfalls and will be unable to meet the needs of returnees. There are confirmed reports of an unknown number of refugees who have participated in UNHCR's repatriation program returning to Pakistan after being confronted by the harsh realities of Afghanistan, namely returning to find little assistance available and few opportunities to rebuild their lives.