KABUL (SW): The Human Rights Commission’s report on the situation of the Internally Displaced Persons suggest that the number of IDPs in Afghanistan has increased by 468 percent since 2009.
Sima Samar, Head of Human Rights Commission, said that the number of IDPs back in 2009 was 42,665 but it has now swollen to over 1.2 million now. She said that fighting and insecurity have been the major causes behind the rise in the number of IDPs.
Based on the report, southern provinces have 22.8 percent of the displaced, which emerged as the worst-hit region in the country. On the list, Western provinces have 22.7 percent of the displaced, Central provinces 17.9 percent, eastern provinces 16.1 percent, northern provinces 10.7 percent while northern and southeastern 9.8 percent.
The report said that the government has not been able to meet the challenges of the displaced properly, as a result which the displaced have faced dearth of foodstuff, drinkable water, employment and shelter.
Simar Samar said that the government should develop a strategy through Ministry of Refugees and Repatriates to fully meet the needs of the displaced.
The report also said that women, children and disabled who are the most vulnerable IDPs, have not been paid attention to and they do not have access to health services and education.
The report released by the commission suggested that 70 percent of the displaced families have not returned to their homes for two years now.
Currently, 50 percent of the districts in the country are faced with security threat posed by the Taliban and 30 districts are under the Taliban’s control.
Human Rights Commission’s concerns about mistreatment of the Afghan refugees
In another report also released by the HRC, the situation of the returnees has been monitored from the beginning of 2014, which suggested that a total of 223, 744 people have been deported from Iran.
According to the findings of the Human Rights Commission, 99 percent of the refugees have been forcefully expelled from Iran and 30 percent have been punished in the prisons, which included beating-up, forced labor and humiliation.
Sima Samar asked the government to pave the way for a better life of these people.
She urged the government to take the issue of the refugees through diplomatic channels with Iran and Pakistan.
According to the statistics, since 2002, an estimated 5.8 million refugees have returned to the country.
ENDS
