Afghanistan Peace CampaignIslam spoke of his son’s illness, the medicines he can no longer afford, and how he must return empty-handed to Jawzjan province.
While more than one million Afghan migrants have returned from neighboring countries since the beginning of the year, the United Nations said that over 600,000 of them came from Iran and another 282,000 from Pakistan.
The Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan Indrika Ratwatte said that without urgent assistance, returnees—most of whom are women, children, and families without shelter—will face deeper poverty and despair.
Indrika Ratwatte stated: “Every returnee deserves safety and dignity. But without urgent support, we risk seeing families slide deeper into poverty and despair.”
Jamal Muslim, a migrant rights activist, commented: “The Islamic Emirate government of Afghanistan should welcome returning migrants from abroad with open arms and gratitude by coordinating relief committees to address their needs.”
Mohammad Islam, a 35-year-old man, was deported from Iran with his wife, daughter, and ill son.
They lived in Iran for four years, living in hiding, doing daily labor, fearing arrest, and enduring long nights of uncertainty. But now that they have returned, life for Mohammad Islam seems darker rather than brighter.
Islam spoke of his son’s illness, the medicines he can no longer afford, and how he must return empty-handed to Jawzjan province.
Mohammad Islam, deported from Iran, said: “We left Afghanistan because of poverty and unemployment. Everyone knows the economic problems, there’s no work. We had surgery for my son there; his leg also has issues with a large tumor.”
Mohammad Islam is not the only returnee concerned about his fate; other returnees facing challenges also have clear demands from the international community:
Immediate access to healthcare, especially for children and mothers
Provision of temporary shelters and livelihood packages
Creation of job opportunities and vocational training
Recognition of identity documents to access services
Hakeem, deported from Pakistan, said: “We have economic problems, all our belongings are left in Pakistan. There was a lot of pressure on Afghan migrants there, which forced us to return.”
Maroof, another deportee from Iran, said: “We were deported from Iran, we have no home, and we request more aid from the Islamic Emirate.”
Meanwhile, over seven million Afghans still live outside the country, mainly in Pakistan and Iran.