AFGHANISTAN: Forcible repatriation of refugees

One problem with refugees is that they do not want to return to their countries when conditions there return to normal. Britain forcibly returned Afghan refugees(Reuters, 7/4/03). More than 40 Afghans arrived in Kabul after their bids for asylum in Britain failed, with some wondering what the future had in store in a country recovering from over 20 years of war. The 44 returnees, the latest group to be repatriated since the Labour government began forcibly repatriating Afghan asylum seekers after a six-month voluntary repatriation scheme offering up to £600 (US$950) to individuals and £2'500 for families attracted just 39 applicants. Until July last year, the vast majority of Afghans allowed to stay in Britain did so under so-called "exceptional leave to remain" status, as Afghanistan was not considered safe. But as stability gradually returned following the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001, Britain stopped granting that status to Afghans failing to qualify for asylum. The first group of 21 Afghans forcibly repatriated from Britain arrived in Kabul at the end of April. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees says the repatriations are within the bounds of an agreement between the UN, Britain, and Afghanistan. But the scheme has been strongly condemned by Amnesty International, which says conditions in Afghanistan are still not good enough for voluntary returns, let alone forcible ones.

Ronald Hilton - 7/10/03