UN pleas for Afghan refugees

One thousand refugees arrive every day

		By Susannah Price BBC Islamabad correspondent

The United Nations refugee agency has called on Pakistan to allow newly arrived Afghan refugees to move out of a basic makeshift camp to a properly prepared site.

It's a very risky situation especially for babies and elferly people

Kris Janowski
UNHCR spokesman

Between two and three thousand Afghans are currently stranded in no man's land between Pakistan and Afghanistan close to the Pakistani border town of Chaman in the south-west of the country.

And each day one thousand more Afghans arrive.

A temporary camp with tents and sanitation lies just a few metres from them.

Pakistan restrictions

But the Pakistani authorities are only allowing the UN refugee agency to register and move about 350 new arrivals a day.

Pakistan does not want more refugees

They have not given any reason for this to the UN - but have made it clear in the past that they do not want to see more Afghans joining the two and a half million refugees already in Pakistan.

The government may also be concerned about the security implications especially with the possibility of Taleban fighters trying to come across.

Conditions in the makeshift camp are very basic - and the Afghans there do not receive any aid.

Difficult conditions

Some have tents but many others are sleeping under cloth or plastic.

The camp is in the desert where temperatures fall below freezing at night.

One woman recently gave birth there without any assistance.

We are just living here on open ground, if we move, the authorities beat us back with sticks

Refugee

''Most of these people are in a terrible condition,'' said Kris Janowski, spokesman for UNHCR.

''They have not eaten for days, they look thin and dirty.

"The children are barefoot. It's a very risky situation especially for babies and elderly people.''

The refugees in the makeshift site were angry about their treatment.

Ahmed and his family came from the last Taleban stronghold Kandahar twelve days ago.

'We are just living here on open ground, if we move, the authorities beat us back with sticks,'' he said.

'We have no tents and no food and everyone is just waiting here for help.''

Concerns

Most of the refugees came from the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan - the Pashtuns - from where the Taleban also drew their support.

They said they were scared of the increasing breakdown in law and order, the American bombing and the threat of insecurity in Afghanistan.

Refugees are fleeing US attacks during Ramadan

Mohammed Gul and his family came with a large group from a town close to the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

They were worried that the new rulers, the Northern Alliance, who come from other ethnic groups, would persecute them.

It took them a month to make the journey to the camp and they have finally been moved to the official site.

''I don't think we'll be able to go back for some time,'' he said.

''While the current situation persists there is no peace and security there.''

Trickling through

Pakistan has closed the border to refugees because it says it cannot cope with any more - and is only allowing a few of the most vulnerable or wounded across.

However most seem to find it easy to make their way through the border.

'Most people trickle through the sides,' said Kris Janowski.

'At the border there isn't much happening but just 500 metres north or south they are coming in.

It's not the Berlin wall and you can't seal it.''

Civilian casualties

The injured who are allowed across are taken to a dingy hospital at Chaman town.

One nursing assistant said they had treated 10 Afghans who were injured in American bombing attacks in the past four days.

Fourteen year old Mohammed lay in one of the wards, his smashed foot in plaster.

'We were working in the field when the bomb fell,'' said his father.

''We don't know who else was hurt, we were just worried about him.''

Many of the Afghans arriving in the town say their main concern is not about who will win the current power struggle - but when peace and security will return to their country.