In the surrounding area of Peshawar there are hundreds of brick kilns where the Afghan refugees are working as bounded laborers. According to an estimate, 53000 families’ survival is through these brick kilns. Total population will be reached to three hundreds thousand if we take six people average of each family. Each family income is 2500 rupees per month which they are receiving from the brick kilns owners, which is insufficient for the survival of six people of their family.

In rainy days the brick kilns stop their work due to which they suffer bitterly. To satisfy their basic needs, these workers borrow money from their owners and the entire family members have to work for the owner in order to pay back the loan.

These workers cannot pay this money in their limited salary. Until they pay this money they cannot do labor with other one and they are not free for moving their households and family members.

Most of the workers are Afghan refugees. There are no health facilities or allowances for these workers. They could not afford their health care needs.

70% children are suffering in abdominal colic while 60 % from gastric diseases. Most of the children are malnourished. There are many cases of hepatitis and skin diseases, facilities for mother & child health care is not seen and there is no family planing programs.

Every one ignores these refugees and also the international aid agencies are not working there. The workers families have no access to education. There is no school for them. A Local NGO Friends of Environment and Development (FOED) opened one primary health care unit located at Surizai sub area of Peshawar near Dando Pul brick kiln. The owner of this brick kiln is Hajee Aeen Khan who is the Secretary General of the Brick Kiln Association NWFP Pakistan.

On 29th August 2003 a delegation of Afghan and Pakistani’s NGOs visited this area. The members of this delegation were Partawmina Hashmi Director AWRC and member of APDA, Mr. Sarwar Mamound Coordinator of HRCP and APDA; Mr. Aziz- Ur -Rehman program Manager and Ms… resource person of AWRC visited the brick kiln newly established primary health unit. This is the first health Centre that is established for laborers. The capacity of this health center is 45 patients per day which insufficient for so many people. Patients walk to this center from far flung areas. It is a serious issue, which need national and international attention.

The following issues need a proper solution:

• The wages of these laborers should be raised

• The laborers should be given compensation for those days in which they are not able to work and prepare due number of raw bricks

• A special treatment Centre should be established for these people

• Primary schools for the brick kilns laborers children should be established

• UNICEF should divert their attention to this direction and provide food items and other facilities for the malnourished children

• Orphans and widows that are slave with the owners due to borrowed money and they should be relieved from the slavery of the owners.

• The hygienic conditions of the laborers life should be improved and water sanitation programs must be launched in the belt where these kilns exist.

www.afghanact.org
Official Website of Afghan Peace and Democracy Act

Author: Tahir Saeed