Declaration of One day Seminar on
"Repatriation, Peace and Reconstruction in Afghanistan"
21st June, 2003 - Abbottabad

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Afghanistan Desk conducted a one day seminar on "Repatriation, Peace and Reconstruction in Afghanistan" in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

This seminar was organized with collaboration of Alternatives, Canada and financial support of CIDA/PBU Canada.

In this seminar the activists of HRCP; Protection officer Ms Caroline Bomars, UNHCR Peshawar sub office; In charge of Repatriation of Afghan Refugees, Mr. Richard Moularad, UNHCR, Peshawar sub office; Ms. Rubaiane member UNHCR sub office, Peshawar; activist of NRC; representatives of SUNGI foundation Abbottabad; representatives from Afghan Refugees Camps(Hazara Division of NWFP); Intellectuals from Pakistan's civil society organizations; media representatives and members of other civil society organizations had active participation and discussed the relevant issues regarding the Afghan refugees.

During this one day seminar, issues regarding the Afghan refugees and their repatriation were discussed with appropriate details;
1-    The living condition of Afghan refugees in camps and urban areas.
2-    Protection issues of Afghan refugees in Afghanistan and high handedness of law enforcement agencies against the Afghan refugees.
3-    The last year spontaneous huge repatriation and its fallout.  
4-    The new challenges for the Afghan returnees in Afghanistan.
5-    The impacts of the tripartite agreement on the future situation of Afghan refugees.

The participants unanimously came to the following conclusions:

1.    The two and half decades of war has brought social, political, economical and cultural backwardness in Afghanistan, so the political, social and economical establishement would take more time.
2.    The whole word is witness to the miserable condition of Afghan population life condition inside of Afghanistan as well as in the rest of the world.
3.    The condition for secure life in Afghanistan is still not conducive appropriate for such a huge repatriation which took placed last year.
4.    In view of weak and fragile economy of Afghanistan, this repatriation was an extra burden for the transitional authority of Afghanistan.
5.    Therefore, the participants of the seminar called upon the Government of Afghanistan and the donor agencies to launch reasonable programms for sustainable repatriation and specially to launch extensive job-providing projects in Afghanistan.
6.    The repatriation on voluntary basis should be facilitated but not to be promoted in this phase.
7.    The participants of the seminar called upon the world community to fulfill their pledges for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Afghanistan's economy and its consolidation. Through this kind of efforts the repatriation process will have a sustainable character and Afghans who are still living abroad will be able to repatriate with honor and dignity. Complete repatriation of Afghan refugees from other countries depended on the fulfillment of the pledge made by the international community in the Tokyo Conference, which would ultimately bring prosperity to the country in shape of more jobs and a boost in the business activities.
8.    The participants of seminar called upon the law and order enforcing agencies of Pakistan to stop the high handedness against the Afghan refugees and to release those who are in jails in petty offences and specially those detained under foreign act.