HRCP-Afghan Desk - Report on Kacha Ghari and Shamshatoo refugee camps, Peshawar

According to the work plan of HRCP Afghan Desk I have visited the Kacha Ghari and Shamshatoo refugee’s camps on 16-18 February 2004. I have produced the following survey report.

Kacha Ghari camp:

It is one of the biggest and oldest refugee camp established in 1979 some 23 year before. Geographic location and area: It is situated in the North-West of the Peshawar city covering a large area.

Population:
Total population of this camp is about 75876 individuals and 12279 families after repatriation in 2003.

Educational institutions:
There are 11 schools consisting 5 primary schools and 6 middle schools and one religious school (Madrasa). Total number of students are 6006 including 1797 girls and 4209 boys.

Medical centers:
There are two basic health units and two hospitals.
1. EPI center,
2. BHU center. (Basic Health Unit) center.
3. TB hospital (Hospital for Tuberculoses)
4. IMC hospital.

I met with doctor Spogmay the team leader of IMC hospital. She said, daily about 100 patients came for medical examination. At least 583 patients were examined in the last month January 2004

NGOs functioning:
GTZ, CAR, BEFARE, IRC are working and carrying out various programs

Repatriation:
• 3125 families repatriated in the 2002.
• 2849 families repatriated in the 2003.

I have interviewed some people about repatriation regarding their willingness to repatriate, but most of them were not ready for repatriation. They express their concern about the dried out situation and security situation in Afghanistan.

• A 45 years old refugee Mohammed Rasool says, I have been living here since 21 years and does not have any house in the Afghanistan due to which I cannot go back and we are not able to build house in Afghanistan.

• Another refugee Haji Tooryale said, I cannot leave Pakistan because of draught, water shortage, lawlessness and security problems in Afghanistan and I have no money to rebuild our destroyed houses.

Security arraignments: The security situation is normal here. There is one security center near the camp. The security incharge said that we have eight persons responsible for providing security to refugees of Kacha Ghari camp.

Facilities in camp:
• There are 5 primary schools and 6 middle schools.
• One IMC hospital.
• TB and EPT center.
• Wells.
• Hand pumps 63.
• Electricity is available
• Water system is existing.

Standard of Life:
Majorities of people are uneducated living in mud houses they are passing very miserable life in summer because the have mud houses. Most of them are laborers doing pity jobs in home industries. Many have opened shops within the camp, which makes available basic necessities of life to the doorstep of these refugees.

Problems:
Refugees are facing a large number of problems. I met Zaberulla, the head of the Afghan Commissionerate School The number of students in this school is 1019 and teachers 28 Zaberulla said, the teachers of this school have not received salary from April 2003 and we have no books and pens for students.

At the end of the survey I asked them about any notice given from government for the vacation this camp in year 2004, they said that they have not yet received any notices to vacate the camp. Every thing is going normal.

Shamshatoo camp:

The name of this camp is new Shamshatoo Afghan Refugee camp.
It is one of the new refugee camps established in 1999 during the Taliban regime in Afghanistan five year ago.
Now Shamshatoo camp is under one administration.

Geographic location and area:
This camp is located in east south of Peshawar valley 22 km far from the Peshawar city .camp was established without any party (Jehadi grope ) affiliation and people cam to the camp from various parts of Afghanistan .

Population:
There are 11224 families and 53137 individuals or family members in this camp. These refugees came to Pakistan during the Taliban regime from the different provinces of Afghanistan

Educational institution:
There are 16 schools which run by IRC and OI. Total number of students is 3032 which includes 1116 girls and 1917 boys. There is not religious school in the shamshatoo camp.

NGOs function:
UNHCR, SNI, IRC and PHU are working in the different part of this camp and carry out various programs.

Repatriation:
• A bout 4386 families and 19168 individuals repatriated in 2002.
• And about 136 families or 887 individuals repatriated in 2003.
I interviewed about 10 people of different categories of refugees about repatriation but no one was ready for repatriation to Afghanistan. They expressed their concern over peace and order situation in Afghanistan. I interviewed Mohammed Sarwar from Kabul who said, until there is complete peace and stability in Afghanistan we will not go back.

Security Arrangement:
There are one security center nearly the camp, security incharge Muhammad Ayub Afridi said, we are 9 people responsible for providing security with refugees in this camp when I have interviewed with a refugee he said that all resident of this camp arrange their own security for them.
Reaction of the local people is normal here.

Facilities in camp:
There are 16 primary schools supported by IRC and OI organization
• 3 BHU hospital
• One SOS medical center
• One IMC medical center.
• 8 Baker
• Rashon system
• Two tube wells.
• 220 hand pumps.
• Electricity is available.

Life standard:
The life standard at the camp is not very good. They are in extremely miserable condition and living in mud houses, they are passing very miserable life in summer. They do not have any technical knowledge. Most of them are working in brick kilns.

Problems:
Refugees are facing a large number of problems as under:

• Although electricity is provided to all refugees in this camp but they expressed their grave concern over low voltage and load shedding of electricity frequently is additional problem for them.

• There are 3 medical centers including BHU and IMC hospital but it is working only one day of the week and on proper treatment is giving to them. They travel to city for their minor treatment.

• Refugees expressed their grave concern over the quality of rashon, which contributed by SNI organization.

When I interviewed about 6 people of this camp regarding government notice for vacation of the camp, I came to know that they have not received any notice from government of Pakistan for vacation of the camp. Every thing is going normal in the camp.

Survey By: Said Usman Sanjish
Assistant Coordinator
HRCP-Afghan Desk