Refugees at risk

Afghans trying to cross borders into Europe complain of harassment and abuse. They blame the UN for looking the other way.

Journalist Faramerz Sina who has reached Turkey accuses the UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency, for discriminating against Afghans.

Afghans trying to cross borders into Europe complain of harassment and abuse. They blame the UN for looking the other way.

Journalist Faramerz Sina who has reached Turkey accuses the UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency, for discriminating against Afghans. The organisation gives priority to requests from refugees fleeing Syria, Iraq and Iran in that order, he says. He claims UNHCR officials are flouting the 1951 Geneva Convention regarding Afghan refugees. “Unfortunately the behaviour of UNHCR regarding assessing the dossiers of Afghans is fanatical and unjust, and lower in priority than Iranian refugees,” he says. “The reason is that the majority of UNHCR staff in Ankara (office of UNHCR) are Iranians.”

According to the journalist, while the Turkish government is good to Afghans, it is more cooperative with Syrians and Iraqis. The reason: European Union has given Turkey 6 billion USD to ensure “special attention” is given to people fleeing the conflict in Syria and also Iraq.

Until their applications are processed Afghan migrants cannot hope to claim health insurance, free education for their children or an allowance, which enables them to rent a house. Sina claims Syrian and Iraqi refugees get many more privileges.

Recently Afghan refugees in Turkey sent an open letter to UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi, which has gone unanswered. “The UNHCR have ignored the rights of Afghan refugees over the last few years,” the letter states. “The UNHCR based in Turkey unfortunately has refrained from verifying the request for migration of Afghan refugees … unless in exceptional cases for the last three years.”

Afghan refugees in Turkey blame the Afghan government for forcing them to leave. They cite the everyday insecurity of life in Afghanistan – risk of being caught in a bomb blast or an IED planted on the roadside, abductions and displacement – and joblessness as reasons. Afghans are the second largest refugee population in Europe. But with the European Union and Turkey agreeing in March on the “one in, one out” policy – for every refugee sent back from Greece, one refugee in Turkey would be permitted to enter Europe – their chances of getting to Europe have become less.

Uncertain future

Hasan Reza Haidari made the perilous crossing to Greece last year. So far this year at least 2,500 refugees have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea. Haidari worries about the plight of people like him. “The ways (to mainland Europe) are blocked, he says, «The ways are blocked. … Only one month’s stay has been permitted. Government officials are rude and refugees could be jailed for 6 to 18 months (on the smallest pretext) and then expelled,” he says.

Haidari says Greek officials take thumb prints forcibly from refugees to claim they have not been expelled but leaving voluntarily. Refugees are staying in Greece only because either the routes to the European continent have been closed or they have run out of money to fund their further travel. “We sold all our property to get ourselves here to Greece,” says Haidari. “Now if we go back to Afghanistan we have nothing there. Our life is also at risk since the government of Afghanistan has not taken any action for the rehabilitation of refugees.”

Officials in the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation say they are trying to negotiate an agreement with the EU on ending the discrimination against Afghan refugees. Hafizullah Miakhil, press advisor, rejects the claim of refugees that the government is indifferent to the well-being of Afghan migrants. “The government requests international organisations and countries to verify requests from Afghan refugees on the merit of the case under law,” he says.