Tajikistan
Urgent appeal – Afghan refugees on Border with Tajikistan
To the World Community, the Government of Tajikistan, International and Humanitarian
Organizations
Received via e-mail, 15 February, 2001
- We, the undersigned representatives of non-governmental organizations of the Republic of
Tajikistan, would like to express our deepest worries as to the situation of more than
thirteen thousand Afghan nationals, especially women and children, who have presently
taken refuge on a small island on the Pianj River on the northern border of Afghanistan
with Tajikistan.
- According to recent reports, several hundred of these refugees, suffer from illness
including malaria, tuberculosis and typhoid and at least 40 have succumbed since October
due to the cold, hunger, disease or war wounds. They are housed in reed huts and sleep on
the cold ground with no blankets and lack drinking water. They face starvation. Their
tragic state is aggravated by sub-zero temperature. They have also been targeted by
Taliban
artillery.
- The UNHCR has renewed its call to the Tajik government to allow the refugees including
6000 children, to enter Tajikistan soil. According to AFP, 10-15 families are arriving
every night to the area. The UNHCR has accepted to support the refugees for a period of 6
months. According to official sources, some 80,000 people from Takhar and Badakhshan are
just across the border suffering drought and facing risks of epidemics.
- We express our gratitude for everything that has already been done for them, but we have
to appeal to the international community to render immediate and urgent humanitarian
assistance to the women, men and children of Afghanistan who face insecurity, hunger and
death on the frontier.
We appeal to your immediate assistance and emergency humanitarian aid
for the Afghan refugees, because every second could be too late for many children!
Tajik non-governmental associations: Open Asia Tajikistan, Fidokor,
Avrora, Association of Lawyers of Tajikistan, Society and the Rights of the Child
Association, Women of Science of Tajikistan, Humanity, Hamkory, Nasli Navras, Rights and
Prosperity.
YOU CAN CONTACT US:
In France: open@asia-mail.com
In Tajikistan: muborak@openasia.td.silk.org
Received via e-mail, 15 February, 2001 |
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