Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ISLAMABAD686
2009-04-02 05:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:  

ISLAMABAD REFUGEE AFFAIRS WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT: MARCH

Tags:  PGOV PREL PREF PHUM CA PK 
pdf how-to read a cable
R 020504Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2100
INFO AMEMBASSY KABUL 
AMCONSUL KARACHI 
AMCONSUL LAHORE 
AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 
CIA WASHDC
USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
USMISSION GENEVA
UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000686 


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM CA PK
SUBJECT: ISLAMABAD REFUGEE AFFAIRS WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT: MARCH
23-27

Resuming Repatriation on April 1
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000686


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM CA PK
SUBJECT: ISLAMABAD REFUGEE AFFAIRS WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT: MARCH
23-27

Resuming Repatriation on April 1
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


1. (U) UNHCR said voluntary repatriation of registered Afghans in
Pakistan would be resumed on April 1. This repatriation would be
only from Peshawar as the security situation in Balochistan does not
allow for repatriation at the moment. Registered Afghans living in
the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP),Punjab, Sindh, as well as in
the federal capital district of Islamabad, who choose to repatriate
to Afghanistan with UNHCR assistance, can approach the voluntary
repatriation center in Peshawar.

Refugee Villages in Swabi, NWFP
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2. (SBU) Refugee Affairs Specialist (RAS) visited the International
Medical Corps (IMC) health project to monitor and evaluate IMC's
primary health and gender based violence (GBV) projects for Afghans
in two refugee villages of Barakai in Swabi district of NWFP. IMC
is providing primary health care services to approximately 50,000
Afghan refugees through two basic health units (BHU). IMC has
competent and hardworking staff who work with the refugee community
six days a week with extensive community support. Though IMC has
established a network of health and other committees across refugee
villages, it needs to link health education with water and
sanitation issues. RAS noted from discussions with refugee elders
that the number of patients with hepatitis B and C is on the rise,
and one person has died from hepatitis.


3. (SBU) The IMC GBV project is one of the new programs PRM added
during the last funding cycle. IMC has developed GBV literature in
local languages and formed committees to help raise awareness of
refugees and educate them on GBV issues. IMC has not so far been
confronted with security issues and is maintaining a low profile to
avoid interruption. There is a need to increase the intensity of
monitoring visits by the IMC Peshawar office and their coordination
with local health authorities. IMC's next proposal to PRM should
reflect these issues, and how it plans to address them.

PATTERSON