Cablegate: Afghanistan Aids Pakistanis Fleeing Kurram Violence

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREF PREL PHUM PK AF
SUBJECT: Afghanistan Aids Pakistanis Fleeing Kurram Violence

1. (U) Afghan media reported January 2 that President Karzai had
ordered an inter-ministerial humanitarian needs assessment in
anticipation of more Pakistani refugees fleeing Sunni-Shia fighting
in Kurram Agency. The Minister of Refugees and Repatriation is
leading an assessment team to the Terzai/Ali Sher, Bak and Jaji
Maidan districts of Khost province and to Jaji Aryoub and
Dand-wa-Patan districts in Paktia province. The Paktia Department
of Refugees and Repatriation has already provided shelter and
blankets to 111 Pakistani refugee families. Paktia's governor
estimates 1000 families may cross the border from Pakistan into his
province alone. Among these are likely to be Afghan families who,
years ago, fled war in their home country and settled among tribal
kinsmen in Pakistan.

2. (SBU) The United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan
(UNAMA) and the Kabul office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) have dispatched a joint assessment team to the
affected areas. Both agencies are concerned harsh winter conditions
and high refugee volumes will strain Afghan central and provincial
humanitarian assistance capabilities; however, many of the Pakistani
refugees are likely to be absorbed by tribal relatives on the
Afghanistan side of the porous border.

3. (SBU) Comment: An Afghan government providing assistance to
Pakistani refugees is a dramatic reversal of the pattern that has
prevailed for most of the last thirty years. The government's
prompt response to a developing humanitarian crisis suggests the
nascent professionalism and growing capability of Afghan government
emergency response agencies.

WOOD

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