KABUL, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Surrounded by children playing on a dusty patch of ground at a makeshift camp on the outskirts of Kabul, Mir Hamza, a recently returned refugee, spoke with joy about his decision to come back to Afghanistan. The restoration of security in his homeland, he said, inspired him to return.
"I am so happy that I cannot even express my feelings. This is my country, and I can move around freely, day and night, without fear. No one disturbs me," said Hamza, who had spent years in Iran before returning to the country long scarred by conflict.
Temporarily settled in the makeshift camp before continuing to his home province of Kunduz, Hamza expressed his need for support to rebuild his life. "I need assistance to construct a house and start fresh," he said.
However, poverty and unemployment could impede his recovery. "I had a home in Kunduz, but it was destroyed during the war. I need land to build a house, and I need food and clothing," he added, noting the approaching winter and the urgent need for humanitarian assistance for returnees.
Decades of war and civil strife have forced millions of Afghans to flee their homeland, with many seeking refuge in neighboring Iran and Pakistan. While reports indicate that approximately 1.8 million Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland over the past year, an estimated 7 million Afghans remain abroad.
Mohammad Jan Noori, another recent returnee who lived in Iran for years, also expressed his satisfaction with the improved security in Afghanistan. "Security is everything," Noori said. "Afghanistan is now a peaceful country, there is no war. I can live my life peacefully. I am overjoyed to be back."
Speaking outside his tent at the returnee camp, Noori detailed the challenges of resettling. "I was given 27,000 afghani (about 400 U.S. dollars) when I crossed the border in Herat. But after paying for transportation and food, I only have 7,000 afghani (about 103 dollars) left," he said.
Acknowledging the difficulties faced by returnees, Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, spokesman for the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, said that between 300 and 350 Afghan refugees return from Pakistan and Iran daily. The government, in coordination with aid organizations, provides returnees with cash assistance and winter kits.
"We have established 45 townships in 28 provinces to accommodate returnees," Haqqani told Xinhua. "We call on aid agencies to help construct houses, clinics, and schools in these townships. We also encourage Afghan refugees abroad to come back, as the country is now safe and peaceful."
Despite the challenges of rebuilding, the hope brought by peace is encouraging many Afghans to return and reclaim their lives in their homeland. ■
