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In PNG, refugees from Indonesia's Papua province start complex journey to new home
1 Oct 2004 The UN refugee agency is relocating a group of 185 refugees from Papua New Guinea's Vanimo to East Awin, where they can receive more land to grow crops and raise livestock, enjoy better services like education and health care, and apply for the right to free movement within their host country. -
UNHCR backs Afghan information mission to Pakistan
29 Sep 2004 A team of Afghan government and provincial representatives recently visited Afghan refugees in Pakistan's Balochistan province to provide them with first-hand information that will help them to decide whether or not to return to their native Badghis province in the north-west. -
UNHCR sees the 2001 Afghan emergency fade into history
22 Sep 2004 The UN refugee agency has formally ended assistance in the last of the "new" camps set up in Pakistan to accommodate Afghan refugees fleeing the war in 2001. Many have chosen to return home, while the rest have relocated to older camps in Pakistan. -
Iran resumes repatriation to Afghanistan and Iraq
15 Sep 2004 The UN refugee agency in Iran has resumed its programme to help Afghan refugees return home to Afghanistan three days after an outbreak of violence in the Afghan city of Herat forced its suspension. UNHCR has also restarted voluntary repatriation convoys to southern Iraq, halted a month ago for security reasons. -
High Commissioner expresses concern at outbreak of violence in Herat
13 Sep 2004 High Commissioner Ruud Lubbers says he is deeply concerned at the latest outbreak of violence that has prompted the UN refugee agency to suspend its operations in western Afghanistan for the second time in less than a month. -
Feature: Afghan carpet industry returns home from Pakistan, now benefits both countries
7 Sep 2004 War in Afghanistan drove the carpet weavers into exile in Pakistan, peace has drawn these refugees home. The result is an industry straddling the border, providing jobs for both countries and reinforcing their economic inter-dependence. -
Afghan refugee leaves Pakistan hoping to start a new life
6 Sep 2004 After three years in Pakistan, Shah Wali is set to return home to Afghanistan hoping to resume a shepherd's life he had known before. Around 82,000 Afghans who came to Pakistan following 9/11 and the U.S.-led war against the Taliban have gone back to Afghanistan. -
Afghan family joins 1 million who have gone home from Iran
2 Sep 2004 Today marks a milestone for UNHCR as the one millionth Afghan refugee returns home from Iran since the start of voluntary repatriation in April 2002. Among this symbolic group are Kabul-bound Nahid and Abdul Vakil, who are all set to help rebuild their homeland after 12 years in exile. -
Pakistan border camp closes; all Afghan residents return home
26 Aug 2004 Bassu camp in North West Frontier province has closed after all 5,000 residents decided to move back to Afghanistan as UNHCR phases out assistance in the "new" camps established less than three years ago.