EuropaWorld 2/11/2001 Spin Boldak is not a Place to Which People Willingly Return

Spin Boldak is a refugee camp; or more strictly it is a camp for internally displaced persons who will only become refugees on crossing the border into Pakistan. Spin Boldak is not in Pakistan, it is where the Taliban detains those who wish to escape its clutches and whom Pakistan will not let in. The border remains closed to all but a few vulnerable groups.

We know little of what goes on in Spin Boldak. What information there is comes from those who have managed in one way or another to sneak across the border crossing at Chaman and who are now in Quetta or in camps like Killi Faizo on the Pakistan side of the frontier.

The physical condition of these refugees is poor, their condition is often weak and they are malnourished. What they report is grim and dismal. A number claim to have been injured or to have had relatives killed and homes destroyed as the bombs have fallen in Kabul and Kandahar, but it is hard to verify such claims. What can be verified more accurately is their medical condition.

Over the past three days, medical workers at the Killi Faizo camp have seen an increasing number of cases of severely sick or malnourished people. Many of the worst cases had reportedly been forced to stay in the Taliban's Spin Boldak camp for several days before being allowed across into Pakistan. There are estimated to be 3,000 people in that camp now.

Medical workers treated a one-year old baby and a 12-year-old boy, both of whom were described as being in very bad shape. Another was a suspected polio case. Four of the most severe cases were referred to Quetta hospital. These included two pregnant women who were bleeding, another woman with suspected tuberculosis and one with a fractured arm, which, she said, was the result of aerial bombardment.

These refugees tell of rapidly deteriorating conditions inside Spin Boldak. They report cases of severe malnutrition and dysentery among the children. UNHCR, the refugee agency fear the cases being seen in Killi Faizo may reflect a much wider problem on the other side of the border. At least 100 families at the Spin Boldak site are reported to be sleeping in the open without any shelter at all. The agency has repeatedly expressed its concern.

Reports seem to suggest that the Taliban are actively preventing people from leaving Afghanistan, even those in need of urgent medical attention, while they search for potential recruits to press-gang into their ranks. Even UNHCR's offices are not safe. On Wednesday morning a group of armed Taliban seized the field office in Spin Boldak. There were no UNHCR staff in the office at the time.

The seizure came just hours after a meeting between the High Commissioner, Ruud Lubbers and the Taliban Ambassador to Pakistan, at which Mr. Lubbers had requested the Taliban to stop interfering with UNHCR property and staff, so that operations could continue inside Afghanistan.

Now Killi Faizo is full. A sign in three languages tells would be refugees that no new registrations are being accepted. Since it opened just over a week ago 1,897 individuals including 1,265 children have sought refuge there. A fifth of the families are headed by women - a measure in itself of the conflict. A number of other families have members missing inside Afghanistan.

Outside the Killi Faizo gates wait a further 55 individuals. Having crossed the border they are unwilling to return to the dreaded Spin Boldak despite having no food or shelter. UNHCR is doing what it can. Currently it is negotiating with the local authorities to open up another site nearby as a matter of utmost urgency. What is certain is that the longer the bombing operations continue the more refugees there will be.

This article was prepared from UNHCR sources