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Abu Dhabi, Sept 25, 2001 (Wam) -- A UAE newspaper said today the Afghan refugees were living in terrible conditions and appealed to the international community to rush in emergency relief aid. Commenting editorially on the plight of Afghan refugees, the +Gulf News+ said : +As the coalition's attacks on the Taliban are being prepared, the humanitarian disaster for the normal Afghan people is becoming more stark every day. The assault is expected to focus on Afghanistan, where the number of hard core Taliban supporters is relatively small. +However, what is expected to be widespread fighting over some time, the consequent dislocation, will trigger new wave of refugees, in a country which cannot afford to lose any more of its population. People are already on the edge of mass starvation and close to complete social breakdown. +The UAE has promised to maintain its aid to Afghanistan and several other staunch supporters of the anti-terror coalition have taken the same position, among them the US and UK. +Over a million Afghans are currently living in terrible conditions Afghanistan, due to continuous war for decades and the worst drought for years. In addition, there are about over three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and about two million displaced Afghans in Iran. +In this situation, it is vital that all parties in the region are ready to help. The humanitarian relief is needed now and will be needed all the more in the months to come. This will not be aid to the Taliban or to the followers of Osama bin Lden, but it will be aid to help the Afghans survive the forthcoming chaos and for the shattered country to rebuild itself. +It is a great pity that the aid agencies have pulled out of Kabul, where their help is urgently needed. It is important that they stand ready to go back in whenever they are able to do so,and that they maintain the vital work they have been doing. WAM/TF-VV |
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(c) Copyright 2001 Emirates News Agency
(WAM) |