Herat displaced families say pushed into abject poverty

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): A number of displaced families in western Herat province are complaining about their poor economic situation and lack of assistance in the face of cold winter.

Most of these families live in old and ruined houses in Shahrak-e-Sabz Tawnoship and Regrishan area of the capital of Herat province and they have not received any assistance this year.

The families say they feed their children only one time in 24 hours and that too with dry bread.

Wali Jan was displaced along with eight members of his family from Bala Murghab district of Badghis province due to clashes between the Taliban and Afghan forces last year.

Disappointed with their current situation, he said, “We live in poverty and helpless, the people of this area can hardly pay for a kilogram of flour because they do not have money.”

Mohammad, another displaced person from Aabkamari district of Badghis province, who is now living with his 12 member family in Shahrak Sabz area, said they fed their children only once a day.

He complained about negligence of the government and said that their children might die due to poverty if they were paid no attention.

“If we beg to people, only one in 10 persons may give us a kilogram of flour, we cannot find half a kilogram of oil,” he said.

Some of these families said that they give their children sleeping pills so they do not ask for food.

Hamidullah, one of the displaced men with his 10 children, said, “We give our children sleeping pills that we buy a pack for 20 afghanis, I have 10 sons, I give one tablet to each daily so they do not ask for food.” “Death is better than this life, I ask for death every day”, he said.

These families said they would be obliged to steal from people if the government did not pay attention to them.

Herat refugees and repatriation officials say a number of displaced families have received edible and non-edible items.

Javid Nadim, provincial refugees and repatriation department director, said that current year’s budget was mostly spent on controlling the coronavirus pandemic and displaced families were paid less attention.

He said their survey revealed 16,000 families in need of assistance in the province, but resources for only 6,900 families were found which would be distributed this week.

Nadim said 3,000 more displaced people took refuge in Herat from Badghis, Ghor and Faryab provinces this year.

mds/ma