1. Beyond Promises: The Durable Solution to the Afghan Refugee Problem
- Author:
- M. Ashraf Haidari
- Publication Date:
- 03-2012
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Diplomatic Courier
- Institution:
- The Diplomatic Courier
- Abstract:
- The saga of Afghan refugees began in late December 1979: Afghans were an impoverished people but content with their agrarian and traditional way of life. They hardly ever wished to migrate abroad for economic opportunities. But their normal lives abruptly ceased in the days following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan as the country became a major victim of the Cold War. Soviet tanks rolled into Afghan villages indiscriminately killing innocent civilians, destroying their livelihoods, and driving most Afghans abroad in search of protection and human security. More Afghans fled violence, persecution and ethnic cleansing and genocide as a result of regional proxy conflicts in Afghanistan throughout 1990s. Many sought refuge in neighboring Pakistan and Iran.
- Topic:
- Security and Cold War
- Political Geography:
- Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran