PAKISTAN / GUTERRES

UN Refugee Agency's Antonio Guterres visits Afghan refugees in Pakistan who face the threat of another displacement as the country continues to struggle with rising flood waters. UNHCR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:02
• Production Date: 16 September 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN RELIEF; REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS; DISASTER PREVENTION; DISASTER PREPAREDNESS; DISASTER RELIEF
• Geographic Subject: PAKISTAN
• MAMS Id: U100916e

Description

STORY: PAKISTAN / GUTERRES
TRT: 2:02
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / PASHTO / NATS

DATELINE: 16 SPETEMBER 2010, AZAHKEL CAMP, PAKISTAN

Shotlist

1. Various shots, man shovelling mud
2. Wide shot, worker picking up bricks
3. Various shots, refugees in the rubble
4. Med shot, destroyed homes
5. Various shots, High Commissioner and UNHCR coordinator looking at a map of the area
6. SOUND-UP (English) Yoshimi Saita, Sr. Operations Coordinator, UNHCR:
“And then the floods came in"
7. SOUND-UP (English) Antonio Gutteres, High Commissioner, UNHCR
"We are near the Kabul River and it is close to here”
8. Various shots, High Commissioner meeting with elders in mosque
9. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Refugee Village Elder:
'It is our desire that you should not move is from here'
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Gutteres, High Commissioner, UNHCR
'In 16 villages 15 there are no problems. And people will be able to go back. The regional government has conveyed to us a position saying that this area is too dangerous. Too flood prone'
11. Various shots, elders at meeting
12. Various shots, High Commissioner walking in Village
13. Med shot, High Commissioner talking to media
14. Med shot, children in village
15. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Nakhibullah, Afghan Refugee:
"Our homes have been destroyed. We are poor people. And we would like our houses rebuilt.”
16. Med shot, man clearing the debris from a destroyed house
17. Med shot, destroyed house
18. SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Wazir Gul Afghan Refugee:
"We have cash money. We have our businesses here. We do not deposit our money in the bank. Whatever money we earn we leave in the home and it was all gone in the floods.”
19. Various shots, men in the village

Storyline

A thick heavy mud covers much of the Afghan Refugee Camp of Azahkel in Pakistan.

The flood waters were meters high, the current so strong that it levelled everything except the mosques.

SOUND-UP (English) Yoshimi Saita. Sr. Operations Coordinator, UNHCR:
“And then the floods came in."

SOUND-UP (English) Antonio Gutteres, High Commissioner, UNHCR
"We are near the Kabul River and it is close to here.”

This was the first stop on the High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Gutteres’ visit to Pakistan.

The long time residents of this camp are anxious to rebuild but they have heard it may not be possible.

They met with Gutteres to plead their case.

SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Refugee Village Elder:
“It is our desire that you should not move is from here.”

SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Gutteres, High Commissioner, UNHCR
“In 16 villages 15 there are no problems. And people will be able to go back. The regional government has conveyed to us a position saying that this area is too dangerous. Too flood prone.”

Gutteres tells journalists at the site that the rights and interests of the people will be respected but also that people cannot knowingly be put in danger.

The residents are divided on the issue, some want to stay.

SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Nakhibullah, Afghan Refugee:
"Our homes have been destroyed. We are poor people. And we would like our houses rebuilt.”

Others say they will need time to salvage whatever they can, including their savings then they would consider moving.

SOUNDBITE (Pashto) Wazir Gul Afghan Refugee:
"We have cash money. We have our businesses here. We do not deposit our money in the bank. Whatever money we earn we leave in the home and it was all gone in the floods.”

For the refugees of Azahkel, the floods may prove to be a double tragedy. If they have to move, it will mean a second or third displacement for them. And like the first time, they will have to start their lives over again.