Afghan camps hunting ground for human organs

Dawn, Nov.11,1998

By Ahmad Hassan

PESHAWAR, Nov 11: An American human rights organization has claimed that extraction of human organs, mainly kidneys from refugee children, is rampant in the Afghan refugee camps in Peshawar. Moreover, it says Afghan children of eight or nine years of age are subjected to sexual violence, are beaten up and forced into child labour. Girls of up to 10 years of age are bound in wedlock against heavy dowers, the organization's report says.

The report alleges that not only the local police but also officials of Afghan refugees commissionerate are involved in these coercive and criminal acts.

It is learnt that a three-member delegation of the Washington-based 'Women Alliance for Peace and Human Rights' paid a visit to the NWFP a few months back. The UNHCR provided guidance and hospitality to the delegation which visited various Afghan refugee camps in and around Peshawar and obtained information about the state of affairs obtaining there. They used other sources of informations as well.

The organization prepared a detailed report following this exercise in which horrific disclosures of sexual violence against and gross maltreatment of were made. Their report claims that the arrest and unlawful detention of Afghan children and elders is routine affair. The report has been sent to the provincial home department which has sought explanation from the concerned agencies, the sources said

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