[5]
It was agreed that Chairman should send a further, more sharply worded, letter to the Papua New Guinea High Commissioner, saying the committee was concerned that it had not received a reply and to ask again for assurances that repatriation would be voluntary.
6. British Voluntary Agency Aid to Afghan Refugees
The Chairman welcomed Elizabeth Winter of Afghan Aid, and gave apologies for Romey Fullerton.
Elizabeth Winter reported that Afghan Aid had been formed after The establishment of the Afghan Support Committee, as a separate regis- tered charity of which Romey Fullerton was the only full-time salaried member. Their activities had included a report on food aid by Frances de Souza. There was concern at the possibility of a famine in Afghanistan, though at present the shortages were only in isolated areas. The problem was being pursued by other European agencies. They had been looking at ways to improve ambulance services to hospitals near the Afghanistan border for the wounded. They were looking at ways of employing a full-time artificial limb maker in a hospital in Peshwar, for which they were hoping for funding from the ODA. They were also involved in helping the 400- 500 Afghan refugees resident in the UK.
Health Unlimited, an association of British doctors and nurses, were aiming to establish preventative clinics within Afghanistan, and were doing some curative work as well.
SCF were involved in health care and hygiene work at Badabeer camp for Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Oxfam had been trying to become involved in Afghanistan as well as with refugees in Pakistan. The British Red Cross had been involved with the International Red Cross in providing money to help those wounded from bombings.
Elizabeth Winter informed the committee of the Afghan Refugee Information Network, which aimed to meet four to five times a year to be a forum for the exchange of information on Afghanistan. also published a quarterly newsletter and aimed to raise limited sums of money for health relief.
They
Joyce Pearce (Ockenden Venture) reported on an Ockenden Venture quilt-making project for Afghan refugees in the largely neglected camp at Peshwar. The building had been successfully run by two Tibetan refugees of whom much praise had been heard. The two Tibetans were now aiming to establish a similar project elsewhere and were hoping for UNHCR funding. Ockenden Venture were advertising for an administrator to replace them at the existing project.
7. Tamil Asylum Seekers in Europe
Philip Rudge reported on the findings of a Seminar held by the European Consultation on Refugees and Exiles on 10th and 11th November at the BRC Hostel, Langtry Walk. Representatives from various International Agencies were present at the Seminar. A summary of his report is attached.