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Rouge control. In the changing political situation, the possibility of voluntary repatriation was under investigation.
6. AFGHANISTAN
Jackie Wray (Afghan Aid) reported that with the onset of winter very few Afghan refugees were returning.
Hugh Hudson (UNHCR) as yet had no detailed information on various UNHCR missions into Afghanistan. A Seminar on Afghanistan held at the School of Oriental and African Studies on 16 December was addressed by Sadhruddin Ali Aga Khan, United Nations Co-ordinator for Afghanistan. The major problems remained deforestation and irrigation.
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land-mines,
Youssef Hajjar (BRC) reported on the appointment of Peter Marsden as Afghanistan Information Co-ordinator at the BRC, funded by British agencies. The aim of the Project was to share information among the agencies and to raise the humanitarian profile of Afghan refugees. Part of the work of the Co-ordinator would be to establish which voluntary agencies were working out of Kabul and the current situation vis-a-vis Afghan refugees in Iran.
7. SRI LANKA
Malcolm Rodgers (BRC) reported on the Presidential elections held on 19 December and the disturbing rise in political killings throughout the island.
Ken Ritchie (BRC) referred to a letter circulated with the Agenda sent to the Home Secretary on 6 December asking him to meet a delegation led by BRC's new director Alf Dubs, on behalf of the Sinhalese asylum-seeker Viraj Mendis.
Hugh Hudson (UNHCR) reported that the UNHCR Special Programme of Limited Assistance returning Sri Lankan Tamil refugees from south India to Sri Lanka would recommence in mid-January. Returns would be to Mannar, Jaffna and Trincomalee.
8.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Dates of 1989 meetings were announced. They are
14 MARCH
all at 11AM.
13 JUNE
12 SEPTEMBER
12 DECEMBER
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