Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
AT-KABUL: Large number of displaced families (IDP), who escaped war by taking refuge in the capital city of Afghanistan, are battling the harsh winter for survival.
For the last 15 days, temperature has dropped below zero in Kabul and its surrounding areas where scores of Afghan displaced families said that harsh winter added to their suffering and forced them to go out on streets for begging.
A displaced female wishing not to be named said she had no firewood, no fuel and no coal to keep herself and her family warm during winter. While begging on a street in Shahr-e-Now area, she said that she has to keep her three children warm during the blood freezing winter.
Replying to a query she said that what other option she has but to beg and collect money to purchase fuel.
Due to financial constraints the IDP’s cannot afford their essential needs such as firewood and gas to gradually pass winter season.
Mirwais Khan, another displaced person, said that he was collecting plastic and other materials to keep his tent warm.
“I do my best to warm my children by taking every available resource” he said.
Cold is threatening lives of our children. They have already been infected with different types of disease, he added.
“It’s my responsibility to take them to hospital for medical treatment but we are out of money and cannot afford to buy medicines or pay doctor’s fee—really hurts me,” Mirwais lamented.
Another displaced person at condition of anonymity blamed the government for neglecting the IDPs’ and said that a number of children have lost their lives last year due to extreme cold weather.
He further said that so far there are no causalities but if the government turned blind eye and didn’t distribute winter packages, soon scores of children, women, and elderly people would find it hard to keep the soul and body together.
However, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations (MoRR) claimed that there are special programs to support the IDP’s.
Firewood, food and warm clothing have been distributed among IDPs, the ministry claimed.
