Afghans form 20 % of migrants who drowned off in Turkish waters

Afghanistan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation says that twenty percent of the 4,000 people who sink off in Turkish waters are Afghans.

The ministry declares that returning the Afghan refugees should be voluntary not mandatory.

“Afghanistan and Germany agreed that the migrants should be returned to their country voluntary not mandatory,” said Islamuddin Jorat, spokesman of Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation.

Hundreds of Afghan people have drowned this year in the Aegean Sea, including dozens of children, as hundreds of thousands of refugees are risking the dangerous journey to Europe fleeing conflict and worsening humanitarian conditions.

Afghans constitute a large portion of the exodus into Europe in 2015. According to the UN Mission in Afghanistan, insecurity, economic problems and fears of forced recruitment by armed groups are the main causes for the Afghan refugees leaving the country.

There have been calls for curbing the migration crisis and discourage Afghans from leaving the country for European countries.

The Afghan government has urged youths to not to leave the country and avoid taking the precarious road for Europe.

Based on the nationality of the refugees and migrants leaving their countries for Europe, Afghans have become the second largest group after Syrians coming to European countries.

Before November, a large portion of the refugees from Afghanistan landed in Germany and other wealthier European nations.

German officials called on Afghans not to leave their country, saying the country would help the government of Afghanistan to provide security and employment for Afghans.

Since then, the government of Afghanistan has stepped up diplomatic efforts to work more closely with the destination countries for migrants to resolve the migration crisis.

The government’s policy towards migration of Afghans still suffers major flaws. The overall policy of the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation has been to protect rights of the Afghan refugees and negotiate with the countries hosting Afghan refugees to help them settle or return voluntarily.

The government has enough on its hand to do with no need to encourage deportation of the Afghan refugees. In absence of security and employment for the people, the returned refugees will be a burden on the government’s shoulder.

The only long-term and viable solution to the crisis is improvement of security and the country’s economy and job market.