Kyrgyzstan: Government pledges not to deport UN-assisted asylum-seekers

Despite rumours of forced repatriation, the government of Kyrgyzstan has reassured the United Nations refugee agency that it would meet its international obligations to shelter refugees who fled the violence in neighbouring Uzbekistan.

Announcing the renewed commitment, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees also thanked the Kyrgyz Government for its efforts to find a new location for the camp housing the asylum-seekers, which is considered to be too close to the border.

There are presently 482 individuals registered by UNHCR in the Barash camp in Kyrgyzstan.

Hundreds of people fled across the border last month after bloody confrontations between protesters and security forces in the Uzbek city of Andijan. After initially issuing 10-day “asylum certificates,” the government of Kyrgyzstan has since given asylum-seekers permission to remain for a month.

With its assurances to UNHCR, the government reiterated its commitment to observe the ban on refoulement – the forcible return of asylum-seekers – that is an essential part of the 1951 Convention on refugees.