Protection officers: kerosene shortages property disputes rape lost children. Its all in a days work for a UNHCR protection officer in Pakistans North West Frontier Province.

For three relentless hours refugees from Afghanistans minority Hazara community bombarded the UNHCR official with complaints about medical services questions about repatriation and demands for everything from computer lessons to protection against police abuse. Masti Notz was elated. "This is great these refugees know their rights" the head of the agencys office in Peshawar replied when a staff member suggested that the refugees of Bassu camp were too demanding. "This is a model camp." The nearly 5500 residents in Bassu sited in a remote bulge of Pakistani territory surrounded on three sides by the sweeping mountains of Afghanistan built their mud houses last winter in three months by hand. They pooled their resources to buy a generator that powers the light bulbs needed to extend the hours in which they can weave the carpets that provide most of their income. The meeting with Notz was held on the shaded veranda of their new mosque. Listening to the refugees concerns Notzs instinctive reaction was to ensure UNHCR provided as much protection and support as possible. "I am convinced that the whole raison detre of UNHCR rests on protection of refugees -- both legal and physical" said the head of operations in Pakistans turbulent North West Frontier Province (NWFP). (excerpt)