V/O

[00:03]

They’re fleeing fighting – only to face famine.

The cruel combination of drought and civil war is plunging Afghanistan into even greater depths of despair… and the world doesn’t seem to notice, let alone care.

V/O

[00:19]

In central Afghanistan’s remote mountain district of Behsud, the local Taliban boss has a crisis on his hands.

He needs the world’s help, and he’s not going to let the Taliban’s rigid ban on photography get in his way.

BAZIL,

Taliban District Governor

[00:33]

“Tell him to film this area because it’s beautiful.

But the ground is all barren and the situation is very bad.”

BAZIL,

Taliban District Governor

[00:52]

“Last year was worse than the year before but this year is worse than last year.”

V/O

[00:58]

He’s brought me to the tiny village of Day-now – deserted but for those too old, weak or broke to leave.

EWAZ ALI,

Village Elder

[01:05]

“I’m 70 and I’ve never seen anything like it! Nobody’s ever left because of drought.”

WOMAN

[01:16]

“There’s so little water and in early spring it’s filled with worms. It’s the third year our land has been dry and nothing but thorns.”

V/O

[01:33]

Help’ s barely trickling into these remote villages.

Many have been cut off though the winter, there’s no power or phones – and the roads barely exist.

V/O

[01:46]

Government, for want of a better word, consists of an endless stream of talk and tea.

The Taliban message: Its job is fighting, not feeding.

BAZIL,

Taliban District Governor

[01:57]

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and its offices can only ensure security of the area.

But financially we’ve got no money to solve the main common problems of the people.”

V/O

[02:18]

But there can be no end to their problems without and end to the civil war… and there’s no sign of that.

This place offers little relief for people who’ve seen unspeakable things.

WOMAN with child

[02:34]

“They beat all the men. The fighting was heavy. We women and children were forced to flee.”

(Did many people die?)

“Yes many people died. Those who managed to leave somehow survived. The others were killed.”

V/O

[03:05]

These ethnic Hazaras are part of the Shia Muslim minority… and claim to be targeted by the fundamentalist Sunni Taliban – most of them ethnic Pashtoons.

This clandestine footage shows mass graves being exhumed in a nearby area.

It was released by the American-based human rights watch, which reports 170 civilians were massacred by Taliban forces in January.

It seems some civilians were skinned.

V/O

[03:33]

Terrified, people need little persuasion to leave.

9 months pregnant, this woman walked throught snow for two days.

Her child did not survive.

Others have their lives but not their health…

V/O

[03:52]

Those who can come here.

On the outskirts of Pakistan’s border city fo Pesharwar, “Jalozai” is a plastic sea of eighty thousand people, sprung up at the start of the year.

V/O

[04:05]

There are next to no facilities, and Nazar Mohammad is taking next to no facilities to keep his children clean.

Jalozai has already claimed the life of their three-year old daughter – due to dehydration and a chest infection.

NAZAR MOHAMMAD

[04:20]

“My father said, ‘Don’t leave us in Afghanistan. Stay with us in spite of the hunger, war and everything.”

I told them I want to save my children. I ignored my father’s orders and now I’ve lost my daughter.”

RIAZ MOHAMMAD KHAN,

Pakistan foreign ministry

[04:37]

“We already have more than 2 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan. And the assistance that we are receiving for that, to be accurate, is $1 per refugee per year. So basically they’re a burden on us.”

V/O

[04:55]

Pakistan’s so fed up it’s locked its border gates.

And the UN says it’s being stopped from helping these people – because it can’t take down people’s names.

No registration… means no relief.

RIAZ MOHAMMAD KHAN,

Pakistan foreign ministry

[05:08]

“We are not going to allow registration because that is only a recipe for a further influx of Afghans into Pakistan who are basically economically displaced.”

YUSUF HASSAN,

UNCHR

[05:19]

“They are refugees. They are not economic migrants. They need protection from the international community and that’s why they’re coming to Pakistan, and that’s why we’re concerned about them.

V/O

[05:34]

As long as the war of words rages, at Jalozai nothing changes.

Afghans are the world’s most hungry, war weary people.

And with dwindling international interest in their plight, they can only wonder if it’s better to suffer outside Afghanistan… or amid the dust and devastation at home.