World Anti-DrugTransnational Internet contest - "Maya"

The camp of Afghan refugees  – loamy kishlak, it differs from other  which I have seen along the way by labyrinth of more narrow curve streets. Two thousand of Afghan families live there.

Five-six persons sit under the tents and manually wave carpets. Many people sell vegetables and different things, and young and brave persons permanently go to Afghanistan, border districts with Pakistan and return with hashish, opium and heroin. Mostly the destination point of drugs carriers is province Badakhshan. The most number of refuges were born this district, they have  a lot of relatives and friends there, who are ready to prepare “goods” for them. The carriers are seized, but punishments do not stop anybody.

The market place is these camps, where people, who lost relatives, seen horrors, which can not been forgotten 20 years late, live. They feel themselves better in the somnolence and general lethargy, when their thoughts are beclouded and memory is weakened. The ex- shopkeepers, clerks, military persons, craftsmen, teachers and builders can not adapt for new environment and that it why they try to obtain desirable feelings, which it is not so difficult to survive. 

There are many women among refugees, including young mothers. When it is necessary to work or keep household and a baby is crying, his/her lips are covered by water solution of opium and he/she goes to sleep. Under the tent near the working carpet-makers, I saw children sleeping on the floor from the age of one to three. They can sleep during the whole day.

Opium is the sedation remedy. Children drink the opium solution instead tee. Mother after small amount of opium, feel themselves more cheerfully and hard-working. All carpet-makers start their working days from opium. Each third person in camp uses opium …

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