Pakistan's Returnees Need Urgent Help

The recent anti-Taliban offensives in Swat and Bajaur Agency have left approximately 2,000 militants and 170 security personnel dead, according to the army. They have also forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to leave their homes. Although most have returned to Swat, which the army says is safe, many of the refugees have chosen to stay with their relatives. Others remain in refugee camps.

Those who have gone home have not been able to pick up their lives as they left them at all. Billi Bierling from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Islamabad said that “many of the returnees found their houses damaged or destroyed, in particular in Bajaur Agency in the tribal areas. The micro-infrastructure -- internal roads, bridges and water channels -- was also damaged during the conflict. Many farmers lost a lot of their crops and livestock in Swat, Buner, Lower Dir and Bajaur.

“The National Agricultural Centre and the humanitarian community are distributing seeds, tools, lentils to farmers in the affected districts to help them get back on their feet again. Help is also needed in the areas of return to support the resumption of government administration. Governance, non-agricultural livelihoods, basic community infrastructure and the environment are specific sectors that need assistance.”

Children in urgent need of good education

Education is also an area that has suffered. Hundreds of primary and secondary schools were destroyed or partly damaged in the region.

As part of its “Welcome to School” initiative UNICEF is trying to provide temporary learning spaces and educational supplies so that some 500,000 children, who have gone back home, can continue their education.

It has prioritised the repair and rebuilding of over 3,000 schools in the region. Some schools have been converted into centres for displaced people so UNICEF is trying to provide alternative spaces.

It is also supporting education initiatives within the camps for internally-displaced people. Jasmine Pittenger from UNICEF Pakistan said that 8,000 children were getting support in the camps and school tents had been set up. 15 host community schools had received extra funding.

But she added that more funding was needed “to provide quality education for children, especially for girls, amongst the ‘returnee’ population affected by the conflict, as well as for children who are still displaced and living in camps or host families.” She said that almost 14 million euros were still required.

Malnutrition is a major concern

Some families have refused to go back to their homes if the government does not provide more funds, food and help. They are also scared, as Billy Bierling explains: “The security in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), especially in Swat District, is still very unstable. Even though the numbers of returnees look very positive, the returnees are still faced with problems, concerning security, damage of houses, crops, livestock and schools. There is certainly a huge need for humanitarian aid in the areas of return.”

Another major concern is malnutrition and more funding is needed. Jasmine Pittenger explained that “two malnutrition stabilisation centres have opened in District Headquarter hospitals in Mardan and Swabi Districts and two more are to be established in Swat and Buner Districts, as well as one in D.I. Khan District by the end of September. The UN's overall health response, which includes nutrition as an important component, is only 38 percent funded to date.”

Experts say that while a lot is being done for Pakistan's displaced persons, an urgent increase in funding is necessary to improve health, security and education in the affected areas.

Author: Nikki Rattan
Editor: Thomas Bärthlein