A Mass Exodus

As the violence in Pakistan between the military and the Taliban intensified in northwest Pakistan, millions of people fled their homes, many with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. The United Nations identified the crisis as the largest civilian exodus the world has witnessed since the Rwandan genocide.

Since mid-July, almost 59,000 families have returned to their homes. Reports indicate that the situation in areas of return varies. CARE and other humanitarian partners are reponding to and assessing the immediate needs of returnees and those who remain behind.

Background Information

The Swat valley in northwest Pakistan has been the epicenter of a bitter fight between Taliban militants and government forces. Fighting in Swat and the bordering districts of Lower Dir, Buner and Mansehra prompted 560,000 people to flee their homes last year. In April 2009, the Pakistani army began a new campaign to flush out the Taliban, and ordered all civilians to leave the area.

Today

The United Nations now estimates that more than 2 million people escaped the fighting and hundreds of thousands of people have been stranded in Swat, Dir and Buner – largely due to the curfew and a lack of transportation. As the fighting continues, these people faced serious shortages of food, medicine and water.

People who have fled are faring slightly better. Health conditions among the internally displaced people and the families and communities that are hosting them are deteriorating. Acute diarrhea has been on the rise and, with each of the camps short on hygiene kits and soap, unsanitary conditions and the spread of disease are a major concern. To make matters worse, the moonsoon season will set in soon, raising concerns over the spread of waterborne diseases, flash floods, landslides and heavy rains.

While some people are starting to return to their homes in the Swat valley, the refugee camps continue to swell. Most people remain nervous about returning home due to reports of civlian deaths after re-entering the conflict zone. In addition, refugees – and the families previously hosting them – have had to turn to the camps for assistance. While some camps are closing there is a need to identify new camp sites to ease congestion in existing camps, and to shelter families this fall who will need to move out of the 4,000 schools where they live now. The government of Pakistan and aid agencies are working to facilitate their safe movement or return. With the coincidence of the start of school and the start of Ramadan in August, people will most likely be on the move as soon as the second week of August.

In another development, the government of Pakistan has established a number of new camps in anticipation of a new influx of approximately 50,000 people in case of an increase in violence in North Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwestern Pakistan.