Voices from a refugee camp in Pakistan by M. Ashfaq Yusufzai
SHEIKH SHEHZAD CAMP, MARDAN, Pakistan (May 17, 2009) - The gloomy atmosphere greets you the moment you arrive in the town of Sheikh Shehzad. The community is now "home" to 8,079 internally displaced persons who have been uprooted by fighting between the Taliban and Pakistan's military in the northwestern districts of the country. The camps here are frequented by donor agencies, government officials and volunteers, but the suffering of the displaced families linger.
Ajmeer, 49, of Swat Valley (2009 CARE)
"We are here for the past three days. No electricity, no clean drinking water and substandard food have made life worst for us," says Ajmeer, who left the Swat Valley on May 11. Ajmeer, 49, a laborer at Rahimabad Primary School in Mingora, proclaims that his life there, while harsh, was better than life in the camp.
The Pakistani army launched operations in Dir Lower (April 26), Buner (April 27) and Swat (May 7) of the North West Frontier Province to flush out the Taliban forces in those districts. To escape the operation, nearly 1.5 million people have left these violence-wracked districts and taken refuge either with friends and relatives or in one of the 16 new camps setup by the government and the United Nations. People living in camps are face contaminated water,substandard food, lack of health care, little to no electricity and other hardships. It's also likely that they may suffer even more in the wake of impending hot season.
Ajmeer, his wife and three children live in a camp setup by the government. During my stay there, I saw people running after vehicles that were driven to the camps loaded with relief goods. "If you are young and shameless, you can get more relief items from the charity groups. Otherwise, you have to content with the food only," a grief-stricken Ajmeer says. The stories of those in the camp are similiar to that of Ajmeer.
Daulat Khan, 51, of Buner (2009 CARE)
Daulat Khan, 51, is a case in point. He fled Buner district on May 5, and traveled on foot for six hours to reach to Rustam village. There, he was able travel by vehicle to register at the Sheikh Shehzad camp. "We were all working people. Our heads drown in shame when we extend our hands to collect alms. There's no other way to feed my three children," Daulat, a vegetable-seller, says.
Mohammad Aslam, 20, a student at Swari Degree College in Buner says they were passing sleeping nights in the camp due to the mosquitoes. "We had a prosperous life, but the Taliban snatched our peace of mind. I'm sure the scales of justice will tip in our favor," he says optimistically. The day is not far off when we will be returning to our native villages." Though he spoke candidly, Mohammadasked not to be photographed for fear of reprisal by Taliban.
The refugees all have one question on their mind: when will they be in a position to go back to their homes? Today, there is no answer. The fear of many of the refugees is that, as time passes, the international community will lose interest in their plight and they will remain at the razor's edge.
CARE's Response
On Sunday, May 17, 2009, together with partner organizations, CARE distributed essential items to 500 families (3500 persons). The items included 1,000 plastic floor mats, 1,000 mosquito nets, 1,500 female and 1,500 male shawls, 500 hygiene kits and 500 kitchen sets.
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