Introduction
It is the world's biggest and fastest growing human displacement in over a decade.(1) The offensive launched by the Pakistan army against armed militants in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) at the end of April 2009 has resulted in a massive exodus requiring an enormous humanitarian response. Although exact numbers are difficult to verify, at least two million women, men, and children fled their homes in the districts of Swat, Dir and Buner, mostly during May. In late May, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) was registering 126,000 newly displaced people per day.(2)
This unprecedented internal flight comes after more than half a million people were displaced between August 2008 and March 2009 by clashes in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). 3 The total figure of internally displaced persons (IDPs) is likely to rise as military operations extend into other areas. Clashes in the tribal agency of South Waziristan in recent weeks have resulted in thousands of people fleeing to neighbouring districts such as Tank.
Hundreds of thousands have been trapped in embattled Swat and adjoining areas by clashes and curfews, suffering severe shortages of food, water, electricity, and medicines for weeks.4 Livelihoods have been severely damaged. Most IDP families rely on agriculture for their incomes and the conflict erupted just as the vital wheat harvest season was beginning.5 Civilian infrastructure has been severely damaged.
Addressing the relief and recovery needs of these IDPs is a massive challenge for the Pakistani government, the international community, and aid actors. Despite significant efforts by the Pakistani authorities and the humanitarian community, however, the response has been problematic. A lack of funding overall, and delays in disbursing funds to individual aid agencies, has undermined the relief response so far, contributing to gaps and delays in the adequate provision of assistance such as water and sanitation, shelter, and health care. Much more needs to be done, especially by the international community, to meet immediate needs and support a strong recovery that lays the foundations for sustainable peace and stability.
Recommendations
International community should:
- Respond more quickly and substantially with funds for the Pakistani government, the UN appeal, and aid agencies as appropriate to support timely and effective response, recovery and reconstruction activities. Faster disbursements of funds to implementing aid agencies are essential, including those working within the UN-led cluster system.
- Support democratic civilian political leadership to meet the needs of conflictaffected communities. Democratic, locally accountable civilian institutions should be strengthened appropriately to lead and deliver a robust relief, recovery and reconstruction strategy.
- Seize and maximise opportunities to build sustainable peace. Addressing the root causes of instability and conflict requires the recovery effort to spearhead wider social, economic and political development in restive regions. Such efforts should strengthen provincial and district governance, support civil society groups, and encourage effective civilian law enforcement.
The government of Pakistan should:
- Ensure that humanitarian assistance provided to IDPs is timely, appropriate, sufficient, and well targeted, through improved coordination and accountability
- Ensure safe unhindered humanitarian access to civilians in conflicted-affected areas and manage curfew restrictions in ways that allow stranded civilians to evacuate to safer areas.
- Develop a plan to monitor and assist IDPs and host communities as part of the overall response and recovery strategy, and incorporate such plans into contingency planning.
- Devise a robust long term strategy for recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction of conflict-affected areas, led by strengthened local civilian government actors with meaningful participation by affected communities and local civil society organisations.
- Ensure that right of freedom of movement, right of choice and guiding principles on internal displacement are respected and practised.
- Ensure that the distinct needs of vulnerable groups, including children and women, are respected and mainstreamed in relief, recovery and reconstruction plans in accordance with the UNSC resolution 1325.
