This Humanitarian Update covers the period from 12 November to 25 November 2009. The next Update will be issued on or around 11 December.
HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES
- The humanitarian community continues to face difficulties to have regular and sustained access to conflict- affected and hosting areas.
- About 2,000 IDP families will need to be relocated as the Provincial Authorities decided to close the camp in Kacha Garhi.
- Due to military operations in Orakzai Agency, around 500 families are reported to have fled to the neighbouring district of Hangu.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
South Waziristan: Even though the influx of civilians fleeing the military operations in South Waziristan has slowed down over the past few weeks, between 20 and 22 November 1,622 families (approx. 11,800 individuals) were newly registered in the two hosting districts of D.I. Khan and Tank. This brings the total number of registered families in the two districts to almost 58,700 (approx. 428,000 individuals). The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) finalised its verification process, and to date 36,787 families (approx. 260,000 individuals) have been verified as internally displaced persons (IDPs). The displaced civilians from South Waziristan are still staying in rented accommodation or with host families, however, the need for extra shelter is growing. Therefore, apart from receiving food and non-food items (NFIs), more than 14,000 IDP families have received tents to ease the strain on the hosting families.
Other displacements in FATA: As a result of other military operations in the Federal Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), there are also displacements from Bajaur, Khyber and Orakzai Agencies. IDPs from Bajaur are staying in camps or with hosting families in Lower Dir and Nowshera Districts, while Khyber IDPs are accommodated in Nowshera District. Displaced persons from Orakzai are mostly living with host families in the neighbouring district of Hangu. According to local authorities, some 500 IDP families have arrived in Hangu and need to be registered and assisted.
Re-screening: The desk review exercise for the re-screening of the displaced population from Malakand Division has been completed. The data is currently reviewed in the seven humanitarian hubs in Lower and Upper Dir, Mardan, Nowshera and Swabi Districts. The Social Welfare Department, with support from UNHCR, has started conducting surveys at the humanitarian hubs to collect more information from IDPs about their plans, including whether they are intending to return to their areas of origin, or not.
Security: The volatile security situation across areas of operation continues to impede some of the humanitarian activities. To provide the assistance and services needed, the humanitarian community needs continuous and sustained access to all affected areas (conflict-affected as well as hosting areas).
HUMANITARIAN NEEDS AND GAPS
Needs
- IDPs in camps need to be able to get their food rations from a distribution point on site without having to travel outside the camp.
- Winterisation of the camps needs to be completed quickly.
- IDPs from Bajaur and Khyber Agencies continue to arrive at Jalozai Camp. While the camp is trying to cope with these new arrivals, authorities have announced the closure of Kacha Garhi Camp. This means that another 2,000 IDP families are due to be moved to Jalozai Camp within the coming weeks. All humanitarian services in the camp need to be extended to these newly arriving IDPs.
- To properly plan for shelter assistance in Swat, a house damage assessment needs to be done in the district.
- The registration criteria for IDPs still needs to be discussed and reviewed with the relevant authorities on district and provincial level, to ensure the inclusion of all genuine IDPs in line with the internationally recognised Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.
Gaps
- Humanitarian partners, in particular international NGOs, are complaining that they still face major difficulties with regular and sustained access to vulnerable populations displaced from South Waziristan.
- Displaced families from certain areas of Bajaur Agency are still waiting for government authorisation for registering as they are not from the government-notified areas.
- The Food Cluster is facing a shortfall of approximately US $31.7 million, or 11 percent of their total requirements in the 2009 Pakistan Humanitarian Response Plan (PHRP). The Cluster is able to meet all needs until the end of 2009, but if the funds remain unmet, rations will have to be cut or prioritised at the beginning of 2010.
- To make sure that humanitarian services are not duplicated, all humanitarian organisations need to better coordinate their activities through the Clusters.
