Problems and issues in Relief camps of Pakistan

It was 5th of May, 2009 when Inter Services Publilc Relations (Pakistan Army Department) announced to the local inhabitants of Swat Valley to vacate the area within eight hours as a huge military operation was going to be started against militants in the Valley.

Initially more than a million people left the valley in dilapidated conditions particularly the children and women were badly affected. According to the UN report, it was the biggest internal displacement within a country in the last fifteen years in the whole world. Government authorities were not well equipped to cope with this condition despite arrangements of tents in Districts Mardan, Swabi and Nowshera for IDPs.

As a journalist I am working for a Pakistani TV channel in Swat Valley, therefore, I along with my family was among these IDPs. Initially I relocated to Islamabad to take a shelter but later on shifted to Peshawar, the provincial Capital of NWFP Pakistan.

As a journalist these days I am working for my channel in Peshawar and usually visit relief camps in Mardan. It really hurt me when I see the worst conditions of tents in the remote areas of Mardan. I some time call it a human disaster when I see the cute children and charming girls of the lush green Valley, Swat, roaming here and there in the dusty land, begging for help, standing in queue for getting food items and some times medicines when the hot weather hit them like a true enemy. Following are the main problems and difficulties which are common to these IDPs who are spending days and nights in these camps;

01- Most of the IDPs still struggling against the hot weather as they belong to the cold area. Therefore electric fans should be provided on emergency basis to the IDPs.

02- Many IDPs’ relatives are still missing(mostly children), as most of them left their homes in emergency. Their whereabouts are not known; therefore information counters should be arranged for getting information and giving information about the missing people.

03- After living their homes psychological trauma is a common disease in these IDPs therefore, not only they should be provided psychological treatment but also entertaining opportunities should be created for them.

04- Clean, pure and cold water should be provided on emergency basis.

05- Some cases of sexual harassment have also been reported in these camps therefore proper arrangement should be made to avoid such cases in future.

06- Some people try to adopt orphan children to fulfill their negative ambitions. Therefore, only government organizations should be authorized to help and serve the children and individuals should not be given permission to adopt the orphans.