DawnNews’ Wired and Active show brings you this question of the week.
Is the relief effort for internally displaced persons (IDPs) by the Pakistani state and international donors enough?
In recent weeks, the Pakistani government has launched special financial packages for the IDPs and earmarked Rs 50 billion for their rehabilitation. Meanwhile, international donor agencies are stepping up relief efforts and launching innovative programmes to ensure long-term support by those affected by the military operation against militants in the Malakand Division and Fata.
Still, there are calls for a better, more cogent strategy to tackle the humanitarian crisis the IDPs are currently facing. In your opinion, are ongoing relief efforts adequate? What more can be done?
The best responses will be highlighted on this week’s episode of ‘Wired and Active’ on DawnNews.
Government is trying to get everything out of pocket of salaried people.
What extra tax has been applied on industrialists for this purpose?
Are feudal lords are being charged anything for IDPs. Government is targeting only salaried individuals. Have the Zardaris, Jatois, Chaudhrys etc. been taxed on billions of rupees they are earning from agriculture at all?
What tax did Zardari, Nawaz Sharif or Shaukat Tareen have filed this year or last year, we salaried people, want to know
i wonder how and why the educated and sensible Pakistanis get intoxicated with Anti Islam and Anti pakistan media prapoganda primarily directed to damage somehow our national interests.It is most humbly reuqested to percive the things in their true context and only then words may be given to ideas.
As far as IDPs are concern, 100% responsibility lies on US.
Pakistan Govt should had convinced USA to compensate collateral damage being done to Army and civilian to kick off operation. Please put yourself in place of someone residingin SWAT who might have lost whole family, kins and assets and then comment. It is very easy to sit far and fight a war of words but remember “its the bearer knows where shoe pinches are” Think and act like a true muslime and patriotic Pakistani not a western impressed people who ahve lost their identity and now they are like light pieces of dry staws flying in air.
Thanks
we are sorry for yor current situation it is because of lack of planning by our leaders who dont even bother to pay you a visit we are sorry we can do nothing but pray
A shelter can not be called home, so whatever we do, will never be enough for the people of Swat.
Though one question comes to my mind, that is transparency … ? Whatever we pay to government, will it be utilized to help people of Swat of it will go into the pockets of bureaucrats???
Government imposed 5% IDP tax on the salaried persons, I don’t see parliamentarian giving up their salaries to the IDPs.
It seems to be another scam by high ups to get money from the masses.
My appeal to you all, if you really wish to donate, Try to do something yourself. At least there will be a chance that your effort might help some IDP. I doubt that govt. fund would do any good. Just like in past in the case of EarthQuake or Qarz-Utaro scheme. Richer got richer and the aid vanished in smoke. There is no accoubtability …. so Please donate generously but in a way that benefit actually reaches to our brothers and sisters of Sawat.
The unending cycle of voilence generated by Soviet invasion augmented by 9/11 does not seem to end. Pashtuns have suffered for three decade. Killed by Soviets, than US, NATO and now by their own kith and kin! Thanks to foriegn money for replacing Schools with Madrissas. Thanks to people for the 9/11 events culminating in the death and destruction of Pashtuns.
The internationl donor agencies should start monitoring this aid & see that it is utilized appropriately as the Pakistani State will surely fail to achieve desired results. I am not being unpatriotic, but past experiences have proved that both the civil administration & the Army have always failed to get a simple job accomplished, leave alone a crisis of this order.
There seems to be mushroom growth of various individual organizations functioning to collect donations and food supplies, clothing etc. from the homes and from people in every walk of life. Who authorized these individuals or organizations to expploit resources. Who will assure that these collected donations will go to IDPs, it never happened during terrific earthquake.
Let public be advised to select those institutions which are registered somewhere to transport what they are donating.
People will again be robbed in the name of IDPs and no one will ever know where the supplies were transported. Is government aware of these organizations, are there any accountability standards established. Is there anyorganization who would take responsibility to collect and transport. I leave it to the readers to give additional thoughts in this regard.
How can one even say that enough is being for the IDP’s.
Even enough is not enough for the people who have been displaced for no fault of their own. These are very proud people who have had to run from their homes, have their women be seen in public and made to look like strangers in their own country. When a citizen cannot even travel with his own borders, how much does it say for the government of the day? Noone can stop the movement of a citizen of any country, with its boundaries as it would be against the very essence of our Constitution.
As for the international community. No argument over what organizations such the U.N and other NGO’s have performed and have been performing for the past many decades. But we have to look at it from their perspective. They have logistical problems on top of the security aspects on the ground.
Yes more can be done but only if we start looking inwards and address the root causes of all our problem
The innocent/miserable children of the IDPs are giving tears to others because of their plight.
These helpless and vulnerable kids make almost everyone ‘CRY’ a lot.
All neighbouring countries should come on board to enhance the relief effort for re-settling the IDPs and their kids.
All resources must be engaged appropriately sooner than later.
Only, a strategical handling can provide a qualitative relief to the affected.
All people of Pakistan, who are capable to support these needy people, they must support with all their surplus resources they have. Otherwise they will be questioned by AlMighty Allah at the day of judgement.
Both the pakistani state & the donor agencies are jointly responsible for this situtation. How could they now turn a 180 degrees to provide relief.
Over 70% of the schools had been blown up in the last four years in SWAT. The whole tourism industry there has been brought to a halt. State institutions have been blown up & terror was unleashed on the general public for the last four years. No one could dare go to the cops for fear of life. Presently over 3 million people are homeless and already short of food. Now ask yourself if that is enough. It is amazing that over a 160 million people cannot accomodate & comfort 3 million people with food, love & shelter.
Let me tell you, that those nations who hoard or act miserly to sacrifice their material possessions to the needy harm nobody but themselves and would be replaced by another nation.
The magnitude of IDPs is one of the greatest tragedies in one of the poorest nation. No services, goods, food water, medical supplies, money will address all the problems faced by IDPs and their basic needs but this will make their situation what at ease. The reputation of Pakistan is such that donors do not trust the government, politicians and distributors of the aid and hence hesitant in donating knowing if their contributions may end up making government officials, politicians or military managers rich on the tragedy of IDPs. No matter how little may reach in the hands of needy IDPs, it still will help them.
WE need conscientious managers for successfully dealing with the scenario.
The people officially engaged in the relief work for the IDPs are doing their best but, of course, the black sheeps are always there.
The crisis after crisis has somewhat crippled the official channels, yet, we should still have a ‘ray of hope’ because of many good natured workers are involved with full dedication in such times.
In order to effectively tackle humanitarian crisis, any assistance offered at the international level is welcome—————————————–
It might be in ‘Cash or kind’, as this would provide a temporary relief to the needy.
But, the IDPs need much more than that, because, otherwise, their sufferings can not be overcome.
A quick action is required as far as international-aid is concerned.
Unfortunately in Pakistan the state’s role in aid and financial matters is believed to be notorious. There is indeed a significant amount of money pooling in from international sources. But the questions are more about what and how?.
What does the Government plan to do with this aid ,do they have a plan in mind that would use the aids more tactfully, rather than exhausting it ? Also How does the State plan to implement these plans and the measures taken to ensure that help is in fact available for all or ‘most’.
Various organizations are doing a tremendous job. But unfortunately their aim is to reach out to as much as possible rather than tactfully handling a certain area.
We lack trained staff and strategy when it comes to Crisis Management. In the past during the Kashmir Earthquake an overwhelming amount of ‘help’ pooled in. Despite that we have still not been able to provide relief to the victims of the Kashmir quake.
Now that we have a Crisis at hand which is hovered with uncertainties, we must lay down ‘strategic relief’ .Dividing areas , responsibilities,relief and work towards the ‘rehabilitation’ of these people.
If NGO’s or state could allocate and identify various areas with proper stats, a much more strategic relief can be provided.
There is indeed a dire need to build a platform where organization can co-ordinate and address the situation at hand unanimously.
At the moment everyone in Pakistan is busy in making money by using the name of internally displaced persons (IDPs) of tribal areas and Malakand division, but the real IDPs have still been living in miserable condition. The United Nations and other donor agencies have showed enthusiaism in the initial stage of relief operation for IDPs, but the bombing in PC Hotel of Peshawar has affected the relief operation badly as all the officials, who were staying in the hotel have left Peshawar in haste.
Now there is urgent need of funds as the number of IDPs has been swelling with each passing day. The government of NWFP has established Emergency Response Unit (ERU) with the sole aim of monitoring and controlling the relief operation, but it still needs more funds and other resources to make the relief operation effective. It will be of great help if the donor agencies provide direct funding to ERU as this is the only body supervising the relief operation. There must be one body, which would be made responsible for the provision of relief to IDPs living in and outside the camps. Now it will be a great test for both the federal and provincial governments as how they deal this issue. Actually the existence of Pakistan links with the handling of IDPs issue. Now the whole world is watching Pakistan so this is the responsibility of everyone to make the operation more effective and transparent.
Vienna,17-06-2009
1.Make separate tents for expectant mothers and mothers with infant babies
2.Arrange for their health care
3.For children aged five to 12 schools in tents
4.Sanitation for all
5.Co-ordination with voluntary NGOs and official logistics like supply routes
6.Over all approach to bring back a sense of belongingness and security among the displaced if not cheers.
7.Apart from voluntary organizations, high school and university students should be encouraged to offer help.
8.Finally the media mobilization and individual opinion building programme in favour of accommodating displaced persons.The public opinion of welcome should help the healing process.
9.Again with no hesitation,Pakistani establishment should seek support from the people in the neighbouring countries,India, Bangla Desh,Sri Lanka,Iran and Nepal. Especially Iranian women volunteers can play a great role.