Intense fighting between militant groups and Pakistani forces in and around the Swat Valley of Pakistan’s North West Frontier province is forcing more than 1.3 million people to flee their homes and villages to find safety in already overcrowded camps.

May 2009

By Syed Haider Ali, World Vision Pakistan, and Rachael Boyer, World Vision U.S.

“My ears have never heard such a banging noise, and with every air strike, the fear overcame all of my senses and all I did was to run in different directions where my feet could lead,” says Manzar Khan, a 9-year-old boy whose family has taken refuge in Chota Lahore, one of five camps in the area for those displaced by the violence in Pakistan’s Swat Valley.

It was once a beautiful valley with lush green mountains. Now, the region is a deadly war zone. Reported indiscriminate shelling by forces and use of citizens as human shields by militant groups has directly threatened innocent lives. Authorities estimate that 85 percent of the province’s population is now displaced by the violence.

Because the fighting escalated so quickly, families had to leave behind livestock and crops ready for harvest, which may have been destroyed in the fighting. This could nearly eliminate many families’ livelihoods for the next year. Some families also had to make the heart-wrenching decision to leave elderly parents behind in the conflict area because they were not strong enough to make the difficult trip to the camps.

Strained resources

Now, more than 1.3 million people are straining the already limited resources in the region. The camps may not be able to keep providing basic services to the families, as more and more people are fleeing their homes.

Conditions in the camps are already intolerable, according to World Vision relief staff who recently conducted an assessment. Temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, overcrowding, inadequate toilets, lack of electricity, isolation, and inability to find work or purchase basic supplies are exacerbating the misery of those who have already suffered so much.

Providing enough clean drinking water and adequate sanitation for so many is the greatest challenge. The pit latrines are filling up quickly and will become overwhelming in the summer heat. (Listen to a World Vision Report radio segment detailing the dire conditions at the refugee camps.)

Psychosocial support is also desperately needed as families cope with the loss of loved ones, loss of their homes, possessions, and their livelihoods. Reportedly, cases of stress-induced domestic violence are also increasing.

Voices from the camps

“We boarded a van that charged us 300 times more than what we used to pay in order to reach the camps,” said Omer Hayat, one of the thousands of displaced people in his camp.

“We have abandoned our cattle, goats, belongings, and crops, and in our case, our dear father as well. My two nephews were killed in last night’s shelling — they were just 13 years old. One of our relatives told us that their corpses are still lying in the open ground as heavy shelling has prevented us from burying them. I wish even my enemy won’t face this grim reality as we are mourning with our every breath.”

Graham Strong, World Vision’s director in Pakistan who led the rapid assessment team to Buner district, said that many displaced families like Omer’s have reached a point of desperation.

“One father told me, ‘If we don’t get back to our homes by the end of May, we’ll lose our agriculture — and our livelihood — for the year,’” he said. “These families have lost their only source of income, along with livestock and homes destroyed by shelling. They don’t know how they’ll feed their children when they return."

Funding desperately needed for relief supplies

“Another key concern for displaced families is how long they’ll be welcome in host communities,” explained Graham. “These villages were destitute before the arrival of the refugees. Now, basic services like health, education, and water and sanitation that were stretched before are reaching their breaking point.

“The Pakistani people are responding very generously to the needs of their neighbors who have fled the conflict. But with such a strain on scarce resources, there is potential for conflict over time. So it’s critical for relief groups to meet the needs of not only the displaced, but also the communities hosting them," said Graham.

World Vision staff members are ready to help and distribute relief supplies, but currently, there just aren’t enough supplies to go around. “Thousands and thousands urgently need help, but we’re out of reserves and must rely entirely on the generosity of our supporters in order to expand our response during these tight economic times,” said Randy Strash, disaster fundraising specialist for World Vision in the United States.

Field staff members have seen cases of respiratory infections, scabies, and diarrhea in the displaced children and adults in the camps. Malaria is also a concern.

“Immediate funds raised in the United States could supply family survival kits with things like bedding, hygiene kits, pots and pans for cooking and mosquito nets,” Strash said.