With monsoon fast approaching, the future’s uncertain for the displaced people of Pakistan, reports Shumon Alam.
“We tried to stay but the fighting was going on day and night. We left our village and got on a truck. It was full of people.” Barkat Mada (25) was talking about his escape from his village in Swat valley. He and 12 others from his family have settled in an unofficial camp by the main road that leads to Mardan. Nearly 400 families are there, living by an irrigation canal and railroad tracks. Barkat explained, “We tried to go to our relatives house, but it was already full. Some of my family stayed there, some came here.”
![Barkat and his family [Photo credit: Shumon Alam]](http://www.oxfam.org.uk/generationwhy/cgi/process_comp/photos/2009/06/barkat_jandi_camp.jpg)
Barkat has been in this camp more than two weeks. Describing the situation in the camp he said, “We had nothing when we left our village. People from this area have given us food. They have given us tents to sleep in. I don’t know what I would have done without their help.” When asked why had not gone to an official camp, he said, “Those camps are in open fields, far from any village. Here we have trees to give us shade from the sun. We can bathe in the water from the canal.”
Barkat goes out every morning to look for work, without much luck so far. He is fearful that help from the community will run out soon. “I don’t know how long we have to be here. These people are poor like us. They can not help us forever.” He is also worried about the coming monsoon. He doesn’t know how they will live in just a small tent during the rains. “I wish I had money to rent a house. We are farmers. We never had too much cash. I don’t know what I will do in few weeks.”
He wants to take his family to his home as soon the fighting stops. “Our crops have been destroyed. I don’t know how I will feed my family for the rest of the year. I don’t even know if I will have a house.” He paused for second, “I don’t like not knowing what will happen tomorrow…I wait for good news to come everyday.”
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I am raheel from global Xchange working volunteerily in Glasgow. i am from Pakistan. we (GX group) are going to join Oxfam Fund raise and awareness stall on 21st June. I want to know the details of the event…and what more we can do and how can we contribute…we are 14… 7Pakistani and 5 UK volunteers! so can you please tell me the time and all the info regarding progaramme.thanks!
June 11th, 2009 at 1:56 amThanks for volunteering. As you already know all the NGOs are struggling to gather resources for this massive response. We need all the help we can get.
According to UN, more than 2 million people have been displaced due to the conflict. Most of the displaced population is living in houses of their relatives, friends or even in the house of good-hearted stranger. I have seen one house with only 5 rooms and 2 latrines is hosting 25 families. Thousands have taken shelter in schools, government building. I have seen 4 to 8 families are living in one room. Hundreds of spontaneous camps have been established by the roadside and on empty land. Regardless of people’s place of refuge, most of the IDPs are living without basic necessity of life, without water, sanitation facilities, healthcare. Diarrhoea, respiratory infections are common among children and women. We received few rains already. Once the monsoon starts in full swing, the living condition will deteriorate more and the risk of disease outbreak will increase. We need to act fast and with all our forces.
We can ask our family, friends and community to contribute their time and resources to help the IDPs. We have seen the generosity of the people in Pakistan. Thousands have opened their doors, gave everything they had to help out the people in need. As part of bigger community let’s work for raising the same compassion from people everywhere.
June 17th, 2009 at 7:05 pmthankyou xx =]=]=]
June 18th, 2009 at 12:07 pmHi Raheel,
June 18th, 2009 at 12:40 pmWe’re not sure which event you are asking about - could you clarify?
Thanks,
Luisa