Host family dilemma (SWAT IDPs)
Friday, May 15, 2009
Editorial, The News International, Pakistan
Thursday, May 14, 2009
According to latest figures from the UN, some 650,000 people have now been displaced in Pakistan. Most of these – according to some estimates up to 80 per cent – are living outside camps, most often with host families. Some families in Peshawar, Lahore and Rawalpindi have accommodated up to 20 relatives in their own home. The strong spirit of kinship that is a part of the culture of the north means doors are being opened willingly, but this does not negate the fact that the strain on host families is immense. Most are themselves impoverished wage earners – forced to cater to people who have no jobs, no homes and no means of survival. This situation needs to be addressed as part of a wide ranging plan for IDPs. Many people moving down from the northern areas have stated they prefer, for cultural reasons, to be based with relatives rather than in tent villages. The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) has initiated an effort to provide the IDPs, including those based with host families, with food – but there are still many loopholes that need to be fixed. The current situation, with 20 or 30 people living in two or three room apartments is simply unsustainable. This is all the more true given that we have no way of knowing how long the displacement will last.
Families who have taken in IDP families need financial support. The issue is not one just of food, but also of rents, utility bills and so on. Some scheme for this is urgently needed. And in the longer run we need also to consider the housing needs of IDPs and to improve camp conditions so that more feel able to move there. It is imperative that the situation be handled tactfully and sensibly, in a manner aimed to limit suffering for all the victims.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
According to latest figures from the UN, some 650,000 people have now been displaced in Pakistan. Most of these – according to some estimates up to 80 per cent – are living outside camps, most often with host families. Some families in Peshawar, Lahore and Rawalpindi have accommodated up to 20 relatives in their own home. The strong spirit of kinship that is a part of the culture of the north means doors are being opened willingly, but this does not negate the fact that the strain on host families is immense. Most are themselves impoverished wage earners – forced to cater to people who have no jobs, no homes and no means of survival. This situation needs to be addressed as part of a wide ranging plan for IDPs. Many people moving down from the northern areas have stated they prefer, for cultural reasons, to be based with relatives rather than in tent villages. The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) has initiated an effort to provide the IDPs, including those based with host families, with food – but there are still many loopholes that need to be fixed. The current situation, with 20 or 30 people living in two or three room apartments is simply unsustainable. This is all the more true given that we have no way of knowing how long the displacement will last.
Families who have taken in IDP families need financial support. The issue is not one just of food, but also of rents, utility bills and so on. Some scheme for this is urgently needed. And in the longer run we need also to consider the housing needs of IDPs and to improve camp conditions so that more feel able to move there. It is imperative that the situation be handled tactfully and sensibly, in a manner aimed to limit suffering for all the victims.
Labels: Army Operation, IDPs, Pakistan, Swat
posted @ 12:42 PM,
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