NWFP Govt Sets Up Emergency Response Unit
Muhammad Khurshid
May 22, 2009
The government of North West Frontier Province has set up Emergency Response Unit for ensuring Transparency in the distribution relief to funds to the internally displaced persons. Some three million people have been forced to leave their homes as the army has been conducting a big operation against the militants in Malakand division. The Emergency Response Unit with its head office in Peshawar will coordinate the relief work in various parts of the province and tribal areas.
Emergency Response Unit (ERU) has been setup to strengthen the working of the Provincial Relief Commissionerate (PRC) to provide shelter and relief to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), migrated to down districts of NWFP from Buner, Swat & Dir Districts due to military operation carried out by the security forces against the miscreants.
The Government has setup 8 new camps to accomodate the incoming IDPs of Malakand Division which brings the total number of existing IDP camps to 17 in NWFP. The IDPs are also registered outside the Camps as Host Families or Off Camp IDPs.
The humanitarian assistance provided by the UN agencies, National & International NGOs and the Provincial & Federal Governments of Pakistan are immense, however, it is impossible to provide similar standard of living to these IDPs, which they were enjoying in their places of origin.
Background:
The migration of these IDPs started before the Holy Month of Ramazan in July / August 2008. Initially around 100,000 IDPs were registered, however, with the announcement of cease fire by the Government in the Month of Ramazan, almost all the registered IDPs returned back to their homes. Due to retaliation from the militants during the month of Ramazan and start of clashes between secuity forces and the armed opposition, a large number of IDPs fled back to the settled districts of NWFP.
Buner Conflict:
In April 2009, the Taliban took control of Buner, after a short battle with local residents. Self-styled Sharia rules were imposed, like the elimination of video stores, ban on shaving, and the prevention of women from appearing in public places.
Two months of calm in Malakand division due to the peace deal between NWFP government and Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM), was disrupted when the Taliban entered Buner and established strongholds in some areas of Buner. After initial resistance by the local population in which they badly hampered the march of Taliban, the Taliban succeeded in taking control of the area. The Commissioner of Malakand Division moderated negotiations between the militants and local population. The local residents were convinced of militant withdrawal from the area and the militants agreed they would abandon militant activities. The resistance of the local population was called off. But the militants´ withdrawal was deceptive. They started their activities which resulted in the launch of the military operation in district Buner. The Taliban were in control of Sultan Wus, Gokand Dara, Pir Baba, Pacha Kallay, Ambella Pass, Koga and Chinglai the areas of Buner. While they were using routes of Sangar and Karakar Pass for transportation and supply of arsenals from Swat.
The government has set up camps in Swabi, Mardan and Nowshera for the IDPs coming from Buner and trying its level best to provide all the basic facilities to this massive displacement.
Swat Operation:
After launching operation in District Buner, the Taliban retaliated in Swat. The miscreants started attacks on security check posts, warehouses, and started kidnapping and beheading the security personnel. The militants have attacked the NGOs' offices and looted equipments, vehicles and food items. On May 6, 2009, the security forces started operation in Mingora city and nearby areas. The militants entered the houses and used humans as shield.
The electricity is suspended to most of the areas in the district including Mingora where more than 0.5 million people are living. Due to electricity failure, the citizens are facing shortage of water. The continuous curfew in the main city has resulted in shortage of food commodities.
The people who are stuck up in the area are facing shortage of water, food commodities and medical facilities as there is no electricity and transportation.
The End
Emergency Response Unit (ERU) has been setup to strengthen the working of the Provincial Relief Commissionerate (PRC) to provide shelter and relief to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), migrated to down districts of NWFP from Buner, Swat & Dir Districts due to military operation carried out by the security forces against the miscreants.
The Government has setup 8 new camps to accomodate the incoming IDPs of Malakand Division which brings the total number of existing IDP camps to 17 in NWFP. The IDPs are also registered outside the Camps as Host Families or Off Camp IDPs.
The humanitarian assistance provided by the UN agencies, National & International NGOs and the Provincial & Federal Governments of Pakistan are immense, however, it is impossible to provide similar standard of living to these IDPs, which they were enjoying in their places of origin.
Background:
The migration of these IDPs started before the Holy Month of Ramazan in July / August 2008. Initially around 100,000 IDPs were registered, however, with the announcement of cease fire by the Government in the Month of Ramazan, almost all the registered IDPs returned back to their homes. Due to retaliation from the militants during the month of Ramazan and start of clashes between secuity forces and the armed opposition, a large number of IDPs fled back to the settled districts of NWFP.
Buner Conflict:
In April 2009, the Taliban took control of Buner, after a short battle with local residents. Self-styled Sharia rules were imposed, like the elimination of video stores, ban on shaving, and the prevention of women from appearing in public places.
Two months of calm in Malakand division due to the peace deal between NWFP government and Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM), was disrupted when the Taliban entered Buner and established strongholds in some areas of Buner. After initial resistance by the local population in which they badly hampered the march of Taliban, the Taliban succeeded in taking control of the area. The Commissioner of Malakand Division moderated negotiations between the militants and local population. The local residents were convinced of militant withdrawal from the area and the militants agreed they would abandon militant activities. The resistance of the local population was called off. But the militants´ withdrawal was deceptive. They started their activities which resulted in the launch of the military operation in district Buner. The Taliban were in control of Sultan Wus, Gokand Dara, Pir Baba, Pacha Kallay, Ambella Pass, Koga and Chinglai the areas of Buner. While they were using routes of Sangar and Karakar Pass for transportation and supply of arsenals from Swat.
The government has set up camps in Swabi, Mardan and Nowshera for the IDPs coming from Buner and trying its level best to provide all the basic facilities to this massive displacement.
Swat Operation:
After launching operation in District Buner, the Taliban retaliated in Swat. The miscreants started attacks on security check posts, warehouses, and started kidnapping and beheading the security personnel. The militants have attacked the NGOs' offices and looted equipments, vehicles and food items. On May 6, 2009, the security forces started operation in Mingora city and nearby areas. The militants entered the houses and used humans as shield.
The electricity is suspended to most of the areas in the district including Mingora where more than 0.5 million people are living. Due to electricity failure, the citizens are facing shortage of water. The continuous curfew in the main city has resulted in shortage of food commodities.
The people who are stuck up in the area are facing shortage of water, food commodities and medical facilities as there is no electricity and transportation.
The End
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