Away from home; Orakzai IDPs decry lack of basic facilities, demand repatriation

Over 1,100 families hold protest jirga outside Muhammad Khawaja Camp, blame government for negligence.


Our Correspondent May 24, 2014
The jirga protested in front of the IDP camp located in Togh Sarai area and demanded the government ensure the provision of basic facilities. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

HANGU:


Over a thousand families from Orakzai Agency living in a camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) in Hangu have accused the government of negligence and depriving them of basic facilities.


On Saturday, the nearly 1,100 displaced families residing in Muhammad Khawaja Camp convened a jirga to chalk out a plan for their repatriation to Orakzai and blamed the government for neglecting them.

The jirga protested in front of the IDP camp located in Togh Sarai area and demanded the government ensure the provision of basic facilities. They complained they do not have electricity, clean drinking water or adequate health facilities.

Addressing protesters, Malik Omer Khan, an elder, said over 1,100 families were displaced from upper Orakzai due to law and order, and have been living in the IDP camp since 2009.

“The area is now said to be under the control of security forces and normalcy has been restored but no arrangements have still been made for our return,” said Khan. He blamed authorities for their suffering and for not paying them any heed.

Another elder, Sakhi Marjan said when they left their homes six years ago and came to the camp where they constructed makeshift houses for themselves in the surrounding area. “But the authorities destroyed them and now we are forced to live under the open sky in such harsh conditions,” claimed Marjan.

He added there was a severe shortage of water in the camp and there weren’t any proper washrooms either.

“There is no health facility at the camp. The patients keep increasing but there are no doctors, male or female, to tend to them,” said Haji Dedar Gul. He added the camp also lacked schools for children.

Alaf Khan claimed families have not been receiving rations and food packages since the past six months. “Most of the time, our children fall asleep on empty stomachs,” he added.

The jirga demanded the government provide them basic facilities and make arrangements for their repatriation at once, or they would be forced to return to their homes on their own.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25th, 2014.

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