Where the heart is: IDPs hesitant over return amid controversial ‘social agreement’

Some feel the eight-page agreement not only questions their loyalty but effectively further enforces oppressive FCR

PESHAWAR/ BANNU:

As residents of North Waziristan make their way home today, it is under the heavy shadow of a set of draconian conditions set by the political administration. In fact, for some of them, the only thing standing in their way home is actually signing off on Samaji Mohada NWA 2015, the eight-page ‘social agreement’ that some feel not only questions their loyalty, but effectively further enforces the oppressive Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR).

The political administration completed the registration process to repatriate dwellers of three villages of Spinwam. The process will begin from March 31 (today). Around 1,270 families have been registered for repatriation so far. Sources said the returning IDPs were still uncertain over their return. They added around 100 families would return home on March 31 from the IDP camp in Bakakhel.

In addition to the FCR, the social agreement lays out more conditions which must be fulfilled. While it says there will be no restriction over social, religious, political and economic activity, it adds that natives of the region will have to remain loyal to the country in accordance with the FCR and Constitution of Pakistan. It goes so far as to withdraw the right to compensation if the government takes action in areas where tribes fail to act against militants.

In addition, several actions on part of the tribespeople can result in the retraction of tribal privileges, cancellation of NICs, passports and other official documents, the confiscation of property and even the banishment of the person and the destruction of their property.

For all intents and purposes, signing the eight-page document would make locals responsible for maintaining peace in the tribal agency. It asked tribespeople to ensure that nobody provides shelter to anti-state elements, militants and other criminals, adding that the political administration must be informed about the presence of such individuals. It also bars them from keeping heavy arms at home.

Signing off

According to a document available with THe Express Tribune, the political administration and the Wazir, Dawar, Sidgai and Kharseen subtribes of the Utmanzai tribe came to an agreement.

According to the agreement, the various responsibilities will apply to returning tribesmen as well as those already living in Dattakhel and Razmak subdivisions as well as other areas of Spinwam.



Tribal elders had already expressed their reservations over the social agreement which was issued by NWA Political Agent Atifur Rehman and distributed in Razmak subdivision, Dattakhel and to displaced people in Bannu. The tribes have asked for a meeting with authorities as they have reservations over the agreement.

All in favour…

The people in Razmak questioned how the Utmanzai Grand Jirga could reach an agreement without taking them into confidence. However, the jirga remained unaware of the agreement until tribesmen came forward with their reservations. Tribal maliks in Dattakhel, who were not displaced by Zarb-e-Azb, signed the agreement in the presence of the NWA political agent and security forces officials. The elders who signed the agreement included Malik Mushtaq, Malik Roshad, Sobidar Ahmad Gul, Malik Fazal Janan and several others. They vowed to remain loyal and fulfill their responsibilities of maintaining peace in the region. However, the Utmanzai tribes were not convinced and elders of displaced people in Bannu also had reservations.

Malik Khan Marjan, an elder of the Grand Jirga and an IDP, questioned whether the agreement was between two or more groups or imposed by one on the other. He questioned when and where the four tribes agreed over the eight-page document with the political administration.

He urged the government to convene a jirga of North Waziristan elders over the repatriation process. Marjan said certain tribal elders would find it difficult to reach an agreement over the document unless they sat with the government on their own.

Another tribal elder, requesting anonymity, said security forces should start the repatriation process once they are certain peace has been restored in the area. He said if locals were capable of keeping the agency tranquil, they would not have left in the first place. Several attempts were made to contact political administration officials to discuss the concerns of IDPs, but they remained unavailable. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff will also reportedly come to Bannu to bid farewell to the displaced people. (With additional input from NasruMinallah)

Published in THe Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2015.