Caught in the middle: Registering for aid seems impossible for many Tirah IDPs

Tribesmen claim they cannot afford to leave Jalozai for other camps.

PESHAWAR:

As the government formally started registering internally displaced persons (IDP) from Tirah Valley in refugee camps, many who were expected to commute from Jalozai Camp to other districts in order to register refused, claiming they could not afford the journey.

On Saturday, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) kicked off the registration process in Jarma, Kohat, where tight security measures have been adopted for the protection of the IDPs. On March 21, 2013, a bomb went off near a food distribution point in Jalozai camp, killing 15 and injuring more than 40 others. The incident raised serious questions about security arrangements at the camp.

PDMA Chief Coordinator Faiz Muhammad Khan said after the IDPs register themselves they can live in the New Durrani Camp with host families, adding the PDMA would provide tents, foods, non-food items and health facilities. Khan further said the government had decided to accommodate the IDPs in New Durrani Camp, Kurram, and Togh Sarai Camp in Hangu due to security concerns.

He encouraged IDPs to register as they would not be able to receive rations or other facilities from government and UN agencies if they did not.

However, leaving Jalozai may not be an option for some IDPs from Tirah. Around 620 families from the troubled valley claim they cannot afford to travel from Jalozai to Kohat.

Mohabat Khan, a displaced elder from Maidan in Tirah Valley, shares his family’s tent with seven relatives. He said large numbers of people who fled their homes during the ongoing clashes were now compelled to share tents with other IDPs from Bara, who have been living at the camp for much longer. “We are not properly registered in the camp,” he added, “but we need food, clothing, household items, and above all shelter to protect our families.”

Another IDP Khalil Afridi said the camp in charge had told them to move to New Durrani Camp where registration for Tirah’s displaced persons had begun. However, Afridi maintained most IDPs could not afford to go to Kurram Agency. “We have already borrowed money to come to Peshawar,” he said. They should be registered in Jalozai as many people had relatives there, insisted Afridi.

Jalozai Camp Coordinator Khalid Usman said so far 620 families from Tirah had been accommodated at the camp. He added these people were being provided food and non-food items. In addition, Usman mentioned around 12,083 families from Khyber Agency were also settled in the camp and added the government and UN agencies had reservations over the security situation in Jalozai Camp.

Fata Disaster Management Authority Assistant Director Farman Ali Khilji said

5,134 families had been registered in New Durrani Camp, 778 of who were living in the camp itself, while 4,356 families were living off camp in the agency. He said cooked food, tents and non-food items had also been provided to the camp’s residents.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2013.