The next phase: Mehsud IDPs begin the long journey home

People will be repatriated between July 2 and July 7.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN/ HANGU:

Another phase of repatriation for internally displaced persons (IDPs) of the Mehsud tribe began on Tuesday.

The IDPs are being repatriated from Tank and DI Khan under ‘Operation Umeed-e-Sehar’, according to political administration and FATA Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) officials.

“The repatriation of 1,564 IDP families to South Waziristan started on July 2,” said FDMA South Waziristan Coordinator Saeed Umar. “People will be sent to their homes in Sarwakai tehsil between July 2 and July 4. Following this, from July 5 to July 7, IDP families will be sent to their homes in Sararogha tehsil.”

“In addition to being transported home free of charge, each affected family will also be given Rs25,000 and rations for six months,” added Umar.

Repatriation centres have been set up in Ratha Kulachi Cricket Stadium, DI Khan and Kur Qila, Tank.

A total of 286 families have been repatriated from Ratha Kulachi Cricket Stadium, while 247 others were transported from Kur Qila on Tuesday.

While addressing journalists at Kur Qila, Operation Commander in South Waziristan Brigadier Mohammad Asghar said the Pakistan Army has initiated development projects in militancy-affected areas on an emergency basis.

Orakzai IDPs refuse to stay in Hangu camp

IDPs from Orakzai Agency protested against the political administration on Tuesday for initially allowing them to return to their homes and then revoking its decision.

Addressing protesters at Khwaja Muhammad IDP camp in Hangu, tribal elder Mehboob Khan said two months back Orakzai Agency Political Agent (PA) Mehmood Aslam Wazir had held a meeting with the elders and promised 567 families of Chapri and Ferozkhel in lower Orakzai Agency that they would be repatriated to their houses on July 2.

“On Monday evening the PA gave us a list of 567 families and sent 130 trucks along with 55 passenger vans to the camp. He told the families to pull out their tents, gather their belongings and board the trucks which would take them back home on Tuesday morning,” Khan said.

He added the IDPs took down their tents and gathered their belongings all night long, however, when the time for departure came the political tehsildar of lower Orakzai Agency, Khaista Akbar arrived and told the elders they cannot return until peace is restored in the area.

“A night ago there was peace in the area and in the morning the law and order deteriorated,” Khan retorted. “The political administration is playing with us.”

The elder further said they had already loaded the trucks with their belongings and would not unload them now. “The political administration has given a clearance list, now they cannot stop us from going back whether there is peace or war in our area,” Khan said.

A political administration official said Chapri and Ferozkhel had been cleared by the security forces after which the administration decided to repatriate those displaced. However, senior security officials in Orakzai were not taken into confidence over the repatriation, he added. The official admitted the hurdle surfaced due to lack of coordination between the political administration and security forces, adding the problem would be resolved soon.

An official of the security forces said the arrangements for the return of IDPs are not complete, adding the situation will be clear within a week.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2013.