Light in dark times: Morning gong to ring in Bara after five years

Agency education officer directs khasadar personnel to ensure security at institutes reopening on Jan 12.

BARA:

Following successful military operations and administrative measures, educational institutions of Bara, Khyber Agency will reopen from January 12. Schools in Bara have been shutdown—and infrequently reopened—since five years when terrorism and violence hit a peak in 2009.

The announcement was made by Agency Education Officer Ateequr Rehman after a detailed meeting with Political Agent Syed Shahab Ali Shah at the latter’s office on Thursday.



Announcing the re-opening of educational institutes, the agency education officer directed teachers and other staff members to perform their duties. Rehman also directed principals, headmasters and headmistresses to ensure proper sanitation at schools before they reopen. Moreover, the political administration directed officials from the civil administration and personnel of the khasadar force to ensure proper security at schools.

Officers of the civil administration said 105 educational institutions have been destroyed by militants in the last five years. Thus, the administration was left with no option but to establish tent schools. In certain areas, the administration arranged for alternative premises for these schools in government and private buildings. However, a majority of the students attend schools housed in tents.

According to official data available with The Express Tribune, 65,000 children were deprived of the right to education as a result of the closure of schools five years ago.

A history of violence

Around half a million tribesmen from across Khyber Agency have been displaced due to the ongoing militancy and consequent military operations. Most of the displaced population moved to Peshawar and other cities and towns in the province as well as other parts of the country when Operation Khyber-1 was launched in September last year. Some families, however, moved to tent villages set up in Jalozai.

An official confirmed voluntary repatriation of displaced people of Bara has begun already and they are expecting complete repatriation of IDPs before January 12.



Militancy erupted in Bara region in 2005 when rival militants from the banned Lashkar-e-Islam and Ansarul Islam engaged in armed resistance. Thousands of people, mostly said to be civilians, were killed in the clashes as Tirah and other parts of the mountainous region turned into a battle ground.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2014.