VZCZCXRO1310
OO RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHIL #3343/01 2961057
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221057Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9403
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 9268
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 8911
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3907
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 0480
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 6217
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 5054
RUEHIL/ODRP ISLAMABAD PK PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 003343 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PK PREL
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON DISPLACED POPULATIONS IN FATA AND NWFP 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Separate assessment visits to Lower Dir 
by post,s Refugee Affairs Specialist in early August and 
late September show  the Government of Pakistan (GOP) has the 
current situation moderately under control, and current 
efforts seem more organized than in the past.  Overcrowding 
in camps, water, hygiene and sanitation, however, remain 
serious issues.  Although many IDPs returned to their 
villages in Bajaur agency in early September, a significantly 
larger number moved out again to safer districts following 
renewed fighting later that month.  Estimates from UNHCR and 
local government officials as of early October are that about 
168,000 people are currently displaced.  Of this number 
approximately 30,000 are living in camps; the rest are housed 
with host families.  The challenges at the moment include 
improving camp management, distributing aid to IDPs housed 
with families, and planning ahead for the winter.  End 
Summary. 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Severe flooding in NWFP in early August affected 
more than 200,000 people by crippling infrastructure and 
destroying or damaging agriculture and livestock.  In the 
same month, military action against militants in Bajaur and 
Swat displaced more than 300,000 people. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The GOP announced a ceasefire to coincide with 
Ramadan in early September; many IDPs returned to their 
villages and most of the IDPs camps were then closed. 
However, military operations continued.  This renewed 
fighting forced the IDPs to return to safer districts in 
Lower Dir, Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Rawalpindi 
and Karachi. 
 
CURRENT SITUATION 
----------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) An average of 100 families, or about 800-900 
individuals flee from the affected areas daily.  The 
situation is in flux - many of the displaced, especially the 
men,  move back and forth, as the security situation allows, 
to protect their property, livestock, and/or engage the 
fighting.  Approximately 80 percent of those outside Bajaur 
are women and children. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Despite GOP officials, claims that 300,000 IDPs 
fled Bajaur and SWAT, the UN Resident Coordinator,s office 
reports 168,463 people (23,887 families) have been displaced 
due to the military operation in Bajaur and Swat.  Of this 
number, 30,069 individuals (3,936 families) are reportedly 
living in 12 GOP designated camps in six districts, while the 
rest are staying with host families or in rented homes.  The 
Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees (CAR) and United Nations 
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are working together 
to establish Welfare Centers at the district level to 
register IDPs staying with host families.  UNHCR and CAR have 
a near-term plan to reduce the burden on the host families, 
by distributing relief items from the registration centers 
and validating the refugee information on a monthly basis. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Of the 12 GOP designated camps, four are located in 
Lower Dir at Degree College Timergara, Regional Institute for 
Training, Khungi, Samar Bagh, and Sadbar Kalay with a total 
population of 14,664 people (1,588 families).  CAR 
authorities work closely with Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF), 
and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to 
manage these camps. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The estimated camp housing statistics as of the end 
of the Eid holiday (Oct. 3) are: Charsadda camp at Paloso 
houses 590 families (4,067 individuals); Mardan camp at 
Shiekh Yaseen Town houses 502 families (3,341 individuals), 
Nowshera camp at Banzir Complex houses 405 families (2,658 
individuals), and Peshawar camp at Kacha Garhi houses 751 
families (4,489 individuals).  The GOP shifted 100 families 
from Charsadda Poloso camp to Kacha Garhi camp in Peshawar to 
reduce overcrowding.  The GOP is also planning to gradually 
close the Shiekh Yaseen (Mardan Town) camp due to 
disagreements over land ownership; authorities would relocate 
this camp,s IDPs to Kacha Garhi and Jalozai.  Those 
displaced from the Frontier Region (FR) Kohat area due to 
inter-tribal fighting are staying with host families; as a 
contingency, however, a camp has also been established at 
 
ISLAMABAD 00003343  002 OF 003 
 
 
Kohat Sports Stadium. 
 
CAMP MANAGEMENT 
--------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The provincial government appears better able to 
handle IDP issues now than it did in August.  The provincial 
government has assigned the overall responsibility for camp 
management to the CAR.  Many, including UNHCR and ICRC reps, 
feel the CAR,s 28 years of experience managing Afghan 
refugee camps will improve IDP camp management. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Various NGOs and IOs administer these camps and 
they operate under CAR and district government supervision. 
District government handles legal and protection issues and 
coordinates warehousing and distribution of supplies and 
selection of camp sites; the CAR registers IDPs in the camps 
and supervises distribution of supplies and other services. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Because of the continuous flow back and forth from 
the conflict zones, UNHCR and District government officials 
have been discussing appointing camps in Dir, Swat, Charsadda 
and Mardan as so-called "transit camps", and those at 
Nowshera and Peshawar as "designated" camps.  Transit camps 
would receive IDPs and offer them a brief stay; IDPs would 
then either relocate to a designated camp or return to their 
villages. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Camp conditions, including hygiene and sanitation, 
remain substandard.  There are not enough latrines; diarrhea 
is a common problem, and response efforts are inadequate to 
date.  An average of only 5-6 liters of water per person is 
available in camps.  Children have been vaccinated against 
measles in only a handful of camps.  There are no reports of 
cholera. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) UNHCR is working with provincial governments to 
address these conditions.  Many of the problems can be 
attributed to overcrowding.  The GOP, in collaboration with 
other humanitarian agencies, is actively looking for 
additional camp sites.  While many landowners were initially 
not averse to the temporary presence of IDPs, as the 
situation drags on, they are insisting that their land be 
returned.  Authorities have re-opened the former Afghan 
refugees, camp at Kacha Gari for IDPs; the GOP is 
considering establishing two more camps in Jalozai and 
Shamshatoo. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) According to the UN Resident Coordinator office, 
an Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Contingency Plan 
has also been drafted for the NWFP in collaboration with 
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and provincial 
and district authorities.  The plan will identify the needs 
and issues to measure planning and quality of response. 
 
¶14.  (SBU) So far, there have not been any serious security 
issues in the camps.  We are told levies and khassadars 
(local level law enforcement entities) are present some of 
the time in the camps.  A more consistent and coherent 
security presence is needed to assist camp managers in 
maintaining order, and prevent non-IDPs from entering and 
disrupting camps. 
 
¶15.  (SBU) The United Nations Department of Safety and 
Security has declared security zones within NWFP. 
Humanitarian agencies can go to zone 1 (Peshawar and adjacent 
areas) and zone 2 (Charsadda, Mardan and Nowshera), while 
they cannot go to zone 3 (Dir and Swat). 
 
SITUATION IN SWAT VALLEY 
------------------------ 
 
¶16.  (SBU) Military operations continue in Swat as well, and 
relief organizations and Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) 
officials are deeply concerned about the population.  Four 
camps have been established in local government institutions 
in the SWAT district, but they only house about 850 people 
(100 families).  ICRC told Embassy that the situation has not 
gotten as much attention mostly because the displaced are 
moving around within the district and are not turning up in 
other jurisdictions.  ICRC has had intermittent access, but 
the security situation has significantly limited their 
ability to work. 
 
 
ISLAMABAD 00003343  003 OF 003 
 
 
FORWARD PLANNING 
---------------- 
 
¶17.  (SBU) Both UNHCR and ICRC tell us they are expecting the 
IDP situation to continue through the winter.  Fighting in 
Bajaur and Swat has not abated, and there has been talk of 
another campaign in Mohmand agency.  UNHCR is advising the 
GOP on options for winterizing shelters. 
 
¶18. (SBU) Because it expects this will be a protracted 
displacement, UNHCR is advising the GOP to begin organizing 
livelihoods programs for IDPs.  WFP apparently has a social 
targeting approach it is interested in deploying, which would 
identify those areas most in need of cash for work and other 
similar programs.  UNHCR supports this approach, cautioning 
that providing uncoordinated programs in various areas could 
exacerbate the problem by creating "aid magnets" in areas in 
which there is not serious need. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶19. (U) The current situation, as compared to August, is 
better.  Proper land acquisition for establishment of camps 
and winterization of tents are likely the biggest challenges 
ahead for the humanitarian agencies and the GOP. 
Distribution of Water, medicines, hygiene and sanitation, and 
lack of coordination still remain serious problems.  For the 
moment, aid agencies appear to have enough resources; the 
issues are access, organization, and management.  Mission 
will continue to monitor the situation. 
PATTERSON