Human tragedy may outweigh Swat military offensive’s success
August 8th, 2009 - 2:52 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Aug. 8 (ANI): Islamabad may be seeing the Pakistani military’ operations against the Taliban in Swat as a success, but the “dismal plight” of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and those returning home threatens to squander gains from disrupting the Taliban, a New York Times editorial says.
According the opinion by former US State Department official Morton Abramowitz, many IDPs sought shelter with their families or friends, and around 50 percent ended up squatting in schools or staying with strangers.
Others sought refuge in camps for the IDPs, which were already limited in number.
Now, the IDPs were are returning to Swat, but not to their homes because most of them were destroyed in the military offensive. The government is now considering building new camps in Swat and Buner, the report said.
Many returnees are reportedly complaining that they have not yet received any government aid, it added.
Relief agencies fear that the government’s apparent lack of concern for the internally displaced persons may diminish the military gains by providing the Taliban with a once-hostile population that is now perhaps more susceptible to recruitment, the editorial warns.
Officials said it was not clear that the government acknowledged that the operation’s long-term effectiveness was highly dependent on the security of the returning civilians, it added. (ANI)
- Bru families' repatriation to Mizoram to resume tomorrow - Apr 11, 2011
- UN official says 1.3 million IDPs have returned to Swat - Aug 19, 2009
- Pak Govt. allowing refugees to return to Taliban-infested Buner - Jul 21, 2009
- Catastrophe if aid not 'quickly forthcoming', says Pakistani media - Jun 22, 2009
- Islamabad will lose war against Taliban if NWFP refugees not rehabilitated - May 12, 2009
- Pakistani forces consolidate hold in Swat - Jun 04, 2009
- Pakistani forces kill 22 Taliban: Military - Jun 17, 2009
- Want proof of Taliban casualties: Pakistani editorial - Jun 20, 2009
- Taliban gained support in Pak's Swat valley using local grievances: World Bank - Apr 10, 2011
- NWFP gets Rs.500 mn for Taliban-displaced refugees - May 06, 2009
- Swat operations in final phase: Pakistani military - Jun 22, 2009
- US asked for a/c tents for Swat displaced - May 20, 2009
- 50,000 displaced in Pakistan's northwest: UN - May 02, 2009
- Swat Taliban stronghold captured, militant casualties rise to 762 (Lead) - May 14, 2009
- Pakistan must defeat Taliban, says Zardari; Rs.8 bn for refugee aid (Night Lead) - May 21, 2009
Tags: apparent lack, civilians, government aid, human tragedy, military gains, military operations, morton abramowitz, new york times, new york times editorial, plight, population, recruitment, returnees, returning home, state department official, swat, taliban, term effectiveness, us state department
