LHO Rapid Assessment Report

North Waziristan Agency (NWA) IDPs th 20 June 2014

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Assessment Report on Displacement of North Waziristan Agency IDPs

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1. Executive Summary: Lawari Humanitarian Organization (LHO) is a civil society organization working for the last ten years focusing on the outreach assistance and support to the vulnerable and disaster stricken communities. LHO is keen to exert spirit of volunteerism in its operations and has placed distinctive endeavors in 2005 Earthquake, 2010 Floods and the Conflict IDPs interventions. The organization executed variety of tasks with particular reference to IDPs and Flood emergency responses under Rapid Assessments/studies, Food Security, Shelter, protection, livelihood and rehabilitation projects. LHO carried out rapid and multi cluster assessments, analysis and profiling, baseline studies and Surveys for each of these interventions and further implemented donor based projects accordingly to needs prioritized. LHO has majorly implemented relief and recovery food distribution projects of UN- World Food Programme since 2009. The projects focused extending UN-WFP food assistance to Swat non IDPs/ Stayees, Bajaur returnee IDPs and specifically in present the General Food Distribution to South Waziristan Agency (SWA) IDPs living in off camps area of Tank and DI Khan region. In the wake of present military operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) of FATA, the government of Pakistan has formally announced for vacating the places from North Waziristan Agency to settled districts. The Pakistan Army has extended relaxation in curfew to enable the local dwellers of the NWA tehsils to flee safely to the settled adjacent districts. The highest concentration of displaced persons is found to be at Bannu District being closest, convenient and gateway from the agency to settle/peace areas. The war is at the end gate of the district Bannu and it is of keen importance for the government and humanitarian community to assess and strengthen the capacity of Bannu and native district for tackling huge plights of IDPs efficiently and manageable. LHO comprehended about expected military operation in North Waziristan Agency and deployed the teams for Rapid needs Assessment, vulnerability analysis and mapping of the NWA-IDPs in adjacent District of Bannu right of the government announcement of displacement. The Rapid assessment was carried out for three days (i.e. 18th June to 20th June 2014) covering twenty-three IDPs hosting Union Councils of District Bannu. The mobility of LHO team was restricted to certain areas for instance, Bakka Khel, Mamash Khel, Maamad Khel, Daud shah and Nurar etc UCs of District Bannu but accomplished to accumulate the study through community activists and LHO representative from the said areas. The assessment study findings revealed that more than 30,000 families (240,000 people) are displaced and entered through gateway district till 20th June 2014. The study findings concludes that approximately 70 percent of the total IDPs are settled in the scattered UCs of District Bannu, 20 percent moved to native Districts of DI Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Karak and Kohat whereas 10 percent of the IDPs are probably displaced to Karachi, Peshawar, Rawalpindi Outskirts, Mian Wali and Bhakkar.

The assessment also shows that NWA IDPs has not received relief food during registration and needs food relief support immediately, bears very nominal NFIs and Shelters and have no adequate medical facilities available in convenient except

2 www.lawari.org [email protected] government hospitals and BHUs.1 Immediate initiatives and responses are required from government and humanitarian agencies to overcome the basic needs of IDPs for mitigating the affects of disaster somehow. The report in below illustrates methodology, criteria and findings of the assessment categorically till recording some suggestions and recommendations to relevant stakeholders.

Figure 1Map of Southern KP and FATA

1 See LHO Rapid Assessment Report, NWA-IDPs Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) attached as annex.

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5. DISTRICT BANNU

Bannu District is approximately 192 km south of Peshawar. It is flanked on all sides by the hard and dried mountain ranges of Koh-e-Safed and Koh-e-Suleiman. The District is located in the heart of the southern region, bordering the districts of Karak in East- North and Lakki Marwat in East-South and the North Waziristan Agency. The main tribes are the Bannuchi, Wazir, Bhittani, Mehsud, Dawar, Marwat, Khattak, Bangash and Minority Hindus. According to the 1998 census, the district has a population of 677,346 spread over an area of 1,227 sq.km.

District Bannu has a total number of 1350 Educational Institutions. Out of these 1291 are located in urban areas and the remaining 59 are in rural areas. The total number of teachers is 4688, of these 491 are teaching in urban area Institutions and 4197 are teaching in rural areas.

Union Area District Tehsils Population-98 Population Density Councils (sq.km) Bannu 02 49 1,227 6,77,346 971,932 551

Figure 2 District Bannu Map

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Population wise breakup of Union Councils in Bannu District S# UC Name Population of Locals 1 Amandi 18,164 2 Aral Hathi Khel 23,910 3 Asperka Waziran 29,765 4 Baharat 25,422 5 Baka Khel Wazir 18,274 6 Bazar Ahmad Khan 18,382 7 Bizen Khel 27,903 8 City-I (urban) 20,848 9 City-II (urban) 22,342 10 Daud Shah 19,434 11 Domel 19,605 12 Fateh Khel Kausar 15,339 13 Fatima Khel Kalan 26,198 14 Garhi Sher Ahmad 21,080 15 Ghoriwala 20,596 16 Hassani 16,822 17 Haved Landidak 25,969 18 Hindi Khel Wazir 19,951 19 Hinjal 16,995 20 Ismail Khel 15,021 21 Jani Khel 17,827 22 Jhando Khel 15,936 23 Kakki-1 24,631 24 Kakki-11 14,169 25 Kala Khel Masti Khan 23,761 26 Khandar Khan Khel 26,143 27 Khawajmad 14,462 28 Khujari 15,238 29 Kot Qalandar 21,517 30 Koti Sadat 16,580 31 Lalozai 23,257 32 Mama Khel 17,054 33 Mamash Khel 22,134 34 Mandan 18,427 35 Mandev 14,522 36 Mira Khel 18,500 37 Mita Khel 20,148 38 Muhammad Khel Wazir 19,268 39 Mumbati Barakzai 17,986 40 Nar Jaffar Khan 22,817 41 Nezam Dherma Khel 16,743 42 Nurar 17,176 43 Salaima Sikandar Khel 15,203 44 Shahbaz Azmat Khel 15,430 45 Shamshi Khel 23,506 46 Sikandar Khel Bala 15,692 47 Sokari 16,420 48 Takhti Khel Wazir 22,801 49 Zeraki Pirba khel 22,564 Total Population at District 971,932 5 www.lawari.org [email protected] 6. LHO Rapid Assessment for the North Waziristan IDPs LHO conducted Rapid need assessment through IDPs vulnerability analysis and mapping criteria to sketch the magnitude of NWA-IDPs needs and mapping of IDPs locations in off camp areas of district Bannu. The activity owes the purpose of further dissemination of study findings/ reporting to the government, humanitarian and civil society actors for immediate responses and initiatives. The details and findings of the assessment are described in below narrative report. The Rapid assessment analysis/ NWA-IDPs VAM is annexed as excel sheet with the narrative report for statistical understanding:

7. OBJECTIVES OF THE RAPID ASSESSMENT The key objective of the assessment was to get first hand and on the ground information of the IDPs displaced from NWA to District Bannu. Specific objectives of the assessment are given in below;

o To identify UCs and Villages with higher concentration of displacement. o To attain statistical analysis and confirmation of the IDPs displaced to hosting communities. o To assess the immediate and basic needs including shelter, food, NFIs, WASH and Health. o To plan assistance for the IDPs in emergency response. o To disseminate information of the IDPs to the humanitarians actors. o To provide recommendation to government and humanitarian agencies as per findings.

8. METHODOLOGY LHO deployed its team comprising of 05 members at Bannu District from 17th June 2014 for the preliminary rapid assessments. A rapid Assessment is carried out by LHO in close coordination with the Chief Commissionerate of Afghan Refugees and focal person of the government at Bannu District. The main sources of information are the key informants, humanitarian activist and transit walks, observations, Focused Group Discussions, Media reports and interaction with the IDPs Families in Bannu. LHO has interviewed 68 male-headed households in 14 union councils of Bannu. Moreover LHO has conducted 25 Focused Group Discussions at Bannu with the hosting and displaced population. A total of 14 Union councils in Town 1 district Bannu are assessed physically. The remaining Union Councils, majority from that of Town 2 are left out due to the restricted movement and curfews. However LHO significantly mobilized the local civil society activists and gathered information concerning these Union Councils. Moreover media reports are also taken as a secondary source of data for referencing and validating the areas of intervention.

9. Humanitarian Response The Government of Pakistan is responding to the assistance of the IDPs through Ministry of SAFRON, FDMA, PDMA and The District Government. No visible humanitarian Response from the national and international agency exists for the assistance of the IDPs.

6 www.lawari.org [email protected] 10. Findings

The Findings of the Rapid Assessment Exercise of LHO are given in the below sub heads:

10.1. Displacement from NWA into Off Camp Areas As per LHO findings, approximately 62,500 persons (i.e. 7,800 families) were displaced from NWA before the 16th June 2014. Consequent huge influxes of IDPs moved to neighboring areas of Bannu, Tank, DI Khan, Lakki Marwat, Karak and Kohat.

It is assessed that approximately 10% of the IDPs Families have moved to Karachi, Peshawar, Mardan, Mianwali, Swat, Dir, Rawalpindi, and Bhakkar. Whereas the remaining 90% have fled to neighboring districts of Bannu, Tank, DI Khan, Lakki Marwat, Karak and Kohat, out of that, majority i.e. 70 percent are settled at off camp areas of District Bannu.

Bulks of the IDPs from NWA are taking refuge in the hosting areas of Bannu District. Most of them are facilitated by the relatives, friends, acquaintances, volunteers and hosting families from the same tribes. Interestingly, the IDPs are more supported by Wazir and Mehsuds settled at Bannu District for business from North Waziristan Agency.

Moreover the IDPs have taken compounds on rent for shelter where more than one family are residing together on sharing basis and each family is contributing to the Rent of the facility. Remarkably, the rents at the area of displacements have hiked due to the higher demand of rental facilities resulting in cumbersome situation for the IDPs.

Recently the Government has allowed the IDPs to utilize the government school premises for temporary refuge as the schools are closed due to summer vacations of the students. This has turned out to be a very effective initiative that is greatly contributing in accommodating the IDPs.

10.2. Estimated Number of IDPs According to LHO assessment (dated 17th June to 20th June 2014), approximately 30,000 Families from NWA are displaced and the number is likely to increase to 50,000 Families (320,000 IDPs) within the month of June 2014 before the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan. Migration of 1,160 Families into Afghanistan is reported in which UNHCR has registered 676 Families at Afghanistan.

It is assessed that there are vulnerable families displaced that includes, women and child headed households. According to Media report 44,500 IDPs children have displaced to Bannu. The relatives, tribes and the hosting communities assist most of the vulnerable families.

10.3. Origin of IDPs Most of the IDPs that have migrated belong to Razmak and Mir Ali, Ghala Khan and Miran Shah. The IDPs mostly belong to the tribes of Dawar, Masood and Wazir of North Waziristan. IDPs from Boya and Datta Khel regions will be allowed to move out on 21st June 2014.

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10.4. Major Off Camp Areas hosting IDPs The main registration point is established at Said Gai Bakakhel. In Bannu District, 23 Union Councils are hosting IDPs in high concentrations that are:

Town-1 Area (13 UCs) 1. Koti Sadat 2. Domail 3. Township Bannu 4. Dharma Khel 5. Lalozai 6. Hassani Kalan 7. Sikander Khel 8. Fathima Khel 9. Bazar Ahmad Khan 10. Salema Sikander Khel ( Esaki) 11. Mira Khel 12. Nar Jafar 13. Sokari

Town-2 Area (12 UCs) 1. Bakka Khel/FR Bakka Khel 2. Mamand Khel 3. Mamash Khel 4. Daud Shah 5. Mama Khel 6. Landi Daag 7. Aman Dev 8. Nurar 9. Mandan 10. Khujare 11. Kakki 12. Barath

Union Council wise Details of the IDPs living in the Hosting Areas of District Bannu are annexed with the report.

10.5. Food Security It is assessed that the IDPs are having scare recourses to be food secure. They have left behind their food stock at area of origins in North Waziristan. They are feared to be food insecure having the limited availability of the stock and purchasing power that is likely to be perished within a week time. It is observed that the IDPs may face food shortage during the month of Ramadan and can highly be vulnerable to food insecure conditions leaving the children malnourished and can lead to hunger and starvation.

Genuinely, immediate food assistance is required to meet the needs of the IDPs ahead of the Month of Ramadan starting from 29th June 2014 since they are not provided with food assistance during displacement. It is feared that in the days to come the IDPs may

8 www.lawari.org [email protected] not have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary requirement.

As per the assessment by LHO under its expertise in Food assistance operations, it is suggested to establish three Humanitarian Food Distribution Points at District Bannu, enabling the scattered Off-Camp areas for easy access to the standard food assistance to overcome the high risk of food insecurity. LHO suggests the involvement of UN-World Food Program For the assistance of IDPs ahead of the expected food scarcity with the IDPs.

Majorly, the off camp IDPs are settled in 03 zones at District Bannu:

o Zone-1: Zone 1 is referred as off Camp area of Town-1 and it excludes Union Councils of Naar Jafar and Mira Khel that alone has a high concentration of IDPs. The Proposed Area for Food Distribution point at Zone 1 can be established at Surrani area on Kohat Road at Bannu).

o Zone-2: Zone 2 is referred as the Off Camp areas of Town-2. It is to be noted that the majority of the Union Councils in Zone-2 are in accessible except UC Aman Dev and UC Nurar. LHO suggests for establishing of Food Distribution point at Aman Dev Union Council that is within Radius of 12 Kilometers of all the Union Councils of Town-2. The movement in Zone 2 are restricted due to security concerns by the Government of Pakistan.

o Zone-3: Zone-3 is referred as off Camp areas in Two Union Councils of Town-1 Situated on D I Khan road named as Union Council Naar Jafar and Union Council Mira Khel hosting a high number of IDPs off camp.

10.6. Clean Drinking Water Due to the hot weather, the consumption of water for drinking purposes is high but no proper arrangements of clean drinking water for IDPs living in the Off Camp areas of District Bannu exists. The IDPs are utilizing the existing water supply infrastructure to cater their needs through fetching the water from wells, and through hosting community assistance. It is suggested to mobilize water tankers for the provision of clean drinking water for the IDPs.

For immediate assistance, one Water Tanker for every hosting village shall be deployed to ideally support in the provision of Clean Drinking Water facilities to the IDPs. Moreover it is suggested to assign water tanker on the main routes of displacement of the IDPs. Clean drinking Water Facilities shall be provided to the IDPs to timely mitigate the water born diseases and heat strokes that can potentially emerge from the in availability of sufficient supply of Clean Drinking Water.

10.7. Shelter and Non Food Items As per LHO findings, at average one family of 8-10 members is residing in one room. The IDPs fled from their area of origin with basic ration, NFIs that could be practically carried out in local transportation and within the given time frame. Most of the IDPs are

9 www.lawari.org [email protected] found to have insufficient Non Food Items and no NFIs are distributed till date by any Government or National or International Humanitarian agency.

The accesses to Government Schools have positively contributed in provision of shelters for the IDPs. It is to be noted that there are 1350 Government Schools in total at Bannu and compensate on temporary basis the large number of IDPs for the provision of immediate Shelter. This can be a feasible option since the Schools are closed due to scheduled summer vacations.

Provision of Shelter, NFIs and Hygiene Kits are necessary for the IDPs particularly the Children and Women to prevent them from Malaria and other Insect Borne Diseases.

10.8. Access to Health Services There is lack of sufficient Health facilities and services to cater the needs of the IDPs of NWA living in off camp areas of Bannu. It is found that the existing Health Facilities are utilized by the IDPs of NWA. The Government Health Units and Civil Dispensaries are in sufficient and are not well equipped. It is worth mentioning that the traditional restriction for females is contributing towards the discouragement in visits to health facilities. The in appropriate hygiene conditions, access to clean drinking water, in adequate waste disposal systems are contribution to the deterioration of health conditions of the IDPs. Moreover high number of cases of heat strokes has been reported due to the scorching heat.

The Government has established Health Camps at the main displacement routes but as observed this facilitation shall be extended to village level to provide easy access to Basic Health Facilities. Village based mobile health units shall be deployed catering the basic health needs of women and children in particular.

The risk of spreading of Poliovirus can be easily mitigated through mobilisation of EPI. Moreover effective Polio Vaccination campaign can be initiated for the NWA IDPs living off camps in Bannu.

10.9. Vulnerability of IDPs The following are the protection concerns that needs to timely addressed and keep in consideration during registration and settlement of the IDPs.

o IDPs with Chronic Medical Conditions that includes physical and mental Disabilities o Female Headed Households (Widows/Divorced and Separated) o Un accompanied/Orphan children o Food Insecure/Malnourished vulnerable households o Un registered IDPs (IDPs with expired/misplaced CNICs)

11. KEY HIGHLIGHTS • The presence and assistance of UN Agencies is not observed at District Bannu. • No authentic and consolidated information is available.

10 www.lawari.org [email protected] • The residents of Bannu were providing relief to the IDPs within the available resources and capacity. • The IDPs are not taking refuge in the camps as they have reported inadequate facilities at the camps. • Due to the scorching heat the IDPs are avoiding to live in tents erected at camps. • Reported threats given by militants are means avoiding IDPs in taking refuge in the Camps and prefer to stay off camp. • As per preliminary assessments by LHO 30,000 IDPs families are displaced to Bannu District.

• A considerable number of IDPs are not registered and staying in hosting areas that is also creating sense of in security among the local communities of Bannu District.

• Army and government officials are registering NWA IDPs at Sed-gai, Baka khel. Registration tokens with Name, CNIC No and Token serial are handed as a proof of registration to IDPs.

• Approximately 80 percent of IDPs are taking refuge in hosting/ off camp areas of District Bannu. • Majority of the IDPs are using local transport for displacement freight. There is scarcity of transportation to compensate IDPs huge influx. • Remarkable hike in freight charges are causing number of families migrating bare feet. • Hosting Communities proposed to establish schools based IDPs communities/ camps for efficient management and tackling huge plight of IDPs arriving to District Bannu. • Local communities are also worried and have concern about the status of non- registered IDPs. They are insecure and bears threat in mind of the presence of militants and miscreants in the shape of non registered IDPs; • UC wise registration centers for non-registered NWA IDPs are admissible and required to secure both IDPs and hosting communities for future assistance and attaining hosting communities satisfaction respectively. • Protection issues are been observed due to the order passed by local administration to UCs police stations for checking the registration status of IDPs in hosting areas of Bannu. Numerous reports of bribery and humiliation are observed complying the process as reported by Community. • There is lack of coordination and restriction to access government offices due to restricted movement at Bannu District. • There aren’t any medical facilities available for IDPs in off camp areas to overcome health and related issues.

11 www.lawari.org [email protected] • Majority of the IDPs families are living in off camp areas of District Bannu. They are in dire need of shelters, NFIs, food and clean drinking water to meet their basic ends of living. • A few local based humanitarian actors are accessing the situation and sharing their finding with different agencies, however as per LHOs assessment the following immediate needs exists as requested by the Internally Displaced persons of NWA that includes Food, Shelter, Clean Drinking Water, Health Assistance, NFIs, WASH facilities.

12. Conclusions and Recommendations by LHO • It is recommended to seek the assistance of the United Nations Agencies in light of their extensive experience and technically equipped in responding to such crisis.

• The Registration of Non Registered IDPs of NWA is recommended to plan and locate them for assistance.

• All the 1350 Government Schools shall be utilized as temporary Homes for the IDPs.

• Sheltering IDPs at Schools will enable the government in tracking and providing assistance and the School Head Master/Teachers can act proactively in the process.

• Immediate Food Assistance is required ahead of Ramadan to cater food needs.

• Provision of Shelter and NFIs are required on immediate basis.

• It is recommended to establish the humanitarian hubs for distribution of Food and NFIs from one point at all three zones proposed by LHO.

• Provision of Health Services through mobile health units and village based health camps.

• Provision of Water Tankers at villages and IDPs displacement route is recommended to ensure clean drinking water supply.

• Protection issues shall be timely recorded and referred to the concerned for assistance.

• FDMA shall replicate their Best practice as adapted for Bajaur Return for the provision of Transportation facilities from NWA into Bannu.

• The Government shall establish a one window centralized unit for disseminating authentic information.

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Emergency Assessment sheet of Town 1 and Town 2 in Excel Sheet is annexed with the Report

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