Perceptions of the Pakistan Earthquake Response

Humanitarian Agenda 2015 (HA2015) is a policy research project aimed at Perceptions of the equipping the humanitarian Pakistan Earthquake enterprise to more effectively address emerging challenges around four Response major themes: universality, terrorism and counter terrorism, coherence, and security. As with all HA2015 Humanitarian Agenda 2015 materials, the Feinstein International Pakistan Country Study Center welcomes feedback and criticism from all quarters. Please By Andrew Wilder contact the author at February 2008 [email protected] or the HA2015 Lead Researcher Antonio Donini at [email protected]. The Feinstein International Center (FIC) develops and promotes operational and policy responses to protect and strengthen the lives and livelihoods of people living in crisis- affected and marginalized communities. FIC works globally in partnership with national and international organizations to bring about institutional changes that enhance effective policy reform and promote best practice. Other country studies available at fic.tufts.edu Table of Contents Executive Summary .....................................................................................................................3 The Universality of Humanitarianism.............................................................................................................. 4 Impact of War on Terror (WoT) ........................................................................................................................... 5 Coherence and the Role of the Pakistan Army.............................................................................................. 5 Security...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1. Introduction ...............................................................................................................................9 Background .............................................................................................................................................................. 9 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................... 10 Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................................... 11 2. Overview of Earthquake Response...................................................................................12 Rescue and Relief Phase..................................................................................................................................... 13 Transition from Relief to Reconstruction ...................................................................................................... 16 Humanitarian Coordination – Perceptions of the “Cluster Approach” ................................................ 17 3. The Universality of Humanitarianism.............................................................................24 Perceptions of Humanitarian Action and Actors ........................................................................................ 26 Cultural Sensitivity .............................................................................................................................................. 28 “Insiders” and “Outsiders” & “Locals within Locals”................................................................................. 30 Differing Perceptions of Human Rights – Especially Women’s Rights................................................. 33 Protection of IDPs “The Weakest Link” .......................................................................................................... 34 4. Impact of War on Terror ......................................................................................................43 A Perceived Minimal Impact.............................................................................................................................. 43 “Winning Hearts and Minds”............................................................................................................................. 45 The Controversial Role of “Jihadi” Groups ................................................................................................... 47 5. Coherence and the Role of the Pakistan Army.............................................................56 The Coherence Agenda ....................................................................................................................................... 56 Humanitarian Skeptics vs. Pragmatists........................................................................................................ 58 A Highly Criticized Rescue Effort..................................................................................................................... 62 A Highly Praised Role in Relief Phase ............................................................................................................ 64 A Controversial Role in the Reconstruction Phase .................................................................................... 70 The Need for an Exit Strategy........................................................................................................................... 73 6. Security .....................................................................................................................................75 Local versus International Perceptions of Security ................................................................................... 75 From Relief to Reconstruction: Changing Security Perceptions............................................................ 77 Perceived Causes of Insecurity......................................................................................................................... 78 Effectiveness of Security Policies..................................................................................................................... 83 Security Role of the Pakistan Army ................................................................................................................ 85 7. Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................88 Bibliography..................................................................................................................................90 Appendix A: Acronyms ..............................................................................................................92 Appendix B: List of Interviews ................................................................................................93 Appendix C: Focus Group Discussions ...............................................................................96 Feinstein International Center z FEBRUARY 2008 2 Executive Summary The devastating earthquake that struck northern Pakistan and the disputed territory of Kashmir on October 8, 2005, killed approximately 75,000 people, injured 70,000 more, left an estimated 3.5 million people homeless, and devastated the basic infrastructure of a region the size of Belgium. Despite a daunting array of obstacles – inaccessible mountainous terrain, the onset of winter, the challenges of coordinating an unprecedented diversity of providers of humanitarian assistance, and the sheer numbers of people in humanitarian need – a wide range of local, national and international actors rose to the humanitarian challenge. Unlike the aftermath of many other natural disasters there were no significant numbers of subsequent deaths from injury, cold, food shortages, or disease. The earthquake response, which was led from the earliest stages of rescue and relief to the ongoing reconstruction phase by the Pakistan Army, is judged by many to have been the most effective response ever to a natural disaster of this magnitude. The objective of this study was not to conduct an evaluation of the earthquake response, but to learn from the perceptions of a wide range of aid recipients and providers in order to better understand and more effectively address some of the key challenges currently facing humanitarian action. This case study is part of a multi-country study being conducted by the Feinstein International Center at Tufts University entitled, “The Humanitarian Agenda 2015: Principles, Politics and Perceptions” (HA2015). Each case study has focused on understanding perceptions regarding four interrelated issues that are likely to influence the humanitarian agenda during the coming decade: • The universality of humanitarianism – is there anything truly universal about what we call humanitarian action or are the principles and apparatus of humanitarian action perceived to be primarily Western and Northern? • The implications of terrorism and counter-terrorism for humanitarian action – to what extent is the humanitarian enterprise perceived to be part of the security agenda of the US and its allies, and if so what are the implications for humanitarian action? • The search for greater coherence and integration between humanitarian and political/security agendas – does the cost of more integrated approaches exceed the benefits? • The security of humanitarian personnel and the beneficiaries of humanitarian action. The field research for this study was conducted in March 2007, 18 months after

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