Despite complications and conflicts that equate to extreme danger experts in emergency telecommunications were deployed to Peshawar, in the war-torn region of North West Pakistan, on May 22nd. In collaboration with United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations on site, and facing difficult security conditions, TSF has started its mission to support the displaced people and the humanitarian community. Here the conflict between government troops and the Taliban insurgents continues in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
According to the latest registration information available, nearly 2.5 million people are estimated to have fled fighting since 2008. Leaving behind them all their possessions, displaced people have travelled dozens of kilometers to take refuge outside the combat zones. As a result over 20 refugee camps are installed in the six districts of the region. Humanitarian assistance is trying to organize to supply food, water and shelters to the Internally Displaced People (IDPs). Water and sanitation conditions in those camps need urgent attention to prevent the spread of water-borne diseases.
A number of “humanitarian hubs” are also being set up to provide help to people who are staying outside of the camps, the majority of IDPs, and who have settled with family, friends or host communities. The strain on the host communities are huge, with schools being converted into temporary shelters and medical clinics facing overwhelming demand.
Facing this terrible humanitarian tragedy – the largest and the swiftest displacement of people to take place anywhere in the world in recent years – Pakistan’s President called, on May 12th, for urgent and massive international help for those left homeless by fighting.
TSF has been granted permission by the Emergency Response Unit (NWFP government) to start its operations on 8 June 2009. TSF signed an agreement with local NGO Youth Resources Centre (YRC) and started running Humanitarian Calling Operations in Mardan district the same day.
Twenty team members have been recruited and divided in six teams to cover the camps and humanitarian hubs. The action is starting in Mardan, but the objective is also to cover other districts as soon as possible where IDPs are sheltered. International calls are offered in the camps, since IDPs only had access to local calls up to now. Civilians in the humanitarian hubs are being provided with free national and international calls. Separate services dedicated to women will be set up, in and outside the camps, enabling them to contact their relatives in Pakistan or abroad.
Unlike in past emergencies (Kashmir earthquake in 2005 and Balochistan earthquake in Nov. 2008), the local infrastructure has not been damaged and TSF is using a Pakistani mobile operator.
TSF’s team is in close contact with United Nations agencies on site to explore ways that TSF can help in supporting the humanitarian community with data communications. On June 1st, the experts carried out a joint assessment with UNICEF in the Mardan district as well as within the UN Habitat and in collaboration with the district commissioner. Data communications needs have been identified, such as the necessity of back-up solutions in the event that DSL broadband connections fail. An action plan will be established for an effective implementation of the support to the humanitarian community. To reinforce the operations of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), TSF provided GPRS connections, enabling a mobile access to the Internet and email.
In addition, TSF is providing satellite-based mobile communications to the local NGO Philantrope for a duration of four months. The NGO is working in rural areas of the Malakand district, which are not covered by GSM.
Due to security conditions, humanitarian organizations are unable to access civilians in Districts other than Mardan and Swabi. TSF is on stand-by to deploy to those areas not covered by local telecommunications networks and to provide the organizations satellite-based mobile telecommunications
Security conditions are a still a concern, and the humanitarian community in Pakistan faces huge challenges to prepare effective interventions while kidnapping and terrorists’ attacks are still common. Humanitarian organizations are doing their best to ensure the security of their international and local staff.
Given the context in this torn war country, it is believed that longer term actions will be needed. No one knows how long the emergency will last and when the IDPs will able to return home. The mission is supported by the Vodafone Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, Inmarsat, Eutelsat, Vizada, AT&T, Cable and Wireless, PCCW Global, the Communauté d’Agglomération de Pau, and the Conseil Régional d’Aquitaine.
