Monday, August 18, 2008
The time has come to work out an official strategy on IDPs. Immediately, they must be given adequate shelter, medical assistance and compensation for the losses they have suffered. In the longer run, these people need to be persuaded of the need to participate in the effort to bring peace and development to their areas. Humanitarian crises of the kind now being witnessed offer an opportunity for the state to interact with people and evolve a relationship with them. At this time, Pakistan must ensure this relationship is one that can help it draw closer to people who currently regard its forces with both distrust and fear. So far they know these forces mainly only as those who have bombed homes, ordered people to leave them or forced farmers to cut down maize crops so militants cannot use them for purposes of ambush. A kinder face of state must too be unveiled before people.
http://www.newageislam.com/internal-refugees-and-bajaur-conflict/war-on-terror/d/588
