Open Forum on the 29th and 30th of September, 2010 in district Peshawar

Peace Education And Development (PEAD) Foundation organized an Open Forum in collaboration with the Institute of War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) for the students of the Open Minds Project in Peshawar on the 29^th and 30^th of September. The Open Forum was organized to assess the impact of the project on the participating students. The two day event was attended by male and female students from selected government schools and madaris. Various media personnel also attended and interacted with the students during the event. The Open Forum was chaired by Mr. Shaukat Khattak, bureau chief SAMAA on the 29^th and by Mr. Shameem Shahid, President Peshawar Press Club and bureau chief of the upcoming newspaper Pakistan Today on the 30^th of September. 

The Open Forum provided a platform for the students to express what they have learned and gained form the Open Minds project and share it with their peers. Students were gathered at a venue in Peshawar, where they delivered speeches, held discussions and debate, and participated in question and answer sessions. Students also shared stories from their personal lives and from their communities as well.

The students gave presentations on various topics which were assigned to them such as the role of women in the development of Pakistan, difference between Jihad and Extremism, Floods in Pakistan and role of media, and conflict resolution. Students were not only able to speak publicly in front of their peers and panel of experts sitting in front of them on the topics assigned to them but were also able to take questions from the audience and answer them with great confidence and authority.  The Students are now more aware of their surroundings and are in touch with the global community as a result of this project.

The two chief guests shared their experiences with the students and encouraged them to pursue journalism as a career. The entire event was a welcomed initiative which was appreciated by all the participants as well as the panel of experts.

Imran Afzal

Eid in a Camp

Hisam Khan, Class 8^th.

Today is the first day of Eid. I can hear children laughing and playing everywhere, the elders are hugging each other and wishing each other a Happy Eid, people are inviting each other for dinners and lunches. In this time of joy I am feeling very uneasy, it is not because I am sick or that I am not feeling well it is because of my visit to one of the camps which has been set up for the flood victims. One day before Eid I visited a flood relief camp in Charsadda. When I saw the condition those people were living in my heart filled up with sorrow. I saw a woman who had lost her son and husband in the flood and I could not bear the pain I saw in her eyes. The people living in the camps have lost their homes and the flood water took away their life savings in a matter of minutes. Most of the kids were suffering from various stomach problems and vomiting. The elders of all the families living in the camp were running all over in search of food.  These people had absolutely no concern about Eid or its celebrations, and why would they be concerned, they have no food to eat, no roof on their head and clothes to wear. The children at the camp had a look of fear and sadness on their faces instead of smiles and happiness. The government and NGO’s are trying to help these people but help is needed on such a large scale that it has made this effort a very tough job. The only way we can overcome this calamity is if all the people of Pakistan join hands to help all those affected by the floods. Please help these people to get back on their feet.  

Eid after Flood

Muhammad Ajmal.

My name is Muhammad Ajmal and the recent rains have destroyed my house. My family and I have been forced to leave our house and live in a very small rented apartment. There are quite a few people in my family and there is very little space for all of us to fit in the apartment. We do not even have a constant source of income at the moment. My father is very old but he still works in his condition and we are not getting any form of help from anywhere and no one is ready to give us relief. Eid for us was a very normal day because unlike other people we have nothing to celebrate about. Our concern at the moment is how food will be put on the table and not how we will celebrate Eid.

Flood Vicitims

Fazal Kareem, Pakha Gulam.

 My name is Fazal Kareem and I belong to Pakha Gulam. Recent floods have indeed caused a lot of damage but the heavy rainfalls which came before the flood caused many of the mud houses to collapse as well. My house was one of the mud houses which fell due to the rain and because of this we have been forced to live under the open skies without a roof on our heads. One of our relatives suggested that people are registering at G.P.S School no.1 for aid and shelter and that we should also go there. When we got there every one started staring at us and looked at us as if we do not belong here because we belonged to another village and that village was not hit by the flood. Most of the people who were there had lost their houses due to the floods; we have also lost our home just like them and have an equal right to be provided relief and aid. After spending a few days at the camp the government announced that all schools should be vacated as soon as possible so we had to pick up the little that we had and left the camp to go and live with one of our relatives. It’s unfortunate that despite the governments orders there are still a lot of people who are living forcefully in other schools and aid is still being given to them. We did not get a chance to celebrate Ramzan or Eid and we still don’t have a home to go to.

  

Happiness and Sarrow

Shakar Ullah Sahabzada, 9^th class.

Happiness and sorrow are both a part of every human’s life. It is your friends and family who support you and stand by you in times of happiness and sorrow. It is the sign of a true Muslim to help their Muslim brothers in times of need.  The rains that started right before Ramzan caused a massive flood and destroyed the homes of millions of people. The flood came so suddenly, that people did not even get the chance to protect their belongings and reach a safe area.  The flood did not stop for anything in its path and in a matter of days destroyed thousands of homes and made millions of people homeless in all four provinces of the country. Countless people lost their lives, animals and essentials.

It is the duty of every Muslim to help those who have been affected by the flood in what ever way we can. Everyone has the right to celebrate Eid whether they are rich or poor, old or young. We should all stand together and try to do whatever we can for these people to reduce their sorrow on this Eid and give them a little happiness in this sad time. 

Eid in the Relief Camp

Muhammad Sharukh Jamil, Class 8^th.

Our house use to be in Sadar Garhi and we spent this Eid with a great deal of difficulty. Eid use to be a very special event in our village. We use to celebrate Eid by meeting our relatives, preparing sweets, wearing new clothes and playing with other children. We also got money from our parents and we went to the carnival and bought ourselves new toys and sweets.

This year we spent our Eid in a relief camp and it was very difficult for me and my family. We did not have any money or food and no relatives to celebrate our Eid with. I also fell sick on Eid day and I couldn’t even get out of the tent we are living in.  This year our Eid was full of sorrow and sadness. The government and NGO’s did spent time with us on Eid and gave us some food but they were unable to give us any happiness. Our Eid was very sad. 

Bad Times for Swat Valley Residents

Maaz Ahmad, Class 9, Elum Valley Public School, Swat

The monsoon rains have devastated the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of northwest Pakistan, with the worst-affected districts including Swat, Shangla, Chitral, Dir Lower, Dir Upper, Nowshehra, Charsada, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan.

The Marghzar Valley in Swat has been badly hit. Seven people, including two children, are reported dead and at least 24 houses, three watermills and a mosque have been washed away.

The valley is now cut off from the rest of the country – four bridges and connecting highways have been totally destroyed there – and people are facing severe problems in finding food and getting it back to their homes.

Along with other infrastructure, the flooding has damaged tourist facilities including the famous Sufaid Mehel Hotel in the Marghzar Valley. This will impact badly on the area’s future tourism prospects.

People are trying to rebuild the infrastructure by themselves.

Both government and private schools remain closed due to flood damage. The education sector in the Swat Valley has gone through very difficult times in recent times – first an invasion by the Taleban, and now the floods.

According to rough estimates, 75 per cent of crops in Marghzar, Islampur, Pul Bhandhi, Gul Bhandhi, Chitiorh, Saleem Khan and Gulzar Tangey have been washed away, causing losses of millions of rupees to local farmers.

There is now an acute shortage of food including vegetables in the area. The Pakistani army is providing foodstuffs to affected populations, but much more is needed.

Some traders have taken this opportunity to profit from the situation by raising the prices of essential food items beyond what people can afford. The government does not seem to be acting to curb these criminals.

Obtaining medical treatment and purchasing medicine is also out of question for most people, as medication is in short supply and the prices are high. The few remaining rupees that flood victims have in their pockets are not enough to buy food with. Patients suffering from fevers, coughs and skin diseases do not have access to proper treatment and are in poor condition.

There are no vaccination facilities to prevent disease and there is a desperate need for water filtration systems in the Swat Valley, as the floods have washed away access to clean water sources. The only resources left are tube wells, but these cannot be used as electricity is unavailable to drive the pumps. People are therefore drinking unhygienic water, which may produce a large rise in waterborne diseases.

People in the area have been complaining that no government officials have yet visited the Swat Valley. They say morale would be boosted if politicians simply visited the area and expressed sympathy with the flood victims. There is also a sense that United Nations agencies, government departments and local communities need to collaborate closely if they are to deliver better results.

Peshawar Schools House Flood Refugees

Junaid Alam in Peshawar

More than 3,000 internally displaced people, IDPs, have found refuge in flood relief camps set up in government schools in the city of Peshawar. 

Nearly 2,000 people have been killed and some 16.8 million affected by devastating floods that have swept through Pakistan. 

A total of 3,280 IDPs from Peshawar suburbs including Jaba Daudzai, Akbar Pura, Banda Shaikh Ismail Khail, Lala Kaley Tarnaw and Agra Sardaryab have been accommodated in flood relief camps set up in government schools in Peshawar city. 

In Peshawar’s Government High School No 1, a total of 641 women, 427 men and 1,053 children from 251 families have been housed, while 176 women, 115 men and 473 children from 113 families are now in Government High School No 2. The Jogiwarha Boys’ Middle School has provided 68 families with temporary accommodation and the Government Middle School for Girls is sheltering 12 more. 

A relief camp in the Government Girls Highs School Yousaf Abad is housing 62 displaced families and 22 families are living in the Zaryab Colony Government Middle School and Government Primary School Yousaf Abad. 

Over 900 flood-affected individuals have taken refuge in half-built houses in the Khazana district of Peshawar. 

Government departments and NGOs are providing the IDPs with food items and other essential items like clothes, medicines and cooking utensils.

After Effects

Faisal Jalil, coordinator at PEAD Foundation spoke to one of our peer educators Noor ul Islam from District Charsadda on the after effects of the cruel floods the hit recently. He describes that the situation has now gone more worse as the affectees are now confronted with water borne diseases. Children are suffering from diarrhea and other stomach diseases due to drinking contaminated water. On the other hand acute food scarcity is adding further problems to 36 families taking shelter in one of the high School in Tangi, district Charsadda.

Now We Have No Shelter or Food

Manzar Ali, student from GHS Noshehra Kalan

I was asleep when flood struck our village.

It was midnight and I heard voices outside. I went out and everyone was running to save their lives.

Thank God my family is saved but now we have no shelter or food.

The water level rose to ten feet and our homes were completely destroyed. We have lost all our belongings, including clothes, utensils, everything.

"Cruel Floods"

Sajjad Mubarak, Govt Higher Secondary School, Sherpao, Charsada

The recent floods and heavy rains have been the most devastating in the history of Pakistan. More than 2,000 people have died, millions have been made homeless and billions of dollars worth of property has been washed away. The Charsada district of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa province, where I live, was among the first to be exposed to the floods as it is situated closer to the Kabul river.

Many areas of our homeland have been at the mercy of the cruel flood’s waves in the past few days, when rather than coming as a blessing, the monsoon rains created great trouble for the people of our country. The flood waves claimed lives and injured thousands; millions are living under the open sky. Mothers have lost their little kids; brothers are searching for sisters and many others look for their loved ones in the flood waters flowing through their villages.

Charsada and many of its villages fell prey to flood waters. Villages including Tangi, Manda, Habib Garhi and Dildar Gharhi are among the worst affected, as well as Mian Sahab Gharhi, Kote, Umarzai, Charsada City, Utmanzai and Turangzai. Devastation in these areas is severe as homes have been completely washed away. Many people are living in relief camps, where the affected families have no option other than to live under the open sky in very miserable conditions. The death toll of children is the highest of all because of their vulnerability; most of those who died did so due to the unavailability of food and water.

The floods are almost over now, but have left behind a sad history, written with tears. It is not only property but humanity itself which has experienced terrible times during the calamity. Many girls in the affected areas have reportedly committed suicide to save themselves from attack by beast-like human beings. Since people were unable to look after their properties, criminals took the opportunity to steal as many valuables as they could.

In such a miserable situation, the federal and provincial governments are making promises, but doing very little practically. People feel hopeless and say that this has been a golden opportunity for our politicians to increase their own wealth as much as they can in the name of the relief and rehabilitation of affected citizens. People firmly believe that only two per cent of the aid will reach the deserving and the rest will go into the pockets of politicians and the administration.

The furious victims of the flood say that our president Asif Ali Zardari showed his true commitment and dedication towards the country by flying to London in the middle of the crisis. There, as well as political meetings, he was reunited with his sons Bilawal and Bakhtawar – but, ask the victims, what about the hundreds of thousands of Bilawals and Bakhtawars he left behind here, helpless and in trouble?

The people hit by the floods are also not satisfied with the role of the media in covering this huge disaster. The main focus of the media during the early days was an air crash in Islamabad that claimed 152 lives, but they turned a blind eye towards the millions of people crying for help in flood-affected areas.

The flood is over now, but it has left a history for us to learn from.

Booni Glacier Bursts

Rowshan Banu, Govt Girls High School Booni

At midnight on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, the residents of the village of Booni close to the local glacier heard a huge explosion and became alarmed.

They knew that the centuries-old glacier, about 80 kilometres north of Chitral, had burst and the whole village was under thrust. Within minutes of the blast, a mud flow from the glacier started moving towards the village, which has a population of 15,000 people.

Residents of the most vulnerable area in the village, who first heard the explosion, started evacuating their homes and also informed people downstream to leave the area as soon as possible.

After July 28, flood water started to recede and people from the village started to return to their homes, working on irrigation channels for their crops.

But again on Monday, August 10, 2010 at 10 pm the glacier burst once more and this time the residents had no other option but to head for nearby villages. Humanitarian assistance in the form of tents was provided to the displaced but this proved to be inadequate.

It is the peak season for the harvesting of the wheat crop, which may have been damaged altogether. The Booni residents are in a deep state of depression because of the devastation caused by the glacier. I saw damage to houses, bridges, water mills and cultivated land.
 
Some villagers again returned to their homes. I personally visited the households that were affected and conducted a number of interviews.

One resident Amir Wali said that he would not leave his home despite the damage caused by the flooding. “I will die inside my home,” he said, adding that he had sent his family to live with relatives.

Others, however, are abandoning their homes but people with vehicles are demanding high prices to transport their belongings due to fuel shortages. Lack of food is also a concern. Both problems are the result of the area being cut off from the rest of the region.

Authorities “Sleep” as Floods Take Their Toll

Nisar Ali and Dauad Ahmad, Prang Ghar Mohmand Agency

The drizzling began in the early morning of July 28, 2010. By the afternoon, the rain had started, and then came the thunderstorm and the hail. It took only a few minutes for the rivers to fill up with rain water.

Many villages have been destroyed by the floods to the point where it now seems as if no villages had ever been in the area. The continuous rain means that daily life is no longer possible.

Livestock need food and grass, but many of the animals have drowned because there was nobody to help them escape the flood water. About 65 villages have been submerged and demolished by the flood. Some people have been stranded in the middle of the flood as if living on an island and they need food, shelter, clothes and comfort.

Many children became orphans. Many mothers became widows. Many elderly persons were left helpless because none of their carers remained to look after them. But the government in our province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, KPK, was busy sleeping.

The administration was not able to concentrate on rescuing the people affected. They have no modern equipment or techniques, no helicopters or proper boats. They have no military forces available. If they had enough army troops, boats and skilled rescuers our lives would not have been destroyed. The government of KPK should have a system to warn of flooding and a programme to evacuate those affected.

"Hell on Earth"

Sajjad Mubarak
Fawad Haider, programme manager at PEAD spoke to one of our peer educators Sajjad Mubarak to get his feedback on the flood effected areas. Sajjad describes the situation as hell on earth. People are eventually beginning to loose hope. Sajjad and his friends have decided to do their part in helping his people. They have formed a small group under the banner of PEAD and IWPR and are collecting money from who ever they can to help the flood victims. They have taken this initiative themselves and feel that it is not only their responsibility but it is their duty to help those in need.

Shabqadar Tehsil

The floods have caused massive destruction in the Shabqadar Tehsil. 

Some of the villages like Beila, Beargarhi, Sadagarhi have been completely wiped out. Hundereds of people have become homeless and have lost many loved ones. The irrigation system has been completely destroyed. Two of the main canals (upper Swat & lower Swat) have been heavily damaged and the crop fields are also completely lost. Many people have lost their live stock; one of my relatives in the neighboring village has lost 13 of his cows. 

Three of the main bridges connected Shabqadar to Swat and Charsadda have been heavily damaged; Munda bridge and Serkh bridge have been completely wiped out and Khyali bridge has been severely damaged. 

There is no provision of any form of aid from the government as yet. There is severe shortage of food, drinking water, medicines and shelter. Rescue efforts from the government are also very poor. The people are doing what ever possible on a self help basis. The villages which are located higher up on the mountains have been spared from the floods and have taken many people in from surrounding villages and are providing them with food and shelter. 

Al-Khidmat Foundation has been very active in the Shabqadar area; they distributed medicines worth Rs 70,000 today and are also helping people to find shelter and food. Teachers and other community members are also very active in doing relief work. A meeting was organized for the teachers and the heads of schools in one of the private schools. The teachers have been assigned different areas where they will be carrying out their relief activities.