Two million Pakistanis long for home

They are caught in the crossfire as government forces fight insurgents. Seven weeks since the conflict erupted, the frontline is now shifting towards another troubled part of Pakistan on the Afghan border in South Waziristan. The violence continues and, with it, another exodus of people to join those already taking refuge in poor communities.

Humanitarian agencies like World Vision are working in increasingly challenging conditions. Aid organisations are providing food, water, shelter and healthcare to as many people as the challenging security and funding situation will allow. Some people are out of reach, others have not been able to escape because they are trapped or too poor to flee.

I am sharing a house in a village where there are lots of people we don’t know. I feel very sad living here. I miss my school, my friends and the family in my village Barely a day goes by without a bombing or security incident. It is hot, tense and frustrating as we see the humanitarian need escalate and only limited funds come in. During harder moments I often drew comfort from familiar thoughts and the certainty that I had a return ticket home. Most of the hundreds of thousands of displaced don’t have this certainty; they are left only with the thoughts of home.

Salman has a story similar to so many I heard. “I wake at 8am and wait for breakfast," said the 11-year-old. "Sometimes we have to wait a few hours as my father goes to queue for food and other supplies for our family. It is very difficult to get food because there are a lot of people like us standing in long queues waiting for help.”

Salman had to flee his home in the Swat valley with his parents and four siblings. The family left with nothing and travelled 30 kilometres on foot across rugged mountain paths to find refuge. They’re now living with a host family in Buner district. Salman doesn’t really understand why they are living with strangers. He just wants to go back to life in his home village.

“When I go outdoors, there are so many people around that I feel scared," he said. "I am still afraid because of what happened when we had to run away from the fighting.

“I am sharing a house in a village where there are lots of people we don’t know. I feel very sad living here. I miss my school, my friends and the family in my village.”

The psychological impact of displacement is not restricted to the children; the quiet suffering of his parents is not lost on Salman.

“My parents are not happy. They look scared and my mother cries a lot. I feel very helpless when she is crying.”

The emotional longing for home is compounded by the physical and practical challenges of being displaced. “Our day is very difficult,” said Salman. “We have no electricity. I get so upset and have never been in this heat before. It is very hard to sleep at night and there are a lot of mosquitoes.”

Salman’s experience will resonate with each and every person that has had to leave their home, leaving loved ones, school or jobs behind.

In the past year alone, I’ve worked among displaced people in Myanmar, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Pakistan. I’ve sat with many women and children crammed into tiny homes provided by strangers or huts built in temporary camps. Most express similar hopes to Salman’s -- grateful for refuge, but eager to be home.

“I pray to God that our happy days would come back,” Salman said. “I want to be back in my village running in the fields, playing with friends and going to my school.”

The circumstances leading to millions of people becoming refugees or displaced within their own country vary considerably. The resulting fear, upheaval and longing for home are universal. Whether you are fleeing violence, caught in the cross-fire of a civil conflict, or your village has been flattened by an earthquake or cyclone, the chaos, dislocation and stress on your family and community is unimaginable.

My parents are not happy. They look scared and my mother cries a lot. I feel very helpless when she is crying We have all known what it is to miss home so in turn we should show solidarity with those who have been forced to flee. I’ve asked displaced families in Pakistan when they think it will be possible to return home and start rebuilding their lives. Many thought it could be months or even years. Others were not sure they would ever be able to return. Most feared it would never be the same again.

For Pakistan, the international community needs to demonstrate that it is just as concerned about the vulnerable as it is about combating extremism. The crisis has exacted a huge toll upon the displaced.

It also presents us with an opportunity to demonstrate compassion and to commit to the long-term rebuilding of Pakistan’s poor communities. This will enable people to make a voluntary, safe and prosperous return to their homes and futures in Pakistan -- something we all hope for.

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