PukhtunWomen

Sharif Khan (Old Man)
The hillsides of Bajaur bloom all year long. They are sweet as a rose, where even the bees are happy. The honey from these bees is better than honey from any other place.
Our children grieve away from home, no longer able to wander about freely without a care. This place can never be home.
To everyone their homeland seems as beautiful as Kashmir. Even poetry has been written for the flowers of Bajaur.

Narration
I lived in Bajaur for 2 years. The Bajaur of my memory, was where women exchanged stories while washing clothes at streams, sang songs of joy at weddings, women like Kashmiray Malaka bravely managed tribes.
Despite their poverty they symbolized hope. What I did not realize was that the reason behind their hope was an unconditional love for their homeland. As their homes were lost, the smiles faded too.
The people of today’s Bajaur, young and old, all bear the same expression on their faces. An expression reflecting the sadness and misery that is embodied by the endless tents in various camps set up.

Samiullah Turabi (President Bajaur Youth Movement)
When civilian habitations came in the way of the military operations people were forced to flee, leaving all their possessions behind.

Narration
Even the government cannot adequately deal with a human displacement of such proportions.

Ms Nisar
Sub Inspector Police/ Caretaker at Pir Pia Camp
The carefree people of Bajaur were forced to flee to our camp after they experienced terror.
Many were relieved to be reunited with their loved ones at the camp but this joy cannot make up for the grief of leaving behind their homes.

Shamshad Khan
One’s home is like heaven. One may see all that the world has to offer, but one’s soul is at rest only in one’s homeland. We are Pakistani’s, this is our country. From Karachi to Khyber, we all belong to this country.
If we are the citizens of this country then why are we suffering? We have been forced to become refugees in our own country!

Rahim Shah
Every kind of bomb imaginable has been used on us—on civilians, leaving behind the stench of death and separation of families. It is the older people who have suffered the most. We could flee but they could not. We should have at least been warned before these indiscriminant attacks.

Narration
The attacks have displaced many people within their country. Many who could not physically make the journey have been left behind.

Shukur-ullah
While my family and I rushed out of our houses, our neighbor’s house was bombed. I saw the father, his wife and daughters blown to pieces.

Rahim Shah
A local headmaster’s wife and children also fell victim to bombing. They did not get enough time to vacate their house. Their bodies lay unattended. They couldn’t even be buried with honor.

Zainab Bibi
The planes and blasts surrounded us everywhere. The thundering sounds followed us everywhere. Our homes were also being hit .We left everything behind, our belongings, animals even the bread in the oven.

Narration
An unnoticed aspect of displacement is that the honor of womenfolk who are culturally kept protected away from the eyes of strangers seems at risk. This has further confined them to the stifling environment of tents.

Shukur-ullah
We may have all been herded and dumped into these camps but we will still maintain our honor. All we can do to achieve this is to further confine our women and children into the tents. Their condition only grows worse. They are suffering from cholera, diarrhea and what not. Aren’t we also Pakistani’s? Doesn’t the Army belong to us as well? The police, the army are they all not like our children, our brothers?
Can anyone dare to spend even a short while in these tents? Why does this injustice prevail? Why does no one stand up?

Shamshad Khan
One look at the living conditions here and you will realize why two of the children died in a nearby tent of cholera. All the children are at risk.

Narration
The main victims of the present living conditions at the refugee camps are children. Abdur Rehman had to pay the price with the death of his daughter and niece.

Abdur Rehman
Aerial attacks would continue day and night. We decided to flee. We had to walk for 4 or 5 days.
When we arrived here it was not only hot but the living conditions were bad as well. During the day the children would be pestered by flies and at night by mosquitoes.
As a result, two girls died and we buried them here. Khalida and Tahira were 4 and 5 years old. We buried them here because we could not afford to take them back. The displacement has made us sad.
Back home, when civilians die of the military attacks people are too afraid to bury them. They lie simply there in the open.
In our camp, the majority of the children are sick. We all want to go home because ones home is the best place to live. I hope the government is able to bring peace there.
Our animals are probably hungry and thirsty. One buffalo costs us 30’000 to 40’000 Rupees. We cannot take such a big loss.

Narration
Most of the refugees are as concerned for their animals as they are for their children.

Zainab Bibi
I miss home. We want to return home because Ramazan has arrived and it’s becoming dark and gloomy.
My agony at leaving behind my little daughter and a son is unbearable. We left them behind. I had to leave her to tend the animals because they could die of thirst. We are poor people. We cannot afford to lose them. They are both very young - just little older than this boy. My own daughter Nihar has been left behind. I worry about how she will cope. She must be hiding in the mountains trying to save herself from the attacks. She was screaming hysterically when we were coming here. My little son consoled her, saying we will be reunited soon.

Narration
Nihar and her brother are still in Bajaur tending to the animals amidst devastation. Poverty has forced the little brother and sister to pay a heavy price. A sacrifice to protect their parent’s main source of income.

Saeed Khan (Bajuar Youth Movement)
I am concerned for the children of Bajaur. We had always wanted them to follow a better path. Do you think it is possible now? 400,000 people have been displaced. In this camp alone, there are around 1400 people. 913 of them are children. Without schools what do you expect them to become? We request the country to ponder over the issue. Are they not being forced to become Taliban?

Narration
Conflict in Bajaur gets messier day by day. When it comes to War against Terror international laws are far from being observed. The displaced refugees have indeed themselves become victims of terror, hopelessness and uncertainty. The world needs to invest in the children who can be the real ambassadors of peace---provided their trust is won. Today they all wait for the world, the media that sits as silent spectator to come forward and heal their wounds.