Afghan refugees in Pakistan face risks in flood recovery

TRANSCRIPT:

In Pakistan, water levels in some southern regions have begun to recede. But the Indus River remains dangerously high and six million people are still homeless and more face risks from water born diseases. An estimated 20 million people are affected by the flooding. And some of the most vulnerable are Afghan refugees. FSRN’s Nathan Moore reads for our reporter in Pakistan, Gabe Mathews.

In the Zindai Afghan refugee camp in Northwestern Pakistan, the flood killed dozens and destroyed nearly 1,200 homes. Now all that remains is mud and brick ruins. There's no clean drinking water and flies buzz around dozens of small dirty ponds. Six-year-old Merzia is here, searching through the rubble of what used to be her home for one of her handmade dolls. She said most of her family escaped the house before the flood waters submerged it.

MERZI: A wall of our house fell on my brother. My mother and I were weeping when we saw my injured brother and the water destroying our house. Our house is completely destroyed and we have not received aid so far.

Broken dishes, cupboards, beds, clothing trunks, and other household items are covered in mud and spread around the camp. At every destroyed home people search for valuables. Fortunately, most have found their money and jewelry in the ruins.

A few meters away from Merzia, her mother, Naseema Jan, digs through bricks that used to comprise her bedroom walls. The flood has shattered the family. One injured son is hospitalized and the rest of the children sleep outside. Naseema says if they receive aid money, she wants to rebuild.

NASEEMA JAN: We have spent many days and nights under the open sky but now we cannot stay at night because of the fear of the thieves. But even though there are thieves, I like living in Pakistan and would love to rebuild my house and stay here instead of going back to Afghanistan. Everybody has her own choice and my choice is Pakistan.

Naseema’s husband Nowsherawan had been standing quietly at her side, but then interjected.

NOWSHERAWAN: She wears a Pakistani dress and she likes Pakistan but if I had money then I would not stay here and we would go back to my country. I would love to live with my own tribe and relatives in Afghanistan but this is a choice that would have to be made by the whole tribe living here.

According to the United Nations, there are more than one and a half million Afghan refugees in Pakistan's flood affected areas. Like many affected by the floods, refugees are contending with fever, diarrhea, eye and skin diseases, and tension and anxiety.

Many of the Afghan refugees living in this camp lost their refugee ID cards during the floods and say they're having a hard time getting essential aid - like tents and food - from the UN refugee agency. They're also concerned they won't be able to rebuild their homes here. Some refugees that FSRN interviewed said the UN refugee agency is encouraging them to return home.

Iqbal Khan has been living here for 30 years. Now he isn't sure where he's going to live.

IQBAL KHAN: The Pakistani land owners say they were waiting for this day to see Afghans' homes destroyed so they could take back the land. I would not wait one minute to return to Afghanistan, if I had my own land there. But we can’t go back to Afghanistan because it will be winter soon and there are land disputes in which the land lords would not allow us to build houses.

Many refugees wait the whole day for aid, but little comes in. Most of the food is coming from Pakistani neighbors, but the refugees know they can't rely on that for long. Another refugee, Gul Mar Jan, lost her husband in the flood. She now takes care of her seven children alone.

GUL MAR JAN: My house is completely destroyed and I can rebuild if someone would give me cash because rebuilding needs money. I did not get any aid . My family is still living in the field and my children are lying under the open sky and there are flies and ants at night and during the day, my children are lying under the hot summer sun.

Other refugee camps have also been hard hit. According to UNHCR, in Khyber Pakhtunkwa province more than 12,000 homes were destroyed leaving another 70,000 people homeless.

Reading for Gabe Matthews in the Zindai Refugee Camp, I'm Nathan Moore, FSRN.

Zindai Afghan refugee camp. Photo by Gabe Matthews

Zindai Afghan refugee camp. Photo by Gabe Matthews

Zindai Afghan refugee camp. Photo by Gabe Matthews

Zindai Afghan refugee camp. Photo by Gabe Matthews

Zindai Afghan refugee camp. Photo by Gabe Matthews

Zindai Afghan refugee camp. Photo by Gabe Matthews