Pakistan: Three months after clashes began, Oxfam International emphasizes need for voluntary, safe return of displaced people
Focus group findings show displaced women fear return to Upper Swat district
Three months after the clashes in Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) began, aid agency Oxfam International emphasized the right of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) to return voluntarily and the need to establish sustainable security in their home villages.
Oxfam International praised the Government for agreeing to uphold international standards on the return of IDPs, but said a clear information campaign is needed to help displaced people make informed decisions about returning. Now in the third week of the Government’s phased plan for returns, there are an estimated 1.5 million displaced people yet to be repatriated who need reassurance that their safety will be respected and humanitarian assistance will continue.
