Allies against the floods? Aid agencies and the army in Pakistan
Flood relief in north-west Pakistan. © Sarhad Rural Support Programme
Humanitarian organisations and the armed forces might seem unlikely bedfellows. But in times of emergency, such as the devastating floods which hit Pakistan six months ago, aid agencies, government and the military must work together. When thousands of lives are at stake – more than 1,750 people were killed by the flooding, and a staggering 18 million affected – effective co-ordination between these organisations is crucial.
Learning to work with the military is essential for aid agencies in Pakistan, where the armed forces hold considerable influence. This is especially true in the Swat Valley, in north-west Pakistan, which was a Taliban stronghold until the militants were forced out by the army in 2009-10. Three million people fled the conflict, and had only recently returned when the floods hit in July 2010. Humanitarian agencies are faced with the task of helping to rebuild homes, livelihoods and services alongside an ongoing military presence in the region.
Bahrain Bazar, Swat Valley, Pakistan. © Sarhad Rural Support Programme
The challenges faced by NGOs working with the military to provide emergency relief in Pakistan will be the subject of a public lecture taking place in Cambridge on Monday 7th February. The speaker is Masood ul-Mulk, CEO of the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP), the largest NGO working to alleviate poverty in north-west Pakistan. SRSP was active in relief and reconstruction following the 2005 earthquake, 2009 Swat Valley conflict and 2010 floods, and worked closely with civil and military authorities. Masood ul-Mulk was also part of the five-member UN, government and humanitarian team that led the 2009 UN Humanitarian Appeal for Internally Displaced Persons.
Masood ul-Mulk will deliver his lecture, titled ‘Humanitarian-Military interaction in complex emergencies: the experience of Pakistan’, at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, at 7pm on Monday 7th February. The talk is hosted by the Cambridge Humanitarian Centre as part of our Annual Lecture series, and is free of charge. To find out more, visit http://annual-lecture-2011.eventbrite.com/
