Pakistan refugee crisis: One of the world's worst: Radio Netherlands

By Johan van Slooten

Pakistan is facing a major refugee crisis, with some two million people having fled the war zone in the Swat valley. They are moving to other regions in the country, where makeshift refugee camps are quickly put up by the authorities and aid organisations.

Heavy fighting broke out recently between the Taliban and the Pakistan army, forcing many civilians to flee the region in the north west of the country. Some people stay behind to protect their property, which leaves aid organisations with the problem of looking after people who have fled and people who are stuck behind enemy lines. NGOs expect this situation to last for at least a year.

One of the NGOs working in the area is Justitia et Pax from The Netherlands. Friederycke Haijer says the sudden influx of refugees comes with many practical problems, such as the building of refugee camps.

"The situation in these refugee camps is very serious, especially for women. There are no arrangements for privacy for women and there is no police or other forms of protection. So for women it is actually a very dangerous situation to be in".

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