The situation in the Rangmala Camp in Malakand near Batkhela

Today the workers of the Revolutionary Defence and Relief Committee (Pushtoonkhwa) made a detailed visit to the internally displaced persons (people forced to flee their homes but who, unlike refugees, remain within their country's borders, or IDPs for short) of the Rangmala Camp in Malakand near Batkhela. They received a great response from the people. A great number of people and workers supported the measures taken by the committee. They assured the committee of their maximum possible support. The RD&RC chief organizer, the area in-charge and other committee members carried out a large amount of work and helped the people. They helped the people and created committees for the purpose of health, education, administration, security, information, registration and political education. A number of groups were created, a leader was selected for each group and each group was assigned a specific task. A group meeting was also held among the workers of the committee and everyone assured the committee of their utmost support.
The establishment of the committee (Revolutionary Defence and Relief Committee Pushtoonkhwa) was an urgent task of the moment. They agreed to increase the number of committees up to 10. They appealed to the people to participate voluntarily in the committee. They received a great response from the people and great numbers participated within a very short time. We are expecting positively that we will get volunteers in great numbers and we will achieve the target of 500 volunteers.

The Rangmala camp comprises of 516 families in which the number of IDPs is 3484 and it is expected that the number will increase to more than 10,000. Among the present 3484 there are 779 men, 937 women, 935 boys, and 883 girls in the camp. The majority of the people in the camp were hard working and poor people. They are in a very miserable condition. The people are facing big problems because of the hot weather, dust, disease, lack of proper sanitation and the bad response of the authorities. There are no arrangements for rehabilitation, education, food and medical facilities for the people. The newborn babies and their mothers lack food and proper care.

The already very active volunteers on the committee made their best contribution in the rehabilitation of the people. They have carried out a great number of jobs and are helping those affected by the war with whatever resources they have at hand. A large number of IDPs are also living in various houses of the comrades in the village of Dheri Jolagram.