A/S SCHWARTZ'S MEETING WITH LT. GEN. NADEEM,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 001737

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2019
TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM PGOV EAID PK
SUBJECT: A/S SCHWARTZ'S MEETING WITH LT. GEN. NADEEM,
LEADER OF PAKISTAN'S HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE EFFORT

Classified By: Gerald M. Feierstein, for reasons 1.4 (b)(d)


1. (C) Summary: In a July 24 meeting with Assistant
Secretary for Population, Migration and Refugees Eric
Schwartz, Lt. General Nadeem Ahmad outlined the planned
assumption by the Provincial Relief, Rehabilitation and
Settlement Authority (PaRRSA) of programmatic responsibility
for the GOP's coordination of early recovery and
reconstruction. On August 14, Nadeem and his 11th Corps will
assume responsibility for military operations in Buner, Dir,
Shangla and Swat, but a small core of Nadeem's Special
Support Group will remain to monitor and evaluate
reconstruction efforts in areas of return. A/S Schwartz,
while fully acknowledging reasons for promoting early return
of the displaced to their home districts, stressed the
importance of the voluntariness of that return. He noted
that precipitous return could result in a secondary
displacement with all its humanitarian implications, another
humanitarian crisis, a decrease in popular support for the
GOP's security objectives in areas of return, and increased
difficulty in raising further international assistance
funding. He stressed the importance of adhering to
humanitarian principles and the political importance of being
able to face the scrutiny of the U.S. Congress on the
voluntariness of return. In response, Nadeem pointed to the
extent of spontaneous return and to return prior to the July
13 commencement of the GOP's expedited return program.


2. (C) A/Schwartz also stressed the importance of allowing
humanitarian assistance providers to continue to assist the
displaced upon return and noted the connection between
development and security objectives. Nadeem agreed but noted
the potential difficulty of working in the areas of return
and the need for a small foreign footprint. Nadeem raised
concern about the GOP's current assistance focus on the
displaced from Malakand Division at the expense of those from
the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). He expressed
appreciation for the responsiveness of the U.S. Government's
assistance, and the Assistant Secretary assured him of our
continued support. End summary.

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U.S. Humanitarian Support for Pakistan
--------------


3. (SBU) In a July 24 meeting with PRM A/S Eric Schwartz,
Lt. General Nadeem Ahmad, the GOP's operational lead for
emergency response to the displacement, noted that Pakistan's
most substantial financial support in the displacement crisis
has come from the United States. He expressed appreciation
for the show of support evident in the number and level of
U.S. officials, including Ambassador Holbrooke and Admiral
Mullen, who had visited the displacement camps. He called
the interest and support shown by the Ambassador and her
staff exceptional and said that two things made his job
immeasurably easier. The first was the exceptional response
of the government and people of Pakistan to their fellow
displaced citizens, and the second was knowing he could count
on the United States to provide him what he needed quickly if
he just asked. He cited particularly the water trucks,
environmentally controlled tents, and meals ready-to-eat
provided by the U.S. military. He commented that, "People
have started to know the soft face of the United States."

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Return and Early Recovery
--------------


4. (SBU) Nadeem said that the overall humanitarian response
to this complex emergency was better than that to the 2005
earthquake. On returns, he said that as of July 23 there had
been a 39 percent return by the displaced to their home
districts and that people were enthusiastic about returning,
raising Pakistani flags and stepping up to identify "the bad
guys." He stressed the importance of keeping up the momentum
to maintain this enthusiasm and looked to the U.S. to take
the lead on assisting recovery and reconstruction. Nadeem
said that of the total population of 960,000 families in the
conflict-affected districts, 320,000 families had been

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displaced, and 640,000 had stayed behind. Those returning
would carry a one-month supply of food and would also receive
the government-promised PKR 25,000 rupee grant (USD 305) per
family, food for six months, a tool kit and some agricultural
items. He commented that following the earthquake,
vulnerable people were provided PKR 3000 per month for six
months, and others were provided cash and food for work. He
noted that the same kind of provisions would be needed for
the displaced.


5. (C) Nadeem said that as the focus of attention shifts
from relief to early recovery and reconstruction, his Special
Support Group would "fade out" while programmatic
responsibility for recovery and reconstruction would be
passed to the Provincial Relief, Rehabilitation and
Settlement Authority (PaRRSA). He added that, as of August
14, his 11th Corps would assume responsibility for military
operations for Buner, Dir, Shangla and Swat but that he would
keep a small core group of people, "a smaller Special Support
Group", to monitor and evaluate the reconstruction efforts.
He would also have the responsibility of addressing
community, law and order, and governance issues and thus
would remain very much involved.


6. (C) Nadeem identified as a problem the GOP's current
assistance focus on Malakand Division at the expense of the
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA),and particularly
the displaced of Bajaur and Mohmand. He said that any
assistance provided in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP)
and not in FATA would have repercussions and that FATA must
be included in any relief and recovery effort.


7. (C) Assistant Secretary Schwartz stressed to Lt. General
Nadeem the value of giving assistance providers the chance to
go back to the areas of return in order to sustain the
exposure of the returnees to development and the broader
community. He pointed to the nexus between development and
security objectives. Nadeem agreed, commenting that the NGOs
now know the village elders and can help create the bridge
from relief to recovery. However, he noted that it may not
be as easy to work in the areas of return as in the areas of
displacement and that it would be important to keep the
foreign footprint down (to, for example, one expatriate visit
per month). A/S Schwartz noted the importance of ensuring
that the kind of assistance provided by the international
community can be integrated with Pakistani government
programs.


8. (C) Nadeem described the envisioned assistance process
whereby PaRRSA will be the clearing house for all proposed
assistance projects. Work on the project (materials,
adherence to specifications, oversight) will be monitored by
Nadeem's reduced Special Support Group to "help partners
improve the quality of their program" and also to ensure that
the government could "backfill" between more high profile
projects others might choose to do.

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Concerns Regarding Voluntariness of Return from Camps
-------------- --------------


9. (SBU) According to statistics presented to the Assistant
Secretary by Lt. General Nadeem, as of July 23, 125,675
families (or 39 percent) of a total of 324,459 verified,
registered displaced families had returned to their districts
of origin. About 47 percent of these returnees, 59,436
families, had returned since the start of the GOP's return
program on July 13. Of those, approximately 30 percent
(17,269 families) have returned from camps.


10. (C) A/S Schwartz acknowledged to Lt. General Nadeem that
the impetus for urging return of the displaced was undeniable
and that the extent of spontaneous return from hosting
communities was an indicator of its voluntariness. He
further acknowledged that camps are an environment in which
development cannot take place but in which camp inhabitants
can be subject to bad influences and recruitment. However,
A/S Schwartz raised issues of concern regarding the
government's program of expediting the return of the

ISLAMABAD 00001737 003 OF 003


displaced. (Note: For NGO accounts of returns see septels.
End note.)


11. (C) A/S Schwartz made the following points to Lt. Gen.
Nadeem:

-- If the displaced return home before conditions are right
and then have to flee a second time, there is potential for
more misery - creating both another humanitarian crisis and
a detriment to support for the government's broader policy
objectives.

-- If people displace a second time, it will be even more
difficult to rally international funding for humanitarian
assistance than it has been thus far.

-- Adherence to humanitarian principles -- articulated in the
Return Policy Framework signed by NWFP authorities -- is
critical. Return must be voluntary, informed, safe and
dignified.

-- Finally, he highlighted the political importance of
ensuring voluntary return. He noted that while he would
testify in his upcoming appearance before the U.S. Congress
that Pakistan has engaged in a fundamental way to address its
humanitarian crisis and is making a monumental effort,
Members of Congress will want to be assured that IDP return
is voluntary as it considers further humanitarian assistance
and support to Pakistan.


12. (C) Promising to be "forthright" in his response to
these points, Lt. General Nadeem mentioned his background in
having addressed two previous disasters. He said that every
relief organization seeks to perpetuate relief and that
unless relief is over, reconstruction cannot begin. He
alleged the existence of a "whispering campaign" in the camps
to promote the idea that security was insufficient in the
areas of return. A/S Schwartz replied that serious,
professional and dispassionate humanitarian assistance
providers, who were likely also to provide assistance in the
areas of return, had voiced concern about the pressures to
return. Noting that the government "has leverage only over
the 10-15 percent" of displaced who are in the camps, Nadeem
said that approximately 126,000 families had returned to
their districts of origin as of July 23 and that 75 percent
of that return had been spontaneous. He noted that Swatis
all want to go back while Bajauris want to wait for the
situation at home to stabilize. He also pointed to the fact
that return is not a prerequisite for receipt of the PKR
25,000/family payment, which is, in fact, distributed prior
to return.


13. (C) The Assistant Secretary stressed that it will be
important that the GOP clearly articulate that people who are
afraid to return home will not be forced to do so. Nadeem
replied that people were not being forced and that, on the
contrary, he did not have enough buses and trucks to meet the
demand for return. On the previous day, which was a break
day for those facilitating return, people were still
clamoring for transportation to go back.


14. (SBU) Although A/S Schwartz and General Nadeem did not
come to closure on this issue, the tone and tenor of the
meeting were very cordial, with the General and the A/S
sharing stories about mutual friends and general issues of
humanitarian assistance. In closing, the Assistant Secretary
reiterated deep U.S. admiration overall for Pakistan,s
handling of the humanitarian emergency and assured Lt.
General Nadeem of the continuing support of the United
States.


15. (U) A/S Schwartz has cleared this cable.
FEIERSTEIN