KATHERINE KIVIAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Pakistan: Refugees

Bir Baba, (right) with his son Tarek(left), a Pakistani refugee who fled his village in Bajaur when he received a threat from the Taliban saying they would kill him if he did not leave. Bir Baba was the Malek, (tribal chief) of his village and is now the leader of a Pakistani refugee community which he set up on the edge of Islamabad, Pakistan. There are now 70 -80 undocumented refugee families living in this community.
  
Ali Khan, 70 yrs old, Pakistani refugee from Bajaur who fled fighting 6 months ago to come and live in this refugee community in Islamabad. The houses were rented out by Bir Baba, another refugee from Bajaur who claims he was forced to leave his home when he recieved death threats from the Taliban giving him a deadline to leave Bajaur. The refugee community on the edge of Islamabad, Pakistan is now home to 70 -80 undocumented refugee familes who fled fighting in Bajour, Buner, Swat, and Tribal Agencies.
  
Saida, 8 yrs old, from Maiman Agency, is one of the thousands of undocumented refugees who were forced to leave their homes due to intense fighting between the Taliban and the Pakistan military. She is now living in a housing compound in Islamabad, Pakistan run by refugee, Bir Baba from Bajour who set up these houses for incoming refugees from Bajour, Swat, Buner, and the tribal agency areas. There are now 70 - 80 familes living on this compound. The families prefer to rent out these houses as they provide more privacy for their family, in particular, their women who are often filmed and photographed inside the refugee camps.
     
  
Jafir (far right), 7yrs old, holding his baby brother Kamran, and standing next to his sister Asma (left), 4yrs, inside a refugee community set up on the edge of Islamabad, Pakistan. These children and their parents fled their home in Bajaur 4 months ago and have no idea when they will be able to return. This refugee community that they are living in now was set up by refugee, Bir Baba, also from Bajaur, who was forced to leave his home when the Taliban threated to kill him if he did not leave his village. There are now 70 -80 undocumented refugee families living in the community.
   
Pakistan refugee children inside a refugee community set up on the edge of Islamabad, Pakistan on May 17, 2009. These children and their parents fled their homes about 4 months ago and have no idea when they will be able to return. This refugee community that they are living in now was set up by refugee, Bir Baba, also from Bajaur, who was forced to leave his home when the Taliban threated to kill him if he did not leave his village. There are now 70 -80 undocumented refugee families living in the community.
  
Said Wahid holding his newborn grandson, Sahil under his tent at the Swabi IDP camp in Swabi, Pakistan. Sahil was born 3 days ago, just a few days after this refugee family had fled Swat and moved to the IDP camp for safety. Photographed in Swabi, Pakistan on May 20, 2009. There are now 1.5 million displaced people in Pakistan's North West.
     
  
Refugee baby lying outside the family's tent as a crow stands by at the Swabi IDP camp in Swabi, Pakistan on May 2009. There are now 1.5 million displaced people in Pakistan's North West.
  
Refugees from Swat bathing at one of the water springs set up at the Swabi IDP camp in Swabi, Pakistan on May 20, 2009. There are now 1.5 million displaced people in Pakistan's North West.
  
Pakistani refugee with boxes of supplies from the Pakistan Red Crescent at the Swabi IDP camp in Swabi, Pakistan on May 20, 2009. There are now 1.5 million displaced people in Pakistan's North West.
     
  
Refugees from Swat bathing and washing their clothes and one of the water springs set up at the Swabi IDP camp in Swabi, Pakistan on May 20, 2009. There are now 1.5 million displaced people in Pakistan's North West.
  
View of the Swabi IDP camp in Swabi, Pakistan on May 20, 2009. There are now 1.5 million displaced people in Pakistan's North West.