Drones hover twenty-four hours a day over communities in northwest Pakistan,
striking homes, vehicles, and public
spaces without warning. Their
presence terrorizes men, women, and
children, giving rise to anxiety and
psychological trauma among civilian
communities. Iliose living under
drones have to face the constant worry
that a deadly strike may be fired at any
moment, and the knowledge that they
are powerless to protect themselves.
nese fears have affected behavior.
Itie US practice of striking one area
multiple times, and evidence that it
has killed rescuers, makes both
Drones hover twenty-four hours a
day over communities in northwest
Pakistan, striking homes, vehicles,
and public spaces without warning.
lheir presence terrorizes men,
women, and children, giving rise to
anxiety and psychological trauma
among civilian communities.
community members and humanitarian workers afraid or unwilling to asist injured
victims. Some community members shy away from gathering in groups, including
important tribal dispute-resolution bodies, out of fear that they may attract the
attention of drone operators. Some parents choose to keep their children home, and
children injured or traumatized by strikes have dropped out of school. Waziris told our
researchers that the strikes have undermined cultural and religious practices related to
burial, and made family members afraid to attend funerals. In addition, families who
lost loved ones or their homes in drone strikes now struggle to support themselves.
ncpa.org