One interviewee stated that, “after the drones, people can’t go and talk with or sit with anybody at any time. And so they [face great difficulty carrying] on their business and their families.”571 One man who lost a cousin in the March 17, 2011 jirga strike, explained: We do not come out of our villages because it’s very dangerous to go out anywhere. . . . In past we used to participate in activities like wedding gatherings [and] different kinds of jirgas, different kinds of funerals. . . . We used to go to different houses for condolences, and there were all kinds of activities in the past and we used to participate. But now it’s a risk to go to any place or participate in any activities.572
The fears the interviewees described were not limited to ceremonial gatherings or other large group activities. Many said that they were afraid even to congregate in groups or receive guests in their home. Umar Ashraf, who has noticed the changes in community dynamics over the past few years, observed that “[W]e do not like to sit like this, like friends [gesturing in front of him at the small circle of interviewer, interviewee, and “[m]ore than two can’t sit together translator], because we have outside because they are scared they fear, since [they] usually might be struck by drones.” attack people when they sit in gatherings.”573 Sameer - Sadaullah Wazir, teenage drone victim Rahman, whose family’s house was hit in a strike, confessed that “there are barely any guests who come anymore, because everyone’s scared.”574 He also stated that he does not allow his children to visit other people’s homes when they have guests over, because he believes having guests makes it more likely that the house will be attacked.575
them, they have mental illnesses.”); Interview with Shahbaz Kabir (anonymized name), in Islamabad, Pakistan (Feb. 26, 2012) (“Before the drone attacks, our land was a prosperous land and people were living in a peaceful way. Now, they are all the time scared and worried about the attacks”); Interview with Abbas Kareem (anonymized name), in Islamabad, Pakistan (Feb. 26, 2012) (“[Life] was very good. It was good. It was a life of no problems. No consequences, no fear in our hearts. We lived a very good time.”). 571 Interview with Ajmal Bashir (anonymized name), in Islamabad, Pakistan (Feb. 26, 2012). 572 Interview with Sayed Majid (anonymized name), in Peshawar, Pakistan (May 9, 2012). 573 Interview with Umar Ashraf (anonymized name), Islamabad, Pakistan (Mar. 9, 2012). 574 Interview with Sameer Rahman (anonymized name) and Mahmood Muhammad (anonymized name), in Islamabad, Pakistan (Feb. 29, 2012).
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