The earthquake that devastated parts of Pakistan and Kashmir on October 8 was the most disastrous ever to hit the region. Weeks after the quake there were still areas that no one has reached. That is mainly true of the Neelum Valley area, close to the so-called "Line Of Control" (LOC) that separates Kashmir into Indian and Pakistani held areas. Farooq Tariq explains. A two-member team from one private TV channel GEO accompanying a military relief helicopter in the Neelum Valley showed a glimpse of the plight of the villagers on October 25. The villagers were begging, arguing, fighting, accusing and saying what ever they could say to the military officers to get some immediate relief to save the lives of their children who are not yet dead. One villager said, "17 days gone, we have no team reaching our village. We have buried 80 from our village, many more are injured, but no help yet has reached Us " The LOC is closed by the Indian and Pakistani governments and no one from can cross it. If it had been open, it would have taken few hours for people from the less-affected Indian held Kashmir people to bring relief. The Pakistani government finally suggested opening the line in five different areas. But lengthy negotiations delayed its opening until the beginning of November.
Earlier, the Pakistani military government rejected an offer from the Indian government of Indian helicopters for relief purposes. "It was not in our national interest to accept this offer, it raises the question of the security of the country» said one Pakistani spokesperson, rejecting the offer.
Later the Pakistani regime offered to accept the Indian helicopters without Indian pilots. What is in the mind of the Pakistani government while, according the latest official figures, over 53,000 are confirmed dead Unofficial figures for the death toll are over 100,000 and more seriously injured.
There has been a pathetic aid response by the governments of the advanced countries so far. Not even five per cent of the total needed for the relief and rehabilitation work has been pledged or sent to Pakistan.
The "friends" of general Musharaf have not been pushed properly by the military government to donate. The reason is very simple.
The military government's earlier response was to hide the facts. They tried in the initial period to show minimum losses of lives and property.
I heard the core commander of the North West Frontier Province, the real boss of the region a day after the earthquake "it is the politicians who are making noise about and losses, I have been touring around the whole day, the maximum deaths are less than one thousand"
This is a province where there are more than 20,000 officially confirmed deaths.
OXFAM UK issued a serious warning on October 26 that Pakistan has been abandoned by the industrial states. noted that America, Japan, Germany and Italy have donated aid that does not match their Belgical austra ce, Belgium, Austria Finland have announced no donations at all.
The United Nation asked for $300 million in emergency relief but only one third of that has materialized. The Food Programme appeal for $56 million has met with only 10 per cent success so far. It issued a serious warning of more deaths if the response is not stepped up.
aven General Musharaf had to admit on October 21 that only $620 million has been pledged. Government surveys say the total damage may exceed five billion dollars while independent surveys suggest billion dollars will be needed.
on october ce. une oume minister of Azad Kashmir, (Pakistani-occupied Kashmir) said, "do not wait for the death of the Kashmiris, send the helicopters now. The community should not talk but act".
The desperation of the hand-picked prime minister of Azad Kashmir shows the real danger that is erupting in the lives of the refugees, desperate to get the tents before the arrival of the winter in three weeks time. Already in some areas, snow is pouring down and in other areas, the temperature is around zero. At present, there a total of 46 helicopters helping in the relief efforts, some 30 of them are from the US army. According to a BBC report on October 23, half of these are involved in transportation of very important perCampaign www.lef.org.pk
To Pakistan, but which might be very costly: LABOUR EDUCATION FOUNDATION, A/C No. 01801876 funds: THROUGH ESSF: 10 Boulevard de Chanzy, 93100 Montreuil, France
International bank account details :
IBAN : FR85 3000 2005 0044 5757 C12 BIC / SWIFT : CRLYFRPP. Account holder : ESSF
sonalities or their security of these. The actions of the Musharaf regime show the growing militarisation of the relief efforts. The military want to control all the incoming aid and want to distribute it without civilian involvement. Major General Farooq Ahmed has been appointed as the relief commissioner. Another general has been appointed to head the rehabilitation work. Civilians seem totally excluded. Despite the total failure of the regime to provide effective help in the first three days after the quake the mainstream media have portrayed the army as the only savioul. During the six years of military rule, retired or serving army officers have headed most civilian institutions. Now the relief and rehabilitation work has followed the same path. The earthquake has raised the issue of the occupation of Kashmir by Pakistan and India and its effect on the It has raised the question of the priorities of the Pakistani state, which has How to send money for the appeal Please visit Labour Education Foundation website for more details of Labour Relief Donations can be sent to the Labour Education Foundation appeal in two ways: BANK ALFALAH LTD., LDA PLAZA, KASHMIR ROAD, LAHORE, PAKISTAN Route: Please advise and pay to Citi Bank, New York, USA Swift CITI US 33 Swift: ALFHPKKALDA for A/C No. 01801876 OF LABOUR EDUCATION FOUNDATION •Or through a Paris-based NGO, the ESSF, which is centralising the transfer of Bank Account: Crédit Lyonnais, Agence de la Croix-de-Chavaux (00525) been too busy arming itself while totally neglecting the defence of civilians in a disaster like this
The state did not make the necessary preparations for such catastrophe. If they had done so, the loss of life would have been greatly reduced. But the social priorities of the people are the last words in the dictionary of the ruling classes of Pakistan.
Pakistan owes $34 billion in foreign loans. It pays nearly $5 billionto the US annually in debt repayments. This is the largest part of the national budget. If the repayment of only one year's debt were withheld, it could cover the total damage caused by the earthquake, according to the official figUICS
The irony of the matter is that IMF has announced, not aid, but a loan on soft terms basis, even on this tragic occasion for Pakistan. This is why the Labour Party Pakistan calls for the cancellation of Pakistan's debt. Foroog Tariq is the General Secretary of the Labour Party Pakistan