People in pakistan itself are not donating then why blame india for not giving relief material..The thing is countries got fed up with pakistan asking for donation every 2-3 months for natural calamities but where these money end up ultimately anyone can guess.And after wikileaks episode countries have become more suspicious of pakistan.Think about it same pakistan which creates money out of thin air to buy shiny weapons and to buy Mercedes for govt ministers dont have money for natural disaster relief.And thats the only reason worlds top two economies USA and china gave only the token money of $10 million and $1.3 millions respectively.coz they two know well where this money gonna end up except for the relief of the poor people.So suspicious are the people of pakistan are that they themselves are not make donations.
Survivors bitter due to inadequate govt response
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Syed Bukhar Shah
PESHAWAR: Although activists of various political parties have established relief camps on almost all main roads to collect donations, many volunteers there noticed a cold-shoulder response to their calls this time as compared to the response they got for the assistance to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to military operations and the survivors of the 2005 earthquake in Hazara.
"Lack of confidence!" was the quick response of one of the activists at a relief camp in Peshawar Saddar. "We have lost public confidence and now most people don't like to donate to a relief organisation but try to help the victims on their own," he added.
A Pakhtun woman, who had been watching devastating floods and miseries of survivors on TV channels in Saudi Arabia, told The News that she had sent some money and requested her parents to distribute it among the deserving instead of handing it to someone else. She was not happy with her previous experiences with some "welfare" bodies.
Influential people in various areas have accommodated many affected families in their respective places and providing them two-time meals while the residents in some areas including Taru Jabba, Pashtun Garhi, Camp Koroona, Toru Mayar in Mardan have made announcements on loudspeakers asking people to donate for the flood affected people.
"We have been taking bread, water and food for the affectees of Nowshera and fodder for their cattle," said Hashim Khan from Toru village in Mardan. He said almost every household contributed according to their resources.
"We also asked people to provide clean drinking water bottles and we distribute it among the survivors now living on certain main roads," he said, adding that arranging fodder for cattle was difficult but the locals have taken this responsibility also.
Hashim Khan asked who would be held accountable for the death of several people who lost their lives due to non-availability of food and water in Pir Sabak in Nowshera where the government failed to arrange meals for them.
"The real death toll and destruction by floods will be known later," said Hakim Khan, adding that the entire village Zadai near Chamkani had been washed away, including a family comprising 30 members. Only two bodies of the ill-fated family had been recovered so far, he said.
He said villagers were providing meals to the affected people on self-help basis by cooking rice near the main roads and later supplying it to the affected people. Hakim Khan said almost all the mud houses in Taru Jabba, Ali Baig, Banda Sheikh Ismail, Banda Mulla Khan, Kodai, Tarkha, Khush Muqam, Fazal Koroona, Camp Koroona, Jabba Khushk, and all of Zakhai had been destroyed. He said that villagers could not live in the partially damaged houses, as they fear the structures may collapse anytime. The flood victims everywhere were criticising the government as well as political and religious parties for their inability to assist them in time. "We know that nobody could extend perfect assistance in such calamities but the government could lessen the scale of destruction by giving timely warning about floods," said an emotional volunteer Iqbal. "Now we do not find a place to bury bodies," he remarked.
The once thickly populated areas on both sides of the G T Road are now presenting a deserted look. "There is mud everywhere. But the situation can be improved through joint efforts," said a doctor who suggested to the government, NGOs and philanthropists to mobilise the public and undertake humanitarian work instead of indulging in blame game.
People not donating for relief work like the past
Survivors bitter due to inadequate govt response
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Syed Bukhar Shah
PESHAWAR: Although activists of various political parties have established relief camps on almost all main roads to collect donations, many volunteers there noticed a cold-shoulder response to their calls this time as compared to the response they got for the assistance to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to military operations and the survivors of the 2005 earthquake in Hazara.
"Lack of confidence!" was the quick response of one of the activists at a relief camp in Peshawar Saddar. "We have lost public confidence and now most people don't like to donate to a relief organisation but try to help the victims on their own," he added.
A Pakhtun woman, who had been watching devastating floods and miseries of survivors on TV channels in Saudi Arabia, told The News that she had sent some money and requested her parents to distribute it among the deserving instead of handing it to someone else. She was not happy with her previous experiences with some "welfare" bodies.
Influential people in various areas have accommodated many affected families in their respective places and providing them two-time meals while the residents in some areas including Taru Jabba, Pashtun Garhi, Camp Koroona, Toru Mayar in Mardan have made announcements on loudspeakers asking people to donate for the flood affected people.
"We have been taking bread, water and food for the affectees of Nowshera and fodder for their cattle," said Hashim Khan from Toru village in Mardan. He said almost every household contributed according to their resources.
"We also asked people to provide clean drinking water bottles and we distribute it among the survivors now living on certain main roads," he said, adding that arranging fodder for cattle was difficult but the locals have taken this responsibility also.
Hashim Khan asked who would be held accountable for the death of several people who lost their lives due to non-availability of food and water in Pir Sabak in Nowshera where the government failed to arrange meals for them.
"The real death toll and destruction by floods will be known later," said Hakim Khan, adding that the entire village Zadai near Chamkani had been washed away, including a family comprising 30 members. Only two bodies of the ill-fated family had been recovered so far, he said.
He said villagers were providing meals to the affected people on self-help basis by cooking rice near the main roads and later supplying it to the affected people. Hakim Khan said almost all the mud houses in Taru Jabba, Ali Baig, Banda Sheikh Ismail, Banda Mulla Khan, Kodai, Tarkha, Khush Muqam, Fazal Koroona, Camp Koroona, Jabba Khushk, and all of Zakhai had been destroyed. He said that villagers could not live in the partially damaged houses, as they fear the structures may collapse anytime. The flood victims everywhere were criticising the government as well as political and religious parties for their inability to assist them in time. "We know that nobody could extend perfect assistance in such calamities but the government could lessen the scale of destruction by giving timely warning about floods," said an emotional volunteer Iqbal. "Now we do not find a place to bury bodies," he remarked.
The once thickly populated areas on both sides of the G T Road are now presenting a deserted look. "There is mud everywhere. But the situation can be improved through joint efforts," said a doctor who suggested to the government, NGOs and philanthropists to mobilise the public and undertake humanitarian work instead of indulging in blame game.
