Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Islamabad (Fides Service)- One month after the earthquake in Pakistan, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR is preparing to assist the exodus of people from the most remote valleys spurred on by the fact that roads have been cleared and Winter is arriving. Clear roads means on the one hand UNHCR can send aid to the remote areas let the people who want to find assistance elsewhere. As temperatures begin to fall the second option is an important possibility for tens of thousands of people.
So far UNHCR has distributed 10,000 family tents, thousands of plastic sheets, blankets, water cans and other prime necessities. At present there are 18 camps hosting 32,000 people. The camps were put up by the government with the technical help of UNHCR and partners. Besides official camps there are hundreds of spontaneous settlements where living conditions are very different. Pakistan officials asked UNHCR to help the army guarantee better planning of these spontaneous sites, particular those around Muzaffarabad.
In the meantime NATO vehicles have delivered the foreseen 860 tons of UNHCR humanitarian aid from the deposit in Turkey. This demanded a major airlift started on 19 October with a total 68 flights from participating NATO countries - Turkey, France, UK, USA, Denmark, Italy e Greece. NATO and UNHCR agreed to continue the airlift with a second stage started last night which will transport over 800 tons of aid from UNHCR deposits in Turkey, Jordan and Denmark. UNHCR plans to send Pakistan another 320,000 blankets, 30,00 mattresses, 1,000 family tents and other material.
About 300 tons of aid will come from UNHCR deposits in Turkey and the Turkish government has made trucks and personnel available to take the aid from the storehouse in Iskenderun to Incirlik base. Since the quake on 8 October UNHCR has transported to Pakistan over 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid from its deposits all over the world. Besides the joint NATO-UNHCR airlift, UNHCR sent 14 loads of material from deposits in Afghanistan and Iran and will send 40,000 blankets from India.
Despite this activity the needs are still great and available resources restricted. The government of Pakistan said it needs 241,000 more tents and 3.8 million blankets. Of this vast amount UNHCR will supply 500,00 blankets and 20,000 family tents. The agency is trying to find other material but its efforts are hampered by scarcity of funds. UNHCR immediate needs amount to 18 million dollars for the month of November alone. This sum would allow UNHCR to complete 30 camps which are hosting 150,000 people. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 9/11/2005 righe 45 parole 554)
