THE
ROLE OF NGO’s IN 8TH OCTOBER EARTHQUAKE
BY: HIRA SALEEM*
The Kashmir earthquake of 2005 was a major earthquake. The earthquake
occurred at 08.50.38 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time with minimum magnitude
of 7.6. As of 8th November, the Pakistani government’s official
death toll was 87,350. Some estimate that the death toll could reach over
100,000.
The UN reported that more than 4 million people were directly affected,
prior to the commencement of winter snowfall in the Himalayan region.
Some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) refer to themselves as private
voluntary organizations, in order to remain independent from the UN, developed
the list of NGO’s. NGO’s can be single-issue organizations;
for example Doctors Without Borders might dispense food supplements to
counter malnutrition.
Many countries, international organizations and non governmental organizations
have offered relief aid to the region, in the form of donation as well
as relief supplies including food, medical supplies, tents and blankets.
Rescue and relief workers were sent to the region from different parts
of the world and they brought along rescue equipment, including helicopters
and rescue dogs. The United Nations has appealed for donations to raise
at least US $272 million to help victims of the quake.
DETAILS OF HELP PROVIDED BY SOME NGO’s
Different NGO’s and governments continue the longer-term rehabilitation
work following the devastating earthquake that struck the northern Pakistan
Kashmir region on October 8th. Following NGO’s have played a vital
role in relief and rehabilitation process. A brief description regarding
the help provided by these NGO’s is stated below:-
- OXFAM: An emergency and response team was dispatched to the region. A coordinator said that the ‘initial needs appear to be tents, blankets, medical kits, food aid, water and trauma counseling for those affected’.
- THE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE CORPS deployed a specialist Urban Search and Rescue team of 14 volunteers to Pakistan as part of the wider UK response.
- RED CRESCENT: Emergency assessment and response teams were deployed in all parts of the affected region. A team of the International committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reached Muzaffarabad on 10 October.Further teams deployed in Uri and Jammu with India Red Cross Society. The ICRC has set up a website to facilitate the contact between relatives and friends unable to get in touch with each other.
- THE SALVATION ARMY: Mobilized some truckloads of relief supplies.
- SOS CHILDREN have reported that despite the destruction of their Children’s Village in Muzaffarabad all of the children in their care are believed safe. They have announced an emergency relief program in Jammu and Kashmir.
- THE EDHI FOUNDATION has been active in Pakistan for two decades. They are providing food, clothes, blankets and medicines to those affected by the disaster.
- THE WORLD ISLAMIC MISSION WELFARE TRUST sent doctors to the area including both General Physicians and Surgeons with tens of thousands of pounds worth of medicines. They also established various dispensaries within affected areas as well as collaborating with hospitals within the aera to take airlifted injured survivors. Rehabilitation will become the main focus after the immediate phase has passed.
- SPO provided relief aid and medical goods at Lady Reading Hospital and Khyber Hospital, Peshawar. Till date, goods worth 850 000 Rs. were sent.
- SUNGI DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION: Saad Yousaf worked for the Sungi Development Foundation, a well-known Pakistani NGO which was one of the few groups having a strong presence in the affected areas before the earthquake. Sungi represented the NGO sector of society at the recent donor’s conference.
ESTIMATE OF FINANCIAL AID BY INTERNAT COMMUNITY
On November 19, 2005 it was estimated that the international community
as whole pledged about 5.8 billion USD.
CONCLUSION
Since the devastating October 8th earthquake centered in Northern Pakistan,
the Pakistani and Indian governments, along with the UN, NATO and several
NGO’s have been working on many levels to alleviate the suffering
of the millions of people affected. Groups have worked on search and rescue
efforts in the immediate after math, the establishment of tent hospitals
and camps, and the attention to longer-term needs such as physical therapy,
counseling, rebuilding of infrastructure, and economics recover.
Most of the NGOs have focused their effects on hospital and shelters in
the valleys and cities. The high – elevation areas have mostly been
the province of limited helicopter supply lines and rescue operations
by local and foreign military. The rehabilitation process is quite slow
in far flung villages due to the lack of logistic ability. An estimated
100,000people at high elevations beyond the reach of relief workers face
a very uncertain future, and their situation may have serious consequences
for the entire relief operation.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
* Student, B.A (Hons) IIIrd Yea First Semester (2006) Department of International Relations, University of Karachi.
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