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| December 9, 2005 | Friday | Ziqa’ad 6, 1426 |
Oxfam urges more cash for Pakistan quake survivors ISLAMABAD, Dec 9 (AFP) International aid agency Oxfam on Friday urged donor governments to release more money for Pakistan's quake survivors, warning that thousands were at risk as winter sets in. "Donor governments must respond to the looming second disaster of winter by increasing their funding to the UN relief appeal and releasing what is already pledged," Oxfam said in a statement. "Some communities have told Oxfam that they have already started digging graves before the earth is hardened by the winter," the statement added. The group's Pakistan director Farhana Faruqi Stocker said the international community must work together and work faster to fulfil their promise to prevent further deaths. "Within weeks, the window of opportunity to bring relief to hard-to-reach areas will shut, the time to act is now," she said. Oxfam said the United Nations has fallen well short of its appeal target of half-a-billion dollars and the World Food Programme was still short of 115 million dollars of the 182 million dollars it needed. "Despite 40 percent of funds being committed 'on paper' to the fund, in reality it is only 25 percent funded, with 15 percent remaining locked in commitments not yet delivered," it said.(Posted @ 20:06 PST)
Sonia Gandhi celebrates birthday with Kashmir quake survivors SULTANDEKI, Occupied Kashmir, Dec 9 (AFP) India's ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi celebrated her birthday in Indian Occupied Kashmir Friday with survivors of October's devastating earthquake and promised them her full support. "I'm here to listen to you. I pledge you my full support," said Gandhi as she arrived in Sultandeki, a village hit badly by the quake. She shunned celebrations at home in the capital, New Delhi, and spent the day with people who had been orphaned and widowed by the quake. The crowd serenaded Gandhi with "Happy Birthday To You" as she arrived at a tightly guarded site in this sleepy mountainside village 110 kilometres west of Srinagar. Forty-eight people were killed in Sultandeki and its 400 houses, home to about 3,000 people, were damaged or destroyed. Gandhi earlier flew to Poonch, another quake-hit area, in the south and will later visit Tangdhar in the north. She heads home Saturday.(Posted @ 17:24 PST)
Islamic Relief UK sends five aid flights to quake victims ISLAMABAD, Dec 9 (APP): Five aid flights carrying water containers, medical aid, artificial limbs, X-Ray machines, water sterilizers,clothing,tents,blankets and sleeping bags have left UK for quake affected areas of Pakistan. Islamic Releif (IR) Belgium has also shipped a 40-foot container carrying relief goods worth 25,000 pounds. Rotary International has made a donation of 100 pallets of winterised tents and 90 pallets of sleeping bags while its USA office is sending a Boeing 747 cargo plane with aid worth over $2.6 million. An Islamic Relief organisation in Panama has despatched a 20-foot container of blankets. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has delivered blankets, pillows and mattresses for distribution in Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Dhirkot and Rawalakot.MUZAFFARABAD, Dec 9 (APP): Despite challenging weather and difficult terrain, Islamic Relief UK aid staff continue to work in 300 villages in four of the worst-affected districts of Kashmir. It has hired 20 large earthmoving vehicles for two months to clear landslides and open roads linking the remote Neelum Valley to light transport vehicles. IR staff have constructed 819 latrines and installed 34 water tanks in 50 camps in Muzaffarabad and Bagh district. In agreement with the World Food Programme, IR is distributing food to 180,000 people in Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Rawalakot and Neelum valley. The arrangement will continue for six months. IR has initiated a project to supply 10,000 families with winter tents and non-food items in 45 days. Warm clothing is being provided to 25,000 people.(Posted @ 09:55 PST)
40 years free limbs facility for quake disabled ISLAMABAD, Dec 9 (APP): Free artificial limbs facility would be provided to the quake disabled children for upto 40 years, NWFP Minister for local bodies and rural development Sardar Muhammad Idrees said. An institution has already been established for providing sanctuary to the quake victims. Compensations have already been paid to about 80 to 90 percent victims. He has advised the remaining victims to contact relevant authorities for registration of their names. Replying to a question he said building codes have been revised and quake victims would be pursued to re-build their houses in accordance with the approved designs. Half of the house-building grant of Rs 75,000 would be paid when construction is started and the balance would be paid after ascertaining that the approved design has been adhered to. (Posted @ 09:36 PST)
Military aircraft carrying relief goods from Jordan offloaded ISLAMABAD, Dec 9 (APP): A military aircraft carrying relief goods for quake victims of NWFP and Azad Kashmir from Jordan was offloaded at the Chaklala Air Base on Thursday. It consisted of 42 pallets including blankets and sleeping bags, medical supplies, food and kitchen sets and was the seventh aircraft carrying aid that has been contributed by Jordan. Previous contributions include the Jordanian military field hospital that has treated more than 10,000 patients since it was deployed on October 13. (Posted @ 09:30 PST)
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