------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Make a difference. Find and fund world-changing projects at GlobalGiving.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/PcNrnD/PbOLAA/cosFAA/e0EolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
8 November 2005
Karachi’s labour force comprises a significant number of male workers
hailing from Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir. The families of these
workers residing in their ancestral homes in the mountains have been
severely affected by the earthquake. Most of the workers went back to
their devastated villages to help their families and several have
brought the family/clan members to Karachi for temporary refuge.
A consultation was held between workers’ organizations, labour unions,
PILER, PMA representatives, and the labour, women and youth groups
mobilized for the upcoming World Social Forum-Karachi on 7th Nov 05 at
PMA House Karachi to share experiences of the workers who visited their
villages, discuss issues, create linkages with resource persons and
organizations to expedite relief in affected areas and rehabilitation of
those who have arrived, and will be arriving, in Karachi, and form
volunteer committees to assist the affected families.
· Qari Mohammad Ismail of District Hattian Bala, Muzafarabad,
said that he reached his village, which is 22 km away from Hattian
Bala,, the morning of 9th and remained there for 7 days. According to
him there are 52 dispersed villages in his district. Relief arrived
after 7 days. Relief goods, inadequate for 300 household, dropped by
helicopters, mostly fell in streams or ravines. Qari Ismail has brought
20 families to Karachi, was able to get a primary school in Korangi
No.31 vacated for temporary shelter. The affectees do not have access to
safe drinking water and are deprived of basic facilities.
· Jahanzeb of Batgram said that tents and relief goods are not
reaching his village. The trucks are being looted on the way.
· Qari Niaz Mohammad of Batta Mori village, Batgram, said
around 500 houses have been destroyed in his area. Tents have not
reached there. He has brought his family to Karachi residing in Paposh
Nagar with friends.
· Musa Khan of Pakhal village, Mansehra, general secretary of
Pakistan Automobile Manufacturing Companies’ Union, and a worker in an
automobile plant, said the management of his company raised funds and
sent relief goods through him and others. He said he found the army’s
relief distribution system satisfactory hence forwarded the 3 trucks to
them in Shinkiari for distribution. He said relief goods are not
reaching Alai district.
· Ghulam Jan of Hal village Batgram said his village has no
link road and has been deprived of relief goods and there are many such
villages which can be accessed only by foot or by mules.
· Bakht Munnawar of Kangwal, Alai, said the injured were
shifted after 7 days by helicopters in his village. He said the bulk of
relief goods sent by NGOs were hoarded by fake ‘respectable’
representatives. He demanded the houses of such people to be searched by
police. According to him NWFP government did nothing.
· Nazir Jan of Batgram, working in Karachi Steel Mills, said 69
families have been brought from his district and living in Landhi, with
1-2 families dispersed in several workers’ houses. Many of them are
injured and sick. PILER’s representatives visited these families and
coordinated linkage with the Social Security Hospital which has admitted
patients. Relief goods collected by some camps have been accessed and
distributed. He said hundreds of families are shifting to Karachi and
Hyderabad. There is a need to provide proper care to them.
· Dildar of Alai said that the Alai MNA, Nawaz Khan, has
hoarded the relief goods. Alai comprises of poor farmers who work on the
lands of the Khans. It is most probable that the compensation amount of
Rs. 25,000 per person would go to the Khans instead of reaching the
affectees. He demanded that the farmers be given land rights in Alai.
· Shakila Asghar, a labour councilor in Karachi, told the
gathering that in her village Shinkiari, 55 members of her family died
in the quake. Relief did not reach the place till 7 days. She said 4
young girls of her clan have disappeared. Security of orphan children
and young girls is an issue that must be taken up by NGOs.
· Dr. Tipu Sultan of PMA informed the meeting that PMA has
established hospitals in Batgram Mansehra, Muzaffarabad which will
remain operative for 6 months. Treatment is free and any injured or sick
can be admitted. According to Dr. Tipu the death toll is around 250,000.
For the affectees shifted in Karachi, he said beside Civil and Jinnah
Hospitals, Murshid Hospital in Hab, Navid Clinic in Saddar and several
more hospitals are treating the affectees free of cost. He said Karachi
is your city and you are not refugees here.
· Karamat Ali (PILER) shared his observations of the visit to
inaccessible villages in Garhi Habibullah and Alai. He said the
government officials need to talk to the residents of these areas who
are not willing to come down. Relief and rehabilitation need to be
carried out through communities’ participation according to their needs
and wishes. He said half of the military budget should be re-allocated
to rehab abd reconstruction work. He suggested that remote areas should
be provided with a mobile phones to link up with base camps and NGOs
working in the affected area.
Decisions Taken
· A committee, comprising residents of affected areas, was
formed to identify inaccessible villages and needy households for
relief, rehab and reconstruction and link up with resource organizations
and PILER.
· Another committee, comprising PILER and labour organisations’
representatives, was formed to facilitate rehabilitation of people who
have shifted to Karachi for temporary refuge.
· Members of both the committees, who registered their names
and contact numbers, will meet on November 9 at the PMA to chalk out
strategy.
============
PILER Centre
ST-001, Sector X, Sub-Sector V
Gulshan-e-Maymar, Karachi-75340
Pakistan
To join the Labour Notes South Asia Mailing List, send a blank message to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lnsa/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
