Earthquake Relief Efforts

Re: # 4

Dear Bina Shah,

Thank you for the effort.

Please let us know all the details of what is happening and also of what is not happening. International news that I have read so far suggests that Pakistani establishment is not too fast in its response. Why?

Our regulars are missing at this site. This is unusual. Is everybody alright?

My prayers are with all of you,

BBA

Ali khoosre...perhaps we do not want to help... as far as we are concerned `a good Kashmiri muslim` is a dead kashmiri muslim....as in `a good paki is a dead paki`....bloody islamic terrorists all.

Re: # 24
Akber,
Pay no attention to him, Gujju Baniya is Gumraah these days. I am offering you condolences and love in my prayers in the Gurudwara on behalf of Indians.

Kashmiri Separatists Dispense Quake Aid

By MATTHEW ROSENBERG, Associated Press Writer 37 minutes ago

JULLA, India - Shaukat Khan hiked across a valley to collect food and supplies he thought were being handed out by authorities. Instead, he found what thousands of others discovered after the earthquake that shattered their villages: the help was coming from Kashmiri separatists on the Indian side of the disputed territory.

``We are the ones who are here with blood, with food, with medicines — the people can see that,`` said Yasin Malik, leader of the separatist Jammu and
Kashmir and Liberation Front.

It`s an aid effort that has not gone unnoticed in a land sharply opposed to Indian rule amid a 15-year insurgency that has claimed more than 66,000 lives, mostly civilians.

The Islamic rebel groups say they are only trying to help the needy but admit with some satisfaction that the tragedy could end up boosting their cause to wrest the bitterly disputed Himalayan region from mostly Hindu India.

Kashmir, a largely Muslim land, was a protectorate under British rule that remained nominally independent after the creation of India and Pakistan in a bloody partition of the subcontinent following independence in 1947.

Within a year, the two neighbors began a war that left India with two-thirds of the region and Muslim Pakistan controlling the remainder. Both now claim it in its entirety.

Within hours of the quake that devastated towns and villages on Saturday, separatists had started up what three days on remains the most visible aid operation in Indian Kashmir.

``No one else is giving the people as much as we are giving,`` said Hidayat-Ullah Sheikh of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a leading separatist alliance.

In mountainside villages, members of the two separatist groups have been handing out everything from milk to medicine as the Indian government and army have faltered in their relief efforts.

Malik said his group also has begun working with Pakistani counterparts on the other side of the heavily militarized frontier — an artificial division of the beautiful region known for its apple orchards, gardens and azure lakes.

``In some ways the separatist groups have won round one with their initial aid effort,`` said W.P.S. Sidhu, a Kashmir expert with the Geneva Center for Security Policy, a think tank based in the Swiss city.

``If the Indian establishment stays aloof and lets the separatists take initiatives ... then I think the Indian state would have done itself irreversible damage,`` he said in a telephone interview.

For men like Malik, the quake has exposed the fiction of Kashmir`s division — the two sides have shared a culture, language and religion for centuries. Today, they share a tragedy and, as far as the separatists are concerned, a relief effort.

``There are no Pakistanis or Indians here, just Kashmiris,`` he said on his way out to the Uri valley, a border region that was the worst hit part of India in the quake.

The idea of a single Kashmir is a long-cherished dream of many residents, and dozens of groups have openly campaigned for independence or a merger with Pakistan since the 1950s. Unarmed separatist groups enjoy broad support even if violent militant groups do not.

The Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front also has an operational wing in Muzzaffarabad on the Pakistani side of the border and has strong ties with people there, as do other separatist groups, including some components of the Hurriyat.

The results of that struggle are clear in Indian Kashmir today, with at least half a million Indian troops peering at civilians from sandbagged bunkers, patrolling streets in green camouflage vehicles or plotting strategies in garrisons dotting the state. Dozens of soldiers on both sides were killed in the quake.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and aiding the Kashmiri militants, a charge denied by Islamabad, which says it only gives moral support. The Kashmir dispute is central to the enmity between the two nuclear rivals, which has eased recently with a two-year-old peace process.

Analysts say the strong showing by separatist groups in the aftermath of the quake also could help win them a role in the peace process from which they have so far been largely excluded.

India and Pakistan will have to ``take them more seriously ... listen to them and have them as participants in the process,`` said Mohammed Tariq, a Kashmiri political analyst.

The separatists are showing that they ``are part of Kashmir — they can`t be ignored,`` he said.

Similar situations have had mixed results. Faced with unprecedented death and destruction after the Dec. 26 tsunami, separatist rebels in the Indonesian province of Aceh and the government agreed to stop fighting and forged a peace accord.

Tamil Tiger rebels and the Sinhalese government also worked together to help shelter and feed survivors in Sri Lanka after the earthquake and killer waves last year. But their peace was short-lived: the Tamil Tigers last month assassinated the country`s foreign minister.

The brunt of the quake in India hit the fortified Uri valley, forcing authorities to throw open an area that for years has been largely off-limits to outsiders for security reasons.

That has given separatists bearing aid a chance to enter an area and burnish their leadership credentials.

``The separatists must feel that the situation will broaden their support base,`` said Ahmad Hussain, a political analyst and human rights activist.

For Khan, who hiked for half a day after hearing about the food handouts from a neighbor, the assistance from the separatists came as a surprise.

``Why are the soldiers not giving us what we need?`` he asked, pointing to some troops who stood by as blankets and rice were distributed.

Edge #1 is right. For him/her indeed ``its business as usual``. Read on! Don`t believe it? Read #2!!

Isn`t it refereshing though that such edges are only in ones or twos out there? And they will smell soon too, the coffee.

edge,

would you stop spiting hatered against pakistan, dont you have any compassion for ppl in suffering plz try to take control over your emotions for a while and do something to help the ppl in trouble.

i have just came back from PAF base relief camp and its just comendable to see how ppl are contributing towards the cause, i have registered myself for volunteers to go up north to distribute stuff and help in rescue missions.

May Allah help us all in this hour of need.

One nice thing about the quake is that over 1000 Paki soldiers were killed.

#20 even if one has the heavy equipment it is not easy to move it around in such conditions as road are blocked and terain is difficult. coupled with other thousands operational glitches I don`t see people buried under rubble in remote parts to be rescued alive. Anyone who can survive after a week is a nothing but a miracle.

I see lot of Chowkies missing from boards. Hope their families, friends and relative are ok in the region.

Meanwhile , business bacl to normal in J&K >>

Terrorists gun down 12 in J-KAdd to Clippings

PTI[ MONDAY, OCTOBER 10

JAMMU: In gruesome pre-dawn strikes, militants, allegedly belonging to pro-Pak Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, killed ten members of two Hindu families by slitting their throats in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir today, police sources said here.

A group of militants belonging to Hizbul`s so called Pir Panchal regiment led by its self-styled Deputy Divisional commander, Sangat Pathan alias Abu Hamza swooped on Rajnagar area of Budhal tehsil in Rajouri and barged into the house of Munishi Ram late on Sunday night.

Some of the militants helped themselves to the food later in the wee hours, killed Munshi Ram, his two sons, a brother and nephew by slitting their throats. All of them died on the spot, the sources said adding that the killers then fled the scene.

The same group is supposed to have later gone to Mora Gabber village nearby and forced their entry into the house of Kartar Singh and killed him and his three sons, the sources said.

Kartar`s fourth son was injured in the attack. The militants also killed one Satbir Singh and Nazir Hussain in the area during their killing spree, they said. However, no militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the killings thus far.

Police has launched a hunt to trace the attackers and suspect the involvement of Hizbul Mujahideen, which had warned people in rural areas from passing on information about them to police and security forces, they said.

Re: # 19

well i think so.....they are only 3 allowed to talk to media about the massive earthquake ......

but i guess army has done alot.........we have most difficult tracks to get reach the northern areas and army has done their job......they opened the tracks to reach kashmire and balakot by road.....but unfortunatly we dont have machinery.....and that`s why we are depending on other countries......this is making situation more worst......

Clearly people has come together to help each other. You can see the outpouring of sympathy and help in the TV coverge coming from Pakistan. unfortunately people are not trained to handle heavy rubble and lack equipment to do so as a result can`t help much to the ones buried under concrete. Only agency in pakistan that can do help is Army and you see lot of them with their hands folded in their arm-pits standing around but very few doing actual work. You also see utter absence of civilian public officials in this mess. Where is the civilian government agencies and local governments? All you see from government side is mushy, aziz and sultan again and again. are these only 3 officials allowed to talk to media and be seen on tv?

Re: # 16
Well I was looking for an organization that would give money directly to the people, rather than spending it on overheads and such. But thanks anyway

Thank God, pakistani rulers have finally put public interest ahead of their own pride. Wish they had made that decision sooner. Situation, as covered by CNN, is really horrible for poor folks out in POK. Our heartfelt sympathies are with you.

October 10, 2005
Pakistan to Accept Quake Relief From India
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 12:14 p.m. ET

NEW DELHI (AP) -- Pakistan said Monday it will accept relief aid for earthquake victims from its longtime rival India, a move that carries immense political implications for the neighbors who have fought three wars.

India`s Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said his country would send tents, food, blankets and medicine to the hard-hit Pakistani portion of Kashmir.

The announcement came after Pakistani Foreign Ministry said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh telephoned Pakistan`s high commissioner in New Delhi and ``reiterated his offer to send relief aid to us for earthquake victims.``

High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan met Singh and then contacted the government in Islamabad, which decided to accept the Indian offer after consultations at the highest level, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said.

Earlier Monday, India said Pakistan turned down its offer of helicopters for rescue operations, saying it had enough at the moment. Pakistan also ruled out launching joint rescue operations with India for earthquake victims in Kashmir.

Pakistan and India have a long history of bitter relations, particularly over Kashmir -- the focus of two of their three wars. However, the two sides have taken several steps since last year to improve relations.

Soon after Saturday`s earthquake, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had called Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and offered humanitarian help. Musharraf also made a similar offer for the victims of the quake in the Indian portion of Kashmir where more than 800 people died.

Death toll estimates in Pakistan ranged from 20,000 to 30,000.

Re: # 13

• Canadian Red Cross.
  


• Oxfam
  


• UNICEF
  

bina #4

As for aid abuse, we aren`t even thinking on those terms..... Money, goods, food, and other items are pouring in to relief camps and nobody is really concerned with theft or abuse at the moment.

to an extent this is an instant outpouring...fine...but the affects of this massive earthquake will linger for a long time...rebuilding, reconstruction, rehabilitation will take a while…

my concern was for the long term…we will continue to donate and raise funds (from here)…one of the things those there can help us with is to monitor the flow of funds and report any abuse…so the flow is redirected towards those who do their jobs better

Re: # 9

you are right no doubt in it

he is absoulotly a moron