Association for Communal Harmony in Asia (ACHA)
www.asiapeace.org    &  www.indiapakistanpeace.org
4410 Verda Lane NE , Keizer , OR 97303
503.393.6944

Article of the Month

Please note: listing of agencies for donations of cash or goods in USA , UK , Pakistan , India

The Rediff Special/Hamid Mir in Islamabad
Death ruled the beautiful mountains

October 16, 2005
http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/oct/16spec.htm
I cannot forget October 8 for the rest of my life.
It was 8.45 in the morning when I received a telephone call from the writer Ajeet Cour in Delhi. She was organising a conference of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation writers the next day and wanted to know why Pakistan Cultural Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani had declined to attend the conference.
I told her bluntly that the Pakistan Foreign Office had stopped him from doing so.
Cour was angry and asked, "Why did Durrani give us a commitment in writing?"
I had no answer. I told her, "Things are not normal between the governments, and India and Pakistan are playing games with each other."
"You are not part of the government," Cour said, "you have got an Indian visa. I will receive you in Delhi this evening."
I said yes meekly and informed her that I was just leaving for Lahore to catch the flight to Delhi.
I put down the phone, picked up the newspapers, when suddenly I heard the birds weep. I asked my son Arafat what had happened, but he was busy reading the report about Inzamam-ul Haq on the sports page of The News.
It was 8.52 when everything in my house started shaking. The great earthquake was in full swing. I grabbed my son, called out to my wife and daughter and asked them to run out of the house.
Within seconds, we were standing outside our home.
There was panic everywhere. Many people with children in their arms were crying on the streets.
• Tremors across borders
The earthquake continued for more than two minutes. The two minutes felt like two centuries.
Everyone on the streets of Islamabad was pleading, Ya Allah muafi (Oh God, please forgive us).
When the tremors stopped, I rushed inside my house to collect my mobile phone. I was sure that something very bad had happened.
I noticed some cracks in our building, but ignored them because my family was safe.
I immediately called my office, GEO TV, in Islamabad.
Hassan Nasir at the desk told me that the entire building had been evacuated. I asked him to leave the building immediately.
Within seconds, another colleague, Ashraf, called and told me that the 11-storey Margalla Towers in Islamabad had collapsed.
It was a great shock because many friends lived in the building.
We broke the story on GEO TV within minutes about the collapse of Margalla Towers.
More than 117 buildings in Islamabad developed cracks, and more than 50 people died in the Margalla Towers tragedy.
At 11.30 Information Minister Sheikh Rashid issued a statement, saying, 'Don't worry, everything is normal. The earthquake created only a little destruction in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The rest of the country is safe.'
He was wrong.
I received a call from Murree at 11:50. The caller revealed that the whole of Kashmir was destroyed, from Muzaffarabad to Rawlakot.
Another caller said Balakot in the North West Frontier Province no longer existed.
For the rest of the day, I received stories of death and destruction from Kashmir and the Hazara division.
• 'The quake has strengthened jihad'
The government in Islamabad was focused only on Margalla Towers.
President Pervez Musharraf arrived at Margalla Towers with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in the afternoon. Many government and Opposition leaders had gathered at Margalla Towers. We have lot of leaders without leadership qualities and that is why we were without any crisis management on October 8.
When the national media gathered around Margalla Towers, we decided to rush to Kashmir and Balakot.
I sent one team to Balakot and another to Muzaffarabad.
Late at night, I discovered that the road from Kohala to Muzaffarabad was blocked near the Jhelum river because of landslides. Our team was unable to reach Muzaffarabad.
I was sure that thousands of people had lost their lives, but the government sources were very careful. They estimated the death toll to be not more than 1,000 on the night of October 8.
I did not sleep the entire night. My telephone kept ringing.
Early on October 9, someone called to say that more than 10,000 people had died in the Bagh district in Kashmir. I was stunned.
I rushed to Bagh. Within two hours, I was at Kohala Bridge.
When I traveled from Kohala to Dheerkot, I noticed that death ruled the beautiful mountains.
Hundreds of dead bodies lay on the roads. The tears in the eyes of men had dried. They were struggling to arrange kaffans (coffins) and qabar (graves) for their relatives.
I stopped at Manasa village. Fifteen boys in a school building had died. People were digging graves for them.
Chamankot was my next stop. The entire village was destroyed. Many injured people were trying to save dozens of dead bodies from the vultures and crows. I heard cries and complaints everywhere.
I was stopped by some angry people near Arja. They asked, "Mirsahib, where is the government? Twenty four hours have passed, but we have not seen anyone from the Kashmir government in our area."
These people were not aware that the state government had collapsed and was destroyed in the earthquake.
More than 2,000 government officials died in the state capital, Muzaffarabad.
• Muzaffarabad is no more
Bagh was completely destroyed. I had visited this beautiful city a few years ago.
I noticed a man laughing on a bridge. I heard him say, "The police died in the thana (police station) and the qaidis (the prisoners) died in the jailkhana (prison). Hum sab azaad ho gaye (we are all free)." He was a schoolteacher who had lost his senses because more than 300 students and teachers at the Springfield School in Bagh died in the earthquake. He was one of the few survivors.
In the next few hours, I visited the debris of the Government Degree College for Boys. About 1,500 boys were buried in the rubble. There was no machinery to remove the debris. I visited the Government College for Girls. More than 400 girls had died there. The books, bags and shoes of the students were everywhere. Many mothers were crying at the debris of the Boys High School. I saw a lot of unattended dead bodies there. The locals told me that the parents of the dead children were also dead.
"We are waiting for their relatives to come and bury them. We don't have the time to bury them because we are trying to save the lives of those who are asking for help from the debris," they said. I listened to the voices from the debris. "Ammiji, Abbuji tussi kithey hu? (Mother, father where are you?)." One father started crying when he recognised his son's voice. There was no equipment to cut through the concrete slabs, so how could he save his son? That was the dilemma of most parents there.
Many people said when the earthquake struck, they thought India had attacked Pakistan with nuclear missiles and that is why the earth was shaking. Why did they think so? Because Bagh is very close to the Line of Control and is a target for shelling in tense times.
I told the local people that the Indian government was sending relief for them, instead of bombs. They nodded positively, their smiles taken away by the horrific tragedy of the earthquake.
There is no doubt that the government moved very slowly in the first 36 hours.
The road from Kohala to Muzaffarabad was cleared only on Sunday evening when I was on my way back from Bagh. The state machinery was destroyed completely and the army suffered heavy losses.
The Pakistan Army's 12th Division in Muzaffarabad and the 19th Division in Bagh lost 450 soldiers; more than 1,000 soldiers were injured.
The army took 48 hours to recover and started relief operations only after that.
I have visited Muzaffarabad many times since October 8.
The city was without any administration and police for an entire week. The road to the Neelam valley is still blocked. We do not know what happened to the areas which are not accessible to us.
The locals say more than 80,000 people have died in Kashmir.
Unfortunately, the armies of Pakistan and India are still busy scoring points. Some Indian Army officers claimed they crossed the LoC and helped Pakistan troops after the earthquake, but the Pakistan army spokesman alleged, 'It's a concocted and baseless story.'
How unlucky we are.
We need to help each other in this crisis, but our army officers reveal war-time mentality. That is the reason why Musharraf refused to accept help from the Indian Army. Musharraf had no problem accepting help from Israel even though Pakistan has no diplomatic relations with Jerusalem.
Pakistan is getting help from countries, which are thousands of miles away from our borders, but why can't our neighbour send us helicopters for help?
If we cannot accept help from India during a natural disaster, then we cannot have genuine friendship even during normal times.
The people of India and Pakistan must think about what is wrong with this situation.
In reality, we are still enemies, not friends.
That is the lesson I have learnt from October 8.
Peace activists like Ajeet Cour have a long way to go before achieving real friendship.
The international community is ready to help the at least two million victims of the October 8 earthquake. We only lack planning.
I met President Musharraf on Saturday, a week after the earthquake. He was determined to convert the disaster into a gain. He said the Pakistan army's Engineers Corp would play a key role in the rehabilitation of victims with the help of the United Nations and former US president Bill Clinton.
He was aware that thousands of people are moving from all over Pakistan to Kashmir and Hazara with trucks loaded with food and warm clothing, but didn't know how and where to distribute these things. The government has established a Federal Relief Commission to channelise aid.
I met Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan in his tent on the lawns of the totally destroyed PM House in Muzaffarabad. He was passing on instructions to his ministers on a wireless set and writing orders on files.
"Today I am the prime minister of a graveyard, but I will turn this graveyard into a city full of life very soon," he declared.
Electricity and communication in Muzaffarabad have been restored one week after the disaster. Hayat hoped that the smiles on his people's faces will return within months.
There is no doubt that human beings can overcome the losses through high spirits and an iron nerve. They can convert the losses into gain if they are united, committed and work hard.
_____________________
Association for Communal Harmony in Asia (ACHA)
www.asiapeace.org    &   www.indiapakistanpeace.org
4410 Verda Lane NE , Keizer , OR 97303
503.393.6944

Friends:

I am pasting below a listing of agencies one can donate cash or goods in USA , UK ,  Pakistan , India . I have compiled it from information kindly sent to us by ACHA friends and contacts in Pakistan and UK , and includes agencies which, based on the information available to us, appear to be reliable, transparent, and properly organized. Inclusion in or exclsuion from this listing is no certification or non-certification of any agency. We strongly recommend people to carry out their own investigation before they donate any mone or goods to any particular organization.

We must do some thing to help our brothers and sisters in the time of their need, but we should do it in such a way that what we do reaches those who need it.

Best wishes,

Pritam K. Rohila, Ph. D.
Executive Director
asiapeace@comcast.net

A. Tax-deductible Donations in USA

1. Eqbal Ahmad Foundation

All funds sent to Eqbal Ahmad Foundation will be transferred to QAU-EAF Earthquake Relief Fund, which has been set up especially by the Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad

It is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service code. Therefore, all donations are tax deductible.

Checks should be made out to EAF -EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND he Foundation and mailed to Eqbal Ahmad Foundation, P.O. Box 222, Princeton, NJ 08542

Please note that for tax purposes, all donation over $250 must include your name and mailing address.

Questions should be directed to be Foundation's Vice President, Zia Mian, at zia@princeton.edu

Pervez Hoodhboy, and some of his students have already left for the earthquake-affected areas in a van full of foodstuff, blankets, and medicines. He thinks he will need about $500 worth of relief material for each trip.

The van has been dedicated by QAU for this purpose. He is sending regular reports from their experiences.

2. Association for the Development of Pakistan (ADP)

ADP website www.developpakistan.org will allow you make donations to Edhi Foundation and the President's Earthquake Relief Fund, two agencies that are uniquely qualified to mount the kind of large-scale response that is needed and don't currently have the ability to collect funds online. All donations via the web site are deductible for US tax purposes.

Edhi Foundation has a long history of providing welfare services and emergency relief throughout Pakistan . It is run by Abdul Sattar Edhi, one of the most respected philanthropists in Pakistan . He personally directs relief efforts from Islamabad right now, and has told ADP that their helicopters have already begun airlifting supplies and medicines to the affected areas. More information about it can be fond at www.paks.net/edhi-foundation/noffabroad.html or by phone from (021) 242 1920, 220 1261 in Karachi ; (042) 541 4211 in Lahore ; and (051) 282 7844 in Islamabad .

Given the scale of the disaster and the remoteness of the affected areas, the government is uniquely positioned to provide immediate relief. President Musharraf has set up President's Relief Fund dedicated to earthquake relief and has encouraged people to contribute to the effort. He has also guaranteed complete transparency and accountability in the use of funds. More information about it can be found at www.jang.com.pk/important_events/earthquake05/president/index.htm

3. American Red Cross international relief https://give.redcross.org/donation-form.asp 

Red Cross also offers family tracing service for the affected area through www.icrc.org/home.nsf/home/webfamilylinks as well as at their local Red Cross offices

4 UNICEF www.unicef.org/infobycountry/pakistan_28592.htm

5. International Red Crescent Movement

www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/movement

6. Mercy Corps www.mercycorps.org/%20

7. Islamic Relief http://www.irw.org/asiaquake/%20

8. ICNA Relief www.reliefonline.org/index.html
9. Islamic Relief www.irw.org/

1. Hidaya www.hidaya.org

11. World Vision www.worldvision.ca/home/content-archives/content-stories/pakistan-devastated-by-earthquake

Donation of Goods in USA

1. Pakistan International Airlines

PIA has offered to ship any earthquake relief effort packages especially Medicines, Blankets, Jackets and surgical equipment, which are needed immediately in Pakistan , free of charge.

Go to http://aopp.org/eq to find procedures as well as the form that needs to be filled out before shipping the package. More information from S. Asif Alam asifalam@aopp.org

In New York, these items also can be left by Friday October 14 at 8pm with Najmi Sarwar, at 300 E. 77th St., Apt 27A, SE corner of 2nd Ave, najmi@4dil.org, 212-396-9777 For alternate locations please contact shahidskhan@hotmail.com

B. Donations in U. K.

1. Oxfam www.oxfam.org.uk/what_you_can_do/give_to_oxfam/donate/asian_quake.htm

For phone donations call 0870 333 2500

C. Donations in Pakistan

1. Sungi Development Foundation

Sungi Development Foundation disaster response team is coordinating relief efforts in some of the worst hit districts of the recent quake in Azad Kashmir, Mansehra, Battagram and Abbottabad. Sungi Development Foundation has zonal offices in these districts for more than ten years and Sungi's zonal coordinators based there are visiting the effected
areas with members of other relief agencies, so that emergency relief supplies can be given to these people.

Sungi has set up its Relief Operations Unit at its head office (0992-333414/334750) in Abbotabad and all relief efforts are being coordinated from there.

Essential items they need are Tents, Water, Blankets, Food Items ( Rice, Sugar, Atta, Onions, Potatoes, Cooking oil.

Checks can be sent to Sungi Development Foundation Rupee Account No. 365-40-1 or Dollar Account No. 412-2 , at Muslim Commercial Bank, Star Branch ( Branch Code 0585), Abbottabad, Pakistan. Swift Code is MUCBPKKAA

Goods can be dropped off at the Sungi Development Foundation, House No. 7-A, Street No. 10, Sector F-8/3, Islamabad . Tel (2282481-2)

For more information in Islamabad , please contact Sungi Abbotabad at 0992 -333 414, 334 750, Naeem Iqbal Naeem.iqbal@sungi.org, Riaz Ahmed riaz.ahmad@su, ngi.org and Francisco D'Sa (0300-9562063

2. Sustainable Development Policy Institute

SDPI is working together with reputable organizations like SUNGI, The Network for Consumer Rights, Pattan Development Organization, Rozan, Action Aid, and Aurat Foundation, under the banner of the Joint Action Committee, Pakistan for relief efforts. They are pooling resources and organizing relief work based on field assessments of aid for the present and reconstruction efforts later. SDPI is also developing a systematic method of documentation and needs assessment so that livelihood strategies may be devised for the next 2-3 years.

SDPI has opened special bank accounts for relief and rehabilitation work for the earthquake affected people and areas.

The account number for the Pak Rupee account is 31.94.06.016 at ABN-Amro Bank, Islamabad. The SWIFT Address here is ABNAPKKAAISB, and ABNAPKKA for ABN AMRO Bank, Karachi

For US dollar account the account number is 31.94.06.415 at ABN AMRO Bank, New York (SWIFT Address ABNAUS33)

More information is available from http://www.sdpi.org or Saba Gul Khattak, Executive Director, SDPI, Phone 2278134/36, Fax 2278136, saba@sdpi.org

3. Pakistan Red Cresent Society / Hilal-e-Ahmar

Saudi Pak Commercial Bank, Islamabad Rupee Account# 0036-012000146401, or send checks directly to Hilal-e-Ahmar, H-8, Islamabad .

D. India

1. Prime Minister's Relief Fund

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