The overpowering earthquake
in AJK (Azad Jammu
and Kashmir) and Northern
NWFP - the most severe
in the history of Pakistan
- has sent each one
of us in a state of
shock. The districts
of Muzaffarabad, Bagh
and Rawalakot in AJK;
and Abbottabad, Mansehra
and Batagram in NWFP
have been the most
badly affected. The
death and destruction
it has caused - 25,000
dead, 50,000 with an
ever rising toll -
is truly monumental
and difficult to imagine
for people who did
not directly experience
the earthquake. While
we grieve at the tragic
loss of life, the real
test is for the survivors,
who have to bear this
loss and yet keep their
spirits alive - first
to survive with dignity
and then to rebuild.
Our heart goes out
for the victims of
this calamity and we
resolve to help them
- both from IUCN's
platform and individually.
First of all, with
a sense of relief we
can announce that no
IUCN staff has been
injured in this catastrophe.
There has been only
a minor damage - to
the boundary wall -
of one of our field
offices in Astore (Northern
Areas). However, two
of our staff, belonging
to the affected areas,
have their houses damaged,
though thankfully members
of their family are
safe.
We have already received
messages of solidarity
from within the organization,
especially from the
Director General. The
CR has circulated a
comprehensive memorandum
on the situation. Here
are some of its key
features on the way
ahead:
1- Immediate
Relief
| |
The
challenges to IUCN
and its staff are
multi-faceted.
The first priority
is for the immediate
relief including: |
| |
Helping the affected
staff (so far the
news is good that
all staff is safe
and houses of only
a couple of staff
are damaged); |
| |
Helping the affected
people in the rural
communities with
whom IUCN is/has
been working through
MACP, PSNP pilot
phase of MACP and
ERNP etc; |
| |
Extending help
to the affected
people in AJK where
most of the damage
has occurred |
2- Damage
Assessment and Strategic
Plan
A rapid assessment
of the situation and
damage is required
to come up with a strategically
sound plan. The kind
of information needed
includes:
| |
i)
Number and names
of villages which
have been affected
the most in the
MACP/PSNP/ERNP
areas as well as
in AJK; |
| |
ii) Approximate
number of households
and persons affected
in these villages; |
| |
iii) Key infrastructure
destroyed/damaged
there; |
| |
iv) Substantial
environmental damage; |
| |
v) Immediate
needs for relief; |
| |
vi) Generic or
specific suggestions
regarding rehabilitation
of environment,
especially in the
short and medium
term. |
The following senior
IUCN staff will be
responsible (with support
from others) for assessing
and sending assessment
reports urgently to
respond to this emergency:
| MKKS
and AJK - |
Gul
Najam Jamy |
| NWFP - |
Shuja ur Rehman |
| NAs - |
Ghulam Amin Beg |
3- Donations
All IUCN staff in
Pakistan and Asia Region
are expected to donate
cash, medicines and
goods. The medicines
and goods will be collected
in the Provincial/NA
Offices of IUCNP by
the respective Admin
staff.
The relevant heads
of offices are authorized
to decide on distribution
of locally donated
cash and goods as well
as what is provided
by the country office
or transferred from
other offices to the
affected staff in their
jurisdictional area.
After meeting the needs
of affected staff (if
any) the balance of
cash and goods donated
by staff and others
will be handed over
to Edhi Foundation,
which is already involved
in and doing a good
job, for distribution
to the affected people.
Regarding
cash it has been
decided, in consultation
with the RD, to
establish an “Earthquake
Fund” and operate it transparently
on the lines of “Tsunami
Fund” established earlier
this year by the Asia Region. All
IUCNP staff are requested to donate
one day salary.
4- IUCN Members
IUCN Secretariat has
been in touch with
the members in the
wake of this disaster.
The staff has been
asked to work closely
with IUCN Members and
find out from them
as well as close partners
about the impact of
earthquake and needs
(if any). SUNGI, one
of IUCN members, in
particular, has been
very active in the
affected areas of NWFP
and has good experience
of disaster relief
as well. It is known
to be getting good
relief support from
some of the donors.
Another member, Shirkatgah,
has also been very
active and plans to
channel their relief
through SUNGI. A meeting
of the Executive Committee
of the Pakistan National
Committee of IUCN is
scheduled for tomorrow
and expected to come
up with a more comprehensive
response.