change language
you are in: home - news newslettercontact uslink

Support the Community

  
August 17 2010

Pakistan: The Community of Sant'Egidio brings help to the population victim of the flood

 
printable version

"The disaster in Pakistan is immense, we had never seen something like that in the history of this country. Millions of refugees are arriving in the city and they need basically everything".

This is the beginning of a report of Stephen Sadiq, a coordinator of the Community of Sant’Egidio in Islamabad, which is active in these days to bring first aid to victims of the floods.
A group of the Community from Islamabad has repeatedly visited the area of Nowshera, about 110 km far from the capital, in the territories of North-West frontier towards Peshawar. It’s already an extremely troubled area due to continous clashes among Talibans, Pakistani Army, U.S. Army and other tribal factions. Every year at this time it’s hit by torrential rains but also by floodings of Indus river. The channels dug in the period of British colonialism and are often inefficient.

There is a large dam built by an italian company in the ‘60ies that feeds a power plant and many crops throughout the region. Even roads are impassable and in poor condition. The flood then moved up to the area of Karachi, spreading death and devastation along the 1000 km of the river. 


A first collection of reliefs, made in Islamabad, allowed to proceed with the distribution of water and food, like bread or dates to celebrate Ramadan, along the highway leading to the capital, where there is a huge line of people who have nothing, only the clothes they wear; women and children didn’t eat since several days ago. Many are barefoot. They can not even go back simply because the roads are gone, swallowed or destroyed by water.

Another distribution was made in a tent city built by a Muslim NGO. But no one had yet brought food, medicines or other necessities to resist. The aid was a valuable opportunity to talk with victims. Pain and anger for not receiving assistance have gradually left space for calm and gratitude for the new Christian friends, who as strangers and unexpected ones came from the capital. The stories expressed the pain and anguish of those who were helpless and witnessed their houses collapsed, their relatives and even their cattle - that gave sustenance to these already poor peasants and shepherds- killed. Others have died or became seriously ill due to hot weather and contaminated water. The most urgent needs are plastic carpets for the tents, mattresses, pillows, sheets, mosquito nets against malaria, milk for children and infants, drinking water, cooking utensils, medicines and clothes.

Even further in the south, around Lahore, there are many displaced people, sometimes carried by military convoys that carried out the rescue, but now are unable to provide further assistance. In Lahore, Sheikupura and Sargodha collections have been organized in recent days, some in collaboration with Caritas.

Today and tomorrow the community of Lahore will check the situation in order to understand how and where to distribuite aids. Prayers will be organized in memory of the victims and of those who lost everything in Lahore and Islamabad on Thursday and Saturday.

 

Immagini

 


 ALSO READ
• NEWS
September 20 2017
MYANMAR (BURMA)

Let us help Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

IT | EN | ES | DE | FR | PT | CA
December 20 2016
FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN

Community of Sant'Egidio in Pakistan awarded by the Ministry of Human Rights for its commitment with the poor

IT | EN | DE | FR | PT | NL | ID
October 31 2016
BAGHDAD, IRAQ

Sant'Egidio in Iraq: humanitarian aid and national and interreligious dialogue to overcome the crisis

IT | EN | ES | DE | FR | PT | RU
July 8 2016
MALAWI

The aid of Sant'Egidio Malawi arrives at the refugee camp of Luwani, where thousands of Mozambicans live

IT | EN | ES | DE | FR | PT | CA | RU
July 4 2016
LIBYA

Humanitarian aid in Libya after the agreement signed at Sant'Egidio: the first container of medicines has been delivered

IT | EN | ES | DE | FR | PT | CA | HU
April 6 2016
LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Pakistan: Sant'Egidio prays for peace with the families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Lahore

IT | EN | ES | DE | FR | PT
all the news
• PRINT
November 25 2017
La Vanguardia

La Comunidad de San Egidio se vuelca con los rohinyá mientras se espera al Papa

November 14 2017
Radio Vaticana

Viaggio tra i profughi Rohingya, fuggiti dal Myanmar

September 16 2017
Agenzia Fides

Asia/Filippine - Crisi di Marawi: “Nel dolore non perdiamo la speranza”, dice il Vescovo

August 23 2017
Domradio.de

"Franziskus kann für Umdenken sorgen"

May 10 2017
Avvenire

Pakistan. Shahbaz Bhatti, sangue cristiano versato per gli altri

November 16 2016
Münstersche Zeitung

"Grazie mille, Papa Francesco"

all press releases
• NO DEATH PENALTY
October 26 2014

Sant'Egidio with the Pope for the commitment against the death penalty

October 25 2014
MANILA, PHILIPPINES

NO JUSTICE WITHOUT LIFE: Asia for life

October 10 2014
MANILA, PHILIPPINES

1st Asia Pacific Dialogue on human rights and respect for human dignity International Conference: No justice without life

go to no death penalty
• DOCUMENTS

Libya: The humanitarian agreement for the region of Fezzan, signed at Sant'Egidio on June 16th 2016 (Arabic text)

all documents

PHOTO

159 visits

160 visits
all the related media