Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following open letter from Pak American Lawyers for Civil and Legal Rights to the President of the United States of America.
Asian Human Rights Commission
Hong Kong
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An Open Letter from Pak American Lawyers for Civil and Legal Rights forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
The President of U.S.A
White House
Washington D.C.
Dear Mr. President,
USA/PAKISTAN: Temporary protected status for Pakistani nationals in the United States of America
We, the Pak American Lawyers for Civil and Legal Rights and Pak American Bar Association of U.S.A, are jointly concerned on behalf of Pakistani American Community that a great flood occurred in Pakistan in the month of August, 2010, which has badly damaged one-fifth of the population and a large area of the country equal to Britain or the state of Florida. According to the estimate of U.N.O, the facts and figures indicate that approximately twenty million people, including nine million children, in Pakistan are affected, with urgent needs for humanitarian assistance. Time is of the essence in delivering life saving supplies.
The numbers of those affected by the flooding are exceeding the numbers of people affected by the 2004 Tsunami, 2010 Haiti earthquake and 2005 earthquake in Pakistan combined, and they need more help urgently. The official estimates are that 1100 schools have been destroyed by the floods, and two million people have been displaced throughout the country. The flooded area became lakes, ponds and streams, with the increased likelihood of outbreaks of deadly diseases such as polio, malaria, diarrhea, cholera, measles, typhoid and water born diseases. The roads and trains have been totally destroyed, essential crops and animals have been destroyed and eight million people are stranded in flood areas needing immediate food and shelter. More than 1600 people have been killed, many hundreds are missing and 74000 children are feared to be near death. There are thousands of villages, towns and cities under water. The affected people have gone back to the stone ages due this mass destruction. It may be called one of the great floods, after Noah’s great flood, in this modern time. The destruction will continue to affect other part of the country. There is a shortage of food, medicine, shelter and the multitudes of displaced people have become a heavy burden on Government of Pakistan after this tragedy. There is also the opportunity for increased terrorism by the recruitment as the young, poor and hungry people, which are available for terrorism purposes due to hunger, poverty and displacement. Pakistan is a desperate country due to destroyed agriculture crops and there are also no new seeds for the next growth of crops.
Mr. President, regarding the flood disaster in Pakistan, the General Secretary of United Nation, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, has expressed shock and urges the international community to speed up the delivery of aid after his personal visitation of flood affected areas of the country. He personally flew over the flooded affected area and saw the people living on narrow pieces of ground with their possession and livelihoods washed away. He further said: “A heart wrenching day for me and for my delegation. I will never forget the destruction and suffering I have witnessed today. “Furthermore”, he said; “in the past I have visited scenes of many natural disasters around the world, but nothing like this. The scale of this disaster is so large and there are so many people in so many places in so much need. The magnitude of the problem, the world has never seen such disaster. It’s much beyond any body’s imagination. This is a long term affair and two year campaign for two years , we have got to give them crops, fertilizers, seeds, food, shelter, necessities so that to bring them back to where they were”. Similarly, Mr. Benoit De Gryse, who is country director for Medicines Sans Frontieres Belgium said that it is impossible to gauge the number of people in need because hunger, disease, and homelessness are still unfolding. He further said the disaster has not finished yet. At the moment it’s impossible because the disaster is still in progress. Especially because the population is being chased by water.
Therefore, Mr. President, please help the Pakistani affected families through your discretionary power, a temporary protected Status (T.P.S), a temporary immigration benefit and relief program for the Pakistani Nationals, whom are living in U.S.A, which allows qualified individuals from designated countries or part of those countries, who are living in the United States of America, to stay here for a limited time period. Pakistan may be designated for Temporary Protected Status by the Secretary of Homeland Security based on certain conditions in the country that` temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from being able to handle their return adequately, which has been created for country designation based on ongoing Armed conflict, environmental disaster or other extra ordinary and temporary conditions in the country, which allows undocumented individuals to remain in the United States for a limited period of time according to T.P.S designations given in Past to the Nationals of the following countries:
Sudan (November 1997-November 2011; ongoing armed conflict)
Somalia (September 1991- March 2011; ongoing armed conflict)
El Salvador March 2001-September 2010; continuing effects of earthquake in 2010)
Honduras (December1998- July 2010; continuing effects of hurricane in 1998)
Nicaragua (December 1998- July 2010; continuing effects of hurricane in 1998)
Burundi (November 1997- May 2009; Armed conflict)
Liberia (March 1991- October 2007; armed conflict)
Sierra Leon (November 1997- May3, 2004; armed conflict)
Angola (March 2000-March 2003; armed conflict)
Bosnia-Herzegovina (August 1992- Feb 2001; Armed conflict)
Kosovo Province of Serbia (June 1998-december 2000; armed conflict)
Rwanda (June1995-December 1997; armed conflict)
Lebanon (March 1991- March 1993 armed conflict)
Kuwait (1991- March 1992; armed conflict)
Therefore, we request you on the behalf of Pakistani American for the Pakistani nationals undocumented living in U.S.A, whose families has been affected by the flood disaster and please give them Temporary Protected Status so that they can help their families back home in the country of Pakistan.
The letter of request, signed by the Pakistani Americans of U.S.A, is being submitted to you.
Yours obediently,
Ramzan Mohammed Rana Sajid H, Jaffrey
Muhammad Shahid Maher Khalid M, Azam
Munawar Iqbal Kanjan Rana M, Taj
PAK AMERICAN LAWYERS
FOR CIVIL AND LEGAL RIGHTS`
56 Romer Ave.
Pleasantville, NY 10570
(516) 376-1868
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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
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