Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from the MaximsNewsNetwork.
Asian Human Rights Commission
Hong Kong
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A Press Release from the MaximsNewsNetowrk forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
PAKISTAN: UN Press Conference in Geneva
MaximsNewsNetwork: 24 August 2010–UNTV: United Nations: Geneva
Various United Nations (UN) officials at a press conference in Geneva today (24 August) described the humanitarian conditions in Pakistan as critical and the World Food Organization (WFP) reports that it already has enough food in Pakistan to feed six million people for one month but distribution has been hampered by a lack of resources and the country’s shattered infrastructure. The Director of United Nations Information Service in Geneva, Corinne Momal-Vanian, said that the situation was extremely difficult and that the number of deaths caused by this catastrophe has reached 1,539 while 2,055 have been injured.
The number of destroyed or damaged houses is 1.2 million. World Food Programme (WFP) Spokeswoman Emilia Casella said supply lorries were having to take long detours and aid was being carried in by hand in some areas. Helicopters were also carrying out air drops of high-energy biscuits in the more remote areas. Elizabeth Byrs of the UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office (OCHA) told journalists that there were severe logistical restraints hampering the delivery of aid.
Casella said it already has enough food in Pakistan to feed six million people for a month but distribution has been hampered by a lack of resources and the country’s shattered infrastructure. The floods have destroyed more than 1.7m hectares (4.25m acres) of land, which will have a significant impact on the agricultural sector and the country’s economic growth.
SOUNDBITE (French) Corinne Momal-Vanian, Director of United Nations Information Service in Geneva: “The humanitarian situation in Pakistan is extremely difficult. Specifically in the South where the main worry is the rise of the river Indus which threatens the city of the region and may lead to further floods. According to Pakistani authorities, the number of people affected by the floods has now reached 17.2 millions.”
SOUNDBITE (English) Emilia Casella, Spokesperson, World Food Programme (WFP): “The official target for food assistance at the moment is 6 million people over the coming 3 months. Now, we all recognize that the numbers have been rising, and so we expect that to increase.”
SOUNDBITE (English) Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office (OCHA): “We always have this criticism of this slow, aid is reaching people slowly. It’s just in the case of those floods, a matter of logistical constraints. I would like to stress that many roads are still unpassable, they are blocked by mud slides, some roads have been repaired, but no all of them, so we deliver as, WFP said, mostly by air, air-bridge. And you have many bridges which have been washed away, you have several logistical constraints.”
SOUNDBITE (English) Emilia Casella, Spokesperson World Food Programme: “It’s clear that we haven’t reached all the people that we need to reach and that we have been calling for additional air assets and additional assistance funds in order to reach them. If we do get that level of donation, of supplies, and of cash to bring in more equipment and food, then we do believe that we can reach all of the people. We have enough food in Pakistan already, at the beginning of this emergency to feed 6 million people for a month.”
UNITED NATIONS TELEVISION: UNTV) …
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