The United Nations and partners on Friday called for $543 million immediate assistance in humanitarian relief for the Swat, Buner displaced persons (DPs). "We are calling for generous support from international community in addition to the assistance being provided by both ordinary families and national authorities," said acting UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator Martin Mogwanja while presenting 'Humanitarian Response Plan 2009' here for the DPs.
He said that 165 projects, presented by 52 UN agencies, national and international NGO partners require $543,172,583. With $88,524,302 already provided, or committed, the humanitarian community is calling for remaining $454,648,281 to be contributed urgently to fund the assistance needed by the most vulnerable and worst affected for the rest of 2009.
The UN system agencies and humanitarian partners, including Pakistani NGOs, INGOs and Federal and Provincial authorities are working together to ensure that they get relief to people as quickly and effectively as possible and sustain services to them over the coming months, Martin said. He said the scale of the displacement was extraordinary in terms of size and speed, and had caused incredible suffering.
He said that displaced children needed to be able to continue schooling; mothers and babies needed special health and nutritional assistance; and all displaced families needed access to primary and emergency medical care. Provision of potable water and sanitation is also necessary to prevent the spread of diseases at the camps, he added.
Martin said that in response to Pakistan government's request for humanitarian assistance, the humanitarian community had revised the Pakistan Humanitarian Response Plan to expand assistance and protection to the rapid recent inflow of DPs and to continue to support the 550,000 people who had fled the situation since last August.
"Rapid needs assessment of currently inaccessible areas and immediate response to families remaining there will be implemented as soon as access allows," Martin said. Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani said the current crisis of displacement of persons was different one as it did not happen due to some natural calamity.
She expressed optimism that the country would overcome the crisis as commitment, and the government was making all-out efforts to facilitate the DPs. The provision of facilities to the DPs is of course a daunting challenge and the government, besides taking initiatives in this regard, is extending full co-operation to the UN and other relief agencies for the purpose, she added.
She said that the displaced persons had left their homes not for their own sake but in fact they had sacrificed for the entire nation. She said that during their stay at the camps, the government would make every effort to provide relief to them to the maximum possible extent, while after the operation they would be fully rehabilitated and reconstruction work in there areas would be carried out.
NWFP Chief Secretary Javed Iqbal and Chief Executive Officer of the Sarhad Rural Support Programme Masood Ul Mulk also spoke on the occasion. They said that the government had set up collection points at all DP camps to ensure quality of food. They said the DP families were being provided food and related kitchen items so that they themselves could cook.