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UN Says Compensation Money "Making Difference" in Pakistan's Quake- Hit Areas

Posted on: Friday, 2 December 2005, 12:00 CST

Text of report by Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency

Islamabad, 2 December: UN Humanitarian Coordinator Jan Vandemoortele Friday [2 December] said compensation money being paid out by the Pakistan government to quake-hit people was "making difference" but called for accelerating delivery of shelter kits and "winterized tents" in the face of dipping temperature in quake-hit areas. The UN coordinator expressed cautious optimism over the ongoing relief efforts as, he added, there were still tents which needed to be winterized or replaced. "Many tents are winterized, many are being winterized but some will have to be replaced altogether," he said.

He expressed satisfaction that with the assistance of the Pakistan army, NGOs and the international relief agencies, people have started to build up shelters but stressed that "pipeline of building-kits and material needs to be speeded up, specially the provision of CGI sheets". Vandemoortele also noted improving funding situation, saying the United Nations has so far received 160m dollars while another 65m dollars were in pledges, making 41 per cent of the total flash appeal of about 570 million dollars.

He, however, warned against being carried away or showing "irrational exuberance" saying, "we still remain on a knife's edge."

"Our worst enemy is not cold, not snowfall but complacency and pessimism," he said and added: "The entire humanitarian efforts have to live up to the Pakistan's national motto of faith, unity and discipline" to provide maximum help to the affected people.

The UN coordinator described provision of heating material - stoves, blankets clothing etc - CGI sheets and winterized tents. Appealing for more specialized tents that could sustain the harsh Himalayan winter, Vandemoortele, the UN was already prioritizing its distribution plan in the face dropping temperature in Azad Kashmir and northern areas. [sentence as received]

The representative of International Organization for Migration (IOM), Darren Boisvert feared that majority of the camps delivered were non-winterized. He said his organization was targeting to provide 10,000 winterized tents to people living above 5000 feet on the mountains by 12 December.

"We have already delivered 5000 camps and hope to reach the target of 10,000 tents in time," he said, but added they still needed 10,000 more winterized tents and shelter kits beyond 12 December.

Source: BBC Monitoring South Asia

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