Monday, November 28, 2005
I have also been meeting with local church leaders including Rev. Colin Roberts from St John the Divine Church in Earlsfield and Rev. Christopher Davis and Robert Thomson from St Nicholas Church in Graveney. The first of these meetings focussed on problems with anti social behaviour on the Henry Prince Estate, and the work that the church is doing to run summer schemes for children. The schemes can be difficult to fund, and we discussed ways in which the project could be taken forward. At the second meeting, the focus was how churches in Tooting could help to build bridges with the minority communities following on from the London bombings and the Religious Hatred Bill. Both meetings were thought provoking and very productive.
On 17th November, I attended an event organised by the Nazia Hassan Foundation in Parliament. Nazia Hassan was a Pakistani pop star in the 1980s and 1990s who died of cancer in her 30s. She pioneered a unique fusion of Eastern and Western rhythm and melody nearly two decades ago. She also worked for the UN and did a huge amount of social and charity work. The Nazia Hassan foundation has been set up by her family who continue the legacy of her charitable work. More details are available on the Foundation's website here. The event turned about to be an awards ceremony and much to my surprise I received an award in the politics category.
I also had the opportunity at the event to announce that the Labour Government had just announced a further £70m for South Asian earthquake. The UK’s total support for the earthquake relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation in Pakistan now stands at £128 million. Part of the additional funding will pay for helicopters for the UN that will be able to deliver relief to any location in the affected areas throughout the winter. Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for International Development, has also announced that the Ministry of Defence will be sending a Royal Engineers team who are specially trained for mountain conditions to help build shelters in remote areas.
Earlier in the Autumn my office began a Christmas card competition. We invited all primary schools in the constituency to take part in a competition – the winning design will be printed as my House of Commons Christmas Card for 2005. Over 300 pupils entered, and last week, Carron Taylor (Reporter from the Wandsworth Borough News), Rev. Hugh Grear (Holy Trinity Church) and Kieran Power (Section Inspector from Tooting Police Station) judged the entries. I am just finalising the prizes and will be ready to announce the results soon!
My weekend was mainly spent talking left of centre politics, policy and electioneering techniques as part of Ditchley ix, British - German Parliamentarians dialogue. More details here. Germany’s leading political parties have backed the coalition government led by Angela Merkel (Christian Democrats). One of the subjects for discussion was the targets and topics for this grand coalition over the coming years. We also discussed the future of the European Union in light of the French and Dutch ‘No’ vote earlier this year. The discussions were intense but very stimulating, and it was good to compare experiences.
In the House on 21st November I took part in the Equalities Bill Second Reading. You can read my speech here. I am excited about the possibilities of the new Commission - its role in promoting human rights will ensure that the Commission for Equality and Human Rights can address standards of fairness and equal treatment for everyone rooted in a culture of respect for the dignity of each individual.
I also took part in a debate organised by the Young Fabians (website) and the Bow Group, a centre right think tank (website). The motion was ‘There was no alternative to Thatcherism’. John Redwood was the main speaker for the Bow Group. It was an easy motion to counter from our side, especially as someone who grew up under the Thatcher Government with the memory of mass unemployment, the winding down of the manufacturing industry, civil unrest, and the spiralling gap between the rich and the poor still clear in my mind. It was a lively debate with good contributions from both side – I think the Fabians won it on the audience vote!
The Public Accounts Committee this week was looking into government funding of the third sector. This term is used to describe the range of organisations which are neither state nor private sector - including registered charities, non charitable non profit organisations, community groups, co-operatives and social enterprises. Third sector organisations are involved in many areas of public service and the Labour Government has a declared commitment to increasing the role of the sector. I quite enjoyed making the point that ‘the third way had been good to the third sector’ in response to a point made by the Tory Chair, Edward Leigh MP.
Sadiq
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Wednesday was also important in that the House of Lords accepted an amendment in the Equality Bill which would outlaw discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the basis of sexual orientation. At the moment, it is perfectly lawful for a local authority, or hospital for example, to discriminate against people on the grounds of their religion or belief, or on the grounds of their sexual orientation. The draft Equality Bill outlawed discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief but not in relation to sexual orientation. I signed an EDM expressing concern about this: EDM 710 and I am pleased that the Government in the Lords have now accepted an amendment to address this anomaly. The Equality Bill will lead to a new Commission for Equalities and Human Rights (addressing discrimination under various strands including race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion) and also promote human rights. The Commission will soon draft a Single Equality Act which will take care of the current hierarchy of rights which exist. It is noteworthy and a reason to be proud to be Labour that all major equality legislation was passed by Labour Governments.
On Thursday, I accepted an invitation to attend the Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year awards. I was extremely pleased and flattered to receive the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award from Boris Johnson and Charles Kennedy.
On Friday, parliament discussed a matter that is of concern to many residents in Tooting – climate change. Two Private Members Bills were being debated. Mark Lazarowicz's Bill, 'The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill' places a requirement on the Government to report to Parliament on a yearly basis and aims to promote renewable energy sources, including microgeneration and renewable heat, and this was backed. I very much welcome the proposals contained within this Bill. It is essential that climate change is subject to a regular debate in Parliament and it is equally important that steps are made to increase the production of energy through efficient, renewable means. The significance of climate change cannot be lost amongst other prominent issues on the Government’s agenda.
After the Climate Change debate, I moved an adjournment debate on the South Asian earthquake. You can read more details about this here.
On Saturday, I attended a fundraising event at the Bina Hall Banqueting Centre on Upper Tooting Road, organised by local residents and the charity ‘Muslim Hands’. This was to raise funds for victims of the earthquake.
On Sunday, I went canvassing in Furzedown ward. The response on the doorstep was extremely positive towards the reform programme of the Labour Government. There were some concerns raised about anti social behaviour, general litter, and street cleaning which Cllr John Farebrother (Furzedown councillor) and myself are taking up.
On Monday, along with my other parliamentary duties, I had a meeting with Shelter – the charity that is fighting to end homelessness and campaigning against bad housing. At the meeting, we discuss overcrowding and in particular how this affects families. Shelter have recently published a report, Full House? How overcrowded housing affects families, which reveals the shocking realities of living in overcrowded housing. I shall be working with the Government to ensure that further affordable, family sized homes are provided to try and alleviate some of the problems that the report identified.
I also attended a Public Accounts Committee meeting where we investigated the filing of income tax self assessment returns. HM Revenue and Customs collects £16 billion a year from income tax self assessment and sends income tax self assessment forms to around 10 million tax payers. Getting tax returns in on time is important as it allows timely assessment and collection of tax, as well as minimising the cost of chasing late returns. As of July 2004, some £1.1 billion of income tax was outstanding from 1.1 million overdue returns. Similarly, around 1.1 million returns were overdue in July 2005.
Sadiq
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
"When my father came to this country from Pakistan in the 1960s, there were signs up in houses saying: 'No blacks, no Irish, no dogs'. That sort of attitude led to clusters of various ethnicities living together because of safety in numbers, which is worth remembering when people start lecturing the ethnic minorities about segregation.
Since then they have tended to stay there because they are near places of worship, community organisations and shops.
The 1965 legislation was the beginning of the government recognising, and saying loud and clear, that certain types of behaviour were unacceptable. It was the start of a process of influencing people's behaviour.
Over the last 40 years the situation has improved to a point where legislation was passed in 2001 which places responsibility on authorities to work towards the elimination of racial discrimination and promote equality of opportunity.
That Act was the latest of several that built upon the foundations of the
1965 Act. It might seem a bit antiquated now, but it was the first stepping-stone to the position where we are now - we have the best and most comprehensive race relations legislation of any country in western Europe.
Sadly my father passed away recently, but he would have been proud to have one of his children elected as the Member of Parliament for Tooting, where our family settled, and to know that we had been accepted fully as part of British society.
No one is pretending we are living in a Utopia and much still remains to be done to combat racial prejudice. But when I remember our family's early days in Britain living on a council estate, surrounded by racial abuse and criminal damage, I recognise huge progress has been made in the last four decades."
In the afternoon, I visited Burntwood Secondary School which is the only single sex secondary school for girls in Tooting. When I was a sixth former, in neighbouring Ernest Bevin College, I used to have some of my lessons at Burntwood and it was good to go back! The school's website is here. Helen Dorfman is doing a good job as the Head Teacher. She took great pride in taking me around the school, and it was quite clear from meeting and speaking to the pupils that the school is a vibrant place. Unfortunately, the school is having serious financial problems which has led to the school being in debt by more than £300,000. The Chair of Governors and the Head Teacher explained the reasons for the budget deficit, which is primarily due to massive heating costs caused by an outdated heating system and un-refurbished buildings.
Although the current problems are caused by decades of under investment by previous governments, I am optimistic that the school may be able to benefit from the Labour Government’s plans to refurbish all schools by 2010.
Friday was one of those days where the job of MP involves eating three full meals in the space of five hours. My first meal was at award winning Mirch Masala on Upper Tooting Road. The restaurant was recently voted the most popular South Asian restaurant in Tooting, and has gone forward to the next round of the Tiffin Cup competition to find the best South Asian restaurant in the UK.
I followed this with an Eid dinner at my relatives’ house, before attending Wandsworth Town Hall for a dinner with the Mayor of Wandsworth, Cllr Diana Whittingham, the other two MPs from Wandsworth, Martin Linton and Justine Greening, and leading councillors. I quite enjoyed, unusually, an evening with Tory politicians, probably because we didn’t discuss politics!
Saturday I did my regular surgery at Tooting Library, and a street stall on Tooting High Street with members of the local Labour Party.
On Sunday, I attended the Eid celebrations organised by Tooting Business Network in the Samaj Hall. This cultural evening was a huge success with more than 500 locals celebrating Eid from all faiths of Tooting. Cllr Stuart King, and Cllr Pam Tatlow were also there. In the speech that I made, I talked about my trip to Pakistan and a bucket was passed round to collect money to help the victims of the earthquake.
On Monday, I had my regular drop in surgery at Earlsfield Library. In the evening, we held a fantastic event in the Jubilee Room at the House of Commons for new members of Tooting Labour Party. More than one hundred local members attended an event where the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown MP, the Minister for the Olympics, Tessa Jowell MP, and the Minister for Local Government, David Miliband MP gave inspiring speeches.
Today, in addition to my usual duties, I attended lunch at the Pakistani High Commission along with other parliamentary colleagues. At this lunch, the High Commissioner briefed us with an update of the devastating situation in Pakistan. I shall be raising the whole issue of the South Asian earthquake in an adjournment debate scheduled for this Friday in the House of Commons.
Sadiq
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
back in the UK
My first engagement was to visit the excellent Beatrix Potter School in Magdalen Road in SW18. The School’s website is here. The Headteacher, Mr Steph Neale is also the Chair of the Wandsworth Headteachers Association. After a really useful and informative chat about all that the school is up to, I was taken on a tour. A school where children are smiling and well behaved, happy to chat and having a good time is a sign to me of a good school. The school has some very exciting projects. For example, they have links with five European Schools in Austria, Germany, Norway, Greece and Poland and they are working together on a ‘Water of Life’ project. Beatrix Potter also has links with a school in Prien Lake, Indiana. They are hoping to set up cultural and educational exchanges.
In the afternoon I attended the national remembrance service at St Paul’s Cathedral for the victims of the London bombings. The Service was incredibly moving, reflecting the strength of feeling that remains in London. We can never forget the fifty-two lives that were so tragically lost and also those people severely injured in the July 7th terrorist attacks.
There were a number of moving and inspiring readings given by prominent bishops, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The bidding by the Dean of St Paul's was particularly apt:
"We come to this Cathedral to remember before God those who died and those who were injured in the attacks on London on the 7th July. We give thanks for their lives and we hold them in our prayers, and with them, we remember victims of terrorism all over the world.
"We pray for all who mourn, for all who are rebuilding their lives, and we give thanks for those who shared - often at great cost to themselves - in the work of rescue and rehabilitation. We remember in particular the staff of Transport for London, the Police, the paramedics, the doctors and nurses of London hospitals, clergy and faith leaders, and all men and women of goodwill who assisted in any way.
"And we come also to affirm the unity of this nation, the integrity of this great city, and the resolve of countless men and women of different faiths and cultures to live together in peace."
I understand there have been concerns that the welfare of families caught up in the attacks has been sidelined within the wider debate on terrorism, but I am hopeful that this issue will now be addressed. It is important that the families of both the victims and the injured survivors of these unfortunate events receive the appropriate amount of compensation. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority has already begun to issue payments and the Government has contributed extra resources to the London bombings relief fund.
This was also the week when the Terrorism Bill came to committee stage before the entire House of Commons. This is a concession given by the Home Secretary. Usually, a bill goes to a Standing Committee which has a dozen or so MPs on it. However, on this Bill all 646 of us got a chance to have our say on various clauses.
I tabled an amendment that called for a compromise of a maximum 28 days detention without charge, as opposed to the 90 day period originally proposed. I was unhappy about any extension from the 14 day period allowed for detention without charge, which only came into play in January 2004. I, however, recognised that it will not be possible to maintain the status quo. During yesterday’s debate in the House of Commons, I made the following point:
“Since the change in the law in 2004, there have been 11 instances of detention for 13 to 14 days, and in all of them the detainee has been charged. There have been 12 instances of detention for between seven and 13 days, and in all of them the detainee has been released without charge. In none of those cases has someone been rearrested once the computer has been decrypted or further evidence has been gathered. I know of no case from the past two years in which an extension to 90 days would have been justified.”
My colleague John Denham MP tabled an amendment, which narrows the definition of terrorism in relation to its ‘glorification’ or ‘encouragement’. The proposed definition is as below:
‘any action that is intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants, when the purpose of such act, by its nature or context, is to intimidate the population, or to compel a Government or an international organisation to do or to abstain from doing any act’
I supported John in moving this amendment, but as a result of assurances given by the Home Secretary, he has agreed to withdraw his amendment and see what proposals the Home Secretary puts forward at the report stage of the Bill.
I am very concerned with improving this legislation and getting a better balance between keeping us all safe and securing our civil liberties.
This week, during the Public Accounts Committee, we examined The Royal Parks and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, this week. This was an important opportunity to hold the Royal Parks and DCMS to account. The Royal Parks is an executive agency of the DCMS and spends £30 million a year managing 8 Royal parks and other areas within London. There is a backlog of maintenance work throughout the parks.
The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain is located in Hyde Park, one of the Royal Parks. The project cost £5 million (when it should have cost £3 million) and has experienced huge difficulties.
I used the opportunity to scrutinise the Permanent Secretary at the DCMS about the entire fiasco surrounding the fountain. You can read the transcript here.
Sadiq
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Pakistan visit - 27th-31st October
I visited the earthquake regions of Pakistan at the end of October. I kept a diary during my visit, and have posted this in full below. Pictures from the visit are here. Thursday 27th October
I flew back on Monday morning feeling distressed and upset at what I had seen. The images of the children in the camps are fresh in my mind and I have promised them that we will do more.
This is a global catastrophe that requires global solutions. Greater efforts need to be made to prevent any further unnecessary deaths.
We began the day with a press conference in Westminster targeted at the Pakistani press explaining about the delegation going to the earthquake regions of Pakistan. Unfortunately due to problems in his constituency Khalid Mahmood, the MP for Birmingham Perry Bar, had to pull out of the trip at the last minute. However, in addition to Shahid Malik MP, Mohammed Sarwar MP and myself, the delegation included Mr Zafar Khan who is the Chairman of the Limbless Association UK. Zafar Khan is an inspirational man – the Limbless Association helps amputees and people with limb deficiencies of all ages and their families. He himself is an amputee and was responsible for Ali Abbas, the Iraqi boy injured during the war coming to the UK to receive treatment. Helping Hands, which is a UK based charity, were also part of the delegation. They are trying to also highlight the crisis developing in Pakistan.
Since the earthquake struck on 8th October, the Department for International Development has pledged £33 million towards the relief effort, and the UN Flash Appeal now stands at $117.2 million. DFID has sent 14 flights with over 900 tonnes of relief supplies but this will not be enough to meet the needs of the earthquake victims. The UN recently commented that the aftermath of the South Asian earthquake is a ‘logistical nightmare’, and that the situation is getting worse by the day.
Friday 28th October
After a couple of hours sleep, after the long flight, we met with the Chief Minister of Punjab - Mr Prevez Elahi and he debriefed us on the rescue operation so far. The relief operation has now ended, and they are now in rescue mode. Mr Elahi explained that there were literally thousands of people in the mountains who were unwilling to come down to the camps that were being made at ground level. Many of these people wanted to stay with their deceased loved ones, and they don’t want to leave their property and animals behind. Some of the able bodied people were coming down from the mountains to collect food and blankets and then going back up to the mountains. So part of the rescue operation was giving essential provisions to people in the mountains to take back with them. The problem is that with previous shelter and accommodation gone, the people still up in the mountains will find it impossible to survive the harsh winter conditions without winter tents.
We then had a 5 hours drive from Lahore to Islamabad where the 3 MPs had a private meeting with the Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr Shaukat Aziz. He explained to us the problems that were unfolding in the rescue operation. He talked about the large number of orphans and young children who have now lost their families, and the difficulties of getting help to them. He was particularity concerned about young girls being abducted and the huge number of people who have had limbs amputated – either because parts of buildings fell on them during the quake, or there was a risk of infection from their injuries.
Mr Aziz commented on the huge contribution that the UK had made and thanked both the Government and the people of the UK for their efforts. We asked him in particular how the people in the UK and the government could help and Mr Aziz explained that in addition to continuing with the rescue operation there was a need to give real attention to the rehabilitation and the reconstruction effort. There is a pressing need for specialist help with the treatment of patients with serious injuries and those requiring amputations. The Prime Minister explained that the most important thing that individuals in the UK and elsewhere could do was to give donations to enable the Government and relief agencies to spot purchase what was required as days went on. The current priority was for important items to be delivered to the areas where attention had been less focussed due to access difficulties. In addition to aid what was required was serious thought to trade assistance and a redoubling of efforts in this area.
Saturday 29th October
We met some of the British troops involved in the rescue operation. There are currently three Chinook helicopters assisting importing equipment and supplies to the affected areas. They can airlift supplies onto the ground with a pulley system in the mountainous areas where they can’t land. The Chinooks are currently making three sorties a day and are manned by 100 people helping with the operation. They are working all day flat out. I met the officer in charge of the British troops, and he explained the efforts his men and women have been making since they first arrived. They are committed to helping those in vulnerable areas, and taking off from Islamabad to the villages of Bagh, Balakot, Mensera and Mussafrabad. The three Chinooks were managing to do a great deal more than many other countries. The officers took great pride in explaining that they had managed to load and unload a Chinook 20 minutes faster than the US!
We flew by helicopter to Bagh. Watching the TV coverage of the earthquake disaster and reading about it in advance was insufficient preparation for the devastation we saw there. As we landed in the field which had been made into a helipad we could see the villages on the way which had been devastated, roads which were being cleared, and we saw tents scattering fields.
After a short meeting with officials and a debrief we went to one of the camps that Helping Hands had set up. The camp was full of women and young children. What was noticeable was the lack of fit men. We were told that the men were out in the mountainous areas helping the rescue operation. Some of the children were excited to see us but others looked to be still in shock, and their eyes were lifeless, almost as if they had given up hope. I can hardly begin to describe it – the women were pleading for assistance, as all they had was in the tents. They had bedding from Helping Hands and that was it – there was nothing else left from their possessions. They were asking us what they were supposed to do now. They had left their homes voluntarily, but they wanted to go back to villages. In many cases there is now nothing to go back to.
The relief agencies have been encouraging people to come to the camps, and giving people tents, but there is a real worry about whether these will be sufficient with the winter fast approaching. The villagers are proud and dignified people, and the vast majority want to stay by their homes, even if they are ruined. On the roadside we saw clothes that had appeared to be dumped. Speaking to local villagers, it was quite clear that the local community did not really need or want clothes being sent to them from well intentioned people from other countries. What they really need are blankets and tents.
We spent a few hours walking around the village meeting people and listening to their concerns. One of the biggest things that came through was a fear about what the future holds for these families.
One of the positive things to come out on the trip to Bagh was Helping Hands’ launch of a weather resistant pre fabricated metal structure that is earthquake proof and can resist snow and high winds. There are aftershocks taking place in the area and seismic experts from Turkey explained that there was still the possibility of further aftershocks. I experienced one in Islamabad on the first night I was here, and there is real concern that there will be more, and more buildings will collapse. The prefab houses are relatively cheap (ranging from £300 - £1000 per home) and come in different sizes, and the advantage is that they are solid and can be quickly built. They can sleep up to 8 people. They can also be easily transported and are safer – there has been a real problem with concrete roofs caving in on people. Several companies are making these, and Helping Hands are going to be involved in making these available to families. The cost of the homes will be funded by donations.
People can’t begin to rebuild their lives from a tent, so the metal homes will at least give them more stability and shelter in the short term. The priority has been the rescue effort, and the helicopters are being used for essential supplies. However, the prototype of these homes has been launched, and the villagers who saw them were excited and wanted to know if they would be able to have one. They said that if the homes could be brought to the plains, they would carry them to the villages. The units come in lots of small pieces. They can be built, taken apart and carried up mountains, and then rebuilt by non experts without any need for specialised tools.
Sunday 30th October
Today we flew by helicopter to Mensera. On the way we flew over the town of Balakot which has been completely destroyed. Every house, school and hospital was now rubble, and the streets were full of concrete boulders, old signs from buildings and some temporary tents that had been put up. We were told that very few had survived in Balakot.
We landed on the Chatara Plain where we visited a medical centre that had been set up. Doctors and paramedics were dispensing medicine to the victims of the earthquake. In addition to treating those injured, routine medical care was being provided, and a female doctor was there to care for the women giving birth. They were awaiting further field doctors and patients to be transferred from other sites.
A school had been set up in the camp. The manager of the camp explained that there are hundreds of children with nothing to do – and school is a good way of carrying on with normal life, and keeping them occupied. It is also providing a form of counselling and support. On the first day, 30 children had attended, and by the end of the week a thousand had turned up. The tents could hold up to 600 children, with the other 400 being taught outside. When the weather gets worse, they won’t be able to teach outside and will have to turn the children away. For the children who survived the earthquake, there is the trauma of remembering that day, and all those that died when they were in schools that were destroyed completely. We can often underestimate the psychological effect of the earthquake.
In Abbotabad we visited the hospital. The actual hospital is still standing, but there are so many cracks in the building, that patients are scared to use it. Helping Hands have set up a treatment centre on the forecourt, and Medicine Sans Frontieres, the International Red Cross and organisations from Korea and Cuba have set up field hospitals nearby. I had a long conversation with a British doctor – Dr Amjad Ghulzar - who was part of a team of British doctors who had been there since immediately after the earthquake. He said that he had taken part in or seen more than 700 amputations. He also explained that he had been treating other patients who had amputations badly performed, and now needed further surgery. There are no records of the total number of amputations that had taken place in the last 2 weeks. There were no forms for the doctors in the hospitals to compete before amputating. There were no records being kept, and therefore no way of monitoring the progress of patients. The doctors are well intentioned, but they do not have specialist knowledge of amputations, and there is no quality control in place. Zafar Khan explained the importance of aftercare for amputees, and this isn’t happening at the moment. If the operation is done properly, it is possible to live a full life, as Zafar Khan is living proof of. I saw a six year old whose arm had been cut off, and you could still see the blood on the bandages. There will be future generations of people who won’t be able to work, and the economic implications of this are profoundly worrying.
The Pakistani Government has agreed to set up special limbs units in hospitals and a high tech centre of excellence, as there will be thousands of people who will need this. They will need British expertise, which the Limbless Association have agreed to provide.
This day was probably one of the saddest of my life. The Helping Hands camp was like a war zone. There were sole surviving members of families. where three generations of family members had been wiped out. Many had no news of loved ones or relations. There were amputation patients everywhere. I spoke to one relief worker from Helping Hands who explained that he had stopped some men with guns trying to forcibly remove three girls from camp, who would no doubt have sold the girls on as child slaves for prostitution. The Army are now on hand to protect some camps, but relief workers are concerned that a lot of children have already been removed.
You don’t appreciate the scale of crisis until you see the devastation on the ground. What is being reported around the world is only the tip of iceberg. The relief agencies are doing their best, and I saw projects that made me immensely proud of Britain’s effort – for example, BT are setting up £2 million worth of satellite equipment to allow communication in remote areas. But so much more is needed. The winter is setting in and villages will soon become even more inaccessible, leaving thousands to perish from hypothermia and starvation. There is a village called Ally where rescue operations haven’t been able to reach yet. Unless the village is reached within the next fourteen days, 80,000 residents could perish.
On 19th November, there will be an international conference in Pakistan to discuss what the international community can do – unless more money and aid reaches the area, then many thousands more will die. The numbers who have died since the earthquake struck are rising.
The rescue operation should have finished by now – but we are still in the middle of this. In addition to aid, trade concessions (similar to those given to tsunami affected countries) are also urgently needed.
Sadiq
