VARIOUS agencies of the United Nations and international NGOs as also UN’s Relief Coordinator in Pakistan have repeatedly warned of second wave of deaths in the quake-devastated zone during the forthcoming very cold Himalayan winter due to hunger, disease and exposure. While frantic efforts are being made by all concerned specially Pakistan Army to reach out to the survivors with relief supplies including tents in the remotest corners of the mountainous area, the survivors, it seems, are not ready to leave their shattered homes for fear of being ignored by relief agencies. Some of those who were almost convinced of leaving their devastated villages in the interest of their survival have chosen to stay back on hearing the news that a high-level meeting held in Islamabad on Monday under the chairmanship of President Pervez Musharraf has decided to arrange Rs. 20 billion for distribution amongst the quake victims.
Time and again the survivors have been advised for fear of further loss of life due to recurring aftershocks to move to nearby tent cities and tent villages but they have decided to hang on in their villages. The Met Office has been already recorded over 1,000 tremors after the 8th October monumental catastrophe. The aftershock recorded at 6.0 by Richter’s scale on Sunday was greater in intensity than the earlier tremors though the experts had stated that the intensity of aftershocks will gradually decrease. In any case, as advised by Director General, Pakistan Met Office, aftershocks could continue up to 30th November. Whatever their intensity these could pose serious hazards to survivors moving to structures which have already developed cracks. Human memory is quite short and unfortunately Pakistanis’ memory is much shorter. Those re-occupying damaged houses forget that a small tremor may bring down the damaged structure or cause massive landslides in the zone where hills and mountains have become too brittle after the terrible earthquake of 8th October. Sunday’s aftershocks killed over one hundred people in the quake zone and wounded several hundreds others. The details occurred mostly due to collapse of already damaged houses and buildings as also landslides. If the survivors do not heed experts’ warning, aftershocks may cause a third wave of deaths. Almost two generations have been lost on Black Saturday. It is time for the survivors to heed the advice of experts in their own interest.
The task of the relief agencies has become too daunting with the start of rains and snowfall. They need to persuade survivors not to re-occupy damaged structures. Modalities may be worked out to ensure distribution of relief goods and cash amongst survivors who move to tent cities and tent villages before on-the-spot registration is made. The survivors who take the risk must know that life is more precious than the compensation which government wishes to pay them.

Reaching out across LoC

THE Line of Control was opened on Monday. Those watching the breaching of Kashmir’s Berlin wall indeed saw history in the making. Although it was far from perfect — the LoC was opened at a single point in Poonch instead of five places, as originally agreed by India and Pakistan - it was nonetheless a historic moment. As crucial in political significance as the fall of Berlin wall. So the emotional scenes witnessed at the border crossing with hundreds of Kashmiri families on either side of the divide dying to meet with their loved ones are understandable.
We only wish this moment had come earlier and in happier circumstances. Today the man-made barrier — built by India and Pakistan that covet for this beautiful land and not by the Kashmiris - has been finally been broken, albeit partially, after decades of separation. But the circumstances in which this has been done are far from happy. It has come at a time when the Kashmiris are going through the most traumatic period in their chequered history. The October 8 earthquake that completely devastated the scenic region has claimed tens of thousands of lives. The loss on the Pakistani side of Kashmir has been overwhelming and it would take years before the Kashmiris could recover from this tragedy of immeasurable proportions.
If only this artificial divide had not been there or were accessible, the Kashmiris on both sides would have been able to reach out to each other offering the vital physical and emotional support in their hour of need. Nevertheless, the move to open the LoC allowing the vital relief supplies is most welcome. We are sure this will go a long way in making a positive difference to the Kashmiri people. This will bring them respite and much cheer at a time when they need all the support and help they can get. Let’s hope the opening of LoC will at least offer them some sort of emotional diversion from their infinite suffering and misery following the October 8 tragedy.
However, India and Pakistan must go beyond the symbolic gesture like the crossing at Poonch to allow the relief supplies. The LoC should be opened completely allowing the Kashmiris to move in their own land freely and meet their divided families from the other side. The quake tragedy has made the artificial line drawn by the neighbours totally irrelevant. Clearly, the Nature doesn’t recognise the man-made divide. The neighbours would do well to read and respect the lessons from Nature. The Kashmiris are one people - in their spirit, character, geography and blood. It would be a historic blunder to divide them.

—Khaleej Times