THE DONORS’ Conference is only two days away. The international community is now apparently alive to Pakistan’s urgent need for financial assistance to undertake rehabilitation of the millions of survivors of the monumental tragedy that devastated Azad Kashmir and adjoining parts of the NWFP on 8th October. The international agencies including the United Nations have been concerned over lack of adequate response to huge financial and material requirements to rebuild the infrastructure and tens of thousands of homes and other structures destroyed by the killer earthquake. The World Bank has estimated that close to U.S. S 5.2 billion would be needed for reconstruction against which a little over one billion dollar has been committed. However, remittances received so far are under 20 per cent.
The Donors’ Conference would be addressed by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan besides President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. Some other leaders of friendly Governments and top executives of international agencies will also make appeals to the world community to demonstrate greater generosity to meet the colossal requirements. The delegations would be enabled to see for themselves the havoc wrought by the natural calamity. Hopefully, funds needed to undertake the Himalayan task of rehabilitation and reconstruction during the next three to five years would be committed. At this point in time, it would not be inappropriate to remind the donors that their gesture has to be translated urgently into actual remittances. It has been reported by the international media that commitments made by donors for rehabilitation of victims of Tsunami disaster exceeded six billion dollars but actual remittances so far received were around only two billion dollars. This indeed is disturbing particularly when the world has expressed the opinion that devastation caused by 8th October earthquake was much greater in magnitude and warranted more financial help. While making donations the donors should not sit back and arrange remittances in due course. The pledges need be quickly backed by actual remittances. Delayed remittances would result in cost escalations and prolong the agonies of the victims.
To keep the cost within planned targets, swift flow of funds has got to be ensured. A stitch in time will surely save nine. Pledges will be most welcome but these must be translated promptly into actual remittances. The victims desperately need outside and local help. The international community thankfully appreciates that the challenges posed by the catastrophe are beyond control of any Government. It is expected that the world will respond to our long-term needs as they have responded to our short term requirements during the first few weeks after the monumental tragedy.

A burning issue in France

IT IS three weeks since France started burning. And there are no signs as yet if this problem is going to be solved anytime soon. Billions of dollars of property and thousands of cars have been destroyed in the riots that are blamed on immigrants from North and West Africa. The French authorities are now seeking to extend the emergency powers imposed earlier this week to next year. That the government is seeking to extend the unprecedented special powers in the year to come underscores the seriousness of the problem. Clearly, France expects the blaze of suburban riots to rage for a long time to come.
Doubtless, the French authorities have allowed this problem to get out of hand. The authorities have seriously and criminally neglected the issue of illegals in the country. It’s absurd to blame the ongoing violence and demonstrations on the immigrants from North and West Africa and French speaking world. These criminal acts are not perpetrated by the second-third generation immigrants who are really responsible and legal citizens of France. These are the desperate acts of illegals, who may share the background of the long settled immigrants from North and West Africa, but have nothing to do with the original immigrant community.
This is why the issue of unrest needs to be tackled carefully by the French government. The illegals are evidently exercising an unhealthy influence on the original law-abiding second, third generation citizens. The original immigrant community has nothing to do with the current unrest and it would be better served if the French government effectively deals with the issue of illegal influx. There are estimated to be at least three million illegals mostly from North and West Africa in France. They are not only proving to be a burden on the country but an unhealthy influence on the large, law-abiding community of North and West Africans in France. About time France dealt with the problem before it mutates into an issue of international ramifications.

—Khaleej Times