Pakistan relief effort hampered by lack of funding
11 June 2009
A
lack of funds is threatening the humanitarian aid effort in
north-west Pakistan.
Save the Children reports that the
organisation has received £2.6 million of the £6.6 million needed
to assist 168,000 children and 112,000 adults in the region who
have become victims of fighting in the Swat valley.
The charity has so far brought healthcare, food and relief items
to around 40,000 individuals.
Carolyn Miller, chief executive of humanitarian charity Merlin,
commented: "The only reason we haven't faced a massive humanitarian
meltdown is the generosity of families and communities of modest
means who've looked after the vast majority of those who've fled
the fighting.
"The world's richest nations need to dig much deeper into their
pockets to help."
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, tens
of thousands of Pakistani civilians are trapped amid fighting in
Swat due to curfews and a lack of access to running water and
electricity.
The organisation is supporting two Pakistan Red Crescent Society
camps in the Malakand Agency that currently hold a total of 23,000
internally-displaced people.
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