Puntata eccezionale sulla emergenza alluvione in Pakistan. Questa catastrofe naturale e’ stata definita dalle Nazioni Unite come la peggiore catastrofe naturale con cui abbiamo avuto a che fare negli ultimi anni, peggiore dello Tsunami o del terremoto di Haiti. Eppure questo evento ha avuto pochissima risonanza sui media europei e al momento attuale la raccolta fondi per gli aiuti fatica a prendere quota. La nostra amica Marta Bolognani ci racconta di questa alluvione e ci suggerisce alcune ONG cui donare per salvare e aiutare le persone coinvolte (si parla di milioni di persone).

• EDHI foundation Donazioni tramite conto bancario: IBAN GB55-LOYD-309986-01466755, SWIFT 309986
• Save The Children
• Islamic Relief
• Croce rossa internazionale

I link alla puntata (22 min) in ogg/vorbis o mp3 oppure ascoltatelo online

Marta ha anche scritto a tutti i suoi amici questa lettera:

Dear friends,
I am writing to you as an European who has lived two years in Pakistan and is, like all of you but with a personal twist, horrified at the images that are coming from the areas devastated by the floods (and the areas not devastated by the floods but affected by the destruction of roads and bridges and cannot be reached; the areas that cannot export their fruit and vegetables anymore because of the infrastructure damage; the areas that cannot receive medicines; the areas that in the next months will be affected by the rise of the food prices because nearly three thirds of the harvest has been destroyed).

The UN have confirmed that this disaster is worse than the ‘Tsunami’, or the ‘Haiti’; still, it appears that people are not donating as much money as they have for the other emergencies.
I am appalled by the thought that we can feel more inclined towards helping one population rather than another, but at the same time I can understand a little the reluctance in sending money to a country whose President of the country himself has left the country for Paris and London during the worst days (so far) of the emergency. However, I am now wondering what makes us more likely to support billions of military expenses that include bombing of the Northern regions of Pakistan, and less likely to cooperate with a humanitarian effort.
There are groups closer to the Talibans who are now offering a hand to the people who are left with nothing (and already had next to nothing). In this terrible contingency, what better opportunity to build a bridge of piece and offer money to build bridges, roads, schools, hospitals in Pakistan?
Whatever we think of the ‘war on terror’, we must all agree that Pakistanis deserve as much as any other population, especially as they have been hit by tragedy after tragedy. It is in this historical moment that we can make a difference and change the relation that we have with Pakistan- by helping people to live their lives in peace,
because this is what all human beings want. We must not let them think that the groups close to the Talibans are the only ones willing to help them.
We know how good the work of the International Red Cross, Islamic Relief, Save the Children and many others are. By donating to these capable organizations we will make sure that money will get there and will be used with a long-term vision.
Please help. Pakistanis deserve the dignity of all the other victims of disasters, and if you want circulate this mail to encourage people to donate for the people affected by a disaster worse than anything we have seen on our screens before.

Marta