Pakistan slowly moving from earthquake relief to recovery stage – UN official

After talking with earthquake survivors and aid workers dealing with the aftermath of last October’s earthquake in northern Pakistan, which killed more than 70,000 people, the top United Nations official coordinating the relief operations today expressed optimism that the massive humanitarian effort was clearly moving forward.

In a statement from Islamabad, Jan Vandemoortele said that while there was certainly no room for complacency he saw evidence during a recent two-day field trip to Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province of fresh hope and the beginning of a new stage in the aid operation.

“What was most striking was that for the first time in our discussions with the military and our humanitarian partners, the concerns about the post-relief phase received as much attention as the relief phase itself,” he observed.

“Until now, everything has been focused on relief, relief, relief, and on saving lives. But now, people, including the NGOs (non-governmental organizations), the civilian authorities, the military, and the UN colleagues are all starting to raise questions about how to make the transition from relief to recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction,” Mr. Vandemoortele added.

Since the earthquake hit northern Pakistan on 8 October 2005, the UN has launched a massive operation to assist the authorities in dealing with the aftermath of a disaster that killed more than 70,000 people, injured 70,000 more and left up to 3 million homeless.

Sub-zero temperatures of a Himalayan winter have made conditions grim for the survivors and even though recent weather in the region has been kinder, Mr. Vandemoortele, said this could change at any time and bring further hardship.

“The relief work has been going well. Of course, the weather was clear during our latest visit. However, we cannot be complacent here, because the weather remains the strongest factor in the relief effort, but so far, so good,” he added.

The UN and humanitarian agencies are re-doubling their efforts, in support of the Government of Pakistan, to achieve the key objectives of keeping the earthquake survivors warm and dry, providing winterized tents and corrugated galvanized iron sheets, providing heating in family or communal tents like those used for schools or hospitals, and improving the sanitation conditions in the camps.

But planning must begin in earnest to deal with the emerging optimism among the earthquake survivors, the Pakistani authorities and the humanitarian community, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator cautioned.