The Government of Pakistan and the Sindh provincial government to act immediately and save the lives of Tharparkar children. PAKISTAN: 70 children starve to death in drought-hit Tharparkar ------------------------------------------------------ Respectable Friend , PTI Workers Front Pakistan has received information about an unusual increase in the number of child deaths in the Tharparkar region. According to media reports, 70 children have died in the last 45 days alone; of these 63, 40 were admitted to hospitals by the authorities themselves. The government has admitted that 275 drought affected children died between December 2013 and October 2014. Unfortunately, the region continues to remain a deathbed for the poor, most of whom are Dalit and Hindu minorities despite repeated appeals from the civil society . The Government of Pakistan and the Sindh provincial government to act immediately and save the lives of Tharparkar children. CASE NARRATIVE: Tharparkar, a district in the Sindh Province in Pakistan, has, in the recent times, seen an unusual increase in the already high mortality rates of children. The District has witnessed the deaths of 70 children in last 45 days, although government officials concede to only 40 deaths. The confirmation of these deaths comes in the wake of the government admitting the death of 275 drought affected children in the District in the last 11 months, i.e. between December 2013 and October 2014. Authorities have officially conceded that these deaths are directly related to the prevailing drought in the area, although immediate medical causes differ, with cases of pneumonia, blood infection, diarrhoea, birth asphyxia, and haemorrhagic fever being most prevalent. However, despite confirming the deaths, health authorities appear to be in denial; they blame the deaths on the children being brought for treatment in critical condition. The federal government has noted the severity of the problem; Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed the Pakistan Army to provide immediate relief to the people of Tharparkar, with provisions of food and medicine. He has also ordered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to submit a report in this regard. Sadly, the District keeps witnessing long-term droughts, leading to loss of lives, with no comprehensive strategy from the government to deal with the issue. Both the Federal and Provincial Government wake up to the issue only when the death toll balloons and invites media attention. The governments usual response is to provide various types of temporary relief, cosmetic in nature, and the problem subsides only to return in the same manner, the following year. Tharparkar, situated in the Great Rann of Kutch – a seasonal salt marsh located in the Thar Desert – remains chronically short of water, with recurring droughts that trigger periodic famine. With virtually no source of livelihood other than livestock, and hard to come by agricultural activities, the area has the lowest Human Development Index markers of all districts in the Sindh Province. The District has a large population of Meghwars, a Dalit or scheduled caste community belonging to the Hindu minority, and they are often the worst victims of these famines. The negligence of the government has taken a criminal nature. The District was declared to be a calamity-hit region, and therefore in need of urgent mobilization of food and medical supplies, two months after the local administration informed higher authorities. Even the measures taken following the announcement have not only been found lacking but have also been severely mired in corruption. For example, though the government claims that it is distributing 50 kilograms of wheat to every family for free, both local media and activists report that almost no family has received its full quota. Large-scale corruption in the relief work has also been exposed in a raid conducted by the Provincial Food Minister, Jam Mehtab Dhar. The Minister confirmed that at least 200,000 bags, each weighing 100 kilograms, were short from the governments 2013 wheat stocks in the Sindh. He also found that officials often steal wheat earmarked for relief work and then add small pebbles, dust, and other substances to balance the weight. SUGGESTED ACTION: Please write to the authorities listed below, demanding immediate action to stop the unwarranted death of these innocent children and to put comprehensive and sustainable structures and frameworks, once and for all, to fight the deadly famines in Tharparkar. SAMPLE LETTER: Dear __________, PAKISTAN: 70 children starve to death in drought hit Tharparkar Identities of the Victims: 1.5 million people Identities of the Perpetrators: Local government authorities and the state administration Place of Incident: Tharparkar District, Pakistan Time of Incident: Since October 2014. I have learned that Tharparkar, a district in the Sindh Province in Pakistan, has, in the recent times, seen an unusual increase in the already high mortality rates of children. The District has witnessed the deaths of 70 children in last 45 days, although government officials concede to only 40 deaths. . The confirmation of these deaths comes in the wake of the government admitting the death of 275 drought affected children in the District in the last 11 months, i.e. between December 2013 and October 2014. Authorities have officially conceded that these deaths are directly related to the prevailing drought in the area, although immediate medical causes differ, with cases of pneumonia, blood infection, diarrhoea, birth asphyxia, and haemorrhagic fever being most prevalent. However, despite confirming the deaths, health authorities appear to be in denial; they blame the deaths on the children being brought for treatment in critical condition. I am aware that the federal government has noted the severity of the problem; Prime Minister of Pakistan has directed the Pakistan Army to provide immediate relief to the people of Tharparkar, with provisions of food and medicine. He has also ordered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to submit a report in this regard. Sadly, the District keeps witnessing long-term droughts, leading to loss of lives, with no comprehensive strategy from the government to deal with the issue. Both the Federal and Provincial Government wake up to the issue only when the death toll balloons and invites media attention. The governments usual response is to provide various types of temporary relief, cosmetic in nature, and the problem subsides only to return in the same manner, the following year. Tharparkar, situated in the Great Rann of Kutch – a seasonal salt marsh located in the Thar Desert – remains chronically short of water, with recurring droughts that trigger periodic famine. With virtually no source of livelihood other than livestock, and hard to come by agricultural activities, the area has the lowest Human Development Index markers of all districts in the Sindh Province. The District has a large population of Meghwars, a Dalit or scheduled caste community belonging to the Hindu minority, and they are often the worst victims of these famines. It is my understanding, however, that the negligence of the government has taken a criminal nature. The District was declared to be a calamity-hit region, and therefore in need of urgent mobilization of food and medical supplies, two months after the local administration informed higher authorities. Even the measures taken following the announcement have not only been found lacking but have also been severely mired in corruption. For example, though the government claims that it is distributing 50 kilograms of wheat to every family for free, both local media and activists report that almost no family has received its full quota. Large-scale corruption in the relief work has also been exposed in a raid conducted by the Provincial Food Minister, Jam Mehtab Dhar. The Minister confirmed that at least 200,000 bags, each weighing 100 kilograms, were short from the governments 2013 wheat stocks in the Sindh. He also found that officials often steal wheat earmarked for relief work and then add small pebbles, dust, and other substances to balance the weight. I, therefore, urge you to ensure that: a comprehensive survey is conducted to identify the children at different levels of malnutrition and provide medical care to them as required; relief material reaches the affected families without delay and efforts are made to prevent them from being siphoned off; the people have access to basic amenities like clean potable water & health services; an investigation is conducted into the causes of the delay in declaring the region as a calamity-hit district and authorities found responsible for negligence be prosecuted; the administration institutes a comprehensive structure to fight these recurring famines triggered by droughts, and a policy is drafted to create livelihood opportunities and address chronic water shortage. Yours Sincerely, x y z . PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO: 1. Mr. Mian Nawaz Sharif Prime Minister Prime Minister House Islamabad, PAKISTAN Fax: +92 51 922 1596 Tel: +92 51 920 6111 E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] 2. Mr. Mr. Pervez Rashid Federal Minister Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights 4th Floor, Cabinet Block Pak. Secretariat Islamabad PAKISTAN Fax: 92-51-9206399 Email: [email protected] 3 Mr. Mr. Justice Tahir Shahbaz Registrar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan Constitution Avenue, Islamabad PAKISTAN Registrar, Supreme Court of Pakistan Constitution Avenue, Islamabad PAKISTAN Fax: +92 51 9213452 Email: [email protected] 4. Syed Qaim Ali Shah Chief Minister Sindh, Karachi, Sindh Province, PAKISTAN Fax: +92 21 920 2000 Email: [email protected] 5. Mr. Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan Federal Minister For National Food Security & Research Ministry of National Food Security & Research, 3rd Floor, B-Block, Pak Secretariat, Islamabad, PAKISTAN Phone: 92-51-9210088 Fax: 92-51-9205912 Email: [email protected] 6. Chief Justice of Sindh High Court High Court Building Saddar, Karachi Sindh Province, PAKISTAN Fax: +92 21 9213220 [contact list / e-mail contact list] 7. Jam Mehatab Hussain Dahar 114/1, 21st Street, Khayaban-e-Mohafiz, Phase VI, DHA, Karachi Sindh Province, PAKISTAN Fax: +92 21 92138 3 Thank you very much . Regards, KHALID MAHMOOD QURASHI President , PTI Workers Front Pakistan . CELL # 00923007368557 MULTAN
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 18:07:29 +0000
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