Urgent appeal for refugees in FATA, Pakistan

In war it is always the helpless, poor and the innocent who suffer. These photos are of a newly started refugee camp in desparate need of help. The doctors are from Relief International who are in need of medical supplies to help the displaced people.

Recently I have been recieving urgent pleas for medical supplies for those fleeing the fighting in the tribal areas (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) of northern Pakistan. This is a result of military action in Bajaur, in the border of Pakistan & Afghanistan.

Here is the first email I recieved from Dr. Maria Tsvetkova, of Relief International,via fellow rotarians in Pakistan & Afghanistan, Rotary District 3270.

Here are some of the emails from the Relief International doctor:

Date: Monday, August 25, 2008, 10:29 AM

Dear All,

Over 80,000 displaced residents of Bajaur Agency (FATA)> have arrived in Lower Dir by today. New families keep arriving every day andthe displaced are in need of immediate assistance. Relief International . Relief Pakistan is planning on intervening, first and furthermost via dispatching volunteer doctors / donated medicine and organizing mobile medical clinics on site.

Her next correspondence on the situtation :

Unfortunately, with the end of Ramaddan the military offensive is expected to intensify. The displaced people are counted inthousands and they keep coming, primarily women, children and the elderly. Health is a huge issue but so is water, food, education. We are running themedical clinic in 2-3 camps in various locations trying to respond to themost pressing urgent needs. Very few NGOs are out there due to it being aharsh land with Shariat Law... I visit systematically, undercover... it'stough out there but we will stay as long as we are needed, and it will be,unfortunately, for a while.

and then:

Time is of essence here and these mobile medical clinics are a life line...Just the other day, a spontaneous camp was formed in Lower Dir - twochildren died overnight, due to exhaustion and dehydration - and our cliniccould not make it over there because we were swamped in the other camp. The life of each lost child is heavy on my conscience.

SincerelyMaria Tsvetkova>Country Director / Pakistan>Relief International>House 155, Street 40, F10/4, Islamabad>Tel: +92 51 2298135>Fax: +92 51 2298136>Mobile: +92 301 855 4993>Email: maria.tsvetkova@ri.org>Web: http://www.ri.org/

I am starting an info campaign here and request to have donations checks marked FATA REFUGEES and sent to Ipswich Rotary Club, PO Box 543, Ipswich, MA 01938. Checksare tax deductable (501C) if they are made out to "Ipswich Rotary Charitable Endowment" and marked FATA refugees. These will be collected and wired to theRotary Club of Peshawar Unitown who has a doctor as a member. He will buy wholesale medicines and will deliver them to Maria. I personally will be visiting Charsadda in December so will verify all donations. Rotarians in District 3270 are already mobilizing and they need our help! ! Donations are tax deductable.