Jun 22, 2010

Gilgit Baltistan: Donors Must Put Aid In The Right Places


The following is a Statement posted in the Daily Ausaf, London on June 11th 2010 by Abdul Hamid Khan, Chairman of the Balawaristan National Front (BNF)

 

A Point of View on Attabad Lake

 

This is not the first time; citing the bitter experience of 2005 in POK earthquake where misuse abuse of billions in aid by monstrous Military and Government of Pakistan and not to forget the plight of poor women in the hands of inhuman officials result of which is still seen in brothels of Pakistan.

The people of this region are witnessing disastrous Pakistani regime's apathy towards the human beings. This was the criminal negligence of the government of Pakistan towards Attaban, Hunza's newly born natural lake effected people. The colonial owner of the area and its military intentionally let the lake to eliminate the whole area up to Shehnaki Kohistan, otherwise a local contractor could have burst the lake much earlier, if he had been given contract since January 2010. This is very mentally torturous situation for the people of this land as they die hundred deaths daily to see their life time saving in land, agriculture, livestock and houses diminishing daily. The terror is affecting their courage and fear of exploding of that vast water reserve is mentally very terrorizing for them.

The much publicized Benazir Langar ( a traditional kitchen for beggars in Pakistan) on the name of Late Benazir, and whatever money is planned for spending on kitchen has not been released from Benazir Bank account, hence is just their political showoff by Pakistani Government to make fool the world community, that they are helping; but its null and non existent. The Langar is actually to disgrace the tradition of local people and to seek sympathy from international forums. Neither the people of Hunza or Gilgit Baltistan need any alms from a dead person like Benazir nor she who has donated anything personally for this are and its population in her life time. We are afraid that the Government of Pakistan will use this misery of the region to seek monetary help from the International Community and most of that aid will be going into the pockets of the Government of Pakistan and their puppets in the area, thus nothing will be given to the suffering people. We humbly request the International Community to give aid directly to the affected people, and not through the corrupt 'Disaster Management Mafia' in the world community really wants to help the people. I also appeal to the people of Hunza and Gilgit Baltistan to keep their honour and dignity intact and shouldn't believe the Government and its puppets. We all know what they did in 2005; making fraudulent promises in the name of help. Don't hand over your families' honour to their hands, its more courageous not to. Please be aware of those vultures who are roaming around you like Mehdi Shah and Co. to use this drastic situation to fulfill the evil design of Government. I appreciate the courage and honour of the sisters and mothers of Hunza on the occasion of this worst scenario of their life. God bless the people of Hunza and the whole Gilgit Baltistan and save them from the evil designs of the enemies of the land.

I thank Ban-Ki Moon, Secretary General of the UN, for sending an expert for the assessment of the devastating water blockade in Hunza and its worst impact on the other areas along the river of Hunza; Gilgit and the finally Indus. I appeal to the United Nations and Environmentalist to please look into the matter of 4000 blasts done in Gindayi and Yasen of Gilgit and thousands of other areas by Chinese copper and mining companies which has resulted in this melting of great glaciers in this area and has completely disturbed the natural balance and ecosystem of this part of the world.

When local people protested against these blasts, and manifested against them, the occupying regime arrested, tortured and poisoned them and those 22 natives of Yasen, Gindate are still trialled for manifesting against the crime done to their motherland. These grave errors and crimes done in my motherland are worse than Nuclear weapons; which only eradicate humanity. These blasts explode the mountains and whole landscape of this beautiful land. This unheard and unprecedented heavy rainfall and huge mountain slides are the consequences of this human disturbance and interference led by Pakistan and China which the people of this area are suffering.

The impact of climate change which the region is witnessing in the shape of mountain sliding and heavy rain due to the newly born natural water dam of only 25KM long. If 7 mega dams of more than 100KM each long will be built in this region as per Government plan, then not only the geography and the weather of Gilgit Baltistan, but all of Central Asia, up to Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and even India, and beyond South Asia, will change completely.