Let's Respond to the Solidarity Appeal from theAll Pakistan Trade
Union Federat
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stefan
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Oct 12, 2005 00:47 PDT
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Let's Respond to the Solidarity Appeal from the
All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF)
You will find below the message sent to the International Liaison Committee
of Workers and Peoples (ILC) based in Paris by one of its member
organisations, the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF), after the
atrocious disaster that hit Pakistan on Sunday morning, October 9, 2005.
This message calls for solidarity from the ILC and from labour organisations
all over the world, asking them to contribute to the "APTUF Earthquake
Relief Fund" it has set up to help provide victims with medicines, tents,
blankets, food, drinking water and clothes.
The figures are stunning: The death toll has reached an estimated 30,000 at
the time we are writing. Thousands of children are still buried in the
debris of their schools. About four million people have been affected by the
earthquake. Many roads are still blocked.
APTUF held an emergency meeting on October 9th, 2005. The federation
expressed concern that the government seems to have no policy to deal with
the crisis and is failing to provide the earthquake victims with the
necessary and prompt assistance.
APTUF has called for international solidarity. Meanwhile, it has resolved to
ask all its members and office bearers to donate the equivalent of one day's
earnings to the "APTUF Earthquake Relief Fund". It has mobilised its members
to establish camps in NWFP and Azad Kashmir and affected provinces to help
the victims.
International labour solidarity lies at the very foundation of the labour
movement. Let us respond without delay to the APTUF call for funds,
medicine, food, blankets and tents to be collected for the APTUF Earthquake
Relief Fund. The ILC also suggests to send to the workers and people of
Pakistan, via APTUF, messages of solidarity.
Laws in Pakistan make it difficult to quickly open an international bank
account for this relief fund, and APTUF has asked the ILC to take charge of
fund collecting. Naturally, you can also contact APTUF directly.
Send Cheques (cheques to be made payable to:
³ ILC (Solidarity Pakistan)²
c/o 31 Spotland Road, Rochdale OL12 6PE
Tel/Fax: 01706 642899
Mail: ste-@macunlimited.net
Counting on your solidarity,
Stefan Cholewka
* Contact APTUF (All Pakistan Trade Union Federation):
14-N, Industrial Area, Gulberg, Lahore - Pakistan.
Tel: 00 92-42-5755078 ou 00 92-42-5755079
Fax 00 92-42-6665301 - Mail : apt-@brain.net.pk
* Send clothes, medicines to : the WWO (APTUF):
Working Women Organization, E5, 48/A, Rehmania Street, Zaman Colony, Cavalry
Ground Extension Lahore - Pakistan
- mail : rubin-@nexlinx.net.pk
All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF)
14-N, Industrial Area, Gulberg, Lahore - Pakistan.
Tel: 00 92-42-5755078 or 00 92-42-5755079
Fax 00 92-42-6665301
E-Mail: apt-@brain.net.pk
Disaster's Magnitude Stuns Nation:
Quake turns Muzaffarabad into ghost town, Scared people spend night in the
open, Tentative death toll put at 30,000 Hundreds of children buried in
debris.
The earthquake occurred on October 9th, 2005 at 8:45 A.M. and it lasted 6.7
minutes. The buildings all over the country shook by a disaster whose
magnitude stunned the nation. In Lahore, the two main buildings of a busy
market collapsed; many workers/people were killed and hundreds were injured.
In Islamabad, Margallah Towers and other building collapsed; more than 100
people lost their lives and hundreds are still under the rubble, many other
buildings were damaged and the residents face injuries.
Initial estimates confirmed fears that the death toll would be in the
thousands. All the government school building has collapsed and thousands of
children have died. More deaths are expected.
Millions of people struck by the tragedy continued to live in awe the day
after, faced with repeated aftershocks and the grim news that about 30,000
people had been counted dead, and more than 50,000 injured so far. At every
moment they are reminded them that the danger is not over. There are more
causalities by the hour.
The epicenter of the killer earthquake was in NWFP and AZAD Kashmir.
In the capital city of Muzaffarabad, most houses, government buildings and
shops collapsed, and frightened residents spent a chilly night camped in
fields and parks.
"About four million people have been affected by the quake. The loss in five
districts in Azad Kashmir and six in northern districts of NWFP is
colossal," was one account in the press. Many roads are still blocked. The
government is unable to open the blocked roads. There is a lack of cranes
and trained staff. In fact, the government has no policy on how to deal with
this crisis.
Television images of the most affected areas indicated that a massive relief
effort is required, as hundreds of children are believed buried under
collapsed schools and people are still trapped in destroyed mud-houses and
concrete buildings in isolated villages and towns in the quake-hit areas.
Many hospitals and schools and houses are damaged in NWFP and Azad Kashmir.
In the Mansehra and Balakot areas in NWFP, there have been massive losses.
APTUF held an emergency meeting on October 9th, 2005, where it decided that
provincial chapter of the Federation will actively work and help the
earthquake victims. It was also decided that APTUF members and office
bearers donate one day of their salary toward the "APTUF Earthquake Relief
Fund".
APTUF will work to create camps in NWFP and Azad Kashmir and the other
affected provinces to help the victimized people. It was noted at the APTUF
meeting that the government has failed to provide necessary assistance to
earthquake victims.
On behalf of the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation, we request
International Liaison Committee and all working class organisations to send
their contribution to "APTUF Earth Quake Relief Fund" to provide victims
medicines, tents, blankets, food water and clothes.
An Injury to one is an injury to all!
Rubina Jamil,
On behalf of the
All Pakistan Trade Union Federation,
October 10, 2005
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