Thieves steal aid from flood-hit Christian families in Sindh
Although the waters have receded, the situation in southern Pakistan remains catastrophic. Poverty is up fourfold and people have been reduced to stealing. “Even before this disaster, we were in difficulty,” said the bishop of Hyderabad. The AsiaNews campaign to send aid is still ongoing.
Sindh (AsiaNews) – While the world wearily discusses the climate emergency in Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt), the situation in southern Pakistan caused by unprecedented flooding in August shows little sign of improvement.
Speaking last week at the COP27 summit, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on the international community to provide emergency funds to his country to deal with the disastrous consequences of unusually heavy rains that caused the death of almost 2,000 people and material damage for more than five million.
Thanks to the campaign launched by AsiaNews, 90 Christian, Muslim, and Hindu families in Allah Bachao Shoro, a village near Hyderabad, have received aid in recent weeks. Tents, mosquito nets, and food rations were handed out, but not enough for everyone.
What is more, some Christian families, mostly farmers, were attacked and robbed after receiving other basic necessities from the local diocese.
As the farmland is still waterlogged, they have been forced to go to Hyderabad in search of daily work, often paid half because employers take advantage of their extreme poverty. Instead of 800 rupees (US$ 3.60), they receive 4-500 (US$ 1.80-2.25).
"We have lived here for 40 years and have never witnessed such incidents because we are all poor. But after the floods, poverty has increased fourfold and many people are now stealing to support their families," said Abdul Majeed, a local catechist.
“After these events,” he added, “Christians are afraid and want to move to another place. We live in tents along the banks of canals. Winter has arrived and we don't have warm clothes, blankets and quilts.”
Recently, AsiaNews has received reports about episodes of discrimination against Christians, including from Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad.
“In some cases Christians have been told, 'this is not for you; it is for others'; so food was not delivered. In many places people are not treated as equals."
Although waters have receded, major problems remain in the region. “The first concerns food,” Bishop Shukardin explained.
“We are giving money to farmers to plant new crops, but the soil is not yet ready and crops will take time. Then there is healthcare for those who have lost everything and still live in precarious conditions.”
Many churches have been damaged, and it is not clear whether government assistance programmes will help the Sindh region to recover.
“Even before this disaster we were in difficulty,” the prelate noted. “Now NGOs are intervening, but they have only been allowed to do so for six months.
“We hope that people can receive medical treatment because there are very few doctors and hospitals in this area.”
The campaign by AsiaNews to support flood victims is still ongoing. Donations can be made by the following methods, always indicating PAKISTAN EMERGENCY Aid for flood victims as the reason.
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- Postal account No. 39208202 made out to Fondazione Pime Onlus.
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23/08/2019 15:45
17/01/2006
24/10/2022 15:30
