RAWA distributes relief goods among Afghan refugees

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By S. M. Tahir

PESHAWAR: The Afghan refugees are passing through a critical situation, so its the duty of the world community, especially the Muslim Ummah to help them and to share their wooes.

These views were expressed by Saima Kareem spokesperson for Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA), while distributing relief assistance of 800 coverlets to fresh Afghan refugees at Jallozai Camp, on Thursday.

She said, "we know that it is not sufficient for them and their requirements is too high but due to financial crunch, we cannot help them more.

She denied that some institutions had given assistance to RAWA and said that these funds were collected from individuals.

She observes that with the presence of Taliban government, the peace process could be revived because they never bothered to settle the issue.

While commenting on NWFP government directive to vacate the area of Nasir Bagh Camp, she termed it highly unjustified and condemned it strongly. She appealed the United Nation Organisation (UNO) to help Afghan refugees in this critical time.

She strongly criticsed the behaviours of United States of America and the neighboring countries and demanded to stop interference in Afghanistan immediately.

She asked warring factions in Afghanistan to immediately stop infighting and work for negotiated settlement of Afghan issue and pave the way for elected government in Afghanistan. Saima Karim said that RAWA activists would leave no stone unturned in their quest for serving displaced Afghans.

Desperate refugees baton-charged

NOWSHEHRA: Security personnel at the Jallozai Camp near Peshawar resorted to a light baton-charge when desperate Afghan attacked the vehicles, carrying relief goods for them, eyewitnesses said here on Thursday.

Disturbance started when activists of the Revolutionary Association for Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) were distributing relief goods among the newly-arrived refugees at the Jallozai Camp, 25 kilometers from Peshawar. "The goods were limited and not enough for the refugees," explained an official from the camp administration, adding that more than 100 desperate refugees tried to snatch goods when the distribution was in progress.

"We had to resort to a light lathi-charge to control the disturbance," said and official of the camp administration. He regretted that private security guards, accompanying the RAWA team beat up refugees very severely and ruthlessly.

RAWA activists said the distribution of goods was meant for the families, which had earlier been issued cards. They added: "We had visited the camp earlier and identified the destitute and genuine refugees".

Distribution was arranged at the offices of the camp commander, about 100 yards away from the settlement, established for the newly-arrived refugees. "We had just distributed 200 blankets among the women when others rushed into the premises," said a RAWA activists. This followed haphazard distribution without verification of special cards," she added. Rest of the 700 blankets were handed over to the refugees without their identification.

RAWA activists were last week refused permission to distribute relief goods at the camp. We had gone with a permission from the higher authorities and it did," explained the activist.

The Urdu and Pushto newspapers also published this news.