|
Kurdistan NGOs protest lack of emergency
aid
31.5.2006
|
|
|
|
ERBIL/KIRKUK, Kurdistan-Iraq, 31 May (IRIN) -
Local NGOs in Iraq's semi-autonomous northern region
of Kurdistan complain that little assistance is
being sent to the area to support those who have
been displaced by sectarian violence elsewhere in
the country.
"Many families [from other parts of Iraq] are taking
refuge with their relatives in Kurdistan," said Adar
Mustafa, spokesman for Kurdish Aid Solidarity, a
local NGO. "Even if they aren't in camps or tents,
they still need support, such as food parcels and
cooking supplies."
According to Mustafa, virtually no assistance has
reached them to date, despite promises of support
from the central government in Baghdad. After making
inquiries, he explained, local officials are told
that available aid is not even enough to cover
Baghdad, as happened last month in the case of aid
arriving from the UAE and Syria. "We've had luck
only with supplies sent by Turkey and Iran because
they come direct to our area," said Mustafa.
Kalif Dirar, a senior official in the Kurdistan
regional government, echoed these sentiments. "We're
concerned about the huge amount of aid earmarked for
our area but which has either not reached us or, if
it has, has arrived with fewer items, without
explanation," said Dirar.
He went on to point out that many international NGOs
initially send aid to Baghdad before it is
distributed to other areas of the country. "So far,
very few materials have reached us," Dirar said. "So
we don't have enough supplies for the displaced who
have taken refuge among us."
Similar problems have been observed in recent months
by the Kirkuk branch of the Iraq Red Crescent
Society (IRCS), officials of which also complain of
a shortage of essential materials. "We only receive
supplies from the IRCS head office in Baghdad and
not from any other sources," said Nuri Salihi,
spokesman for the Kirkuk branch of the IRCS. "This
leads to a shortage of essential needs, especially
food parcels."
According to Salihi, the IRCS building itself is in
poor condition, lacking air conditioning,
electricity generators or computers. Salihi went on
to urge international NGOs to help supply his outfit
with food parcels and medicine to meet the needs of
at least 10,000 displaced people in the area. As it
stands, he added, local organisations can only
afford to help about 1,500 people a month.
The situation is worst in the village of Halabja,
where thousands of Kurds were allegedly killed by a
chemical-weapons attack launched by the regime of
former president Saddam Hussein in 1987.
The village is one of the poorest in the region, and
its agriculture department is reportedly starved of
funds. "The situation in Halabja, and in other areas
of Kurdistan, is critical," said Ibraheem Khidr, a
senior official at the Kurdistan Ministry of
Agriculture. "The economic situation is going from
bad to worse."
According to Khidr, nearly US $120 million has been
spent in the past three years on reconstruction
projects in the region, including projects devoted
to sanitation, water and education. Only about US $6
million, however, has gone towards irrigation
projects in Halabja, he pointed out.
Kurdistan residents, meanwhile, particularly
farmers, express exasperation. "We lack the support
of international NGOs, which have switched their
attention to Baghdad," lamented farmer and
Sulaimaniyah resident Nassen Youssef. "We require
urgent assistance – unemployment is rising as a
result of the closure of our industries."
irinnews org
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 