ISLAMABAD -- Humanitarian aid is
being rushed to more than 100,000 people - discovered only recently -
who still are suffering in the wake of last year's Pakistan earthquake
in a remote, tribal-governed community in the Himalayan foothills off-limits
to Westerners.
World Vision, the international Christian
humanitarian organization, and the Pakistan-based Organisation for Development
Coordination (ODC), will be delivering food, tents, blankets and other
relief supplies next week to these individuals who have not received any
help since the October 8 quake that killed nearly 75,000 people.
"Our priority is to get much needed aid to those undiscovered communities as soon as possible," says Chris McDonald of World Vision.
The needs of these remote people were unknown until recently when a group of tribal leaders trekked more than 40 miles over several days to Mansehra, north of Islamabad, to inform ODC staff of their condition. The communities in the Black Mountain region of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province have been self-governing for centuries.
Residents traditionally are suspicious of outsiders, especially Westerners. In fact, little Western contact has been recorded within this area since a British and Indian army expedition in 1888.
The relief operation has been endorsed by Pakistani regional and federal governments, whose representatives are not allowed into the region, which has been self-governing for centuries.
The Pakistani aid agency ODC has worked for years with tribes in neighboring Afghanistan and gained the trust of the Black Mountain tribal leaders. ODC has negotiated the route and security for the humanitarian operation. World Vision, alongside ODC, will be distributing relief items.
"World Vision was able to respond to the tribal leaders' appeal because we have demonstrated expertise in responding to emergencies and gaining credibility and access to remote areas," McDonald says.