Pakistan relief organizations 'discriminating against Christian flood victims'
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Pastor Dale Morgan
Aug 27, 2010, 8:30:53 PM8/27/10
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Faith Under Fire........
Pakistan relief organizations 'discriminating against Christian flood victims'
Relief organizations in Pakistan are discriminating against Christians when they distribute flood aid, as one million more people were displaced by fresh floods.
By Rob Crilly in Islamabad
Published: 5:31PM BST 27 Aug 2010
On Friday officials warned that the death toll was expected to rise significantly as many people remained missing
Christians and members of other minority religions are being treated as second-class citizens, said Pastor Mario Rodrigues, the Lahore-based director of a Christian Mission.
"They often receive little assistance or are excluded altogether," he said
Aid is being delivered by "government officials sympathetic to Islamic fundamentalism or by Muslim relief organizations", mission claimed in its report, citing other unnamed aid workers.
About 200,000 Christians in Punjab province and about 600,000 Christians and Hindus in Sindh province have been affected by weeks of monsoon rain.
At least 1,600 people have been killed in the country's worst natural disaster, and on Friday, officials warned that the death toll was expected to rise significantly as many people remained missing.
Over the past two days, fresh floods from the surging river Indus smashed through levees in two places, forcing one million people from their homes.
Ahmad Kamal, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Authority, denied the accusations of prejudice.
"We have no discrimination, no requirements, no checklist. Aid goes to everyone," he said.
However, Nazir Bhatti, President of the Pakistan Christian Congress, urged donors to make special provisions for Christians.
"I appeal to organisations and countries which are giving aid to government of Pakistan for flood victims to allocate separate or special funds for Christian flood victims and transfer it to the Christian Missions Conference of Pakistan for food, tents and medical facilities," he said in a statement.
In all, some eight million people need emergency help and the monsoon season is due to last another three weeks.
Pakistan relief organizations 'discriminating against Christian flood victims'
Relief organizations in Pakistan are discriminating against Christians when they distribute flood aid, as one million more people were displaced by fresh floods.
By Rob Crilly in Islamabad
Published: 5:31PM BST 27 Aug 2010
On Friday officials warned that the death toll was expected to rise significantly as many people remained missing
Christians and members of other minority religions are being treated as second-class citizens, said Pastor Mario Rodrigues, the Lahore-based director of a Christian Mission.
"They often receive little assistance or are excluded altogether," he said
Aid is being delivered by "government officials sympathetic to Islamic fundamentalism or by Muslim relief organizations", mission claimed in its report, citing other unnamed aid workers.
About 200,000 Christians in Punjab province and about 600,000 Christians and Hindus in Sindh province have been affected by weeks of monsoon rain.
At least 1,600 people have been killed in the country's worst natural disaster, and on Friday, officials warned that the death toll was expected to rise significantly as many people remained missing.
Over the past two days, fresh floods from the surging river Indus smashed through levees in two places, forcing one million people from their homes.
Ahmad Kamal, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Authority, denied the accusations of prejudice.
"We have no discrimination, no requirements, no checklist. Aid goes to everyone," he said.
However, Nazir Bhatti, President of the Pakistan Christian Congress, urged donors to make special provisions for Christians.
"I appeal to organisations and countries which are giving aid to government of Pakistan for flood victims to allocate separate or special funds for Christian flood victims and transfer it to the Christian Missions Conference of Pakistan for food, tents and medical facilities," he said in a statement.
In all, some eight million people need emergency help and the monsoon season is due to last another three weeks.
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