World not doing enough to help Pakistan’s IDPs: US

WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday denounced the international response to Pakistan’s humanitarian crisis as inadequate, with a senator saying that Gulf Arab states should contribute more.

The United Nations in May appealed for 543 million dollars to help the nearly two million people displaced by fighting in north-western Pakistan. UN figures show that less than 38 per cent of the appeal has been met.

The top US diplomat on refugee issues said that the United States had more than met its responsibilities with more than 320 million dollars for Pakistan – much of it not channelled through the UN appeal.

‘The humanitarian response has been inadequate,’ Assistant Secretary of State Eric Schwartz told a congressional hearing. ‘Other countries must come forward to help.’

‘This was one of the largest rapid displacements of people in recent memory,’ he said.

‘Pakistani authorities have responded effectively and returns have begun, but there are still 1.5 million people who have not returned.’

The massive displacement came after Pakistan launched a major offensive against Taliban fighters who had advanced perilously close to Islamabad.

Senator Bob Casey, who led the hearing, said that Gulf Arab states, most of which have large South Asian work forces, should give more money to relief efforts.

‘I’ve been disappointed, to say the least, by the lacklustre response by the international community to date, especially that of the Gulf states,’ said Casey, a member of President Barack Obama’s Democratic Party.

‘We’re not talking about military forces here – just financial assistance. It’s time our allies and friends step up to the plate,’ he said.

Casey pressed the Obama administration on why it has not done more to highlight US assistance, saying that many displaced people never learn that relief goods come from the United States.

Jon Brause, a senior official at the US Agency for International Development, said that most US assistance is openly labelled but acknowledged that the administration was trying to bolster Pakistan’s civilian government.

‘There are some activities that we support where we’re not advertising the role of the United States – we want the government of Pakistan to be seen as an effective government,’ Brause told the hearing.

But Wendy Chamberlin, the former US ambassador to Pakistan, called for more US visibility, saying that Washington successfully diminished anti-US sentiment through its relief efforts for the Kashmir earthquake in 2005.

‘The paradox is that while the US is doing more than any other nation to help the refugees and support the government’s campaign against unpopular Taliban, the United States is still deeply distrusted,’ said Chamberlin, who now heads the Middle East Institute think-tank.

Richard Holbrooke, the US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, visited Brussels this week on his way back from the region and pressed European officials to deliver more aid for Pakistan’s displaced.

Holbrooke, addressing reporters on Wednesday in Washington, praised European efforts to support Afghanistan.

‘But the Europeans are quite quick to admit that they haven’t paid enough attention to Pakistan in the past. I would argue that perhaps we didn’t either,’ Holbrooke said.

The European Commission and member states have contributed more than 150 million euros (211 million dollars), according to EU figures. —AFP