Monday, October 31, 2005

Who is to blame for Kashmir...us or them?

It is now day four since I started working on my new project. This camp is really something else. Let me first explain the dynamics of the setup itself, how the population continues to increase daily and we do not have either the manpower or the resources to support the camp, but we will keep trying to do what we can with what little we do have. God give us strength - *God hands Zohare a redbull, "Drink Redbull, it gives you wingsss!"

This place is a mess. We don’t have enough supplies to provide for the numbers of people that keep rolling in because we never know how many to expect each day. its really difficult and then containing those already there, reassuring them they will get pots, pans, tents, blankets, quilts, medical attention, food, bathrooms, water, security....the list just doesn't stop.

Every night it is the same routine. We have to be so careful when we bring in supplies. Other pvt. Groups come in and they presume to know all about what needs to be done. They insist our system sucks, whereas we can't get it functional because every time we try, someone else comes and screws it up by coming between and stopping progress. Pvt. Groups need to work together; they treat it like it’s a damn competition. relief takes time and these people don't even need as much attention as we give them because our energy would be better spent climbing mountains to get supplies to people who have not yet been reached, over wasting time arguing with these useless journalists and reporters who believe in breaking the system to make it work.

We are stupid that we spend so much time there with these people, building relationships, asking questions, noting down demographic data, establishing a background and history. All I tell them is let's put our effort together and funnel the work so it gets distributed evenly. We have 3000 people at this camp and we cannot deem it reasonable for a small truck to bring in supplies enough for 100 people. The givers will give and those who take, most likely those who have already gotten more than double their share, will take more. When the givers leave, then we have to tell the people who were unable to get, why they did not and what makes them less deserving and why they should have to wait longer. I must be crazy, but I honestly do NOT thing it is reasonable to bring just enough for less than 1/30 of the population, then distribute it in front of everyone.

My suggestion is, if anyone would listen, that we complete our demographic survey - detailed - which everyone of these interrupting assholes thinks they do mentally just as good as we do on paper - and then work with us to provide all the right things we tell them that the people need, based on what they tell us themselves. Our efforts would be funneled and streamlined through one, thorough source, ensuring everyone gets what they need. We just need a couple of uninterrupted days to complete the data and then the people in the camp will be happy and so will the donating groups!

They want to show such excitement about helping, they should go up to the valleys and villages that are inaccessible. That is a system that sucks! That is a system that needs crazy help, not us. We just need patience, cooperation, civility and supplies.


On another note, people around me are so in awe of the fact that many Kashmiris come to Pakistan saying they are in "Pakistan" as though it is an entirely different country! I don't understand why Pakistanis are so God Damn NAIVE! For 50 Years we have cried "BLOODY MURDER BLOODY MURDER, KASHMIR KASHMIR!!!" What the hell have we done for the people of Kashmir. By people, I don't mean the pigs who are ministers and senators and other politician bastards, but the actual people who live atop a high mountain, the people who have to walk 45 minutes down a 50 degree angle to get groceries from the closest market, then walk back up with the shit on their shoulders! When they needed us, we didn't do shit for them and now we expect them to be greatful for what we do for them? NO! We owe much more to them than this entire relief campaign will provide! If we wanted Kashmir so damn bad, Pakistan would have the people's support. Pakistan would have given priority to the women, children and men over the land.

No comments:

more reads

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...