Association Internationale de Charité et de Protection aux victimes des Descriminations raciales, des absolutismes religieux, aux réfugiés de guerre, objecteurs de conscience, apatrides, emigrants necessiteux, exiles politiques et peuples opprimés |
SOCIÈTÉ POUR LA DELIVRANCE ET LA PROTECTION DE L´HOMME
SOCIETY FOR THE RESCUE AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN INDIVIDUALS
SOCIEDAD PARA EL RESCATE Y LA PROTECCION DE LOS SERES HUMANO
_____________
PAKISTAN “WATAN” August 2002
Spokesman of Stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh
*****
EDITORIAL: MEETING WITH PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF
General Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan, arrived in Dhaka on Sunday 29th July, 2002, on a three-day state visit of Bangladesh to cement the existing bonds of relationship between the two countries. It was the first visit of a SARC head of state since the 4-party alliance government was installed to power after general elections of October 2001.
The news of arrival of President Musharraf has infused new vigor, zeal and enthusiasm among frustrated Stranded Pakistanis leading most appealing and appalling life in camps for the last three decades. They had most eagerly been awaiting for the day when the visiting Pakistan President would meet their leader. Thanks to God, the historic moment arrived at 9.30 a.m. on Monday, 30th July, 2002 when a 5-man delegation of SPGRC led by the undersigned met with Pakistan President General Perver Musharraf at Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka. Mr. Enamul Haque, State Minister of Pakistan of Foreign Affairs, Iqbal Ahmed Khan, Pakistan High Commissioner in Bangladesh, R.H. Bokhari, First Secretary, Pakistan High Commission in Bangladesh and high officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan were also present on the occasion. The meeting held in a cordial atmosphere lasted for about an hour.
The President of Pakistan most cordially received the delegation and gave a patient hearing to the grievances and sufferings of Stranded Pakistanis. The delegation presented a memorandum and two copies of book lets viz. Stranded Pakistanis – “From the eyes of a Journalist” and “Blood and Tears” wherein two senior and reputed journalists of Bangladesh and Pakistan have freely expressed their views on the issue of Stranded Pakistanis to the visiting President. A big portrait of President Musharraf and First Lady Sehba Musharraf was also presented to him as a token of love and affection of Stranded Pakistanis.
Seeing the portrait the President became emotional and exclaimed ! So much of love, affection and sincerity you have for me. With emotional voice and tearful eyes I narrated to President Musharraf the challenging faced by about 6.000 poor and oppressed Stranded Pakistanis living in Adamjee Nagar Camp.
With the closure of Adamjee Jute Mills, the largest jute Mill of Asia, the entire locality has turned into a ghost area depriving these poor and unfortunate Stranded Pakistanis of their livelihood and means of survival – who had been keeping their body and soul together by doing odd and casual jobs. Their very existence and survival have been threatened. I most humbly urged upon the President to take immedaite steps to save these unfortunate brethren from death and destruction as 1000 housing units at Miah Chunnu in Punjab are lying vacant. ----Reciprocating is feelings and sentiments the President became emotional and replied “LEAVE THE TASK TO ME” and repeated it thrice. –Then I appealed to him to hold a “TRIPARTITE MEETING” of Pakistan, Bangladesh and SPGRC to resolve the long-lingering humanitarian issue of Stranded Pakistanis amicably through mutual negotiation across the table to save them from total ruination. – He assured that “his government will do everything possible to get the issue resolved”, and expressed his utmost sympaties and sincerity.
It is widely believed the recent visit of President Musharraf would be a welcoming step for forging better understanding between Pakistan and Bangladesh in a changed and difficult world in which we are living and would bring flowers and fruits for not only for brotherly people of Bangladesh but Stranded Pakistanis as well. Stranded Pakistanis most sincerely hope the work initiated by one General (Shaheed Ziaul Haque) will be completed by another General within shortest possible time. Historians of coming generation will write down your name in golden letters. It would be a sheer dishonesty if we don’t express our gratitude to H.E. Iqbal Ahmed Khan, Pakisstan High Commissioner in Bangladesh for the cooperation and assistannce he had been extending to
Alhaj M. Nasim Khan
A 5-man SPGRC delegation meets Pakistan President
Report: Mohammad Nisar, Private Secretary to the Leader of Stranded Pakistanis
and Chef Patron, Stranded Pakistanis General Repatriation Committee
...Alhaj M. Nasim Khan appraised the visiting Pakistan President of pains and agonies and the challenging situation Stranded Pakistanis have been facing in squalid camps of Bangladesh with special reference to Adamjee Nagar and appealed to him to act immediately to save them from starvation and total destruction. Reciprocating his feelings and sentiments the President became emotional and said “leave the task to me” and repeated it thrice and assured the delegation that his government will do everything possible to resolve the issue. The meeting lasted for about an hour.. We firmly believe President Musharraf will keep his words to uphold the image of his government and save these unfortunate and suffering humanity from disaster and destruction.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
“Watan” August 2002
DAMAGED CAMPS AND LATRINES
IN RANGPUR CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
- Report Mushtaque Ahmed
Rangpur is located at the most remote corner of North Bengal about 430 kilometers away from Dhaka, housing about 26.000 Stranded Pakistanis in different camps. Their condition is comparatively worse than Stranded Pakistanis living in Dhaka and Chittagong. It is a well known fact that a devasting tornado which swept over Rangpur last year in October had caused extensive damage to Isphani camp N° 2, 3 and others. Moreover, continued torrential rains had added to the miseries of poor Stranded Pakistanis. Almost all camps and latrines have been damaged. Unfortunately, despite repeated approach and appeals nothing positive could be done to get the damaged camps repaired.
***
Misfortune never comes alone. The recent on-rush of flood waters in North Bengal have affected several camps. Latrines have totally gone out of order. No immediate relief have yet been made available to them. In exigency of situation the poor Stranded Pakistanis are facing in Rangpur we most humbly appeal to Pakistan High Commissioner in Bangladesh to extend financial assistance for immediate reconstruction of damaged camps and latrines to mitigate the sufferings of poor and oppressed humanity.
Alhaj M.Nasin Khan 5-6-1996
Miserable Life of Stranded Pakistanis and Role of NGO’s
Now a few words about our miserable lives and condition of camps scattered all over Bangladesh. Since inception of camps in 1972 neither repair nor reconstruction has been done by the Govt. or any NGO. Bangladesh is a land of NGOs where more than 1200 national and international NGOs have been working in different sectors. No NGO turned ever to Stranded Pakistanis to help them despite the fact we have been leading miserable lives in camps in sub-human condition. It is only Rabita, IIRO and Concern who did some thing for us with their limited resources. I strongly protest against this negative attitude of all NGO’s and hope they would change their policy towards Stranded Pakistanis – who are the most oppressed class of humanity of this century. Most of the camps, today are in a deplorable condition and call for immediate attention of the authorities concerned. We live in camp like miniatures in a sub-human condition. There is neither privacy nor secrecy of life. All camps lack in basic amenities. For instance in Chittagong, Sardar Bahadur Nagar Camp, there is no supply of drinking water. It has now turned into a Karbala. Some camps lack in electricity, in some camps electricity had never been provided. Eviction and demolition of camps is still going on in contravention to govt. orders. A few camps in Dhaka and elsewhere are under constant threat of eviction. Safety and security of Stranded Pakistanis is also threatened by vested quarters. Reference may be made to stabbing of Shamim Ahmed who succombed to his injuries on 2 June last year just for resisting the eviction of D-Block Relief Camp at Mirpur, Section XI.
_____________________________________________________________
Courtesy Of:
Universal Religious Alliance. January of 2003
Marie Peurozet. Apartado Postal 126. Barcelona 08080. SPAIN
Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.