2,000 Pakistani Christians Evicted to the Roadside and Living in Fear of Typhoid
ICC Note
“Since Christians are discriminated against by the majority population, nothing has been done to help them.”
By Dan Wooding
08/20/2009 Pakistan (ANS)-Local doctors and experienced news correspondents are shocked by the appalling conditions being endured by some 2,000 Christians in downtown Islamabad , the Pakistani capital.
Children at the camp are in danger of dehydration, says a doctor who visited the refugees with CNN. (Photo: CNN)
“Despite being only ten minutes from health centers, two people have died in the 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) heat, with many more in danger of dying from dehydration, infection or the cumulative effects of poverty,” said a story from the UK-based Barnabas Aid.
Explaining how they ended up in this terrible situation, a Barnabas Aid spokesperson stated, “Approximately a year ago, around 214 Christian families were promised land in the Chak Shahzad district of Islamabad. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) of Islamabad arranged their move and told the families to set up tents there until possession had been finalized.
“Then three months ago the CDA changed their minds forcing the Christian families to live in the road amidst squalid conditions, where their only water supply runs all too close to an open pit latrine and a waste dump. There are up to 20 people sharing one tent, which only adds to the discomfort.”
Barnabas Aid said that one of their partners in Pakistan commented, “Since Christians are discriminated against by the majority population, nothing has been done to help them.”
Whilst the Pakistan authorities are still to act, Barnabas Aid has been able to secure a way to provide practical aid to the families now. This aid will take the form of food items including rice, lentils, onions and cooking oil for each affected family, as well as buckets and water containers to reduce the risk of typhoid affecting the tightly packed camp.
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Aid says, “Here is a real opportunity to save lives. Our brothers and sisters in Islamabad are in dire need of material assistance to prevent disease ravaging their already stricken camp. Please be praying that we can raise the necessary funds quickly to meet this life-threatening need.”
For more information on how you can help, go to www.barnabasfund.org.
Please follow this link to see CNN’s coverage:
http://edition.cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2009/08/13/perry.pakistan.camp.cnn
