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VIEW: Earthquake relief and rehabilitation —Syed Mohammad Ali

There was a disturbing level of dissatisfaction with consultation and transparency after the Gujarat earthquake. In many cases, people felt that they were consulted only after plans had been made. Participation, even during the damage assessment phase, is necessary for more efficient use of resources. It is vital that local communities are frequently asked to prioritise needs

After the earthquake hit Pakistan, a donors’ meeting was held in Geneva in the last week of October to generate funds for relief and reconstruction. Now the Pakistan government is arranging another donors’ moot on November 19.

The World Bank has announced $470 million to assist the government of Pakistan in reconstructing the devastated areas. This amount, however, is not even a tenth of what is required. More donations are needed to the UN’s earthquake appeal.

According to the past week’s ranking of rich governments’ contributions to the UN Asian Earthquake appeal, Sweden has pledged 170 percent of its ‘fair share’. Sadly, relatively rich countries like Spain, Finland, Greece and Austria have not pledged anything. Even the oil-rich countries in OPEC have not made funds available to the UN appeal although some contributions — by Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries — have been made directly.

In terms of practical efforts to deal with the disaster, citizens and local and international civil society organisations have supported the government. Within 36 hours of the disaster, the UN dispatched shelter experts to the region. In addition to logistical support by US helicopters and by NATO personnel, the Spanish, French, Italian and Belgians have established field hospitals in the affected areas. Specialised teams of surgeons were also deployed to these field hospitals. Health measures taken so far include an immunisation campaign against measles for children up to age 15.

A joint centre has been established by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation in Islamabad to coordinate health-related efforts. However, preventing disease in the makeshift shelters is a daunting task. Oxfam has pointed out that the focus on remote communities in the earthquake-hit region has diverted attention from the risk faced by people living in ill-equipped camps.

The UN and other multilateral agencies have devised a joint assessment and recovery framework to help the Pakistan government develop a strategic outlook towards the relief and rehabilitation requirements. A needs assessment exercise was undertaken to provide strategic direction and identify interventions needed to save lives as well as opportunities to support the recovery of the affected population over the next six to 12 months. “The government has set up a Relief Commission and is supported in the provision of shelter, emergency employment generation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure by local governments.

Besides local and international organisations, the Rural Support Networks Programme is also involved in the relief phase. The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and its 61 partnering NGOs have also been mobilised and delivering relief. A colleague at the Asian Development Bank has estimated that at least $1 billion can be generated if economic managers review existing development expenditures with the participation of provincial governments. If nothing else, the legislators’ development funds can be diverted towards this dire need.

There are some notable efforts concerning coordination of ongoing efforts on ground. For example, all available satellite, geographical and statistical information at the village-level for the affected areas is being consolidated into one database. This web portal (www.risepak.com) has been designed by experts from the Lahore University of Management Sciences, Harvard University, the World Bank, Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority, Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Centre, and World Online, which is hosting the web portal. But while the issue of prioritisation is relevant for the ongoing relief effort — to ensure that aid reaches those most in need –sustainability will become more prominent in the ensuing reconstruction phase after the winter is over.

Unfortunately, the record of managing post-earthquake rehabilitation is poor according to a recent briefing paper which has synthesised key lessons from the earthquakes in Afghanistan in 1998, Turkey in 1999, Gujarat in 2001 and Bam in 2003. For example, only a few organisations involved the people from Bam in the assessment and planning phases. There was also a disturbing level of dissatisfaction with consultation and transparency after the Gujarat earthquake. In many cases, people felt that they were consulted only after plans had been made.

Participation, even during the damage assessment phase, is necessary for more efficient use of resources. It is vital that local communities are frequently asked to prioritise needs as the rehabilitation process unfolds. Jonathan Steele of the Guardian stresses that Pakistan must learn from Armenia’s earthquake reconstruction process. In this case, 17 years later, 3,500 families are still living in shacks, metal containers and disused railway wagons.

There are many informal community structures that must not be ignored during the recovery phase. Even the World Disasters Report 2004 noted the positive role of traditional neighbourhood networks and of ‘white beards’ — five or six men of influence based around the local mosque — which helped organise the local community after the Bam earthquake.

Women groups have also been effective in facilitating community response. For example, the Self Employed Women’s Association got involved in a number of activities after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, including identifying household needs and directing aid to them; it even got women to monitor housing reconstruction. Efforts that enhance the humanitarian agenda can bring about positive changes in the long term, while coping with the pressing challenges thrown up by a natural disaster.

The author is a development consultant and an international fellow of the Open Society Institutes network. He can be reached at syedmohdali555@yahoo.com

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