Running into Pakistan-fatigue

Global philanthropy often tends to the latest catastrophe around, as donor agencies throng to the scene of human suffering as if it were a gold rush. International communitys lackluster response to last years great floods in Pakistan is a different matter though, as observers attribute it to donor fatigue, citing the fact that the calamity had struck just few months after the deadly earthquake in Haiti. Although the $1.9 billion early recovery flash appeal launched by the United Nations concluded in July 2011 with 30 percent of the funding unpledged, role of the donor agencies in the aftermath of floods for rescue, relief and recovery activities must be recognised and appreciated as they overcame capacity and coverage constraints to reach out to the marooned people across all of Pakistan. At the tail of 2011 monsoon season, Pakistan is deluged again, owing to heavy rainfall in the southern parts of country. The federal, provincial and district authorities, along with the armed forces are scrambling their resources towards rescue and early relief operations. According to NDMA, as of September 14, 2011, flood waters have wreaked havoc on 4.56 million acres in over 29,000 villages across 22 out of 23 districts in Sindh; affected 5.3 million people, killed 233 people and injured 499, destroyed 1.6 million acres of standing crops, and damaged 1.2 million houses. The scale of the damages is not comparable to the 2010 floods. However, there are reports that per capita losses and damages in the affected areas are higher than last year. This has led the federal government to declare ongoing floods a disaster. And this year again, it has called out for international assistance as it finds itself unable to cope with this disaster on its own. International assistance is indeed welcome as it would be instrumental in expediting the scale and pace of early relief measures. However, governments prior indifference towards preventive measures like disaster risk reduction (DRR) and strengthening of river embankments & dykes may likely make the international community more suspecting this time around. Oxfam had warned in July that Pakistan was not prepared for current monsoon season and called on the government to urgently invest at least two per cent of its district budget on DRR mechanisms. With UN flash appeals for Libya, Namibia, South Sudan and Kenya still running and under-funded, it remains to be seen if donor weariness turns into Pakistan-fatigue, with a ot again! look. Currently, the UN is conducting a Rapid Needs Assessment in the flood-affected districts, and a formal flash appeal will likely be launched in the light of the reports assessment. The International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) has launched a preliminary emergency appeal for $12 million to provide urgent relief and medical support to the victims. Oxfam also launched an emergency appeal earlier this week. Local partners of international humanitarian agencies are also engaged. No major commitments or pledges have been made from friendly countries thus far. News reports suggest that the Chinese government will initially be assisting with $4.7 million worth of relief goods; while Iran would be providing 110,000 tons of emergency aid material and might donate $100 million for post-flood infrastructure reconstruction. The United States government is responding with in-kind assistance too. While medium-term measures like early warning & forecasting and DRR may take time, the immediate need of the hour is to reduce the suffering of the affected people. Rather than clamoring for foreign aid right from the onset of the disaster; the government needs to look inwards and mobilise domestic resources by drawing out the charitable qualities of Pakistanis living at home and abroad. If not, over-dependence on foreign aid would continue to be the Dutch disease for Pakistan and never let it realise its internal potential.