UPDATE OF HUMANITARIAN AID BY TURKEY TO

PAKISTAN FOR THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

 Turkey has sent 15 military and 6 civilian aircrafts containing search and rescue (SAR), medical, Red Crescent personnel and humanitarian aid to the friendly and brotherly Pakistan after the earthquake that occurred on 8^th October 2005.

 The humanitarian aid that have been sent through the foregoing aircrafts contained various medicines, vaccination, medical equipments, tents, canvas, camping material, blankets, sleeping bags, oven and a cooking team, food, plenty of carrot cakes.

 Soon after the earthquake, Turkish official search and rescue teams as well as NGOs reached Muzaffarabad and started their rescue operations.  Natural Disaster Search and Rescue Teams from the Turkish Armed Forces’ Special Forces Command, Civil Defence General Directorate, GEA Search and Rescue Association, AKUT and LIDAM comprising of 70 persons continued their activities in Muzaffarabad and rescued 9 lives from the rubbles.

 Turkish medical team has established one field hospital for 50 persons and by today they have vaccinated around 30,000 people as well as provided first aid to 3,706 people. Turkish psychologists are also providing services together with UNICEF in the camps established in Jalaabad, Tori Park, Meratanolia, Celalabandi and Tariq Abad in Muzafferabad vicinity.

 There is 22 members medical team and 65 members Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) team continuing activities in Muzaffarabad and Islamabad areas. TRC team has provided aid to more than 75,000 people. TRC has established tent villages in Balakot and Islamabad  providing shelter to around 5,000 people. TRC has also distributed 10,000 tents to the affected families.  

 Turkish Prime Minister, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, paid an official visit to Pakistan between 20 – 21 October in order to share the grief and agony of the brotherly people of Pakistan. During his visit, he pledged $ 150 million donation from the Turkish Government. Pakistani authorities declared that this is the biggest pledge made by a single country so far.

 Within this framework, the Turkish Government will be sending one million blankets, 50,000 tons of flour, 25,000 tons of sugar, 2 million bottles of 1 litter cooking oil and tents as first phase will be arriving Karachi very soon.

 Turkish Prime Minister assured the Government of Pakistan of extending his country’s expertise in the reconstruction of earthquake-proof infrastructure. In this regard, a five members technical team consisting of Geologists and Seismologists from the Housing Development Administration of the Prime Ministry, arrived Islamabad on 28^th October 2005. They are continuing their survey in order to ascertain the inhabitation possibilities in the affected areas. Another 7 experts have also joined the Turkish technical team.  They will be able to complete their survey in two months period.

General Directorate of Turkish Emergency Management Agency, Turkish Red Crescent Association, Education Ministry and Department of Religious Affairs have collected through fund raising  around $ 52 million. 

United Nations High Commission for Refugees, which is sending humanitarian aid to Pakistan through their depot in İskenderun, Turkey. Turkish Government has taken the responsibility of land transportation of their total weight of the humanitarian aid of 860 tons which includes 103,675 pieces of blankets, 9915 pieces of tents and 2000 pieces of stoves from Iskenderun to Incirlik air base. NATO aircrafts are carrying this humanitarian aid from İncirlik to Islamabad. Turkey also provides 2 military aircrafts for the transportation of the aforementioned humanitarian aid to Pakistan.

Turkish Government has also provided the following contributions in US dollars to the United Nations Agencies within the framework of emergency assistance request of the UN.

            UNDP            :           500,000

            UNICEF         :           500,000

            WHO              :           500,000

            WFP               :           750,000

            UNHCR         :           500,000

            OCHA            :           250,000

            Total               :          3,000,000

 Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Turkish Embassy in Islamabad is planning to establish a kindergarten or a primary school in the earthquake affected area on permanent basis and for this purpose funds are being collected at the Turkish Foreign Ministry.  

 All banks in Turkey have opened accounts for collecting financial aid.  Turkish Red Crescent has signed an agreement with the 3 major Turkish GMS service providers in order to collect donations through SMS messages for the earthquake victims. Turkish Airlines, Ankara, Istanbul, Kocaeli and Konya Municipalities, Human Rights and Foundation for the Human Freedom Assistance (IHH), Başkent University and Deniz Feneri Assistance and Solidarity Association are also sending extensive humanitarian aid to Pakistan. 

 Human Rights and Human Assistance Foundation (IHH) are continuing their assistance by running one mobile hospital and one mobile restaurant. Başkent University has sent humanitarian aid in shape of medicines around $150,000 for the earthquake affected people. Deniz Feneri Assistance and Solidarity Association have given around $500,000 assistance and they will be providing tunnel type tent for the accommodation of 100 families, 200 prefabricated houses, cloths, food and medicines.

 Turkish Airlines has decided to send 40 tons of humanitarian aid. Turkish Airlines has also decided to provide free or discounted tickets to any individual or association who may be desirous to extend help to the humanity affected by natural disasters, be it in Turkey or any part of the world. Within this framework, the individuals or associations who may like to extend their assistance, from any part of the world,  for the earthquake affected people of Pakistan can avail this opportunity.  

Ankara Municipality has announced $1 million cash assistance and 1 million blankets. Ankara Municipality has also sent an oven which will be installed in Balakot. Whereas, Istanbul Municipality has installed 1 oven in Muzaffarabad having the capacity to cook 2,500 breads per day which are being distributed among the affected people free of cost.  

Kimse Yok Mu Solidarity Foundation of Turkey has presented a cheque of US $ 4 million to the President of Pakistan on 28 October 2005 which they collected through a campaign in Turkey.  

International Turkish-Ukrainian Businessmen Association (TUID) has collected US $21,500 and the amount has been handed over to the Embassy of Pakistan in Keiv to be delivered to the relevant authorities of Pakistan.  Turkish Businessmen Association Poland has collected US $15,635 and handed over it to the Embassy of Pakistan in Warsaw.

Istanbul International Brotherhood and Solidarity Association (IBS) have sent humanitarian aid on four long vehicles consisting of tents, blankets and food items. Deniz Feneri Assistance and Solidarity Association of Turkey have sent five long vehicles carrying humanitarian aid to Pakistan consisting of blankets, tents and food items.

 The provision of such kind of assistance by the organizations and community foundations is expected to grow.

Assistance by the Turkish Community in Canada

The Turkish Community in Canada was also in the forefront of the efforts to help their brothers in Pakistan, in their time of need.  Individual Turkish Canadians as well their associations and foundations have sent their assistance to Pakistan through various channels.  For example, the Turkish Community Centre in Montreal has donated 25,422 CAD to the relief efforts through the Turkish Red Crescent.  The Canadian Turkish Islamic Heritage Association in Toronto donated a total of 29, 000 CAD, through the International Development and Relief Foundation and the Turkish Religious Affairs Directorate.