Voice of Kashmir

Summary of Work Done in Islamabad and Muzaffarabad During YMI’s First Visit In The Winter Of 2005

2007-05-10T09:46:00.000-05:00

In the winter of 2005, 2 months after the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck Kashmir, the youth of our community took on their responsibility of serving humanity. They did this by forming a youth group under the UN recognized NGO, Imamia Medics International. The group traveled to Muzaffarabad, Kashmir to contribute to IMI’s relief aid effort. Thanks to the whole-hearted support and encouragement of IMI members and generous contributions from the community, the youth were successful in positively impacting the lives of over 500 refugees.

Upon arriving in Islamabad, Pakistan (300 miles from Muzaffarabad, Kashmir) the youth began a five-day project in the Safina Children’s Home. This facility housed 42 Kashmiri children ranging in age from 4 to14 whose families were lost to the Kashmiri earthquake. Not only was the Safina Organization providing the children with necessities such as food, shelter, and clothing but also with education. The dedicated staff taught Math and English five days a week on a volunteer basis. In this facility the Youth served as English and arts and crafts instructors, allowing the children to express themselves through essays and creative tasks. By the end of the five days, those children who had silently held in their grief, were finally able to express their emotions through organized group discussions. They expressed their sorrows while also discussing factors that would enable them to triumph over the challenges they face. Among the most touching of the arts and crafts projects produced by the children was a painting by an 11 year old Kashmiri girl. When given the assignment of drawing all the tools needed to overcome adversity, she drew books for knowledge, a Mosque for religion and community, and open arms for love. Upon returning in the summer of 2007, the Youth intend to donate several books collected in the U.S. as well as continue to address the psychological needs of the children.

These rewarding five days were followed by a seven-hour trek by car through the challenging terrain of Pakistan and Kashmir to arrive at a refugee camp in Muzaffarabad. The Youth were greeted lovingly by camp leaders and volunteers, many of whom would become close friends and reliable colleagues. Their warm welcome masked the fact that most had recently lost property and loved ones in the catastrophe. The camp, located on a gentle slope at the foot of a mountain rising out of Muzaffarabad, housed approximately 500 residents in a plot the size of a football field. Also present was a dispensary walled with cement bricks and covered by a plastic canopy held up by branches. This dispensary housed medications acquired by IMI’s medication drives and included antibiotics, cardiac medications, diabetes medications, IV kits, and over-the-counter medications. Due to the lack of trained staff however, medications were being dispensed in a manner that was neither effective nor safe. By working approximately ten hours daily in the dispensary, the Youth made it their top priority to limit the dispensing of medications to over-the-counter drugs.

The remainder of the time spent in the dispensary was dedicated to caring for the ill. The youth employed their Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and EMT skills by seeing 232 patients in the dispensary, which was also used as an examining room. Of these, 72 were given over-the-counter medications. For all 232 patients a case document containing patient demographics, and a brief history and physical were written. Each patient was then sent with the document to nearby relief-aid hospitals in order to facilitate the process of healthcare delivery. 75 additional house-calls were made for non-ambulatory patients, each was given a case document. 76% of all patients seen presented with febrile respiratory illness, 21% with diarrhea, 15% with dental issues, 15% with dermatological issues, 10% requiring rebandaging of wounds.

The Youth were also able to procure vaccinations for all of the 500 inhabitants of the refugee camp by coordinating with UNICEF members who were also in Kashmir. The fact that this was made possible simply by networking with organizations in Kashmir this was possible simply by having motivated and organized personnel on the ground is a testament to the fact that simply donating money to Kashmir relief is not a feasible long-term solution. Patient transportation was also obtained for non-ambulatory patients. Additionally, the Youth were able to coordinate with the Safina Organization located in Islamabad, Pakistan in order to obtain fully paid inpatient care and housing for 6 families in the refugee camp. Families in need of such attention were chosen by the Youth and referred to the Safina Organization. For instance, upon meeting a child suffering from symptoms of Polio, he was immediately referred to Safina who provided him and his family with fully paid inpatient care and residence in Islamabad, Pakistan.

All 21 camp leaders were taught Basic Life Support and how to identify and contain outbreaks of common yet potentially fatal illnesses such as pneumonia and diarrhea. The inappropriate dispensing of donated medications was prevented, and staff were recruited and trained to appropriately dispense a limited variety of medications after taking into account the potential for allergic reaction and contraindications.

The Youth were also given the opportunity to assist in erecting semi permanent metal shelters, and delivered blankets and water to elderly refugees in the surrounding areas.

2007-04-08T18:54:00.000-05:00

2007-04-08T08:21:00.001-05:00

Oh my soul
why are you staying so long in a strange place?
Please return from this strange place,
...I sent a hundred letters,
I suggested a hundred ways;
You do not know the way,
or you do not read the letters.
If you are reading the letter,
the letter is calling you,
And if you do not know the way,
knowing the way is in your palm.
Come back since, in that prison,
no one appreciates you,
Do not associate with stone hearts,
since you are the jewel of this treasure...

Ghazal, Divan-e-Shams 2572 - Rumi

Fareed Ahmed married 40+ and Nasima Bibi married 25+

2007-04-04T11:55:00.000-05:00

This interview is not from my refugee campsite; it is from a UN/Oxfam run camp site about 5 miles North-West of our campsite, which is adjacent to the Neelum River and the Muzaffarabad bus depot.

Fareed Ahmed, He wasn't sure of his age like many people (40+), has a wife, 2 boys, and 4 girls.

"I was at home leaving my room when the quake shook us and I felt as if I was being pushed around like some little boy. I thought perhaps-that a strong storm was coming. I was thinking that-maybe I should run. My kids, were at school and me and my wife ran outside. [sighs]

(He was obviously showing distress not just because of the earthquake but because he was thinking about the moment of time when he had to decide between just saving his own skin and his families.)

I was outside [pause again] and then five minutes afterwards I ran to look for them, my kids. As I was going all I saw were rocks and dead bodies. All my kids were outside safe, masha'Allah (God's Will). Then I went back to my lawn and just sat down; I stayed there. My kids were scared and I tried calming them.

I want to resettle here because this is where I work and this is what I know."

Another interview from the same campsite: Nasima Bibi who also looked older than she claimed,this is a common characteristic of Kashmiri life. Their hardship manifests in their faces and hands. She has a husband, 2 girls and one son.

"All my kids were at home and I was cutting grass. The weather was pleasant. The quake started and I grabbed onto someone nearby I dont remember and I also grabbed onto some plants. Then I ran home, it took me 30 minutes or so and there, I saw my kids. It scared me to see them. They were bloody from head to toe..."

She couldnt finish the interview because she had to tend to her family but she obviously worked on some farm while the earthquake happened and then ran to her home.

Agriculture is the main form of income in Azad Jammu Kashmir as well as in the Northern Areas, in fact it is one of the only income streams for over 80% of all of Kashmiris in these areas. Economic development should be the first priority of the government of Pakistan and NGO's in these areas. Otherwise earthquakes or not, there lives will shatter by themselves. Low-income, low-literacy rates, low-health stats, and a marginalized-isolated life; this is the story of the Kashmiris.

2007-04-03T04:12:00.000-05:00

The only vision I have is your sight
The only thing I follow is your light.
Everyone finds his repose in sleep,

Sleep from my eyes has taken flight.
Ghazal - Hafez

Excerpt from my research project...

2007-03-25T21:30:00.000-05:00

Pakistani-controlled Kashmir has approximately 3.8 million people in a census done in 1998 out of which 12.4% live in urban areas the rest are dependent on agriculture. The literacy rate in the Northern Areas was reported in 1998 to be 33% but in 2002 enrollment has increased to 77% for boys and 62% for girls and life expectancy in 1998 was also staggeringly low at 56.5 years. In 1998 AJK had a higher literacy rate than

Pakistan

’s scoring at 61% but at the same time it has one of the highest military enlistment rates in

Pakistan

...

...The lack of government infrastructure in Pakistan to take care of its own people after a natural disaster was one of the main reasons why so many people perished, were left untreated, or still haven’t been found. (Although India didn’t suffer as many casualties if the epicenter had been near Srinagar the casualty rate in India would have been distressingly proportionate to Pakistan's casualty figures.)

...it is justifiably arguable that the governments of the Kashmiri people have once again let down their people. Another portion of the blame weighs on the delayed and inept response of the international community to the ongoing and escalated socio-economic-political-humanitarian condition of the Kashmiris. This vast range of complex problems has exponentially grown after the earthquake and neither Pakistan nor the international community have appropriately responded. To suggest that the Kashmiris themselves should have done something to prepare for earthquakes is unfair because Kashmiris barely have a say in their governments, especially in India and even so in Pakistan. The fact that Pakistan has been accused countless times of arming fighters and India has equipped a Hindu militia to suppress and balance the Muslim “fundamentalists” shows the lack of foresight by both states. This mismanagement of funds to weapons, armies, and means of destruction instead of building proper economic and developed infrastructures is the reason why the Kashmiri people have been suffering for over half a century and the reason why so many died after the earthquake.

Interesting link found in a comment: Kashmiris Reject War in Favor of Democratic Means

Ijaz S. 30 year old single male

2007-03-19T20:52:00.000-05:00

"I was at home when the quake happened, on my way out to teach a course on computers. All of a sudden there was the sound of a huge explosion and very powerful vibrations. My house was damaged but surrounding houses were utterly destroyed. I ran to get my niece who is in the third grade then I went to see my father who was fine so I went to my school and saw that it was totally destroyed but almost everyone inside survived somehow. Then I got together with friends to help people get out of the rubble. I helped get out 13 people of which two died and one 35 year old man lost both of his legs. Of course there were many other very serious injuries. It was a horrible frightening time with people running everywhere just running with wide eyes looking for loved ones or just safety.

When I was taking people out many were unconscious and others were asking about their families. One was in such a bad situation that parts of the building he was in collapsed on him arm and he was screaming and begging us to just cut off his arm to save his life! No one had the heart to cut his arm our insides were raging with disbelief and we couldn’t find it in us to cut the arm of this young man. So we waited by him for 3 days and the Turks came to move more rocks and bricks and they pulled him out and during this time his parents patiently sat by him feeding him and giving him any solace they could. There was no medical help for a long time. (Pakistan was almost completely incapable of taking care of these people and the international community tragically responded too little too late.) Even the hospital was destroyed so what were we supposed to do? (Most government buildings: schools, medical units, prisons, etc were the first and fastest to fall, a testament of government spending and involvement in Kashmir.) So we spent time with my uncle who was seriously injured and many patients alongside him died, so many, and eventually my uncle died too. I stayed at my house and another uncle came and we all were sitting thinking Muzaffarabad is finished, there is barely anything or anyone left.

I wanted to believe there was hope and we will establish ourselves again and open the computer institution once again."

He offered some more information about another school next to his:

"The school next to my school called Shaheen Model College was just another statistic in Muzaffarabad. Every student out of the 350 who attended perished. Many of the kids or just people in general that died, they died-waiting. Waiting for some medical help and then eventually they were just waiting for someone to remove the rubble so they could bury their children."

The earthquake shook the ground and the souls of these people into bewilderment and amazement. There was no mental or physical preparation for such a catastrophe.

Interview with Ayman

2006-01-20T11:02:00.000-05:00

Ayman is a 13 year old who lives in the tent village of Morri Gorj. She has surviving parents as well as 6 sisters and 1 younger brother...

When I asked Ayman about how she felt when the earthquake started this is how she responded:
"I didn't have consciousness so how could I tell you how I felt! I was on my way home from playing near the water with my friends and I was under a walnut tree and then suddenly the earthquake started she said while her face suddenly looked upset. Soon after the earthquake started I fainted out of fear.
When I got up and saw that all the houses nearby had collapsed I couldn't believe what I saw and quickly got up to find my sisters and I saw my neighbors and my "Dada" (paternal grandfather) and I told him you're too old to go looking for my sisters, I'll go look for them myself. Soon afterwards I met some of my sisters and saw them crying and looking very solemn on the stairs of our recently destroyed house. Then me and my sisters got up and saw my father and hugged him and he went looking for the rest of my sisters. Then two cousins of ours came to help us and they took two of my younger sisters and from there my Dada picked up his Qur'an from the Masjid which was damaged as well. Then we all headed out for my mother's school near where we all spent the night. I have to go now I should help my mother in the tent…"

On October 8th in Kashmir many families were separated from each other. They had to travel miles to find each other, if they were so lucky.

Interview with Ahmed

2006-01-19T07:28:00.000-05:00

Ahmed is a 15 year old who lives in the tent village of Morri Gorj. He has surviving parents as well as 5 brothers and 2 sisters...

"I was in school, in my math class and my teacher asked me to go get chalk for the class from the office. I got up and left the room and then the earthquake started and the ground started shaking. I looked inside my classroom and everyone was running out of their seats and running for the door where I stood. Around us the walls started crumbling and the ceiling started to fall and the classroom started to lean towards me as it crumbled so I ran and only one kid got out of that classroom besides me but the rest were still in the room.
I survived because I jumped when I saw the classroom start to tilt towards me onto lower ground. Its hard to exlpain where I jumped unless you know what its like to live in a mountainous area. I'll explain, there are levels to mountains and its because of some of these flat levels people are able to live on them and make roads. Where I jumped was a road below our school. I tried to move away from the crumbling rocks, that came from the school and the rock-filled mountain sides, toward the road barrier that keeps cars from flying off the mountains. But as soon as I rested on that barrier that crumbled as well to another lower level of the moutain that was able to comfort my fall because it was grassy.
I couldn't believe all of this was happening I felt as if "Qiyamat" had arrived (Day of Judgement) but at that time I was thinking less and reacting more. After I landed, I started climbing back up to my friends at school. When I got there I could barely see there was so much dust and debri in the air it choked you and you could hear kids screaming "Buchow! buchow! (Help! help!)".
At this moment I started feeling something ooze down my head and face and felt it and saw that I was bleeding. I didn't pay much attention to it then because I started helping get my schoolmates out of the rubble..."

Madina Public had approximately 500 students, there is no definite count of how many died during the earthquake.

Voice of Kashmir

2005-12-27T18:31:00.000-05:00

Not in kashmir at my layover in Dubai, nice place to visit and waste time.

Slight difference in architecture, no?

Met a person by the name of Shaukat Ali and unfortunately he lost his eldest sister and nephew in the earthquake says there isnt much left, the anticipation is building. Hopefully will be seeing all the team members soon.