Southern Baptists are involved in efforts with several other groups in aiding Afghan refugees crossing into Pakistan after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“The International Mission Board (IMB) is currently working on multifocus plans on how to best respond to both short and long term needs in Central Asia, once the opportunity becomes available,” and IMB official said.
Also, Baptist World Aid (BWAid), the relief and development arm of the Baptist World Alliance, has made an initial emergency grant of $10,000 for the care of refugees. BWAid will support those who have fled or are fleeing, according to BWA officials.
Church World Service said it plans to shelter tens of thousands of refugees who are fleeing Afghanistan.
“A very serious humanitarians crisis is in the making,” said Marvin Parvez, Pakistan Afghanistan director for Church World Service, in a statement.
The relief arm of the National Council of Churches intends to provide 15,000 shelter kits that would include a family tent and blankets. These could be used by a total of more than 100,000 people. The agency estimates that the assistance will cost more than $1.5 million.
Money for health, services
Catholic Relief Services has made an initial allocation of $50,000 for health and sanitation services for the refugees.
“The Pakistan border is officially closed but is very porous and difficult to control,” said Luc Picard, the Pakistan representative for the relief agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in a statement.
“Some attempt to walk across the mountains, while tens of thousands wait at the border.”
He said even more are displaced within Afghanistan and are seeking shelter with relatives in rural regions.
Massive numbers of refugees had already left Afghanistan in an attempt to escape drought and war. Now, fear of reprisal for the terrorist attacks has prompted far more to seek shelter elsewhere.
The American Refugee Committee International, a nonprofit humanitarian aid organization based in Minneapolis, is launching an effort to assess the new needs.
“ARC will pursue every possible avenue to provide relief to some of the world’s most desperate people,” said Joe Bock, the committee’s deputy executive officer, in a statement.
“The situation in Afghanistan is another reminder that terror continues to claim millions of innocent victims across the world.”
(Compiled from wire services, The Alabama Baptist contributed)
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