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and did not do that. I do not
sheets for winterization Going back to the last part of aroru'id the place where we
challenge tis statement, but I
because tents were not suppo- yorir question: yes, I miss it a happened to be that this
say that the level of co-
sed to be durable enough for lot. I was taken to the place ru'iited us in a common goal.
operation was really
the winter season. Tents can where oru' camp used to be - First of all, it was an
enonnous. Every evening I
only protect yori from wind and there is nothing leff! The extremely difficult operation.
met with the general who was
and rain, but not from cold {JN camp was demolished,
in charge of the relief
and snow, simply becarise and it had become a football If you look into any textbook
operation in Pakistan
they are not sturdy enorigh - field again. Frankly, it was where they teach aborit
Adistered Kasbinir. I met
iuiless they are actually winte- very sad! No tents, no {JN humanitarian assistance,
one of generals again the day
rized tents and there are very flag; but it was also very hear- almost everything yori can
before yesterday and it was
few of those. tening to see this as a strong imagine was tnie abor'it this
very emotional! Both of us
indication that life is back to emergency, inchiding poor
were almost crying! We rised
At that time, we needed aborit nonnal. understanding of the
to see each other almost every
600,000 tents. Nowadays, as I complexity and magitude of
evening at 7 o'clock and spent
was flying over the area, there When I first arrived there, the crisis. The logistics -
at least 45 minrites going

was not a single tent to be they were setting up a radio roads were blocked as there
through various issues. One
seen, only houses. I checked antenna about 30 meters high, had been lots of landslides.
would have the feeling that
some of them and they are and I gave them my UN flag
we went throrigh a very

really excellent! I think the to fly from the top, so that There is one image I will
difficult test together, and we
population has never lived in everybody in Muzaffarabad never forget. On one of the
never ever had an ar@unent!
such good houses. It is a small would know where the UN main roads, two mountains
Can yori imagine?
house, two rooms w'th a kit- was located. Life in had moved. As you flew over
chen, but earthquake Mhizaffarabad really was like the mountain, all of a sudden
The Pakistanis would never
resistant; it is heated in the being in the field, living in a there was no road, only
say no, because they lmew
winter. I would not say that tent, flying eveiywhere by mountain, and then road
that we were tiying to do our
it's bearitiful, but it's very helicopters, and also very again, and then mountain
work the way we are
functional, modern and looks challenging professionally. again. On this little isolated
supposed to do it. They gave
very strong. The authorities stretch of road there were two
us space. We also showed
have also rebuilt a lot of Q: Does this hardship tmcks! Canyouimaginewhat

them respect becarise this is a
schools and hospitals w'th the create a kind friendship these drivers went through?
sovereign government, an
support of the international or solidarity among the They were driving along and
independent counhy-it was
community. aid workers? thenall of a suddenthemoun-
their countiy! Most of the
tain started to move!
assistance came from them;
Iremember afterthe Tsunami, Not only among the aid-
the assistance from the {JN
President Clinton came up workers, but also with the What was very important was
was just a drop in the ocean!
with his slogan: Build back Pakistanis! We had a very the very strong bond of

better! This is what happened good team. You know, in solidarity between intematio-
Q: Did you not find it very
in Pakistmi in the earthquake- times of crisis hriman beings nals and the Pakistanis. There
difficult to co-ordinate all
affected areas. non'nally show their best side. was a lot of criticism that the
these different agencies
There was so much suffe*g Govemment did not do this
1 2009 Diva 7

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