AfghanSolidarity--War and Winter!

According to Andrew Natsios, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, “Food supplies in Afghanistan are now so depleted that 30 percent of the population could die over the next year without international aid.[1]” Let us conduct a simple math calculation. What is 30 percent of 25 million? 7.5 million!

Let alone the number of people that will die “mistakenly” by bombs and bullets during a war that only God knows how long will it continue to last, 7.5 million men, women and children in Afghanistan will die if the international community does not respond to the country’s humanitarian crisis on time.

Looking through the history of civilization in Afghanistan, which dates back to three thousand years ago, the Afghans have been forced to fight against some of the greatest military powers of the world. In 330BC they fought Alexander The Great and his army of more than one hundred thousand men[2]. Then, in 746-821BC after many years of war, they seized their independence from the Amawi, and Abbasi Arab Empires. Afghans have fought against Ganges Khan (Pronounced as Changez Khan in Dari Language) in 1300AC, as well as Tamerlane or Temur e Lang. ! ; “Lang” in Dari means crippled. Temur was crippled in one of the wars against the Afghans during the14^th century. Also, the Afghans fought three wars against the British army, gaining their independence in 1919 from the British. Finally, they fought their most recent war against the Communist Soviet Union, which prolonged for a decade (1979-1989).

Although the Afghans defeated the Soviet Communism, they paid a hefty price in return for their victory – the complete destruction of their social, political, and economic fabric. Today, caught in the midst of “a war against terrorism,” the Afghans have to fight a different kind of war. A war against not only hunger and poverty, but with the advent of winter, they have to fight a war against freezing temperatures of Hindukosh, Wakhan and Pamir mountains. Having just gone through two years of draught with no extra supplies of food and medicine, now Afghans have to face the atrocities of war and winter at the same time.

The sad reality is that this time, realistically speaking, the survival of Afghans does not seem likely on their own. They need help not just from the U.S, the U.N. and None Governmental Organizations, but from the entire human society.

Recent news from Afghanistan and its neighboring countries, where millions of Afghans have escaped to, is evident that humanitarian aid and the pace at which it is reaching the Afghan war torn population is far from sufficient to keep many of civilians alive. Media coverage from Afghanistan consists of news-stories about hundreds of children and elderly who freeze to death overnight because of the cold weather and hunger, not even on the mountains, but on Pakistan and Iran’s border waiting for their turn to cross the line to safety. Many injured victims of war die before reaching a hospital across the border, and many others die gradually waiting for food, or to be attended by a doctor. They die because they can’t withstand the freezing temperatures of winter that is yet about to begin, whi! le fighting hunger and sickness at the same time. The point is that innocent Afghan civilians are in desperate need of help. They need food, shelter, medicine, water, blanket, and other basic necessities of life to simply keep alive. Therefore, if the international community fails to extend a helping hand to the Afghans, millions of them will die in absolute desperation and horrible conditions. Therefore, not too far from now, the world will witness one of the most catastrophic human tragedies in its history.

In response to Afghanistan’s disastrous situation, president Bush has made a generous pledge of $320 to help the Afghan people. In additions, he has called upon the U.S. children to help their unfortunate Afghan counterparts keep alive by making monetary contributions. Some individuals have also come forward, and offered a helping hand. The UNHCR agency's Goodwill Ambassador, Angelina Jolie, had personally contributed $1 million.[3] This has certainly helped the U.S. Aid Agency, and the United Nations Humanitarian Committee for Refugees maint! aining the humanitarian crisis to some extent under control. However in spite of the U.S. aid offer, and generous donations given by individuals such as Angelina Jolie, there is far more need for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan than what is available today. In another words, it is unlikely for the United Nations, confined to a “limited budget” for refugees, the United States, and the NGOs alone to bare the heavy burden of humanitarian crisis in a nation of 25 million, where social order is broken, chaos dominates politics, and economic structure is completely dysfunctional.

Starvation, disease, shortage of medicine and medical staff, lack of proper sanitation, and clothing among the increasing number of refugees in and outside of Afghanistan continues to add to the severity of humanitarian crisis. Therefore, it is imperative that the world community, and international NGOs come together in order to manage the current human disaster in Afghanistan. All governments, including the world’s leading economic powers, and all individuals regardless of their faith or race (Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Bhudists, etc.) – all humanity must come together to rescue the innocent Afghan men, women, and children that are doomed to die should the war continue throughout winter.

If you would like to donate your time and/or money towards this great humanitarian cause, the following are some of the NGOs through which you could make a difference by pledging a contribution. For further inquiries please contact these organizations directly.

[1] www.un.org/news

[2] Ghobar Gholam Muhammad Afghanistan in The path of History . Jamhory Publishing 6^th edition 1995 Tehran, Iran P 43.

[3] www.un.org/news