Government's earthquake response in Kashmir flawed

12.01.44am GMT Wed 16th Nov 2005

"Charities like ShelterBox, instead of being helped by the Government, have found that they have had to bypass Government and Disasters Emergencies Committee bureaucracy in order to provide efficient aid."

Crawley Liberal Democrats are backing Lib Dem MP Andrew George's call for a review of the UK Government's capacity to respond effectively to provide emergency relief, such as the current one in Kashmir when disasters strike. Local Councillor Gordon Seekings said "If the disaster is not horrific enough for there to then be financial problems loaded onto charities helping from this country just beggars belief."

Although Andrew George is not suggesting that an Inquiry should divert attention away from the immediate and urgent need to provide assistance to communities in Kashmir affected by the recent earthquake, he believes that the failure of Government to more effectively and efficiently assist has highlighted severe weaknesses in both the United Kingdom's capacity and ability to respond and the urgent need to improve the structures and authority of the United Nations.

Andrew George's comments come after re-visiting recently the world famous charity, ShelterBox, based at Helston in his West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Constituency which, using the strong informal as well as formal links between Rotary Clubs, has provided assistance which he believes has embarrassed the United Kingdom Government.

With flights leaving Gatwick with tents, sleeping bags and survival equipment, the ShelterBox charity will have delivered more than 8,000 tents and 30,000 sleeping bags to many families desperately in need in Kashmir. This compares with the 5,500 tents so far delivered by the Department for International Development on behalf of the United Kingdom Government.

Andrew George says that the ShelterBox charity has complained that, despite Government praise for its work, neither it nor the Disasters Emergency Committee have been capable of providing any help to get their shelterboxes, tents and survival equipment to communities in Kashmir. They have had to deliver all of its aid by using the benefits of direct donation and support from Rotary members and supporters around the globe.

Andrew George said, "Whilst I do not question the sincerity of Hilary Benn, the experience of ShelterBox raises serious questions about both our Government's capacity to respond and the creation of obstacles and bureaucracy to achieving a co-ordinated UK response."

"If what ShelterBox were doing was unhelpful or incompetent then why did the Secretary of State praise the charity when I asked him about their work when we debated the earthquake on 10th October; and why are UNHCR congratulating ShelterBox for its work and have pleaded with the charity as recently as a month ago to provide another 7,000 shelterboxes for Southern Sudan?"

"Charities like ShelterBox, instead of being helped by the Government, have found that they have had to bypass Government and DEC bureaucracy in order to provide efficient aid. Within 48 hours of the news coming through to the UK, ShelterBox had already got two of their men on the ground in the region with 200 shelterboxes. Having made early contact they then established an efficient bridge through which many thousands more shelterboxes have been flown out and, using local Rotary contacts, delivered to those most in need in the region."

"This experience appears to demonstrate not only the need for a review of UK Government's capacity to respond, but the need for the United Kingdom to demonstrate international leadership to ensure that the United Nations has the capacity to ensure that emergency resources are kept under review worldwide and are capable of co-ordinating all international relief to the most needy in each region which requires an emergency response."

"In a year that has experienced so many national disasters we know we can, sadly, confidently predict that another unanticipated disaster will happen again somewhere in the globe in the next year or two. It is an unfortunate morbid reality, but it is better for us to have the equivalent of an emergency 999 response facility in place, rather than having to witness this 'Keystone Kops' style response every time disaster strikes."

"Indeed, our failure to respond more effectively in Kashmir is further highlighted by the relative success of Jihadist organisations in Kashmir. An unhelpful comparison my result in the Islamic World drawing an unhelpful conclusion," said Andrew George.

For information the ShelterBox charity can be contacted at Helston, Cornwall on 01326 748736 and at www.shelterbox.org