An eye-witness ” “report from Afghanistan” “” “

Misereor, the charity and aid organization of the German Church, is funding numerous aid projects in the developing countries. One of these projects, called Lepco (Control of Leprosy and Development Programme) is currently being implemented in Afghanistan and Pakistan (see SirEurope 2, p.4). We managed to contact Thomas Koenig , volunteer physician and head and coordinator of the project, by telephone in Islamabad, to learn from him the latest developments of the situation. How many people are working in the Misereor project? “There are 3 coordinators, of whom one German, one Pakistani and one Afghan, and 90 staff, of whom 80 in Afghanistan and 10 in Pakistan”. What’s most urgently needed at this time? Food? Medicine? “All the humanitarian organizations are trying to get aid into Afghanistan; basic subsistence aid more than anything, but given that we are approaching winter we’re also trying to send aid of other kinds, such as blankets. It’s difficult, however, for this aid effectively to reach its intended beneficiaries. It’s easier to reach the cities. To get aid to the outlying villages is far more difficult, but it’s just there that the aid is most desperately needed, to ensure that the inhabitants are not forced to abandon their homes and so create a further exodus of refugees”. You have obtained five tons of material and medicine from the World Health Organization, destined for Peshawar. Has the operation been completed? “Over the last few days we have transported half of the supplies over the Afghan frontier, but a good part still remains on this side of the border, given the risk of the materials being lost and the difficulties of controlling so huge a quantity. We prefer to subdivide the deliveries in small quantities, taking special care to ensure the safety of the transport in such a way as to ensure that the supplies safely reach their destination and that there is no risk of loss on the way”. What are the reactions of the refugees to the Anglo-American military operations? “The reactions are extremely diversified: those who support the Taliban conduct themselves in a very aggressive manner, whereas those who oppose them hope, in spite of their delicate situation, in the victory of the Northern Alliance; but this varies from region to region, from territory to territory. For example, in the areas close to the frontier, where the Pashtum ethnic group is predominant, the pro-Taliban feeling is stronger, whereas elsewhere the American intervention is regarded in a more optimistic light”. Is it now possible, as Misereor proposed, to provide an introduction to basic medicine, as well as a programme of basic education? “Hitherto the programme has mainly involved children. We are evaluating whether it’s possible to extend the programme to adults too, but this presupposes a literacy campaign as a basic prerequisite. At a later stage the problem of women will have to be tackled, by providing them with basic medical instruction. Unfortunately at this time it is difficult to draw up precise programmes, because the type of intervention varies according to the place in which we have to work, the various needs to which we have to respond and the various methods adopted. In many districts we are sometimes the only ones who are providing medical aid. We will try, in future, to concentrate our efforts mainly on children, on pregnant women and on young mothers”. Patrizia Collesi