Sunday, November 20, 2005

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for a greater world response to the earthquake victims in Pakistan, where relief agencies say thousands in the Himalayas face death from exposure."There are no excuses," Annan said. "If we are to show ourselves worthy of calling ourselves members of humankind, we must rise to this challenge. Our response will be no less than a measure of our humanity."UNICEF said it has yet to reach an estimated 120,000 children in Pakistan's mountainous north, and about 10,000 of those could die of hunger, hypothermia and disease within a few weeks. Annan called on international groups, such as NATO and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, to contribute helicopters, trucks and heavy-lifting equipment. Relief agencies need up to 45,000 more winterized tents, 2 million blankets and sleeping bags, water, sanitation equipment and food supplies, he said. Annan urged governments and relief agencies to send representatives "at the highest level" to a donors conference in Geneva next week.He said that international donors have pledged a little more than 8 percent -- or $37 million -- of the $312 million that relief agencies estimate is needed. (See which agencies accept donations)By contrast, donors responded to the U.N. goal for tsunami relief funds within 10 days of the Indian Ocean region disaster last December, Annan said.Some 3 million in Pakistan remain homeless, and the country now faces "a second wave of massive death," Annan said.The October 8 quake already has been blamed for the deaths of 47,700 people and injuries to 67,000 in Pakistan, according to its government. India says the magnitude 7.6 quake killed another 1,200 people there.Regional authorities in Pakistan, however, cite a much higher death toll -- more than 79,000 -- based on information filtering in from outlying areas and as more bodies are pulled from the rubble of collapsed buildings, The Associated Press reported Thursday. Kashmir border contactsMeanwhile, India has welcomed moves by Pakistan to free up the movement of people across the border that separates the disputed territory of Kashmir following the devastating October 8 earthquake in the region.Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday urged India to allow the people of divided Kashmir to help each other deal with the disaster, offering free relief movement across the border."If Kashmiris from Indian-controlled Kashmir want to come and take part in the relief efforts, they are most welcome," Musharraf said at a news conference in Muzaffarabad.In New Delhi, Navtej Sarna of the Ministry of External affairs said the Pakistani's leader's comment was a "welcome step in line with India's policy of increasing people-to-people contact over the Line of Control."Kashmir, in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, has been disputed by Pakistan, India and China since 1947. The Line of Control divides Pakistani-controlled Kashmir from the Indian-controlled area, and the two rivals have fought three wars over the territory since 1947.New Delhi had offered helicopters to assist in relief missions, but turned down a Pakistani suggestion that it send military helicopters without crews, The Associated Press reported. Sarna said India would welcome additional contacts from Pakistan on the practical steps for allowing Kashmiris to move across the line.Still, conflict in Indian Kashmir continues with suspected Islamic militants killing the state's education minister during a raid Tuesday. (Full story)Earlier, a spokesman for India's Department of Telecommunications said four centers would be set up at Srinagar, Jammu, Uri and Tangdhar to help families contact relatives on the other side of the border."These centers will permit people in Jammu and Kashmir who have relatives in Muzaffarabad to contact them on telephone, free of charge, for the next fortnight."On Wednesday a pair of aftershocks rattled northern Pakistan. A 5.8-magnitude temblor hit about 80 miles (130 km) north of Islamabad, Pakistan around 7:33 a.m. (10:33 p.m. ET Tuesday). Less than an hour later and only 5 miles to the west, a 5.6-magnitude quake struck at 8:16 a.m. (11:16 p.m. ET). CNN's Becky Anderson, Satinder Bindra, Ram Ramgopal and Syed Mohsin Naqvi contributed to this report. Copyright 2005 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

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