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AMV is making an urgent appeal to help
the earthquake victims in Pakistan
My dear friends,
As you all know by now, Pakistan (country of my origin and roots) has been hit by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6. Kashmir has been hit the hardest. The people of Kashmir didn't have an easy life to begin with. Rough terrain, fierce weather, not enough food to sustain and lack of warm clothes and shoes make life hard for hard working Kashmiris. The earthquake has wiped out many villages. Buildings collapsed, burying people alive. There are a few survivors. Even if you are one of those few fortunate ones, your children are missing and you do not know if they are alive or not.
The earthquake demolished two school buildings and over 650 children are buried. Imagine being a parent in these circumstances. You can hear soft pleas and weakening soft noises from the rubble but you can't do anything but hope against hope that one of those voices is your little one. I can't bear the thought of those parents' pain and helplessness.
My dear fellow Americans, I have believed in your generosity, kindness, open mind and compassion for a long time and have been relaying the same message to Muslims, Arabs and South Asians for over four years now (since the plight of these communities, after the tragedy of 9/11).
This is a time when all of you could help not only the victims of this natural disaster but restore faith in humanity by reaching out to the victims by crossing borders and religious boundaries. I know you all see it as I do-- that this is not a Muslim or Pakistani issue but a human issue.
I am so grateful to all of you for your continuing support. Please donate generously to help your human family.
Let us serve our creator by serving his creation together.
Here is how you can get involved and help.
We need funds to help the survivors. More urgently, people who are trapped under the mountains of rubble need to be rescued, especially our young children. President Bush has sent eight helicopters but we need more.
Action items:
1: We need helicopters that can carry heavy rescue equipment to remote ares.
2: California earthquake trained firefighter and search/ rescue team with K9 dogs for guidance.
3: Trained medical staff and equipment, specializing in earthquake disasters( crushed bodies and broken bones).
4: Tents and sleeping bags. ( It is very cold in Kashmir)
5:Generous donations to help the survivors.
6: Please call President Bush and thank him for sending 8 helicopters but request to send more, which can carry heavy equipment to the remote areas.
Please call White House now (202) 456-1414, your Senator and Congress Representative. http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
Please make checks payable to the organization of your choice and mail it to,
American Muslim Voice
39675 Cedar Blvd, Suite 295- D
Newark, Ca 94560
Thank you,
Samina Faheem Sundas
Executive Director,
American Muslim Voice
650-387-1994
Here are some of the organizations working for disaster relief in Pakistan
EDHI Foundation
http://www.paks.net/edhi-foundation/
Islamic Relief
http://www.irw.org/
Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Relief
http://wwwreliefonline.org/index.html
Hidaya Foundation
http://www.hidaya.org
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
http://www.ifrc.org/helpnow/donate/donate_response.asp
World Food Program (United Nations):
http://www.wfp.org/how_to_help/donate_online/online.asp?section=4&sub_section
UNICEF:
http://www.unicef.org/
American Red Cross
Address 2025 E Street N.W.
20006 Washington D.C
Contact Information Tel: (1) (202) 303.52.79 (General) / (1) (202) 303.52.11 (International Policy and Relations)
Pakistan Red Crescent Society
www.prcs.org.pk
October 10, 2005
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