Solidarity with the Pakistan flood victims – support the Youth Relief Camp

As the people of Pakistan face one of the gravest natural disasters in history, grassroots activists, trade unionists, socialists and young people are taking matters into their own hands.

No wonder. President Zardari didn’t even return to Pakistan when the crisis hit. Governments internationally have branded Pakistan as a haven for terrorists...and international aid so far has been pitiful. The Pakistani bosses’ government is more worried about law and order than lives.

But in Lahore and Gujranwala, the Youth Relief Camp has been formed by young people and socialists to raise money and supplies to send to the flooded regions. It has already collected R50,000 (rupees) as well as food, medicines, blankets and other emergency supplies.

The situation in Pakistan is urgent. Now 20 million people have been displaced by the disaster and are in need of emergency assistance. Only paltry amounts have been promised by international donors through the United Nations, whilst disease could spread quickly in the affected areas.

But just as seriously, Pakistani people are suffering a food crisis. The flooding has drowned the fertile land of the Punjab region, which millions of Pakistanis depend on to get by. Already capitalists and speculators are using this to drive up prices in a sickening attempt to profiteer out of the hungry. The poor and dispossessed in Pakistan urgently need basic emergency food stuffs and other supplies. We urge brothers and sisters across the international labour movement to quickly come to the aid of grassroots campaigns in Pakistan responding to this crisis, and challenging the do-nothing government.

If you would like to donate to the work of the Youth Relief Camp please contact:

League for the Fifth International
BCM Box 7750
London
WC1N 3XX
Tel: +44(0)2077084331