Posted on 01/14/2006 3:05:47 PM PST by LdSentinal
MEIRA, Pakistan - Former U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry toured earthquake-devastated parts of northern Pakistan on Saturday, distributing school uniforms and meeting local leaders at a tent village funded partly by both the United States and communist Cuba.
The visit came amid warnings that heavy snow would blanket the quake zone over the next four to five days, possibly triggering avalanches along the jagged peaks and promising more misery for the 3.5 million people left homeless by the Oct. 8 quake.
"The relief operations will be affected badly," the Pakistan Meteorological Department said.
Kerry toured a camp housing some 18,000 people who survived the 7.6-magnitude quake, which killed 87,000 people, mostly in Pakistani-administered Kashmir and the country's North West Frontier Province. There were 1,350 deaths in India's portion of Kashmir.
"We're sorry you have to go through this," said Kerry, a Democrat from Massachusetts who is a veteran member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Striding between neat rows of plastic tents erected with the help of the United States, Cuba and China, he also visited a makeshift school for 3,000 children. Many of the youngsters had never been to school before coming to Meira.
"It's more impressive in many ways that what I expected," said Kerry, who is on a 12-day trip that includes stops in Afghanistan, Israel, Jordan and Iraq. "It's also really impressive to see the cooperative effort of countries from around the world."
During his stop at the camp, which is alongside a fast-flowing river that cuts a jagged canyon between craggy cliffs, the senator handed out blue school uniforms to boys and girls sitting in the dirt before the tents that serve as classrooms.
The U.S. Agency for International Development paid for the uniforms.
Many camp residents expressed thanks for the aid, but are worried about rebuilding when they return to their wrecked homes in the next few months.
Mohammed Sarfraz, deputy mayor of the camp, told Kerry it was crucial for foreign donors to keep the aid coming after the snows melt and survivors go home.
"We need to live like human beings," Sarfraz said. "There's nothing left there but dust and rubble."
The United Nations said Saturday it will now focus on getting aid to unofficial refugee camps.
There are 26 camps run by the Pakistan military with assistance and provisions from U.N. agencies and other donor organizations, but about 118 unplanned camps have sprung up, U.N. officials said.
"Our rapid assessment of needs after the first biting taste of winter suggests that we need to do more for people in these unplanned camps below the snow line," U.N. relief coordinator Jan Vandemoortele said in a statement.
Authorities must also be on guard for a spike in cold-related illnesses, especially among the young and elderly, he said.
Worrying that the harsh Himalayan weather could trigger a second wave of deaths among the hundreds of thousands of survivors living in tents, aid workers have been racing to deliver as much aid as possible before another snowstorm blocks roads and grounds helicopters. In early January, aid shipments had to shut down during three days of heavy snow.
Officials also have laid plans for dealing with up to 60,000 additional refugees in case the winter drives more people to leave devastated villages in the mountains and move to lower-lying areas
John Kerry visits Earthquake victims in Paki. What positive outcome does anyone expect from this? Is he doing photo ops for future presidential campaigns? [What a loser...]
Did he have his own photo-journalist; as well as media; and where oh where are the prized photos?
Hooray for Sen. Kerry. If he's doing so damn much good there, keep him.
Yes, he did go on a shopping spree with his daughter to buy "supporters."
Some FReepers remember this.
Disgusting.
They're sorry you decided to show up,Frenchy.
I wonder if Teresa accompanied him and advised the Pakistanis to let the children run naked?
Kerry's done more to pad his Senatorial resume since the 04 election than he did in his first 20 years in the Senate.
hahahha
He thinks it will improve his chances for 08.
Quackkkkkk Quackkkkkk. Guess we'll get more duck-hunting photo-ops soon, too.
Where is the nearest "drone"/ unmanned plane?
Disaster follows disaster.
First - they need to stop living as murderous cult members - to achieve "human" status..
Semper Fi
Do they have Purple Heart awards for Senators?
Haven't these poor people suffered enough?
Did kerry entertain the children with stories of his being in Cambodia that one Christmas? Did he share his orange bronzing makeup tips with the local Pakistani women?
What a waste of our tax dollars flying him and his entourage over there, for what?
****The U.S. Agency for International Development paid for the uniforms****
Well: I knew right away Kerry didnt pay for them.
OK what will the taxpayers have to pay for this little junket.
People in tents with snow coming , you can bet the farm Kerry didnt spend the night in any tent with snow coming. More likely in some high class hotel, warm and comfortable, sucking up to whoever passes for the high class in Pakistan.Where was Mamm T did she go? Why didnt Kerry offer one of his 5 houses to the homeless?
Notice also...where he HAD to mention how all countries are helping...
He just has GOT to make sure that his "whole new world order" message gets in there, doesn't he??
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