OneWorld.net (U.S.)

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 27 (OneWorld) - The world's rich nations are under fire from international humanitarian aid groups for failing to provide enough funds for relief activities in northern Pakistan where millions of earthquake survivors are in dire need of help. "Governments are failing to respond to an emergency appeal," said Jo Leadbeater, advocacy director of the international aid group Oxfam. "They must put their hands in their pockets and pay their fair share." As the United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan was renewing his appeal for more financial help from international donors Wednesday, Oxfam said the public would be "shocked to know that so many rich governments have given so little." Despite Annan's urgent call for additional aid last week, the UN appeal remains less than 20 percent funded, and wealthy nations have only pledged $90 million out of the $312 million initially requested by the UN. Sweden, the Netherlands, Luxemburg, and Denmark are the only countries that have given more than their "fair share," according to Oxfam officials who note that seven countries have so far "given nothing at all" to the UN. They include prosperous European nations such as France, Belgium, Austria, Finland, Greece, Portugal, and Spain. By contrast much poorer countries Chile and Poland have made generous contributions. The United States, Germany, Japan, and Italy did contribute but only less than 20 percent of their fair share to the UN appeal, Oxfam officials said, calling their slow response "depressingly familiar." On Wednesday in New York and Geneva UN officials warned that the current death toll of some 50,000 could double if aid is not immediately mobilized to those still trapped in the high mountains of the Himalayan region. "The death toll in Pakistan is still expected to rise," Annan told a high-level donor conference in Geneva . "If we do not step up our efforts now, a second massive wave of death will happen." The conference is being attended by more than 300 delegates from 100 countries. UN officials say they expect new pledges will be made at the meeting in response to Annan's fresh appeal for $550 million. "For the next few days and weeks, we literally remain in life-saving phase," Annan said, adding that thousands of people still were still waiting for urgent medical help in the affected areas. The October 8 earthquake in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and parts of India and Afghanistan has left about three million people homeless, many amongst them completely cut off from the rest of the world. UN officials in the region describe the human and economic devastation as "unprecedented in the history of the subcontinent," as hundreds of towns and villages have completely disappeared. In addition to massive destruction of hospitals, schools, and office buildings, they say, the earthquake has also damaged many roads and mountain tracks, which is making it harder for relief workers to reach out to the survivors. As the scope and size of the tragedy has become dramatically obvious, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is now stressing the need for increased logistical air support to deliver life-saving items. "Thousands of injured, dehydrated, and undernourished survivors, sheltering in the fields in makeshift shelters or in the open air in temperatures below zero, are likely to die unless they can be reached before the harsh winter starts," OCHA said in a statement. While over 100 international organizations, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the European Union (EU), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), immediately poured money into the country, the UN said the repose provided so far has been "inadequate." "Every dollar, euro, or yen committed today will save lives," Annan told the donors' meeting in Geneva. "Every helicopter provided will rescue the injured, among them hundreds of children. Every shelter erected will save a family from the ravages of winter." While fully supporting Annan's new call for additional money, Oxfam fears that the UN efforts may fail to draw donors' attention. The group says a recent study by its researchers has shown that in most cases the UN emergency appeals receive only less than 30 percent of required funding. "These delays can cost thousands of people their lives. What will it take rich countries to learn this obvious lesson?" Oxfam's Leadbeater wonders. Oxfam suggests that the UN urgently needs to set up a "properly resourced" global emergency fund that can plug gaps and deliver aid immediately. "Until a one billion-dollar fund exists, the chaotic passing of the begging bowl will go on and people who survived disaster will continue to die while they wait for aid," says Leadbeater.