Love You All - Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

I would like to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for all your wonderful work and effort in making our Cabaret for Kashmir an astounding success.

Everyone there had an amazing time.

In particular I would like to thank Zul, Tamara, Faisal, Ayesha, Taha, Debbie, Omar, Zaheed, Nadia, Riaz, Tej, Kumail and of course my family for really putting in the effort to make this event smooth and problem free.

Once again, thank you for all your hard work and dedication. Everyone was greatly entertained and felt well looked after. They left Lula Lounge that night with a greater understanding of the suffering of the earthquake victims. I am sure we made an impact on many lives.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

arshad khan

Citizen Action Response Team (CART)

Pakistan's government has said it now believes more than 38,000 people were killed by the South Asian earthquake a week ago.

CART is a group of filmmakers, journalists, activists and Toronto Community members created for disaster relief in South Asia.

Cabaret For Kashmir - Wednesday Nov. 23 2005 fundraiser for south asian earthquake relief
admin Nov 07, 2005
Wednesday, November 23 Doors open 7:00 pm Show 8 - 10 pm Dancing 10:30 - Midnight An enchanted evening of dramatic performances, standup comedy, film, song and dance Cabaret style Featuring prominent Toronto Artists DJ Amira will be spinning Food will be catered by Lula Lounge Raffle Prizes & Silent Auction C A B A R E T o o o o o o o o o o o o o F O R K A S H M I R Tickets: $40 in advance $45 at the door $30 for students, $15 after 10:30 pm TAX Receipt provided upon request All Proceeds will be donated to SOS Children's Village Canada and Oxfam Canada for tickets 647 282 8549 At the Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas West, Toronto (2 blocks west of Dufferin) 416 588 0307 ******THE STARS OF THE NIGHT****** ARTIST LINEUP FOR THE CABARET SARAH SIDDIQUI EUDORA DEESHA IMAN MAYA SABRINA ANAND RAJARAM FARHEEN BEG NAOMI
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archives: Laptop link-up: Muzaffarabad's plight
admin Nov 07, 2005
MUZZAFFARABAD -- On Friday 4 November, four weeks after the devastating South Asian earthquake, BBC News hosted a live link-up with people in the city of Muzaffarabad, which was virtually demolished by the disaster. More than 100,000 homes were destroyed in the city, and residents fear that proper shelter and medical supplies will not arrive before the harsh winter sets in. As part of the link-up children from schools in the British city of Bradford put their questions to people in Muzaffarabad. Read on to find out more about the plight of some of those in Muzaffarabad, and about the Bradford children who took part in the link-up. Children in Muzaffarabad's front line By Neil Arun BBC News, Muzaffarabad Awaiz Asmat had expected to receive a new pair of shoes for Eid this year, replacing his tattered old trainers. <SMALL>Musarrad still mourns with her two surviving sons, Mohsen (l) and Ahsaan (r)</SMALL> Barely days before the big festival, his mother watched as those old trainers were drawn from the rubble of the school, along with the crushed body of her 12-year-old son. A final burial was arranged four weeks after he died for a boy who had impressed his teachers with his memory of the Koran and infuriated his mother with demands for sweet cola drinks and a precocious taste for chewing tobacco. "At least now I have a grave I can pray at," says his mother, Musarrad, tears streaming down her face. The family says it lost nine members - mostly children - to the earthquake that levelled this city four weeks ago, at the onset of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In shock MUZAFFARABAD QUAKE IMPACT Pakistan death toll: 73,276 Death toll in Muzaffarabad district: 33,724 Population of Muzaffarabad district in 2002: 833,000 Children killed by quake: 17,000 Sources: Unicef; local government As Ramadan approaches its climax with the festival of Eid, there is little festive cheer in this household. Musarrad says she has nothing to live for - her husband died a decade ago and the sewing school she worked in to support her family was destroyed in the quake. She rests her head on the younger of her two surviving sons, Ahsaan. Thirteen-year-old Ahsaan is silent and withdrawn, half the hairs on his head turned white by shock. He too was meant to have been at school on the day of the earthquake - but arriving late, he instead ended up playing in the yard and was spared the fate of his brother. "Only 14 out of 40 children escaped that classroom alive," he murmurs, staring at the floor. Games in the dust According to the United Nations' children's fund, Unicef, children account for almost one-third of deaths in the earthquake. Unicef teams in Muzaffarabad have been working with some of the quake's most vulnerable victims - the children, many themselves injured, who survived to see their friends buried. Near a school set up in a tent, we are introduced to Shabnam, a 12-year-old with a hand permanently clasped against a wounded left eye. "I went upstairs to fetch a pen for my teacher when the school's floor began to shake like a swing," she says. Her mother found her covered in blood and keeps hugging her, grateful she survived. "She used to pester us to buy her new clothes every Eid," says her mother. "But this year she has asked for nothing." A crowd gathers around the tent school and more tales of loss emerge. But among the sobbing adults, there are also some smiling faces - the first I have seen all day. These are children too young to grieve, devising new games in the dust of the refugee camps. The young who were at the front line of Kashmir's earthquake are raising the first laughs from its rubble. Bradford schools unite for quake victims By Jenny Matthews BBC News, Bradford For many people in the UK, the South Asian earthquake is a distant event whose magnitude is hard to comprehend. "To them a pencil is as precious as a laptop. It makes you realise what you've got" Sadia Ahmed But for some, including many British children, it is a very real disaster. The Yorkshire city of Bradford has very close ties with Pakistan - about 70,000 of its 460,000 or so population are Muslims of Pakistani descent. Many of them have families in the quake area and have lost close family members. Almost every single Muslim in the city knows someone who was affected. The pupils at the inner-city Byron and Thornbury primary schools are no exceptions. About 90% of them are Muslim, many hailing from the Mirpur area of Kashmir - close to the disaster zone. "The earthquake has affected me," says 10-year-old Hamzah Hassa, a pupil at Thornbury. "It's made me very sad. Two of my family friends died." Eid in perspective The children display a striking empathy with children in the earthquake zone. And many are acutely aware of their different circumstances, highlighted by the fact that it is currently Eid, the Muslim festival which breaks Ramadan, the month of fasting. The Bradford children are excited about Eid, listing "visits to cousins", "money and presents" and "trainers" as things they are particularly looking forward to. Yet their peers in Pakistan are "walking to a school in a tent, without any shoes". All say they feel "very sad" at their plight - and very fortunate to be living in Bradford. "I'm trying to take more care of things at school," says Byron's Sadia Ahmed, 10. "They treat a pencil like a laptop. We have all these things - laptops, whiteboards, overhead projectors, but to them a pencil is as precious as a laptop. It makes you realise what you've got and stop taking anything for granted." "A sponsored silence doesn't sound like a lot, but it feels a lot when you're doing it" Bilal Ahmed All this has led to a huge desire to help. The children at Thornbury have held a slew of fundraising activities, including an auction in which the prizes included clothes, toys, and a limousine ride. Fundraising ideas at Byron include a one-hour sponsored silence. "Last time we did it for 15 minutes," explains 10-year-old Bilal Ahmed. "It doesn't sound a lot when you talk about it, but it feels a lot when you're doing it." The children are as yet showing no signs of the donor fatigue of which the Western world has sometimes been accused. The two schools - possibly with the wider local cluster of schools known as BD3 4ALL - are actively considering forging long-term ties with a school in Pakistan. This would not only help children in Pakistan, but would have much wider benefits for the Bradford children, the schools' head teachers believe. Thornbury's Angus King says: "The children can learn more about life there and develop an understanding of their own selves".
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archives: Horizon of Hope. Helping the Earthquake Victims Rebuild. Nov 25 2005
admin Nov 02, 2005
Helping the Earthquake Victims Rebuild. Horizon of Hope. November 25, 2005. 7pm. Mission Statement: The University students in the GTA want to make a positive contribution to the rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of the earthquake in South Asia and to ensure the awareness of the situation in South Asia continues way after the media coverage ceases. We are a coalition of GTA University student clubs, organisations and associations who have come together to help rebuild the lives of the earthquake victims. Venue: Taj Banquet Hall is located in the heart of Toronto on Steeles Avenue just west of highway 400. 4611-4619 Steeles Avenue West (just west of Hwy 400) Downsview , ON Contact: Ausma Malik St. George - SAC Office (416) 978-4911, ext.237 ausma[@]sac.utoronto.ca Kashfia Iqbal UTM - SAC Office (905) 828-5494 kashfia[@]sac.utoronto.ca Shaila Kibria SAC Vice President Equity. University of Toronto. 12 Hart House Circle Toronto, Ontario 416-978-4911 x237
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archives: South Asian Earthquake Vigil - Tuesday November 8th
admin Nov 02, 2005
SOUTH ASIAN EARTHQUAKE VIGIL Tuesday, November 8, 2005 \| 1 Month Anniversary Cities Around The World Come Together Help us bring light back to the tragedy There is much work left to be done SOUTH ASIAN QUAKE CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL: TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8TH 2005 6 P.M. DUNDAS SQUARE (OPPOSITE EATON CENTER) TORONTO THEY STILL NEED US -- WE MUST NOT ABANDON THEM Don't forget the 3 million homeless victims of the South Asian Earthquake Don't forget the 74,000 injured people Don't forget the 8,000 destroyed schools Don't forget the 79,000 deaths Don't forget that more people will die from the cold than from the earthquake •As the media's attention drifts away from South Asia, remember that 100,000 survivors are at risk of dying in the coming weeks and more will follow if help is not given to them. To mark the one month anniversary of the South Asian Earthquake Join us for a CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL to grieve for lives lost, provide hope to those still struggling to survive, draw the world's attention to the work that still needs to be done. Our individual voices can be one loud message of support, hope and action. TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8TH 2005 6 P.M. DUNDAS SQUARE (OPPOSITE EATON CENTER) TORONTO For more info: www.saquake.org www.yourdil.org/vigil Earthquake_victims[@]yahoo.com COME LIGHT A CANDLE For anyone that is interested in how they can help please call me 416 856 7933 or email Arshad : arshad [ @ ] rogers .com .
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archives: VERY DETAILED REPORTING BY A DOCTOR WHO WAS PROVIDING RELIEF TO THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS
admin Oct 19, 2005
VERY DETAILED REPORTING BY A DOCTOR WHO WAS PROVIDING RELIEF TO THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS: MBBS Haris Iqbal. Mayo Hospital Lahore Largest Public Hostpital in Pakistan with the biggest emergency department in Asia. Edited excerpt of REPORT Ocober 17th 2005: Salam all, I have just returned from the affected areas where i have been trying to help with relief operations. I was mainly in and area around Batgram in NWFP. There are certain things that I felt were wrong with the relief operations that I would like to bring to your attention. 1. ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT vs NGO's Anyone, especially doctors who go there now should keep in mind that they are better off going through army authorities and not with the many mushrooming NGO's. Many of these NGO's are ineffective and a lot of them are just there to make a quick buck. Please send your money and goods to army camps or the presidential relief fund as I find it to be the most reliable at this time. The Army is the only major organized force out there and they really are doing a very appreciable job. I feel indebted to them as a member of this Pakistani nation. I have been somewhat critical of the army in the past but in this time of need, they are the only people who are doing something which really counts. Without their help, it would have been a disaster of an even greater magnitude. 2. ROLE OF DOCTORS Doctors and medical staff should keep in mind that the basic need in those areas is not of first aid or emergency surgical intervention. The greatest need is for general practitioners who can treat basic ailments for example infected wounds, dressing, flu, cough, acid peptic disease (quite common in those areas as i noticed), constipation, malaria, diarrhoea,scabies(one of the most common diseases there as i noticed) etc. I saw a lot of teams coming and then leaving in haste after thinking that they were probably not needed in the area. Well, doctors are needed in the area in huge numbers but in a different role than the people usually have in their minds when they go there. 3. MOST AFFECTED PEOPLE People along the main roads are able to get medical help. It is the ones living on the peripheries and in the mountains that are not getting the aid they need. I saw a lot of cases who had their wounds tended but there is no place to change the bandages and their wounds are becoming infected. The people living in the mountains and far off villages that were most effected are not willing to leave their homes and villages. Even if they come to the main roads and camps to get relef aid, medicines etc, they dont bring their children and wives with them, many of whom were wounded in the disaster. I encountered a lot of people who had their children and wives at their far off homes and who had very badly infected wounds and swellings but they couldnt bring their families with them either because they were unwilling to do so or because of logistical problems. A person came to me and said "doctor sahab, my girl had a wound on her head and now she is having fever and the wound is very dirty and her neck and shoulders are now swelling. please give me some medicine for her" i asked him to bring her otherwise she would die of infection. He told me that he couldnt bring her as his village was a 3 hours walk away from there. I asked him if he could gather 3 or 4 people in his village and they can help him carry his daughter to this camp. He told me that it was impossible because there are such casualties in every home of his village. This was only one case out of thousands and that should help you understand the magnitude of the crisis. 4. LOOTING AND THEFT There is huge looting of trucks going on in all the areas. Local people, who are not that much effected by the disaster are looting a lot of trucks belonging to the people doing the relief operation. I can assure you that most of the people involved in looting are the people who were not that much effected by the disaster. They are doing it as a sort of fun. i have seen local people looting and then joking about it. They usually gather in huge numbers along the roads and then start looting any truck that comes their way, specially those ones which are not protected by the army convoys. A few people working in the area told me that the first 2 trucks that were looted were looted by the Nazim of the area of Chhattar Plane. These looters are not letting the workers deliver relief goods to the most effected areas. Looting of the houses of the areas effected by the disaster is also very common. I heard of 2 drivers getting killed during those lootings. There may be other unreported deaths as well. I also heard of people getting free medical help from camps, aquiring medicines in large quantities on some pretence and then selling them to local medical store. I dont know whether they did it on their own or they were specifically sent by medical store people. I was astonished when i saw an army helicopter being looted right infront of our camp which was adjacent to an army unit placed in the area. The heli had imprinted on it the insignia of U.S.navy and Black hawks. about a 1000 to 1500 people ran toward the heli as soon as it landed and overwhelmed the people inside with their huge number. About 50 people were successfull in snatching something or other out of the heli and fleeing before people from army unit were able to take any control. The army people were outwitted and outnumbered. I happened to make a video and snap a few photographs of this whole scene with my mobile but unfortunately I had to keep my distance and thats why the pictures and videos are not that clear. Most of the people standing in queues infront of the relief camps are the ones who were not effected by the disaster directly. They r there just to collect and store goods or even to sell those goods in market after getting them from relief camps. This is something very common in the area and these undeserving people are not any different from the people who are involved in looting. Many people were seen selling the warm blankets for 100 or 150 rupees in the market after getting them from relief camps. Local people are more interested in looting than in relief work. In my opinion, the most damage to relief operations is being caused by "such kind of local people", who to everybody's disappointment are in huge numbers. I saw local people, sitting idle, doing nothing along the roads in huge numbers and they just sat there all day. These people could be a huge help with relief efforts due to their knowledge of and proximity to the effected areas. A lot of people came to us and said " doctor sahab, there is huge need in this village or that village as nobody is helpig those people". This is all they would do. They were willing to tell us that there was help needed in some area but they were not willing to lend a hand to their brethren in the area and help them. 5. TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM There is a huge problem of transport in the area. The transportation companies have raised their prices manyfolds; for local transport as well as transport of relief goods. 8. PRICE GOUGING Prices of things of daily use in the area has also been increased manyfolds in many cases. This is mostly done by local shopkeepers. 9. HIGHEST NEED The thing most in demand in the whole area is "tents". As most of the people in the area are afraid to sleep under their roofs, they sleep outdoors and for that they need a huge number of tents. Add to this the number of people who became homeless in disaster and you may get the picture of the enormity of this diaster. 10. ADMINISTRATION AND GOVERNMENT Local administration in many areas is totally finished. The only credible administration that is seen in the area is due to the presence of army. Army is the only force that is preventing the looters and other people bent upon breaking the law and order. Note: TO CONTACT Dr. Iqbal please click here and use our contact us form. All messages will be forwarded to Dr. Iqbal asap.
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archives: SOS Children's Villages steps up aid for South Asia earthquake survivors
admin Oct 17, 2005
Tens of thousands of people have been killed and thousands of others are homeless or severely injured, following the devastating earthquake which ripped through large areas of Northern Pakistan and India on 8 October 2005. SOS Children's Villages is stepping up its emergency relief efforts for survivors in Jammu and Kashmir. www.soschildrensvillages.ca
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archives: CART appeal on disaster relief
admin Oct 16, 2005
According to all the major dailies of Canada (including the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star) the official figure of the dead in Pakistan's catastrophic earthquake is now at 54,000 dead. According to the BBC 3.3 million people have been made homeless and over 60,000 are injured many in serious condition requiring medical aid. According to the BBC report today 16th October 2005: "The World Health Organization has warned that survivors could face the risk of hypothermia as winter snows begin settling on mountain peaks. The authorities have delivered 18,000 tents to the affected regions, far short of the 100,000 initially needed." According to the BBC report on saturday: "The UN children's' agency, Unicef, said children in affected areas faced a potentially deadly combination of cold, malnutrition and disease. Another organisation, Save the Children, said there were reports of children succumbing to exposure. UK charity Oxfam said thousands of tents and blankets needed to be moved into remote areas where roads were barely passable at the best of times. Villagers have been walking to relief camps to beg for tents. Mohammed Qassim, who lives in Tungli village, five kilometres (three miles) from Balakot in Pakistan, told Associated Press: "We're asking for just one tent. For the sake of God, please give me one tent. Three families can live in it." " Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK, Maleeha Lodhi, on Sunday admitted international aid so far given was "insufficient for what we need". These points reenforce my appeal to pressure Canadian Red Cross and World Vision to send aircraft supplies to Pakistan which people on the ground working there are requesting urgently. While we enjoy our weekend off in Canada, Pakistan's meteorological bureau in Islamabad has forecast more rain for Monday followed by a cold snap. I have already made it clear to these organizations as well as Air Canada that there are people willing to accept these supplies and take them to areas affected by the earthquake. You have the full cooperation of people in Toronto working towards a relief effort as well as the Pakistan Army and Government representatives in pakistan. I will reiterate that the latest information from Pakistan relays a serious lack of tents, medical and surgical supplies and blankets. Every day counts. According to A.H.Waqar (working with the Pakistani Consulate), there are 7 thousand tents lying in a warehouse in Toronto ready to be shipped out but no one to take them. I am appealing to the Canadian Red Cross and to World Vision Canada to get their resources together and take action now before its too late. I am encouraging all CART members, friends and supporters to contact these organizations via fax, telephone or email and continue to request that relief aid be collected from Toronto and sent to Pakistan as soon as possible. Lisa Moody World Vision: 1-800 268 1650 ex 3845 Tim Hoscwitschka National Office of the Red Cross Canada: 1 613 740 1900 Thank you Arshad Khan CART Member
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Events: First Upcoming Event:
admin Oct 15, 2005
Innis Town Hall Sunday October 23, 2005 1:30 p.m. Tickets C$35.00 Limited seating for only 200 guests for this fundraising screening of a documentary film about the women of Saudi Arabia. 100% of the proceeds will be forwarded to UNICEF in support of disaster relief in South Asia. The Canadian Government will match any all funds donated via officially registered charities and tax receipts will be available. Details to follow. Note: This film fundraising event is an independent fundraiser which is endorsed by CART.
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Love You All - Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Citizen Action Response Team (CART)

SOUTH ASIAN EARTHQUAKE VIGIL