51109 Pakistan Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

Tawana Jacobs (202-552-6534 or [email protected]) Nasserie Carew (202-552-6561 or [email protected])

InterAction Members Respond to the Crisis in Pakistan Washington, DC (May 11, 2009)—The recent fighting between the Pakistani government and Taliban militants in the Lower Dir, Buner, and Swat regions of northwest Pakistan has triggered a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation and as many as 200,000 people have been displaced in the last four days. People are continuing to flee to camps and are seeking shelter with friends and relatives. According to some estimates, new displacement over the next week—in addition to a half million pre-existing displaced persons—could bring the total number of dislocated people in this region of Pakistan up to 1.3 million in 2009. InterAction member organizations are providing shelter, health care, clean water and sanitation, food and education. ###

A regularly updated list of agencies responding is available at: www.interaction.org/pakistan InterAction has also developed guidelines on the most appropriate ways to help those affected by overseas disasters: http://www.interaction.org/disaster/guide_giving.html. InterAction is a coalition of more than 175 US-based private relief, international development and refugee assistance organizations. InterAction members have agreed to abide by a set of standards to ensure accountability to donors, professional competence and quality of service.