wfn.org | ELCA Helps Refugees, Internally Displaced People in Afghanistan

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 4, 2001

ELCA HELPS REFUGEES, INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE IN AFGHANISTAN
01-243-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- International Disaster Response of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided an initial
$150,000 this month to support millions of people in Afghanistan, who
have fled their homes as a result of years of civil conflicts, natural
disasters and poverty.
     The threat of retaliation for the attack and destruction of the
World Trade Center, New York, and attack on the Pentagon, Arlington,
Va., on Sept. 11 has "resulted in a withdrawal of international
humanitarian actors from Afghanistan," said the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida,
director for international communication, ELCA Division for Global
Mission.
     The fear of U.S. military attacks on the country has also forced
people to flee their homes, causing them to become internally displaced
or refuged in neighboring Iran, Pakistan or Tajikistan, said Ishida.
     For the last 24 years, Afghanistan has been hit hard by disasters
of various nature, such as an earthquake in 1998 and drought conditions
in 2000, that have severely affected the lives and livelihood of the
entire population directly or indirectly, said Ishida.
     Humanitarian agencies estimate that 1.1 million Afghans are
already internally displaced due to drought and accompanying food
shortage, as well as armed conflict and fear of an imminent retaliatory
attack by the United States, Ishida said.
     "There is widespread destruction of social and economic fabrics of
the Afghan society as a result of the ongoing armed conflict, extreme
poverty and absence of social services.  The collapse of state
institutions contribute to the worsening of the humanitarian situation,"
Ishida said.
     Members of the ELCA contribute funds to the church's International
Disaster Response fund.  Coordinated through the ELCA Division for
Global Mission, International Disaster Response helps relief agencies
provide funds for food, medicine, drinking water, emergency shelter and
other materials and supplies.  Funds are also sent to rebuild
communities and to repair structures destroyed by major disasters.
     The funds sent by the ELCA will help support the relief efforts
coordinated by Action by Churches Together (ACT), which has been
responding to some of the humanitarian needs in Afghanistan, Iran,
Pakistan and Tajikistan.  ACT is a worldwide network of churches and
related agencies meeting human need through coordinated emergency
response.  It is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.  The ELCA is a member of
both the WCC and LWF.  ACT is utilizing the resources of LWF and WCC.
     ACT's objective is to alleviate the suffering of the vulnerable
local population, displaced people and refugees, Ishida said.  "Specific
plans include providing water and sanitary materials, shelter, food and
non-food items, counseling and medical assistance," he said.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html