Islamabad/Washington -- Refugees International (RI) expressed concern over the tragedy of the Pearl Continental Hotel bombing in Peshawar, and urged donor governments to step up their financial support for relief efforts in the country.  With the UN’s $543 million appeal only 25 % funded, RI called on the U.S. to play a leading role in encouraging the European Union, Arab and Muslim countries, Japan and other donor governments to fund programs that assist the two million people uprooted by the conflict in Pakistan.

“We express our condolences to the families and colleagues of the aid workers who lost their lives in Wednesday’s bombing, and to all of those suffering from this attack,” said Kristèle Younès who is part of a Refugees International team in Islamabad this week. “Aid agencies in Pakistan are even more determined to continue their lifesaving work in the face of this tragedy, but the biggest constraint facing their operations right now is a severe lack of funding,”

The U.S. has announced generous support for Pakistan, but Refugees International is concerned that a significant amount of this money is going to support Pakistan’s counter-insurgency and large-scale reconstruction efforts. U.S. military assistance to the Pakistani government is expected to total $3 billion in the next five years, but civilians displaced by the violence are in desperate need of assistance now. According to a senior UN official, the displaced and their host communities are running out of resources and are in need of everything, including food, shelter, drinking water, and sanitation.

The organization continues to urge the Obama Administration to stabilize the country by leading a multinational effort to increase resources to assist those who are trying to survive in the wake of the conflict.

“People are struggling to find food and shelter, and are an easy prey for politically-motivated actors who are using assistance to advance their own agenda,” Younes continued. “The ongoing violence and insecurity in Pakistan is a serious challenge, but donor governments should not use this as an excuse to limit money for urgent supplies for vulnerable civilians.”

Refugees International is a Washington, DC-based organization that advocates to end refugee crises and receives no government or UN funding. Advocates Kristele Younes and Patrick Duplat are in Islamabad until June 12 to assess the needs of displaced Pakistanis. To schedule an interview with them, contact Vanessa Parra, vanessa@refugeesinternational.org; 202-828-0110 x225.

###