Grab Your Running Shoes:
Madison’s Chance to Help Raise Money for Pakistan Relief
Madison’s Chance to Help Raise Money for Pakistan Relief
By Laura Salinger
On Sept. 25, UW-Madison student groups-in conjunction with the
Red Cross-will host Run for Relief (a 5k and 8k walk/run) in order to
raise money for Pakistan relief efforts. The South Asia
Forum-Madison, the Indian Graduate Students Association, the
Muslim Students Association, and the Pakistani Students
Association have joined forces to help flood-ravaged Pakistan and
the estimated 18 to 21 million people who have been affected by the
tragedy. The groups will also host a cultural show-tentatively set for
Oct. 14 and set to include spoken word, dance, music, and
theatrical pieces-in order to raise much needed funds and help raise
awareness about the monsoon-related disaster.
According to the Washington Post, the flooding has left at least
1,750 people dead, affected more than 18 million and inflicted nearly
On Sept. 25, UW-Madison student groups-in conjunction with the
Red Cross-will host Run for Relief (a 5k and 8k walk/run) in order to
raise money for Pakistan relief efforts. The South Asia
Forum-Madison, the Indian Graduate Students Association, the
Muslim Students Association, and the Pakistani Students
Association have joined forces to help flood-ravaged Pakistan and
the estimated 18 to 21 million people who have been affected by the
tragedy. The groups will also host a cultural show-tentatively set for
Oct. 14 and set to include spoken word, dance, music, and
theatrical pieces-in order to raise much needed funds and help raise
awareness about the monsoon-related disaster.
According to the Washington Post, the flooding has left at least
1,750 people dead, affected more than 18 million and inflicted nearly
Laura
Salinger is a
freelance
writer based
in Madison,
Wis.
Salinger is a
freelance
writer based
in Madison,
Wis.
$43 billion worth of damage to infrastructure and agriculture since it began. Yet, student groups and Pakistan Americans are concerned that
although more people have been affected by this disaster when compared to Haiti, media coverage and fundraising for aid is not what it
should be.
Dr. Amna Buttar, MD, a former UW-Madison professor and noteworthy Pakistan humanitarian who founded the Asian-American Network
Against Abuse of human rights (ANAA), spoke with Asian Wisconzine several days before she planned to return to Pakistan and help with
relief efforts. Dr. Buttar, who was born and raised in Pakistan, has long been leading humanitarian efforts in her native country. Despite some
danger (she was beaten by police in 2007 at the Supreme Court of Pakistan where she had gone to express solidarity with suspended Chief
Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry), Dr. Buttar continues her battle against human rights abuses in Pakistan. Now, she is shifting her focus
to relief efforts. She says, as a Pakistan native, it is simply her duty.
“I’m doing this because I feel like more people like me need to be doing this,” she says. “Right now people are in need. A lot of these
people who are affected are poor people. And a lot of these people are committed to their land. Their crops are destroyed. Their livelihoods
are destroyed. ”
Dr. Buttar says now is a very crucial time to help Pakistan. She points to a very sensitive topic (that she and several students suggest
may be one of the root causes for American lack of interest): the war on terror. This, however, she says should be the primary reason that
more people are concerned in getting aid to Pakistan.
“Pakistan is a big ally in the war against terror,” she says. “There are, however, these pockets of terrorists. How do we prevent this?
“The only way to prevent this is people to people contact. The way to have contact is to help. It is an opportunity for us to take a situation that
is devastating and change it.
although more people have been affected by this disaster when compared to Haiti, media coverage and fundraising for aid is not what it
should be.
Dr. Amna Buttar, MD, a former UW-Madison professor and noteworthy Pakistan humanitarian who founded the Asian-American Network
Against Abuse of human rights (ANAA), spoke with Asian Wisconzine several days before she planned to return to Pakistan and help with
relief efforts. Dr. Buttar, who was born and raised in Pakistan, has long been leading humanitarian efforts in her native country. Despite some
danger (she was beaten by police in 2007 at the Supreme Court of Pakistan where she had gone to express solidarity with suspended Chief
Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry), Dr. Buttar continues her battle against human rights abuses in Pakistan. Now, she is shifting her focus
to relief efforts. She says, as a Pakistan native, it is simply her duty.
“I’m doing this because I feel like more people like me need to be doing this,” she says. “Right now people are in need. A lot of these
people who are affected are poor people. And a lot of these people are committed to their land. Their crops are destroyed. Their livelihoods
are destroyed. ”
Dr. Buttar says now is a very crucial time to help Pakistan. She points to a very sensitive topic (that she and several students suggest
may be one of the root causes for American lack of interest): the war on terror. This, however, she says should be the primary reason that
more people are concerned in getting aid to Pakistan.
“Pakistan is a big ally in the war against terror,” she says. “There are, however, these pockets of terrorists. How do we prevent this?
“The only way to prevent this is people to people contact. The way to have contact is to help. It is an opportunity for us to take a situation that
is devastating and change it.
We need to help the needy people, to make sure they don’t fall
into the hands of the opportunists. If we want to combat terrorism,
we have to empower the ordinary person. One way to empower
the people is to help with flood relief.”
Ayeshah Emon, a Ph.D. student at UW-Madison and Pakistan
native who is coordinating the 5k and 8k run/walk and cultural
show, says everyone needs to care about what is happening in
Pakistan because it is, simply put, the right thing to do.
“We need to care because we cannot afford not to care,” she
says. “I speak from a humanitarian perspective as much as a
political perspective. We can no longer harbor the old “us vs.
them” mindset. Certainly, death, disease, earthquakes and floods
do not make those kinds of distinctions when they strike.”
Emon echoed Dr. Buttar’s sentiment that now is a critical time to
help Pakistan. She also suggested that media coverage of the
flooding has been lackluster in truly portraying the devastation
caused to innocent people.
“I think American people will care about the situation in
Pakistan if they are informed about the extent of destruction the
floods have caused, but American mass media has not really
stepped up and given the issue the attention it deserves. The
floods have brought disease, desperation and destitution to over
20 million people. When people are this vulnerable, there is a high
probability of falling prey to those who show them sympathy.
Isolation by the international community at this time may render
people more vulnerable to the suggestions of extremist groups -
another reason why we must not ignore the situation in Pakistan.”
At the end of the day, Emon says, people need to come
together in the name of goodwill and care about the devastation of
their fellow human beings. Emon hopes events like the run/walk
and cultural show will draw people together and raise awareness
and relief funds for Pakistan and its people.
The race will begin at 7 a.m. (sign up at 6:45 a.m.) on
Saturday, Sept. 25 at the Memorial Union lakefront (beside the
Union Theatre entrance) on the UW-Madison campus. A Run for
Relief pre-registration form is available at http://runforrelief.wufoo.
com/forms/run-for-relief-2010/ or by visiting http://pakistan.rso.
wisc.edu/. People who wish to donate but cannot attend should
contact runforrelief10@gmail.com.
into the hands of the opportunists. If we want to combat terrorism,
we have to empower the ordinary person. One way to empower
the people is to help with flood relief.”
Ayeshah Emon, a Ph.D. student at UW-Madison and Pakistan
native who is coordinating the 5k and 8k run/walk and cultural
show, says everyone needs to care about what is happening in
Pakistan because it is, simply put, the right thing to do.
“We need to care because we cannot afford not to care,” she
says. “I speak from a humanitarian perspective as much as a
political perspective. We can no longer harbor the old “us vs.
them” mindset. Certainly, death, disease, earthquakes and floods
do not make those kinds of distinctions when they strike.”
Emon echoed Dr. Buttar’s sentiment that now is a critical time to
help Pakistan. She also suggested that media coverage of the
flooding has been lackluster in truly portraying the devastation
caused to innocent people.
“I think American people will care about the situation in
Pakistan if they are informed about the extent of destruction the
floods have caused, but American mass media has not really
stepped up and given the issue the attention it deserves. The
floods have brought disease, desperation and destitution to over
20 million people. When people are this vulnerable, there is a high
probability of falling prey to those who show them sympathy.
Isolation by the international community at this time may render
people more vulnerable to the suggestions of extremist groups -
another reason why we must not ignore the situation in Pakistan.”
At the end of the day, Emon says, people need to come
together in the name of goodwill and care about the devastation of
their fellow human beings. Emon hopes events like the run/walk
and cultural show will draw people together and raise awareness
and relief funds for Pakistan and its people.
The race will begin at 7 a.m. (sign up at 6:45 a.m.) on
Saturday, Sept. 25 at the Memorial Union lakefront (beside the
Union Theatre entrance) on the UW-Madison campus. A Run for
Relief pre-registration form is available at http://runforrelief.wufoo.
com/forms/run-for-relief-2010/ or by visiting http://pakistan.rso.
wisc.edu/. People who wish to donate but cannot attend should
contact runforrelief10@gmail.com.