TFPK01: India Sitrep Oct. 11, 2005

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 007910

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR KISL PTER PGOV EAID PBTS PK IN
SUBJECT: TFPK01: India Sitrep Oct. 11, 2005

REF: NEW DEHLI 7880


1. (U) The following is an update on salient events in India
since the October 8 earthquake.


2. (U) Death toll: "The Hindu" of Oct. 11 reports 927 are
dead in Indian Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The J&K government
doesn't expect the death toll to go above 1100 because only
180 more are considered missing and likely dead in the
affected areas. "The Hindu" reports casualties are now
being reported from remote villages along the Line of
Control from which there is no electronic communication
infrastructure. Two such villages have reported over 390
casualties so far, and hundreds of injuries.


3. (U) Injured and Homeless: The J&K Resident Commissioner,
representative of the J&K government in Delhi, reported 4200
were injured and approximately 6,000 houses collapsed,
73,000 houses were partially damaged, and as many of 6,000
of those damaged may collapse with the next tremor.


4. (U) Indian military relief efforts for J-K: As of Oct.
11, the India Air Force (IAF) has airlifted 344 people out
of the affected areas, and IAF transport aircraft flown more
than 60 sorties bring in doctors, engineers, paramedics, as
well as food, medicine and tents, according to a GOI
release. The Indian Army is providing 20,000 winterized
tents, which accommodate 15 people each.


5. (U) GOI Health Ministry efforts: Indian Health Ministry
response: The Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
today airlifted U.S. $60,000 worth of intravenous fluids to
J-K, and has put a 30-member Rapid Response Team of
physicians on standby.


6. (U) Indian relief efforts for Pakistan: The Foreign
Secretary announced that 25 tons of tents, plastic sheets,

SIPDIS
blankets, mattresses, food items and medicine are being
airlifted to Pakistan. The Foreign Secretary noted the
atmosphere at the Line of Control (LOC) was one of mutual
assistance. According to the Tribune, no IAF aircraft has
landed on Pakistani soil on a relief mission since 1971,
although India accepted relief materials from Pakistan after
the 2001 Bhuj earthquake.


7. (U) NGO activities: The Indian Red Cross Society has
airlifted 10,000 blankets to Indian J&K and has 10,000 ready
for delivery. The Red Cross is also arranging for 1,400
tents to be airlifted to the area.


8. (U) Pressing needs: Our contacts among Kashmiri
politicians report that the victims need winter tents and
blankets, and stressed people will require a minimum of
three to four months to rebuild their houses. Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Srinagar and addressed a
press conference on Oct. 11 where he announced an additional
$116 million in assistance to victims. His visit followed
that of Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi and Defense
Minister Prasad Mukherjee.

9. (U) U.S. assistance: $50,000 of the $100,000 funds
authorized by the Ambassador through USAID/OFTA will go to
Save the Children through a grant signing on Oct. 12, and
the remainder will be distributed through the Prime
Minister's Disaster Relief Fund. Post is researching
sources for winter tents that could be donated to affected
areas in India if the GOI decides to accept such assistance
in kind. USAID has received a request for hospital
equipment from the J&K Government


10. (U) Terrorism: Terrorists reportedly murdered 10 Hindus
from two different families in the border districts,
slitting their throats and leaving a message for police
alleging family members had been police informants. No
terrorist group has yet claimed responsibility. Kashmir's
insurgent United Jihad Council has reportedly announced the
suspension of terrorist activities in earthquake-hit areas.


11. (U) Politics: The moderate separatist Hurriyat
Conference will organize a mass funeral and prayer service
led by faction leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq at the Jama Masjid
in Sri Nagar. The Hurriyat Conference has postponed a
meeting to discuss "roadmap" proposals the leaders will
discuss with India and Pakistan. The All Parties Hurriyat
Conference has asked India to restore phone lines cut when
the anti-Indian rebellion erupted in 1989, in order to
facilitate communication between affected families in
opposite sides of the LOC. Yasin Malik, chief of the
separatist Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, called on
Indian NGOs to help separated families.


12. (U) Infrastructure: Indian and Pakistani officials say
the earthquake damaged the highway and bridge connecting the
two sides of Kashmir, which will likely interrupt the new
bus service between Srinagar and Muzzafarabad.


13. (U) Public Diplomacy: The Embassy widely distributed
countrywide, and posted on its website, a press release
October 10 reporting that Ambassador David C. Mulford
announced the United States is providing $100,000 in
emergency relief funds to assist the victims of the
earthquake. The release also highlighted President Bush's
statement on the tragedy of the earthquake and Secretary
Rice's call to Foreign Minister Natwar Singh offering her
condolences and U.S. support. The press release was carried
by India's leading national wire agencies and the October 11
editions of India's leading English language dailies, The
Times of India, The Hindustan Times and The Hindu. Leading
television news channels also reported the U.S. assistance
in text scrawls during the evening of October 10. The
Embassy recommends that President Bush, as he did after the
December 2004 tsunami disaster, visit the Indian and
Pakistani Embassies in Washington, D.C. to offer his
condolences in person and sign a condolence book.


MULFORD