Who helped the victims: the authorities or charitable organizations?

According to the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense under the Government of Tajikistan, material assistance has been provided to those affected by natural disasters.

As reported by the press service of the Committee for Emergency Situations, “with the support of the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, the World Food Programme of the UN in Tajikistan, the UNICEF in our country, and the NGO ‘Dili Khairkhok’, assistance was timely delivered to the population of cities and districts of the country that were affected by natural disasters.”

It is reported that these organizations provided assistance to 446 households in the rural jamoats of Vahdat city and 90 households in the rural jamoats of Rudaki district, which were affected by mudflows on August 27-28, 2023. The affected individuals received assistance in the form of food, essential items, mattresses, hygiene kits, water storage containers, water purification tablets, and others.

Photo: Internet

However, in the first days of the natural disasters, residents complained that no assistance was provided at the scene, and only kind-hearted locals brought drinking water. They also complained about the lack of water, electricity, equipment, and other necessary means to mitigate the consequences of the mudflows.

At the same time, state television channels portrayed the assistance from residents to the affected as an initiative of local authorities.

An informed source, speaking on condition of anonymity on August 4, told Azda TV that the local authorities of Vahdat do not report that assistance to the affected is being provided by charitable organizations; instead, they force residents to thank the “Leader of the Nation” for his “foresighted policy” and his “care for the people”.

One of the charitable organizations that provided assistance to those affected by the mudflows is the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, despite the fact that the authorities of Tajikistan have declared war on all organizations controlled by the Aga Khan Foundation and have nationalized several public, educational, and medical institutions in recent months.

On August 27, heavy rains fell in most regions of the country. Due to the heavy rains, mudflows occurred in the mountainous areas of the country, resulting in the destruction of several roads and bridges. It was reported that the cities of Gissar, Dushanbe, and the Varzob district were affected by the mudflows. As a result of the natural disasters, 21 people died, and hundreds of houses were partially or completely destroyed.