Gouvieux, France, 27th January, 2001
His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam
(spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims, has announced a contribution
of US $500,000 to the Indian Government's appeal for assistance to the
victims of the earthquake that struck Western India yesterday. In a
message to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Aga Khan expressed
his deep distress on learning of the great loss of life, serious injury
and material destruction occasioned by the earthquake and conveyed on
behalf of the Ismaili Muslim community worldwide, his deepest sympathy
to the Government and people of India.
The Aga Khan's contribution is in addition to vital relief supplies
(food, medicines and tents) and manpower that has already been mobilised
by Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS), an international emergency
response agency associated with the Aga Khan Development Network.
Medical personnel from the Aga Khan Health Services as well as
volunteers from Ahmedabad and Sidhpur in Gujarat and from Mumbai are en
route to the worst hit areas.
FOCUS has been providing emergency relief in East Africa and South and
Central Asia since 1994. In addition to disaster response, FOCUS has
been helping to create local capacity for prevention, management and
preparedness for natural disasters. It has recently been involved in
responses to earthquakes, landslides, floods and epidemics in
Afghanistan, Mozambique, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Zanzibar.
FOCUS is affiliated with the Aga Khan Development Network, a group of
agencies and institutions working to improve living conditions and
opportunities for people of all faiths and origins, in specific regions
of the developing world.
For further information, please contact:
The Information Department
Telephone: (33.3) 44.58.40.00
or
The Ismaili Council for India
Telephone: (91.22) 233.2670
Aiglemont
60270 Gouvieux, France
Fax: (33.3) 44.58.11.14
Mumbai, India
Fax: (91.22) 206.6837
Téléphone: 03 44 58 40 00
Facsimilé: 03 44 57 20 00
Aga Khan Development Network Website
His Highness the
Aga Khan
