Four Members of the European Parliament Decided to Roll up Their Sleeves and Help the Flood Victims of Gilgit-Baltistan

BRUSSELS, October 8, 2010 - Four Members of the European Parliament Jurgen Creutzmann, Michael
Theurer, Marietje Schaake and Thomas Mann decided to directly help the flood
victims of the Pakistan-administered region of Gilgit Baltistan, north of
Kashmir, as soon as it became evident that the central Pakistani government
was not distributing the international funds arriving in Islamabad to this
region. The European Parliament Members therefore created a non-profit
organisation named "Friends of Gilgit Baltistan".

"When I learnt that the Pakistani government was doing nothing to help
this hard hit region, I decided to create a non-profit organisation in
order to be able to collect funds for the 15,000 or so displaced people of
the region of Gilgit Baltistan", explained Jurgen Creutzmann, the president
of the newly created organisation.

Ms Schaake added: "It is only by transferring the collected monetary
means directly to humanitarian NGOs in the region that we can truly ensure
that the funds reach those most in need. People in need should not become the
victims of political problems on top of their humanitarian suffering.
Children are especially vulnerable in the aftermath of disasters."

Michael Theurer agreed with the others and said: "We have to help ensure
that international aid reaches all affected by the floods; the Pakistani
government should feel an equal responsibility for all its citizens."

"What we are doing is true activism and not just empty talk, as so many
politicians love to do. That makes me proud and I hope that we could reduce
the plight of the people of Gilgit Baltistan a little", Thomas Mann said.

Media Contact: Office of the MEP Jurgen Creutzmann, jurgen.creutzmann at europarl.europa.eu , Tel. : +32(0)2-28-45575.