Some Badghis residents complain unfair aid distribution

QALA-I-NAW (Pajhwok): Some residents in northwestern Badghis province have complained humanitarian aid distribution process was unfair and unjust while officials declined receiving such complaints and pledge to take action if injustice in aid distribution process was noticed.

Local residents complained most aid was distributed to people on the bases of relationship and recognition.

Syed Mahmood, 32, during an exclusive interview with

Pajhwok Afghan News said he has a 6-member family and searched work opportunity from dawn to dusk in Qala-i-Naw City.

He said he often referred to aid providing institutions for help but the was ignored and did not provided with the aid.

Mahmood claimed aid was distributed on the bases of recognition and relationship, adding that deserving people are not provided with the aid.

“I have migrated from the Ab Kamri district to Qala-i-Naw, I have several time applied for aid but no source provided me with the support and help,” he said.

Ghulam Sakhi, another resident of Qadis district had similar complaint.

He said he applied for aid four months earlier, but still received no aid.

He hoped that the aid distribution process would be strictly monitored and people committing fraud would be stopped from doing so.

He added: “Most of the aid is given to people who have reference, we hope the government will stop underserving people from getting aid.”

However, all those who are aware of the situation call the ongoing process of unfair aid distribution as unfortunate.

Abdul Wahid Parsa, a university teacher in Badghis, said the lack of sufficient aid and dependence of aid distributing institutions had caused the process of aid distribution to be unfair.

In order to address this issue there is need for the independence of relief agencies with the supervision of government bodies, the coordination of relief agencies with the people, the creation of a designated address by the government to receive complaints and cut the hands of powerful people.

Parsa said: “Aid organizations should coordinate with the local people and identify the deserving people through the people, and also the hands of powerful people should be reduced so that this problem can be avoided.”

Matiullah Muttaqi, head of the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, said the ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’ (IEA) had discharged its responsibility regarding transparency in its institutions which helped improved transparency in NGOs as well.

He was unaware about the unfairness and unjust aid distribution but pledged that IEA would strongly react and punish individuals involved in corruption and unfair distribution of aid.

“The IEA strived for transparency and fairness in the aid distribution process, IEA had discharged its responsibility in this regard and improvements had been made as well, relevant officials are unaware of these complaints when they are informed they will take action,” he said.

This comes that during the previous government complaints were often received regarding unfair aid distribution.

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