“Convoy of good” moving through mountain paths of Pamirs to Afghanistan

This week, the South-Kirghiz city of Osh took leave of a car convoy (35 lorries, 3 refuellers, cars guards) transporting humanitarian help to free regions of Afghanistan. The convoy carries 177 tons of grain, warm clothes, medicine. It has to go hundreds of kilometres of the way Osh – Khorog – Ishkashim – Faizabad. The April convoy opens the second stage of the international humanitarian operation. Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan also participate in this operation. During the first stage, 9 thousand tones of food was supplied to Afghanistan, while the value of these tons is the more high, that last year, humanitarian goods could be delivered only through mountain ways of Kirghizia and Tajikistan, because almost all airports of Afghanistan had ruined in the many-year wars. Within these months a unit of experienced and brave drivers has been formed in Kirghizia. Many of them have been driving their cars through the most dangerous mountain routs for many years. This column is leaded by Alifbek Azizmamatov, with 26-year driver experience. The convoy is being accompanied by a special group of colonel Kamchibek Kurbanaliev, who is the leader of the republic’s headquarters of the Emergence Ministry. Kamchibek Kurbanaliev deserved his military rank while being at the war in Afghanistan, and now he helps Afghan people, who became victims of super powers’ ambitions. One of these days, the region was visited by the Russian emergency minister, Sergei Shoigu. The minister solved questions of coordination between CIS countries in rendering assistance to Afghanistan. For, Moscow carries the main load of “convoys of good,” despite its remoteness. For example, almost all cars belonging to the convoy are have been supplied by Russia. Moscow also supplies fuel and spares. Though the questions of the convoy were not the only issue the Russian emergency minister has discussed with his colleague from Kirghizia. The representatives of the two countries are working out the project of building in Bishkek an international mine-rescue centre. The “university of the rescuers” will be created not far from Bishkek, in Ala-Archa tract. According to Sergei Shoigu, this place was chosen mainly because Kirghizia had showed as a reliable qualified partner in the work with the humanitarian convoys.

Yury Razgulaev PRAVDA.Ru Bishkek Kirghizia

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/04/04/39288.html