A recent report concerning a secret US military base on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border has suggested that actions taken by authorities may have exacerbated the flooding effect from the River Indus, choosing to displace and endanger millions of people rather than lose a strategic airstrip used to launch unmanned drone attacks on Pakistanis and their neighbors. 

As told by Pakistani human-rights activist Feryal Ali Gauhar “the River Indus, which is one of the largest rivers in the world, carrying now a volume of water which has not been known in contemporary history, was breached on the left bank deliberately in order to protect the base, which is on the right bank. And the breaching caused, consequentially, the inundation of an entire district, which resulted in the displacement of millions.”  Gauhar shared her story Monday on the Democracy Now! radio program after returning from the flood ravaged region where she was doing relief work. 

In order to protect the base where the drones are housed before they are automated, the surrounding Sindh province has been left underwater.  In a further insult to injury the US military has refused to allow the base to be used as a staging ground for much needed aid, choosing instead to protect the secrecy of their drone aircraft technology, not allowing any non-US military personnel to enter. 

Currently 21 million people remain homeless and at risk as much of their flooded lands remain submerged. 

Feryal Ali Gauhar interviewed on Democracy Now!  Monday, September 13th, 2010