Posted on 12/30/2004 7:45:52 AM PST by flitton
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Hundreds of tons of emergency supplies of tarpaulins, water purification systems, food and medicines poured into Asia on Thursday, but little was reaching injured, sick and hungry tsunami survivors.
Some survivors have seen no aid since the tsunami struck
...
Aid started pouring into Indonesia only to stop at the airport due to a lack of fuel for trucks to move it.
Rescue workers were still struggling to reach some cut off areas and many have been too busy recovering the thousands of disfigured and bloated corpses to help deliver aid.
The United Nations admits only a fraction of aid is getting to where it is needed as the death toll rose above 120,000.
"We are doing very little at the moment," U.N. emergency relief coordinator Jan Egeland acknowledged in New York. The United Nations estimates up to 5 million people need aid.
"It will take maybe 48 to 72 hours more to be able to respond to the tens of thousands of people who would like to have assistance today -- or yesterday, rather," he said. "I believe the frustration will be growing in the days and the weeks ahead."
(Snip)
"The scale of this disaster is growing by the hour. The devastation is unimaginable," IFRC secretary general Mark Niskala said in Switzerland, adding that the money would provide emergency relief for two million people.
Oxfam said national aid groups were "rising to the challenge," but called on the United Nations to lead the way "Given the scale and scope of this crisis, strong U.N. leadership is critical," said Jasmine Whitbread, the international director of the British-based charity. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan cut short a holiday to oversee the relief operation from New York. The United Nations will launch a major appeal on January 6.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
This would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
This is the part most relevant to the United Nations operations, excerpted at the dots as well as where indicated.
I nominate this for the official UN slogan.
Are Mark Rich or Kojo Annan involved? That would explain a lot!
Seriously though, the magnitude of this disaster just boggles the mind. I just hope those who need get what they have to have as soon as possible.
The rest is, well, somehow going to be used to line the pockets of UN officials. Until they can figure out how to skim off the top, they'll keep blocking it.
After Oil for Food, how can the UN be trusted with anything?
Hey the military, politicians and assorted warloards/henchmen have to get their cut before it reaches the poeple.
Oh, I'm sure all that donated money is going somewhere...
Somehow I feel sure that this will be blamed on us as well.
I second the motion. All in favor say Aye.
I called someone from Sri Lanka. She said to wait before donating.
Aye!
I'm not a big fan of the UN, but it seems the problem here is getting the money through national relief structures. Indonesia has not enjoyed the most open-minded and transparents of governments, for example.
a lack of fuel for trucks to move it
Cannot possibly be; after all, gasoline comes from trucks.
That's 3 votes.
Comment of the week:
"We are doing very little at the moment," U.N. emergency relief coordinator Jan Egeland acknowledged..."
It's such a massive disaster that it's hard to know where to start but I'm trying to donate to charities which already have existing projects in the areas. At least that way they have people on the ground who know what they are doing.
Once GW was reelected, the world was doomed. He's got a tsumani factory in the White House basement. The fiend.
"Lack of fuel" at an airport with literally hundreds of thousands of gallons of jet fuel... TRANSLATION: the airport officials want their cut, probably 10-20%, before the stuff leaves the airport.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.