Posted on 01/04/2005 7:17:20 AM PST by nypokerface
PARIS (Reuters) - The medical aid group Medecins Sans Frontiers (Doctors without Borders) urged donors Tuesday to stop sending it money for Asian tsunami victims, saying it had collected enough funds to manage its relief effort there.
In an unusual step, the group's branches in France and Germany said they had 40 million and $27 million respectively, enough to finance emergency medical aid projects they were supporting in Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Their decision surprised other aid groups and drew criticism that it could undercut an unprecedented wave of private giving to provide relief to the region devastated by the Dec. 26 tsunami which has killed at least 150,000 people.
"It's the first time we are led to take this kind of decision," MSF Director General Pierre Salignon said.
"This might seem to run counter to the mood of general mobilization, but it's a question of honesty toward our donors. We don't want to continue to lobby the public for projects that are already financed," he said in a statement.
A spokesman for MSF's German branch, Aerzte Ohne Grenzen, said it had adopted the same policy.
"What shocks me is that you are taking the risk of pulling the carpet under the feet of other aid organizations. Many groups still need more money," said Jean-Christope Rufin, head of the French aid group Action Contre la Faim (Action against Hunger).
"It's a bit irresponsible. We're all in the same boat in humanitarian aid," Rufin told France 2 television.
Some German agencies said they had no plans to follow suit and privately several said they were shocked by MSF's decision.
"MSF mainly provides emergency aid, whereas Unicef stays on. We build schools, carry out vaccination programs and so on. For us this is just the beginning and that's why we still need donations," said Astrid Prange of Unicef Germany, which has received more than 10 million euros in pledges.
"Our experience is -- and our feeling is -- that people want to give to this or nothing. It's not that they want to give in general," said Oxfam Germany director Paul Bendix.
Some German aid agencies attributed MSF's move to its focus on providing short term aid, which is treated differently for tax purposes under German law on charitable donations than long-term development assistance.
A spokesman for the German Protestant church charity Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, which has also received 10 million euros in pledges, said most German charities had been careful to broadly frame their aid requests so that they were not legally tied to providing specific assistance in one country.
MSF in France said it was committed to use money donated for South Asia only there and not for other crises.
"If a person calls us to make a donation, we will tell them that these programs are already financed and that they can make a donation for a different crisis," a MSF spokeswoman said.
IOW, the MSF organization is only interested in making the "required motions" for emergency aid, not in doing all they can to help those people.
So they're not taking the opportunity to fill their pockets. Can't argue with them on that point.
"IOW, the MSF organization is only interested in making the "required motions" for emergency aid, not in doing all they can to help those people.
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Actually, I don't think that is the case. They have a limited number of doctors, etc. who can respond. Once they are fully budgeted for their response, they don't need further contributions. This sounds like an excellent way to operate. Other agencies may still be ramping up their response and would be better targets for donations. Why waste money?
Even the French charities surrender.
Seriously, this is good. They realise that their niche is covered, and being decent humans they want the outpouring of money to get to those who need it - thus via other bodies.
If they accept more aid than they require and then can't use it on Tsunami aid, then if they try to redirect it they will get killed in popular opinion like the Red Cross did when they had too much 9/11 funds.
Why is it that when you read a story about a group of winey, arrogant, selfish, moronic a#*holes, France is always connected somehow? It would be funny isn't wasn't so pathetic.
If you don't, you run the risk of looking like the Red Cross following 9/11. Funneling the donations to fund touchy feely stuff not related to the original crisis/catastrophe that prompted the donation.
In this case, I applaude them. Gives them more credibility when asking for donations after the next event.
"In this case, I applaude them. Gives them more credibility when asking for donations after the next event.
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I think you're right on this. MSF is a good organization which does a lot in situations like this.
"Why is it that when you read a story about a group of winey, arrogant, selfish, moronic a#*holes, France is always connected somehow? "
Odd. I didn't see any whining or arrogance in this story. Perhaps you'll point it out to me.
Good for them. I'll think of them next time.
I had a running flamefest with someone about the virtues of MSF here on FR a couple years ago.
I've seen them operate in the field with compassion and competence, and this article goes to show that they deserve admiration for their selfless work.
MSF Paris does occasionally go anti-American (they can't help being French), but they are fundamentally good people and a huge benefit in emergency situations.
Maybe they should've tried: "We have received adequate funds to conduct our work, and suggest you send your contribution to (Name of Group Still Needing Funds)."
I guess I see this as an opportunity to add to what they were originally planning. They might not be able to put together a comprehensive response like their main one, but they could certainly use the extra cash to put together small response teams that can operate as satellites of the main effort. I would think that any emergency response organization would have a way of creating ad hoc additions when money permits. After all, a little money can go a long way in that part of the world. Even if it's just paying workers to ride shotgun on the relief trucks and help hand out supplies.
The devestation over there is of biblical proportions. No amount of money is ever going to be enough. If they put their mind to it, and made an extra effort, I'm sure they could find someway to use the extra money to help the situation. It's typical French attitude, it's always everyone elses responsibilty to fix a problem, and when it comes their turn to step up to the plate, they whine and cry when it comes time for them to make any extra effort above what they feel they are obligated to.
I'm sorry if my attitude offends you, but I don't have much love in my heart towards the French these days. It just always seems to be one thing after another.
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