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Aid Pours Into Asia, Not Reaching Tsunami Victims
Reuters.com ^ | 30/12/04 | Michael Perry

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 ...


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: humanitarianrelief; janegeland; sumatraquake; tsunami; un
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1 posted on 12/30/2004 7:45:53 AM PST by flitton
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To: flitton

This would be funny if it wasn't so sad.


2 posted on 12/30/2004 7:46:28 AM PST by P.O.E. (Happy New Year)
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To: flitton

This is the part most relevant to the United Nations operations, excerpted at the dots as well as where indicated.


3 posted on 12/30/2004 7:47:32 AM PST by flitton (Happy New Year)
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To: flitton
"We are doing very little at the moment," U.N. emergency relief coordinator Jan Egeland acknowledged in New York.

I nominate this for the official UN slogan.

4 posted on 12/30/2004 7:48:09 AM PST by agrace
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To: flitton
So what else is new? Anything handled by the UN is disaster on top of disaster.
5 posted on 12/30/2004 7:48:09 AM PST by varina davis
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To: flitton

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.


6 posted on 12/30/2004 7:48:22 AM PST by Personal Responsibility (Up is down, Black is white but I do *NOT* love Big Brother)
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To: flitton
The United Nations admits only a fraction of aid is getting to where it is needed

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?

7 posted on 12/30/2004 7:48:56 AM PST by craig_eddy
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To: flitton
little was reaching injured, sick and hungry tsunami survivors.

Hey the military, politicians and assorted warloards/henchmen have to get their cut before it reaches the poeple.

8 posted on 12/30/2004 7:49:28 AM PST by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: flitton

Oh, I'm sure all that donated money is going somewhere...


9 posted on 12/30/2004 7:49:29 AM PST by Dont Mention the War (W2: Coming January 20, 2005! Be There!)
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To: flitton

Somehow I feel sure that this will be blamed on us as well.


10 posted on 12/30/2004 7:49:44 AM PST by pbear8 (On Christmas Night all Christians sing to hear the news the angels bring...)
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To: agrace

I second the motion. All in favor say Aye.


11 posted on 12/30/2004 7:49:47 AM PST by Conspiracy Guy (Pray for the millions of lives disrupted by tsunami.)
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To: flitton

I called someone from Sri Lanka. She said to wait before donating.


12 posted on 12/30/2004 7:50:19 AM PST by AppyPappy (If You're Not A Part Of The Solution, There's Good Money To Be Made In Prolonging The Problem.)
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To: Conspiracy Guy

Aye!


13 posted on 12/30/2004 7:50:24 AM PST by Dont Mention the War (W2: Coming January 20, 2005! Be There!)
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To: varina davis

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.


14 posted on 12/30/2004 7:51:05 AM PST by Atlantic Friend (Cursum Perficio)
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To: flitton; snopercod
a lack of fuel for trucks to move it

Cannot possibly be; after all, gasoline comes from trucks.

15 posted on 12/30/2004 7:51:40 AM PST by First_Salute (May God save our democratic-republican government, from a government by judiciary.)
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To: Dont Mention the War

That's 3 votes.


16 posted on 12/30/2004 7:52:49 AM PST by Conspiracy Guy (Pray for the millions of lives disrupted by tsunami.)
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To: flitton

Comment of the week:

"We are doing very little at the moment," U.N. emergency relief coordinator Jan Egeland acknowledged..."


17 posted on 12/30/2004 7:54:10 AM PST by 7.62 x 51mm (• veni • vidi • vino • visa • "I came, I saw, I drank wine, I shopped")
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To: All

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.


18 posted on 12/30/2004 7:54:16 AM PST by flitton (Happy New Year)
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To: flitton

Once GW was reelected, the world was doomed. He's got a tsumani factory in the White House basement. The fiend.


19 posted on 12/30/2004 7:56:37 AM PST by hershey
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To: flitton

"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.


20 posted on 12/30/2004 8:02:05 AM PST by ikka
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