Canine patrol reporting for duty sir.....
Posted on 12/30/2004 9:11:33 AM PST by OESY
Millions of dollars are flowing into the coffers of major disaster relief organizations to help victims of the tsunami that ravaged countries on the Indian Ocean.
A man walked into the Atlanta office of CARE USA, a branch of the international aid organization, and handed the receptionist a check for $10,000. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has allotted $3 million for food, water, shelter and health care, and organizations report that their Web sites are overwhelmed by people seeking to donate electronically.
The money could not come at a better time, aid officials say. Many of the organizations that traditionally swing into action to address emergencies are already working in other parts of the world, like Afghanistan, Iraq and Sudan, that are afflicted by crises, and they are stretched thin.
"Just having those three crises happening simultaneously and having them be equally contentious was unique, and now this has upped the ante," said Susan Laarman, a spokeswoman for Mercy Corps. "We're up to the task, but it is certainly an unusual time in history."
While the challenges of this disaster are typical of any emergency, in this case they are multiplied over several countries and regions, many of which were destitute.
"When you have a catastrophe like this in places that are already suffering from poverty, they are disproportionately worse off," said Ahuma Adodoadji, director of emergency and humanitarian assistance at CARE USA.
The first shipments of international aid have started arriving across the region, officials said.
An eight-member team from Doctors Without Borders landed in Aceh Province in Indonesia on Wednesday and set up a tent to provide primary health care services, supported by two planeloads of supplies, including water and sanitation support and installation systems.
"Things are really drastic there," said Catrine Schulte-Hillen, program director of the organization's United States operations. "There are no buildings standing."
Conditions imposed by the disaster will limit the group's response initially. For instance, the team would like to use a helicopter to try to get a better read on the extent of the devastation in areas outside of Banda Aceh, but obtaining gasoline is virtually impossible, Ms. Schulte-Hillen said.
Save the Children was one of the only organizations to have a staff in Indonesia's Aceh region when the tsunami hit, a situation that has been both a blessing and a curse. The organization's finance assistant, Suka Mardiah, and her baby were killed, two staff members are missing and two others are missing family members.
Jailani, the organization's driver, was swept out to sea and presumed dead until he walked into the office this morning, after swimming back to shore. "
At the same time we're sending in large quantities of baby foods and medical supplies for general relief efforts, we're also sending in food packages for our staff who have lost everything they owned," said Rudy von Bernuth, vice president for humanitarian programs at Save the Children USA.
Mercy Corps said some of the plastic sheeting it intended for use as temporary shelter in Aceh would have to be used for makeshift body bags. The emergency stage of the crisis there is expected to last a year.
The airport there can accommodate mid-size planes, Mr. von Bernuth said, but it is backed up because of the demand from relief organizations trying to get supplies and medicine into the area, as is another, larger airport. Customs clearance is still iffy, and transportation and accommodation for arriving relief workers is hard to come by. Communications are almost nonexistent.
In Sri Lanka, Mercy Corps estimates that one million or more people are homeless, and delivery is complicated because most supplies will have to be delivered through Colombo, which had the country's only significant airport. The wave uprooted mines that were buried during Sri Lanka's civil war, and aid officials are scurrying to alert people to stay away from them.
The United Nations World Food Program had stock there, and more was coming in on trucks, Mr. von Bernuth said, and some wells have been dug and temporary shelters erected.
Coordinating groups have been set up in Sri Lanka and India to ensure that organizations and government agencies do not duplicate efforts and that the work they are doing addresses the existing needs. The large relief agencies are accustomed to working together, and in some cases the United Nations is designated as the coordinator, Mr. Adodoadji said.
Relief agencies have asked the public to contribute money because shipping goods from the United States to the disaster areas is complicated and expensive.
Ms. Laarman of Mercy Corps said the organization was stunned to have raised $1.5 million in less than four days, outpacing the previous record of $600,000 over the same time period for Kosovo. Yesterday the organization collected more over the Internet than it ever has, $556,000 compared with $96,000 a year ago for the earthquake that struck Bam, Iran.
Organizations are concerned, however, that the huge groundswell of philanthropy directed to this crisis will divert assistance from other sites of catastrophe. "Darfur is still a huge challenge, an emergency situation with serious security concerns," Ms. Schulte-Hillen said. "In the Republic of Congo, we're seeing massive displacement with new outbreaks of war. The support for this new crisis is great, but I hope we will not forget other ongoing emergencies."
Canine patrol reporting for duty sir.....
I dunno, not necessarily troll material. This whole stingy/we're-donating-more-than-you crap is really bringing out the worst in folks when the tragedy should be bringing out the best and drawing people together. That may be the warmest, fussiest thing I've ever posted on FR.
BJC, is your tagline tracking the undead thread count? LOL
I dunno, not necessarily troll material. This whole stingy/we're-donating-more-than-you crap is really bringing out the worst in folks...
We have now upped it to 350 million for the time being..We gave 40% of all aid last year in the world..but that will not suit YOU people.
The Koran requires a good Muslim to hate and kill us.
I have always given very genrously to the American Red Cross. I sent an addition donation of considerable size on 12/26. Go shine your wooden shoes and stick a finger in a dyke and leave Christians alone. Christian aid groups are all over this diaster with help.
Couple of twits alright.
Later dude. Got to run!
The US provides roughly 40% of TOTAL AID for the ENTIRE WORLD.
We're stingy? I think not. The comparisons based on taxes paid or percent of GNP are POOR MEASUREMENTS since our GNP dwarfs that of most other countries. We also provide loads of private funding through religious and other charitable organizations. As for funding dollars not coming though sometimes, if you want to blame somebody, blame Congress.
I'm so sick and tired of the Euroweasels and others complaining about the most generous and welcoming country on the planet, the USA.
ZOT!® 'em, M. They're ringers.
The US' donations are up to $350mm, and likely to go to $1 billion before all is said and done, and teezle is still using two-day old numbers.
Yeah, we wouldn't to let politics get in the way of hypocritical, anti-American, moral superiority pretenses.
Your the poster-child for Euroweenies. (I mean that in the nicest possible way of course.)
LOL! (#65 and #68) .....
It was.
I heard it went dead today? end of the year?
There's no doubt, they're both trolls. I can't believe teezle has lasted as long as he has with that kind of comments.
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