Relief, not parties!
The Red Cross is now saying that more than 100,000 of our fellow humans may have died already in the Indian Ocean tsunami. In the days ahead many more scores-- perhaps hundreds-- of thousands may die unless vital water-purification, medical, and other urgent relief supplies can reach them.
In the months and years ahead entire communities along those damaged coastlines may be wiped out unless solid, long-term reconstruction efforts can be organized.
President Bush has thus far pledged just $35 million of US funds to help meet these needs.
That compares with the more than $250 million per day that his administration is spending on waging a destructive quagmire of a war in Iraq.
Or, with the $30 million to $40 million that AP estimates his January 19 inauguration party will cost.
We could start creating our own little "tsunami" of protest at these outrageous priorities. My friend Jean Newsom-- whose spouse, David, was formerly the US Ambassador to Indonesia-- suggests that Bush's inaugural festivities could be canceled and the sums saved sent immediately to help the relief effort.
I invite you to join me in calling the White House-- +1-202-456-1414-- and voicing this excellent suggestion to the comment-takers there. While you're about it you might also urge the President to call for a humanitarian ceasefire in all the conflicts in Asia-- and yes, that includes Iraq-- so the world community can focus on the massive logistical, relief, and rebuilding challenges around the Indian Ocean.
If you're a US citizen, you can also urge these policies on your representives in the U.S. Congress. If you don't know how to contact them, go to this webpage, punch in your zipcode, and get all the info there.
If you want to make a useful donation to the relief effort-- from the US or anywhere else-- or want more info about it, go to this great site, which has truly multinational info, available in a number of languages...
By the way, this site, the South-East Asia Earthquake and Tsunami site is an incredible achievement of the blogosphere. It is organized as a blog, and was only started in the evening (India time) of December 27. Since then it's been getting around 100 main posts per day, along with numerous 'comments' offering or seeking additional info. Many of the authors there seem to be Indians, but they have lots from Europe, the US, and elsewhere too.
What an amazing way to exchange information in a very timely fashion!
For example, one of the most recent posts notes that:
- Dr. Pornthip Rojanasuand and a team of Forensic experts from the Central Forensic Institute in Bangkok are racing against time in collecting DNA/hair samples of unidentified bodies before burial or cremation. She has vowed to not let a single body be cremated or buried without proper DNA collection for further identification.
The sheer number of bodies in various states of decay have made their task all but impossible. The team has issued calls for help to forensic specialists from outside the country. So far, a team of specialists from the United Kingdom has answered the call for help.
... Well, there are lots of other things the folks on that site are in need of, too, so check it out.
Also, if you can join the little 'tsunami' of people trying to urge George Bush & Co. to re-order their priorities, that would be great. And pass this post on if you can!
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[Update, Dec 30: My original post, above, spurred the posting of a flurry of comments remarking mainly on a claim that "Sri Lanka, in a fit of racist pique, declined significant assistance from Israel." Thanks to all who commented on that. But I thought the discussion took up[ too much space on the main Comments board, so I've moved that discussion over here, for anyone who wants to read it. Comments on other topics more related to the main post are now welcome.]
Probably a wise move, Helena. :)
Have I mentioned that I support your call for a shift in priorities?
I have called the White House comment line Tues, Wed, Thur.... well, I am on hold right now!
I find calling 202-456-1112 is more direct.
Also, Helena, in regards to Asheville Meeting... I have been attending for almost two years now, and I did not recognize the names you posted. But Asheville is growing! We now have meetings in West Asheville, Swananoa Vally, and Black Mountain. Lots of former Asheville attenders went on to these meetings. Yet, we still get new people at meeting every week, which is wonderful.
Also, wanted to comment that Canada has pledged $40 million in aid to the Tsunami victims.
Canada has a population between 28-30 million.
This is the worst natural disaster in our lifetimes, and this will not change.
Another thing bothers me as much as Bush being stingy : the way the State Department intend to give that help. From what I've heard : the US is trying to form a special coalition with Japan, India and god knows else. Bush is sending Colin Powell and Jeb Bush in Asia to assert the needs on the field !!!!! what will they do there ? bother people who are already overwhelmed by urgent tasks ?
That sounds more like a PR operation than a real wish to help.
It's not the first time that volunteer agencies are confronted with catastrophes. This is their job. The roles are well distributed among them : the ICRC has to care for countries in conflict (here the Sri Lanka where a civil war is still going on and the Indonesia as well); the first emergencies in peaceful countries is usually assumed by the Red Crescent/Red Cross societies : those in rich countries collect money the other distribute medications, food and so one. Then come the different UN agencies : the WHO for possible epidemies, the UNHCR for displaced persons, the Food program for prolonged help the UNICEF for children and so one. All these organization have great experiences of working together and of working in developping countries; they know how to assert needs and are ready to do it, because most of them are already on the field, where they have local employees or sister organizations. They know where the risks of corruptions are, they know the right interlocutors, etc..
What can Jeb Bush and Colin Powell do there ? the only sensible thing to do is to pledge the money through the existing canals : through the Red Cross societies and through the UN agencies.
The State Department has nothing better to offer than these agencies. THe US initiative will only complicate the distribution of the relief. Let's just hope that the State Department won't bring in the same big US contractors as in Iraq, because they have all proved their incompetence there.
The Christian Science Monitor has a good report on the necessity of coordination and on how well the UN and other volunteer agencies are prepared to face such catastrophes. Let's hope that the US won't try to go it alone once again and will give her help through these experienced organizations.
The Australian government has alrady committed/spent $35m and they are the 'god knows who else' in the proposed alliance - which i suspect is an aussi initiative to give Bushco a face saving way of being involved.
What really irks however is that there is an obvious need for helicopters to deliver aid and evacuate injured in Sri Lanka and elsewhere and yet nothing seems to have come out of Diego Garcia which I am assured survived quite nicely thank you.
Although this is a terrible disaster, it's effects are relatively local being confined to at most a km or so inland (compared to say a typhoon). The current difficulties are due to the fact that many coastal roads(often the only access) have collapsed or are impassable. Consequently much aid will be superfluous and too late. There is not much that can be done in the 100km strip of west sumatra where there was once 50,000 people and now there is nothing but a few cows.
A local(Australian) news report started with a summary of the area affected "...3 civil wars..." and the affect on these conflicts is going to be of critical importance.
Already the Tamil tigers are complaining about a lack of aid raching the north east of Sri Lanka. The Aust government has made(apparently) a strategic decision to concentrate resources in Aceh - a politically high risk if things get out of hand. But also a politically big win if it helps resolve/reduce tensions in the area.
Meanwhile the generals in Burma are spending their time in their temples lighting joss sticks to appease the gods. So it goes.
Come on Kyan gadac,
Since when is a country loosing its face if it pledges help money to the UN or the Red Cross societies ?
There is a precedent of foregoing parties and contributing the money to charities helping those affected by disasters. Steve Clemons at www.thewashingtonnote.com cites Japanese firms that cancelled parties in favor of sending the money to help those affected by the LA earthquake, albeit a much smaller one than what caused the recent tsunami. If only we had a LEADER rather than a vacationing brushcutter as president...