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From
Mukto-Mona Moderator's desk:
Discussion in our forum on Tsunami:
� Mukto-Mona
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From Mukto-Mona Moderator's desk:
Words of grievance for Tsunami victims
A mother grieves over the body of her child on a beach in southern India Monday.
(Picture source: CNN.com)
Tsunami, the most devastating natural disaster in last forty years' history, and the fourth largest ever since scientific method of earth quake measurement was discovered, has left more than 22,000 people dead and several thousands more seriously wounded. The death toll is rising, as time passes on. At a time of war, chaos and terrorism, Tsunami has been one more cause of distress in people's' lives. Yet we cannot and shouldn't escape from our solemn responsibilities to help our fellow beings. Obviously, our expectations with wealthy nations are higher. In this light, it has been very disappointing to notice responses so far developed countries have made. US has offered 15 million dollars only which is, surprisingly, just 0.2 percent of its national income (see CNN article below). Same goes true with UK, Australia (US$ 7.8 m) , France. Of course, not all countries have declared their relief measures yet. Nevertheless, even as initial response, we strongly think, US and European Union's (US$ 4 m) relief declarations are, indeed, "stingy", to put in the words of Jan Egeland, undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief.
One might find it very interesting to review the responses (?) of wealthy Arab nations. Those who seem to be so desperate these days to tell people- Islam is all about establishing peace and friendship with all nations on earth (one TV ad runs explaining ISLAM as I Shall Love All Mankind), are keeping themselves off when a part of humanity is facing such a massive disaster. What is reason of Arab countries' apathy ? Let us hope, it is not the victims' non-Muslims identity. Indeed, this is a opportunity which affluent Arab nations and other rich Muslim organizations' (ICNA/CARE) should grab to set an example of benevolence, love and universal brotherhood.
Mukto Mona wishes its deepest grievance to all the victims and their family members affected by Tsunami.
With love,
Jahed Ahmed
Moderator
New York
===================================================================
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The United Nations' emergency relief head called the tsunamis that devastated large parts of southern Asia "unprecedented," and warned Monday that it may be weeks before the full effects are known.
The tsunamis were "not the biggest in recorded history, but the effects may be the biggest ever because many more people live in exposed areas than ever before," said Jan Egeland, undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief.
With tens of thousands dead, many missing and millions displaced, still more serious problems lie ahead, Egeland said, including widespread illnesses. And it could take years to rebuild places that were wiped out, he said.
"A lot of airplanes are already being loaded. Some are already airborne and going to the hardest-hit countries, like Sri Lanka," he said Monday afternoon, adding that experts had already arrived in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. (Full story)
The United Nations has been unable to reach some of its staff in affected areas, including people in Sumatra and Aceh, Egeland said. "When we do not hear from them we are afraid of what has happened."
In a news conference at U.N. headquarters in New York, Egeland called for a major international response -- and went so far as to call the U.S. government and others "stingy" on foreign aid in general.
"If, actually, the foreign assistance of many countries now is 0.1 or 0.2 percent of the gross national income, I think that is stingy, really," he said. "I don't think that is very generous."
The U.S. government expects to spend $15 million in its initial response to the disaster, the State Department said Monday. The United States' overall foreign aid commitment is around 0.2 percent of its gross national product. (Full story)
The Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress, in an April report to lawmakers, said total foreign assistance -- excluding the costs of reconstruction in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion -- was larger in the 2003 and 2004 budgets than in any two-year period since the mid-1980s.
"The 0.2 percent of U.S. gross national product represented by foreign aid obligations the past two years, however, is among the smallest amounts in the last half-century. The United States is the largest international economic aid donor in dollar terms but is the smallest contributor among the major donor governments when calculated as a percent of gross national income," said the report, which is posted on the U.S. State Department's Web site.
Egeland said that in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere, politicians 'believe that they are burdening the taxpayers too much and that the taxpayers want to give less. That's not true. They want to give more."
At a White House briefing Monday in Crawford, Texas, CNN asked spokesman Trent Duffy about the "stingy" remark. He said he thinks the United States is "the largest contributor to international relief and aid efforts not only through the government, but through charitable organizations. The American people are very giving, so we'll continue to be that and we'll be a leading partner in this effort that lies ahead."
Egeland, at the U.N. news conference, said the cost of the devastation will "probably be many billions of dollars. However, we cannot fathom the cost of these poor societies and the nameless fishermen and fishing villages that have just been wiped out."
He said that international responses in the wake of major disasters are often overestimated.
"We need rich countries, rich individuals, even only those of us who are reasonably affluent to respond generously. Here we are facing people who have lost everything. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost everything. Millions of people are now living in the worst possible hazards of having polluted drinking water, no sanitation, no health services," he said, adding that the conditions are sure to lead to disease.
"The important thing is that we give and that we as citizens also demand that our countries give generously to those who have been so hard hit."
The tsunamis were triggered by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, and Egeland said the quake struck less than an hour before Sumatra was hit by the waves. (Explainer: Tsunami and earthquake facts)
UNICEF: Clean water crucial
UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy told CNN that the agency is doing "everything possible," focusing on getting blankets, medicine and water purification tablets sent to the affected areas.
"Getting clean water to people is crucial," she said, and predicted widespread disease if that is not done.
But that is not an easy prescription, she said, because transportation and communications in many of the affected areas are difficult even in the best of times.
Asked about the concern that U.S. foreign aid is "stingy," Bellamy expressed confidence that the United States would chip in its fair share for what promises to be a protracted effort.
"I think we're going to see a good response," she said. "I hope the American public will understand and support a long-term response."
Asked what form of aid would be best for Americans to send, she did not hesitate.
"I know people like to send cans of food or clothing, but the fact is money can get what people need quickest."
The Center for International Disaster Information, which helps coordinate aid efforts, also urged people to give money rather than goods.
Discussion in our forum on Tsunami:
Subject Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date 21958 from the Moderator's desk: Words of grievance for Tsunami victims moderator anondomela Mon 12/27/2004 21957 Fwd: TSUNAMIS: Updates + request for contacts Jahed Ahmed anondomela Mon 12/27/2004 21924 Devastating Earth Quake across South and South-East Asis Dr. Alamgir Hussain Sun 12/26/2004
� Mukto-Mona
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