An quick and easy way to donate to victims of the horror of the Tsunamis- Page 2

[amasis]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 8:09pm

bump

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4145259.stm Updated On: 1/6/05 at 08:09 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 8:14pm

To update, the Canadian government has now committed $80mil to the effort, and is going to announce further increases (plus the amount they'll match from private donations) on Jan. 11.

Also, some local Canadian talent (Avril Lavigne, Sarah Maclaughlan (sp?), Chantal Kreviasiuk, and the Bare Naked Ladies) are hosting a benefit concert here in Vancouver on Jan.29, hoping to raise over $1mil to split between Red Cross, OxFam, Doctors Without Borders and a charity for children. With Sarah's involvement it will likely greatly exceed $1mil. Last year for another charity (without this sort of profile) she and Jann Arden (Who? Exactly.) were able to raise $1.65mil for a concert with just the two of them.

ETA: But that's besides the point. Sorry for the ramble. I'm just trying to decide whether or not to go. I'm really not up for Avril Lavigne.

Updated On: 1/6/05 at 08:14 PM

[amasis]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 9:02pm

Thank you for the update, Tiff. Like I think I've said, the outpouring of support has been incredible. Now to put it to good use, with great organization and coordination...

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 9:20pm

How are things going for you in your part of the country Amasis? Is it difficult to cope or is it just to a point where no one has had much time to think about it since there is so much to be done?

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 9:33pm

Again, I strongly encourage you all to organize or help out with campaigns at your college/school or in your city. I'm helping with a few initiatives here at my university, and it's amazing the amount of support and dedication people have in response to this emergency.

[amasis]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 5:14am

Gunn - in terms of damage, the Java island (where Jakarta is) was only little affected, but many people in Jakarta has family in Aceh/Sumatra area. So from my part of the country, the focus has mostly been about the logistics: raising the funds, how to coordinate the efforts, etc. There's so much to do, that it has become completely overwhelming.

The relief effort is going slowly and that's very, very frustrating, especially for those of us with family in the affected area. Some people have blamed the government for not acting fast enough, or for not being organized enough, criticisms that they probably deserve, as things over here always move slowly at the government level. Some frustrated citizens have taken things into their own hands, working together with outside foundations, coordinating anything from medical & food supplies to sending doctors. As you probably saw on the news, Jakarta held a summit yesterday on how to deal with this; now that the UN is supposedly in charge, we're hopeful that things will be more organized than they have been in the past 10 or so days.

Since you asked, I've also included (with permission) an email sent a couple of days ago by a friend who is working as a volunteer. I don't know what kind of coverage people get in the US, but this email can give a little window to the experience of one of the volunteers.
----
Dear all,

Banda Aceh is start to be restored in certain part, but most are still paralysed. Many dead bodies are still not buried, a huge health hazard to the city population. I spent my first two days working to help The Red Cross set up the management of their operation control and communication system. We also sent people to evacuate bodies from around the city.

Today I reached Lhok Nga, (a site of a cement factory). All roads are damaged, no access except fo helicopter or by walking. My walking took about almost all day.

The whole complex of the factory and the whole adjacent town of Lhok Nga is completely gone, nothing left. Apparently, of all 600 people living around the factory vanished. Only 20 survived by climbing to the hill. Thousands of Lhok Nga population presumed dead. Most bodies vanished, only two thousands found and was buried in a mass grave.

The road to Meulaboh completely cut off. Meulaboh was washed out almost completely. I have not able to get a helicopter to Meulaboh, due cost constraint. According to my information most of Meulaboh was under water. I will try to find more info.

Tomorrow I will be flying on an International Red Cross helicopter for emergency assesement and do a GPS point marking off all disaster location along the west coast.

Please pray for the country in mourning. It is a huge disaster, only us the living ones that can work hand in hand to make this a better one in the future. Many things we can do, as individual and as organization. Updated On: 1/7/05 at 05:14 AM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 5:30am

Thanks for sharing that, amasis. There are so many tales of sadness. The news here was reporting a few days ago that when the tsunami hit, the government (I don't know if it was Indonesia or Thailand) have reason to believe that many children were kidnapped by people amongst all of the confusion and then sold into the sex trade. It's horrific to think that people are profiting in the worst possible way in the face of such devastation.

[amasis]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 5:50am

Tiff -- I didn't hear that on the news, so I'm not sure which incident they were reporting. However, here's one story that is actually quite close to me. A friend of mine is one of the private citizens here who has been very active with the relief effort. On the day the tsunami hit, he chartered a cargo plane, and was one of the first to be sending food/medical supplies to the area. (Uh, just to be clear, he's much older and much better-off than I am . I am nowhere close to having that kind of resources to contribute). Late last week, he helped brought some of the young victims (orphans, mostly) to Jakarta, just to get them out of the area and get them treatment, etc. And he was accused of everything from child trafficking to trying to convert them to Christianity (as he happens to be a Christian). It was so politicized, and finally he had to stop helping the children. I'm not saying there aren't evil people who are trying to profit from this disaster: I heard UNICEF reported that there were some sexual abuse cases happening in the refugee camps. At the same time, I've also seen how quickly accusations fly around sometimes. Updated On: 1/7/05 at 05:50 AM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 5:53am

Good point. Too bad. I don't know the details (I could google it if anyone cares). I heard it on the news radio station, and they said foreign investigators were brought in to deal with that situation since local investigators obviously have their hands full. Are you from Jakarta? I've heard it's lovely. I've only been to Bali and they were some of the friendliest people I'd met.

[amasis]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 5:57am

Right now, I split time between Jakarta and Bali, as I have clients in both places, but my family actually comes from Sumatra. (Lots of moving around in my family). Jakarta is not so lovely, Bali is . I'm glad that was the place you visited. Where did you stay? Kuta?

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 6:01am

Erm, probably. I stayed in this hotel/hut type deal (Something "Village"?). Is Kuta where the Grand Hyatt is? That was the area I was in. The food was pretty lacklustre (my parents are Malaysian, where there's a high Indonesian population, so we know there's potential for good Indonesian food SOMEWHERE!) but the wood carvings and the art was amazing. And the beaches were great too.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 6:07am

The Australian Government has just committed $750 MILLION DOLLARS up front, and $1 BILLION DOLLARS over 5 years!!!

And we are a nation of 20 million people...

And donations to Aid organisations have numbered over $100 Million Dollars from Australians...

[amasis]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 6:10am

I think Grand Hyatt is in Sanur, on the eastern part of the island. Nice area; used to be crowded, but it's a pretty quiet now.

ETA: Thank you, paradox. Updated On: 1/7/05 at 06:10 AM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 12:26pm

The company I work for is sponsoring a "jeans" day today. If you want to wear jeans to work you have to make a donation and they will match it dollar for dollar.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 5:49am

bump

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 11:43pm

For those people who live on Long Island (New York) or its environs: Waldbaum's Supermarket is collecting money for the Red Cross. Just tell the check-out clerk how much you'd like to donate and it becomes part of your grocery bill. You also have the receipt for income tax purposes.

[broadway86]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 2:29pm

Once I actually get money on my debit card, I'll certainly donate.

[amasis]

Posted: 1/10/05 at 6:50pm

In pictures: 'Daily life' in Aceh (BBC)

[DBillyP]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:30pm

There is also the Rainbow World Fund, an LGBT humanitarian service organization. They ensure that %100 of your donation goes to the relief effort.
Rainbow World Fund

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 6:48pm

Not to be the voice of negativity on here now, but I just read this on the West End board, and it has me quite angry that people in such a humane, liberated democracy would be so narrow minded as to think this. I've already given my input, I hope someone else does the same so we can set these people straight.


tsunami

[amasis]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 7:01pm

Just read it. *sigh*

Thank you for posting that, Tiff. I'm going to spend some time thinking how to respond to that, and whether or not I even want to. There was no intelligent argument coming from their side, and I had to read the first post a couple of times to figure out what it was even trying to say. Thanks for what you posted, though. Updated On: 1/11/05 at 07:01 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 7:06pm

Gee thanks. I thought my post was quite good, actually, even though it hardly expresses the anger I was feeling and may be kind of rambly. And the sentiment is not just limited to Britain either. When CNN ran a program that ended with phone calls from viewers, there were a few who were saying that the US was doing too much, and that they should sit back and let these countries suffer because "that'll teach them what happens when the US isn't there to help." (exact words)

[amasis]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 7:21pm

I thought your post *was* good, and it was great that you didn't go all out angry. I'm glad I didn't hear those comments on CNN, though. Especially during the first 2 weeks of relief effort. My head would have exploded.

*edit. ok, Tiff - posted a quick response. Updated On: 1/11/05 at 07:21 PM

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 7:58pm

I just read that... I'm shocked. There is no point in even trying to argue with these kids but well done for doing so, tiff.
The posts were just ridiculous.

You gotta love Liam though.

QM

[cabarethed]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 8:29pm

The company I work for is taking donations from everyone up till 1/18 and matching dollar for dollar. I'm glad I waited to donate so at least what I give is doubled.