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| Tsunami
Disaster Stirs Massive Aid Effort |
Posted:
01.05.05 | |
| As
the United States ramps up relief efforts in South Asian countries devastated
by the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami, U.S. aid organizations say an intensive
Internet fundraising effort has helped raise at least $163 million. Printer-friendly
versions: PDF | |
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| Secretary
of State Colin Powell and President Bush's brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush,
toured the countries worst hit by the disaster to assess how best to help the
survivors rebuild their homes and lives.  The
Bush administration has increased its aid pledge from $35 million to $350 million
and stationed an aircraft carrier off Indonesia, the country hardest hit by the
disaster, so helicopters can ferry food and water.
President Bush also asked
former President Bill Clinton and his father, former President George Bush, to
head a fundraising drive, urging Americans to donate. Speaking from Indonesia,
Secretary Powell said American aid for Asia's tsunami victims shows the world
that the United States is a caring country, perhaps alleviating some of the discontent
that fuels terrorism. "We believe it is in the best interest of those
countries and it's in our best interest and it dries up those pools of dissatisfaction
which might give rise to terrorist activity," he said. | |
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| Aid
organizations inundated with donations | |
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| Aid
agencies said they were surprised by the speed at which donations came in. "We've
already seen virtually an unprecedented overwhelming response from the American
public," said Mary McClymont, president of Interaction, an umbrella organization
that includes more than 55 American-based humanitarian and development groups.  Stacy
Palmer, the editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy, a newspaper of the nonprofit
world, gave some of the credit to the Internet.
"If you went to weather.com,
it said here's how you can give. You went to amazon.com before you bought a book
there was something that said here's how we can give," she said. Palmer added that it
was safe to give online as long as the site is secure so your personal information
cannot be seen or stolen by others, and that the Web site itself is legitimate;
sometimes scam artists use similar but slightly different names or domain names.
"It's just like with online shopping or anything else. You have to
be careful and be a smart donor," she said. Palmer said donors should
consider whether the organizations they give to are effective by asking "Do
you have a track record? Have you ever done this kind of work before? Do you know
how to provide relief in a way that really helps people and doesn't just get in
the way?" | |
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| Cash
is the best way to help | |
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| Fund-raisers
said many Americans were offering clothes, food and water, but that cash is much
easier to work with.  "It
is the transportation costs that go up if you have to deliver these goods. The
humanitarians on the ground know exactly what the need is. So that they with the
cash can go out and buy local products, local commodities, and we want to help
the economies of these countries," explained InterAction's McClymont.
"It's
also more culturally appropriate, you know, if you're able to buy the goods right
in the country," she added.
The total amount of money donated to the South
Asia disaster is expected to grow, but not reach the level raised after the Sept.
11, 2001 terrorist attacks, when Americans gave $2.3 billion. | |
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| Keeping
track of aid and fulfilling promises | |
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| Some
organizations have already received all the tsunami dollars they can use. Doctors
Without Borders, a medical relief agency founded in 1971 by a group of French
doctors, is telling donors that it has received a "sufficient" amount
of money for its South Asia relief efforts.  The
organization, which has raised about $20 million for tsunami victims, now asks
donors to give to the general fund, which goes to less publicized humanitarian
crises like the situation in Africa's Darfur region of Sudan.
The group's
decision reflects caution among relief agencies about honoring donor requests. Agencies
well remember the public anger directed at the American Red Cross in November
2001 when it announced that because it was receiving so many donations, it would
use some money for other causes not directly related to the terrorist attacks.
The agency quickly reversed course and pledged to use the "Liberty Fund"
money for the victims. CARE USA, another major relief agency, said it is
unlikely to call off donations for tsunami victims because the money could go
toward longer-term projects, like rebuilding schools, health centers and community
centers. --
Compiled for NewsHour Extra by Leah Clapman | |
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