Distribute post-tsunami aid among those most in need, says UN official
The director of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says from Colombo: "No one pays attention to the silent tsunamis".
Colombo (AsiaNews/Agencies) Victims of the 26 December Tsunami "have received more help than other populations" caught up in conflicts and disasters across the world which have "passed by silently". Any donations "should be shared by all in need", said Dennis McNamara.
Speaking from the Sri Lankan capital, McNamara, who is director of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said: "Tsunami displaced are getting better shelters, more food coupons, better cash allowances and better help. The tsunami saw a massive response that I don't think we will see again in our lifetime but the others have been virtually ignored.
"Worldwide, 25 million people have been displaced by war while the same number again has fled natural disasters. The natural disasters get attention which you don't get for the silent tsunamis."
The tsunami waves killed more than 230,000 people last December, and governments allocated funds for survivors amounting to 6.9 billion dollars while private donations reached nearly five billion.
The United Nations launched an appeal immediately after the 8 October quake in Indian-Pakistani Kashmir (54,000 dead, 77,000 wounded and another three million left homeless), asking member states to fork out emergency aid worth 312 million dollars. So far, however, it has only received 67.8, apart from "pledges" for another 35 million within the coming six months.
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08/01/2005
