Tsunami disaster relief / info links

[V Knid esq]

A list of people currently in Phuket (the most popular tourist resort for Westerners in the affected area) hospital: http://www.phuket-inter-hospital.co.th/vstoday_Forien.htm

As Thai internet facilities are highly overloaded, don't use this unless you need to, however.

The following links offer some ideas how you may be able to help:

Cafod (http://www.cafod.org.uk/)
Care International (http://www.careinternational.org.uk/)
International Federation of the Red Cross (http://www.ifrc.org/)
Medecins Sans Frontieres (http://www.msf.org/)
Oxfam (http://www.oxfam.co.uk/)
Save The Children (http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/)
Unicef (http://www.unicef.org/)
World Vision (http://www.worldvision.org.uk/)

This blog (http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com/) is mirrored in loads of places so they can handle the bandwidth... it is probably the best source of constantly updated info and ways of helping online.

This is the biggest natural disaster ever to affect the globalised world and if anything positive can come of it at all it should be a demonstration of unity, a demonstration that ordinary people are willing to reach out to those afflicted. Conspiracy theories, apocalyptic fear etc are all very well, but action is vital too.

At the very least, spread the aid agency and 'relief blog' urls around on other sites you visit.

[antipolis]

eer, why would someone from europe would go to Phuket for holidays?. I mean we have the Mediterrannean including nothern Africa . Isn't true that Thailand , Sri Lanka and the sort, serve as sex holidays destinations only? What I'm trying to say is "Fuck the European tourists. Support the local residents"

[V Knid esq]

Yes there is sex tourism, but that is the minority of visitors - they are major party areas as well as attracting people just there for the sunshine, beaches, cuisine and even the culture.

In any case lots of people in Europe and N America will know people who holiday in Thailand, Bali etc. THAT is why I posted the hospital link - in case anyone is worried about friends or family.

The relief agencies work to help people regardless of nationality, and it is safe to support them in the full knowledge that they will be aiming the money/support where it is most needed. The debate about the tourist industry is valid, but I don't think this is the right time to get into it!

[adsr]

Here is another way to help those in asia if you choose to help. I found this on another forum:

Artists Support Asia - A Call For Help

By now, everyone will know of what happened in Asia. An earthquake followed by tsunamis has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, tens of thousands of wounded people and millions of homeless. Now, two days after it happening, help is getting started. And those organisations involved in this need our help. They need money to buy food and whatever other material that is necessary to help people.

Artists Support Asia is calling out for artists to help in their own way. Donate a track, one of your old tracks, one of your unreleased new tracks, or a track especially written for this project, to Artists Support Asia. We will be compiling these tracks into compilation cd-r's and sell them. All proceeds will be donated to the International Red Cross.

Artists! Want to help out? Join us now! Go to http://www.artistssupportasia.org/forum/ to show your interest in joining this project. Let's make a statement! Let's tell the world that independant artists can also show they care! Let's raise money to help all those affected by this terrible disaster.

[antipolis]

Naturally, I agree with all the above ! I'm just trying to think a bit further. The countries that were hit by this tsunami were not ready to protect their civilians. That is a fact. This thing that happened there can happen again elsewhere. I live in a country that gets hit by earthquaqes often because of its geological location. A huge tsunami has hit the Aegean Sea about 700BC. The first one ever to write about this phenomenon was Plato. My point is that we should support knowledge and awareness about these matters so that we are prepared to face them in the best way. The goverment in Thailand and Maldives must invest in knowledge and infrastucture and then to anything else. That would be my humble advise to them.

[Theindigo]

good help links. i could be give some german accountnumbers...

but i think its not so important who accosiation gets the money.

[Hagbard]

A lot of people must have xmas money burning a hole in their pocket, seems like the right way to spend it.

[Loz]

thanks for this

my sister knows people over there, including her boyfriend's boss. they phoned him boxing day, and apparently everyone she knew over there was fine. think most of them are back in the uk now.

[V Knid esq]

If you have a moment, do try and re-write the following letter and send it to your local MP / representative, and also to your government's minister with responsibility for overseas aid (in our case Hilary Benn, Secretary Of State For Overseas Development):


Dear XXXX

As your constituent / As Secretary Of State for Overseas Development I would like your assurance that you will be making every possible effort to make sure that the British contribution to the relief effort for the devastation around the Indian Ocean will:

a) be continued in the long term to assist the countries affected with sustainable rebuilding programmes and disease prevention, in order to build prosperity and stability in the region

b) see a significant increase in the UK's overseas aid budget, so that the undeniable need in this region does not result in the reduction in resources going to other crisis zones such as Sudan, the Congo, Afghanistan etc.

c) be delivered in partnership with the United Nations.

I look forward to hearing from you

Yours sincerely,

A N Erutufoneer

[V Knid esq]

UK MPs can be contacted here: http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm

Hilary Benn's email is bennh@parliament.uk

[Hagbard]

Originally posted by V Knid esq
[B]UK MPs can be contacted here: http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm

This site is good: http://www.writetothem.com/

Basically you enter your UK postcode, enter your message and it is emailed to your MP. So easy, only takes a minute.

[CV]

The Guardian newspaper have chosen Concern as the charity to donate to.

It is easy to make a donation from this site

https://www.concern.net/christmasappeal.php

[drop]

amazon.com is also taking donations