<incom> List: grassroot orgs doing relief work intsunami-hit
countries
sz
soenke at kein.org
Thu Jan 13 12:55:58 CET 2005
The schematic distinction between INGO (bad) and local/grassroots (good)
groups is, of coures, pretty terrible. But the statement from the orgs
below do give at least an indication of what's wrong with the apparatus
of a 'global civil society', as instant food piles up and organizers
already sense that the massive influx of humanitarian aid will have a
major influence on the future institutional shape of 'local' civil
society, sz
[via Debate]
Compilation of some grassroots organisations mobilising for the
emergency and reconstruction following the Indian Ocean tsunami
REGIONAL
Via Campesina Tsunami Relief and Reconstruction Fund
Via Campesina - the global alliance of peasant, family farmer, farm
worker,indigenous, landless peoples and women's organizations, and other
ruralmovements - calls for solidarity with the millions of people
affected by the tsunami disaster and is launching a global fundraising
campaign to channel assistance to affected communities of fisherfolk and
peasants, for our ownrelief and reconstruction efforts, through our
grassroots member organizations (http://www.viacampesina.org) and our
sister organizations of fisherfolk.
The Via Campesina Tsunami Relief and Reconstruction Fund is collecting
funds for direct emergency support to our own communities to provide
basic needs of food, clean drinking water, shelter and health care to
our fisherfolk and peasant communities affected by the tsunamis, as well
as to help initiate the long term work of reconstructing our communities
and rebuilding our livelihoods.
DETAILS ON FUNDS COLLECTED AND HOW THEY ARE DISTRIBUTED CAN BE FOUND BELOW.
To make a secure, on-line donation using your credit card:
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=4589 For instructions
on other ways to give:
http://www.viacampesina.org/art_english.php3?id_article=502&PHPSESSID=cffc
f1cd5a7065dbe4f4e177530ad21e
Campaign contact: Nico Verhagen, Via Campesina, nico.verhagen at t-online.de
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Reports from Via Campesina member and friend organizations
Peasant Organizations Donate Food while Government Bureaucracy Stalls:
Update on Indonesia
SITUATION ON THE GROUND: Today is the 9th day after the quake and
tsunami hit Aceh and North Sumatra. There are still thousands of bodies
in the Banda Aceh, Meulaboh, Aceh Besar and Pidie regencies. They have
not yet been removed for burial due to the difficult circumstances, as
the bodies were lying under fallen trees and other rubble. Most of the
towns and villages in western part of Aceh province were destroyed by
the tsunami. In the next few days, there will be a lot of work by
volunteers and government personnel to remove the bodies for burial, as
further delays could provoke disease epidemics. As of today at 11:30 AM,
the number of people confirmed as dead in Aceh Province are 94,041, with
most of them in Banda Aceh and Meulaboh.
In Aceh, 5,895 people are still missing. In North Sumatra, 293 people
died, mostly in Sirombu Island in Nias District (174 people), with 3
people still missing. Tonight the Health Ministry officially announced
that the number of people living in refugee camps in the tsunami-ravaged
Indonesian province of Aceh has reached 271,908. But we think there are
still thousands people not yet identified, because many survivors are
now living in the forest or have found temporary shelter elsewhere.
OUR OWN RELIEF EFFORTS: On the one hand, a lot of donated instant
noodles, biscuits, medicine, clothes, milk, etc., is arriving at the
airports, but they still have not been distributed because of the lack
of coordination in the government bureaucracy.. On the other hand, fresh
food is coming from the farmers who are members of the Via
Campesina-member (Indonesian National Peasant federation (FSPI) in North
Sumatra province, and from other local farmer groups. We think this is
the best kind of food for refugees and other people who are still alive
in Aceh and North Sumatra. Tomorrow we will start sending in food like
bananas, cassava, fruits, rice, chile, potatoes, and fresh vegetables,
plus cooking tools, and will continue to send clothes, infant formula,
drinking water and burial tools, via our civil society coordination
center in Banda Aceh and Langsa. About a thousand volunteers have been
going to Aceh province and North Sumatra from a lot of civil society
groups, political parties, and peoples' organizations. The Team of
Humanitarian Solidarity in the Tsunami Disaster in Aceh & North Sumatra
Provinces, Indonesia (KSKBA), including FSPI, has sent 265 volunteers as
of today to Banda Aceh, Langsa, Lhokseumawe, Meulaboh and Nias Island.
[Contact: Indra Lubis, FSPI, ilubis at cbn.net.id]
Sri Lanka: National Federation of Fishworkers (NAFSO) Organizes
Reconstruction and Relief
SITUATION ON THE GROUND: We just came back from Kalutara, Matara and
Galle, among the areas in Sri Lanka that were worst hit by the tsunamis.
Unimaginable damage has been done to the lives, coast, property,
environment and livelihoods of the people. A lot of relief agencies,
media institutions, volunteer organizations, corporations, banks, trade
unions, and NGOs, together the with government agencies, are involved in
the relief work. But the main problem at the moment is that the relief
assistance is not systematically reaching the genuine victims. Rather,
the aid is too often grabbed by non victims and people who do were
directly affected by the tragedy, while the real victims are starving.
OUR OWN RELIEF EFFORTS: We have identified the main areas of work on
immediate, medium and long term bases. The non-victims in the area are
being organized to assist the victims in clearing rubble, cleaning out
wells, repairing boats, building shelters, etc. A number of local youth
and farmer groups have committed to assist the affected people. NAFSO
and other partners who are from inland fishing areas volunteered to send
4 teams [10-15 in each team] to assist people at Galle, Matara and
Kalutara, as a beginning. At the moment the Southern Fisheries
Organization (SFO) has 40 people working in Galle and 50 youth groups
working in Matara. We need to get the fishers back to their regular
livelihoods as quickly as possible, so we are prioritizing support for
repairing their damaged boats, and boat building to replace lost ones.
We have identified the local people who have experience in boat
building. For resettlement we need building materials, so we will start
preparing hollow cement blocks right away. Specific needs of women were
identified, and women were appointed to organize attention to those
matters in most of the refugee camps women. We also identified
counselling as one of the highest needs in the camps, and will offer
such services. Our volunteer teams will meet every other day to evaluate
and plan the work.
NAFSO, the organisation of fisherfolk member of the WFFP
(World Forum of Fisher Folk).
Contract Herman Kumara Convener-NAFSO,
No.10, Malwaththa Rd, Negombo, Sri Lanka. Tel.++-94-31-22-39750
Fax.+94-31-4-870658 Email<fishmove at slt.lk>
National Fish Workers Forum (NFF) in India Protests Government Inaction;
Civil Society in Tamilnadu Provides Fishing Villages with Shelter
Mr. Thomas Kocherry of the NFF has filed a protest with the Minister of
the Environment, because of their failure to have implemented a
notification ordered by the Supreme Court to halt mangrove destruction
by the private sector, to finance to moving of peoples' home further
inland, and to have taken other safety measures. This government
negligence led to as many 12,000 deaths, according to the NFF. Mangroves
form a natural barrier that protects coastal areas from tsunamis, but
they have been subject to massive removal by the business sector for the
"factory farming" of shrimp via industrial aquaculture, which has also
seriously cut into the livelihoods of artisanal fisherfolk.
Representatives from 14 affected fishing villages in in Tamilnadu met at
the KSS office in Nagercoil and accepted a proposal of temporary
shelters near their villages. There was joy and hope in the faces of
fishermen and fisher women. They have agreed to give us the land as
well. The details are being worked out by the leaders of KSS, NFF, MUHIL
and the Manavalakurichy Redemptorist Community. Community kitchens and
toilets are part of this. MUHIL has already mobilized ten million
rupees. We need ten million more. We have decided to start constructing
the shelters from Monday onwards. Eventually the fishermen will start
fishing again with the equipment that we hope will be donated. Please
hurry up and contribute towards this as a fitting new year gift. We
assure you that whatever you give, it will reach the affected people.
Please do not delay.
India National Fishers' Forum (NFF)
Make cheques or Demand Drafts in favour of:
NFF Tsunami Relief And
Rehabilitation Fund
Mailing Address:
NAPM National Office
Haji Habib Bldg
A wing, First Floor, Naigaon Cross
Road, Dadar(East),
MUMBAI 400014.
Tel. No. 022- 2415 0529 (Alimbhai).
Also contact:
Thomas Kocherry (thomas.kocherry at gmail.com)
Harekrishna Debnath (harekrishna.debnath at gmail.com)
Via Campesina Peasant Members in Malaysia Initiate Local Fundraising Efforts
PANGGAU, a member of Via campesina in Malaysia, reports that all of
their members are ok, as they are not in the affected regions of Penang,
Kedah, and Perlis. Awang Ahmad of PANGGAU, reports that: "In my village
most of the Muslim groups a now setting up a committee for fundraising
for relief, which will be the first committee set up in the village, and
I am the one who are in the committee."
[Contact: Awang Ahmad, PANGGAU, panggau99 at yahoo.com]
Thailand: Federation of Southern Fisherfolk Communities Hit Hard
The Tsunami has destroyed many villages and tourist areas in Thailand.
The Federation of Southern Fisherfolk, a member of the WFFP (World Forum
of Fisherfolk People) and also a member of Assembly of the Poor, which
in turn is a member of Via Campesina, has been terribly affected. Some
villages have been erased and all the villagers are dead, and some key
leaders of the Federation were also killed. The Assembly of the Poor is
in the process of fact finding and helping with emergency needs in
support of affected people.
[Contact: Pontip Samranjit, Assembly of the Poor, pongtip at rrafa.org,
rrafa at loxinfo.co.th]
PART III. About this Campaign
1. How We Distribute Funds
As Via Campesina (http://www.viacampesina.org) we have a number of
member organizations in the region that are active in relief work and
will be part of the reconstruction process. These include, for example,
the Indonesian National Peasant Federation (FSPI), MONLAR in Sri Lanka,
the Assembly of the Poor in Thailand, and others. We are also working
closely with two fisherfolk organizations that are members of the
World Forum of Fisherfolk People (WFFP), with whom we have been
collaborating for several years in different spaces at the international
level. These are NAFSO in Sri Lanka and NFF in India. At the moment, as
we are in an emergency situation we are distributing the funds that come
in equally among 4 countries. At the moment the first transfers have
been made, in India to the NFF, in Thailand to the Assembly of the Poor
(one of their members is the Federation of Southern Fisherfolk), in Sri
Lanka to NAFSO, and in Indonesia to FSPI. This may change over time as
we move from emergency relief to reconstruction, and if we add more
countries (i.e. Malaysia, Burma, etc....) and organizations.
2. What We Have Raised So Far
The fundraising campaign began on 12/30, and as of 1/03 we had received
more than USD $11,000 in 115 credit card donations coming from the
United States, France, Norway, Thailand, Belgium, Chile, Brazil, Mexico,
Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Germany, Sweden and Great
Britain. The smallest credit card gift was USD $5, and the largest was
$1,000, while the average donation was USD $96. In addition we have
received a number of checks in the mail and wire transfers. We URGENTLY
need to boost these amounts, so please give generously and circulate
this information widely.
To make a secure, on-line donation using your credit card:
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=4589 For instructions
on other ways to give (checks, money orders, wire transfers):
http://www.viacampesina.org/art_english.php3?id_article=502&PHPSESSID=cffc
f1cd5a7065dbe4f4e177530ad21e
For more information, refer to: http://www.viacampesina.org
<http://www.viacampesina.org/>
Campaign contact: Nico Verhagen, Via Campesina, nico.verhagen at t-online.de
SRI LANKA
Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union
Appeal to support the "Helping hands to the victims of tidal wave" programme
As mentioned in our earlier e-mail, we were able to collect some
information how the tsunami tragedy has affected our members
specifically workers in the FTZs.
Two of our members namely; comrade Karunakaran from Kalkuda and comrade
Ramanathan from Kaluvanchikudi who were working at the National Paper
Mill in Valachchani, Eastern Province have died. Some workers in this
factory have not yet reported for work and 3 or 4 members have lost
their children, and all those families who have been affected and have
lost their houses are still in various refugee camps.
One of our members in Bratex Ltd. at the FTZ-Katunayake, has lost her
sister. Our branch union treasurer's relations of 8 families have lost
their belongings including their houses.
One of our members of Jaqaklanka factory has lost her house and another
worker who is not a member of our union also has lost his house. At the
Katunayake FTZ, a considerable number of workers have not yet reported
for work and the Board of Investment (BOI) and the management of the
factories are trying to trace them.
Even though the factories in the Koggala FTZ, in southern Sri Lanka were
not directly affected, quite a number of workers have still not reported
for work therefore, the factories are not starting operations. For
example in the factory called Fashion Trends out of 700 employees only
200 were reported for work today. One women worker works at Fashion
Trend has died. Workers who have come to report for work are facing
difficulties at their boarding houses where they stay. The owners have
told them they were not in a position to keep them because they can not
provide food.
Official figures indicate the number of people who have died has reached
more than 39,196, but unofficially the figure could reach more than
40,000. Of the people who have died, more than 40% are children.About
81,000 houses have been destroyed and more 1 million people are staying
in refugee camps.
We are also extremely sad to inform you of the news Mrs. Kanthy Amitt,
the Chief Interpreter of the Parliament, died with husband and two
daughters while travelling on 26th December 2004. Kanthy is known to
some of you because she was a interpreter for our delegation to the
SIGTUR conference held in Soul Korea and she was the interpreter for the
Committee for Asian Women's 25th anniversary held in Thailand.
According to above informations it is clear there will be a
considerable number of workers and their families among the victims of
this tragedy. Therefore, our union together with Women's Centre which is
a labour NGO working with women workers in FTZs and garment factories,
decided to launch a programme to provide a helping hand to workers who
are victims of the tidal waves who are working at the FTZs factories and
garment factories outside the FTZs.
As you all know this disaster is a terrible blow for garment workers who
are under threat of losing their employment because of the MFA Phase-out
from the beginning of this year.
As we mentioned above our target groups will be workers of who are
working in the factories in FTZs and garment factories situated out side
the FTZs. Since immediate relief has been extended by the international
community and other organizations including the government, we decided
to give a hand to the workers and their families for long term
rehabilitation by building houses for them. In the initial stage we plan
to build 50 houses starting with two houses for the workers who died at
Valachchani, Eastern Province.
We consulted with experts on building houses for this particular
situation. According to their information one house consisting of two
rooms, kitchen, toilet, and veranda will cost S.L Rs140,000/ -
(USD$1346). We have attached a budget for the initial 50 houses.
We have printed and distributed 20,000 leaflets among workers to collect
information about their circumstances since the tidal waves engulfed the
coast (translation of the leaflet is attached). Already we released
this communication to all newspapers and electronic media. We have
already planned to visit to Eastern Province and Southern provinces,
which were affected by the disaster, at the end of this week.
Our union decided to ask every member to contribute one day's salary for
the month of January 2005 and we will have a discussion to find out the
possibility of continuing this support.
We have opened a new bank account under the name of Free Trade Zones &
General Services Employees UnionAccount to assist victims of the tidal
waves, at the Bank of Ceylon.
Name of the account: FTZ&GSEU to assist the victims of the tidal waves
Account No: 0-3912-7 Name of Bank: Bank of Ceylon, Lakehouse branch
Address: Lakehouse Building, Colombo 10
We hope you will support by contributing to the fund set up by us to
give helping hands to theworkers who victims of tidal waves. Even if
your contributionis small it will be of great assistant to the success
our programme.If you need further clarification please contact us.
We are awaiting your immediate response.
Yours in Solidarity
Anton Marcus Joint Secretary Free Trade Zones & General Services
Employees Union Tel: +94 (0)11 4 617 711; +94 (0)11 4 610 001 Mobile:
+94 (0)777 281
477 Email: ftzunion at diamond.lanka.net
Sriya Ahangamage
Secretary Women's Centre
Tel: +94 (0)11 2231152; +94 (0)11 4 831 649
Centre for Environmental Justice
Tsunami waves washed about one kilometre coastal belt in some areas and
swallowed almost everything provided by nature and built by man. In two
hours of attack it took more than 30,000 lives of Sri Lanka and pushed
more than 900,000 people to refugee camps. 6000 people are still
missing. Mother lost the child. Child lost the mother. Farther lost wife
and children. All of them lost one or more of their families. They lost
properties and wealth which took many years to built.
All people in Sri Lanka including media agencies, government bodies,
religious centres and village communities are engaged in relief
services. Many countries and international agencies have joined them.
This is a very difficult hour for Sri Lanka. But we have to rebuild the
country, houses and other infrastructures. We need to look into the
situation of women, children very sensitively. We need to offer
counselling services for those who lost their loved ones. We need to
restore the environment, trees and green belts.
Centre for Environmental Justice also want to help those affected people
to rebuild their homes and uplift their living condition. We want women
and children to have a safer environment. Therefore we appeal all our
friends, organisation, networks, Foundations and Aid agencies to donate
some money to build a Tsunami relief fund.
If you wish to donate please contact us.
Hemantha Withanage,
Executive Director/Environmental Scientist
Center for Environmental Justice.
hemanthaw at eureka.lk; info at ejsutice.lk
59/14, Kuruppu Road, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka.
Tel/Fax: 0094-112-68 3282
IMADR (International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and
Racism) IMADR Asia Committee in Sri Lanka has been actively promoting
projects to eliminate discrimination at the very core. In view of the
Tsunami disaster, the Asia Committee will conduct emergency relief
activities for the people they have been working with.
IMADR intends to provide support particularly for women who lost their
spouses in the civil war that lasted 20 years until 2002 (in Jaffna and
Tricomalee). Jaffna was on the most affected areas by Tsunami; the
Muslims affected by the civil war (in Hambantota), and the children.
Please make your contributions to:
IMADR
Account number: 111 421 7801
Bank: Standard Chartered Bank, Fort
The swift code is: SCBL LK LX
Address of IMADR:
Sri Lanka: IMDR Asia Committee, 19 1/1 Siri Dhamma Road, Colombo, 10,
Sri Lanka
India: SRED, Kallaru, Perumuchi Post, Arakkonam, 631 002, Tamil Nadu, India.
Human Development Organisation (HDO), Kandy
HDO is currently working with various groups such as Graduate¹s
Association & University Students (Batticaloa region), Journalists
Society & University Teachers (Ampara region), Human Power Foundation
(Galle region), Women Development Centre (Jaffna region), IMADAR
(Colombo) and Citizen¹s Watch (Plantation Areas).
Needs: 12 months
Basic needs: food, drinking water, clothes, tents;
Medical needs: medical clinic, medicines, and awareness programme on health;
Temporary shelter: tents, temporary toilets; education/school facilities
provision;
Establish youth volunteer forces & trained
Contact address:
C.P.Sivapragasam (Siva)
Human Development Organization (HDO)
# 37, Mulgampola Road
Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
Tel / Fax: 0094 81 2224430
Email: hdo at ids.lk; sivahdo at yahoo.co.uk
Name of account:
Human Development Organisation
A/C No: 01-0011665-01
Bank Address:
Commercial Bank of Ceylon Ltd.
Peradeniya Branch
No 935/1, Peradeniya Road
Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka.
Swift Code: CCEYLKLX.
MONLAR (Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform)
The main strategy of the movement would be to establish links between
those organizations and groups affiliated to Alliance for the Protection
of National Resources and Human Rights (ANRHR) and other networks of
MONLAR in the non-affected and affected areas for collaboration action.
The Coordinating Offices (Head Offices) of the sectoral networks
comprise of MONLAR (Farmers and NGOs), NAFSO (fisher communities in the
Southern, Western and Eastern Coasts and in the North), Savisthri
(Women¹s Organization Network), Plantation areas (Plantation Sector
Social Forum), and other NGOs in Kurunegala (PIC, Devesarana, Women¹s
Development Foundation, Organization for Human Development,
Polpithigama), Satyodaya (Kandy).
Relief activities provided by MONLAR are:
Health and medical services
Regular meetings of the ANRHR committee to assess situation and needs
Provide safe drinking water and cleaning wells
Organising affected communities to play an active role in the
re-building process
People¹s participation in the reconstruction and rebuilding processes
Contact Address:
No. 1151/58A, 4th Lane, Kotte Road, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka
Telfax: (+94) 11 4407663
Tel: (+94) 11 2865534
Web: www.geocities.com/monlarslk
Account Name: Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform
Account Number: 7803710
Bank Name: Seylan Bank, Maharagama Branch, 2001, High Level Road, Maharagama
SWIFT Code: SEYB LK LX
Needs: Household items.
Under Garments Ladies/Gents
Sanitary Towels
Mosquito Nets for the Children
Mats and Pillows
Cotton Wool/Bandage/Plaster Trips
Candles/Lanterns
Colour Pencils/Chalk/Colouring Books
Plastic ware Mugs/Plates/Spoons/Bowls
Toys for children
Dry Rations
Linen
Mosquito Coils
Tents
Kitchen Utensils
Nappies/Baby Feeders
NAFSO (National Fisherfolks Solidarity)
Represents the District Coordination Committees and five teams have been
sent to the most affected areas to access the situation and provide
relief assistance.
Needs: Food, medicine, doctors and clean water
E-mail contact: fishmove at slt.lk
Bank: Commercial Bank
Address: 24 & 26, Fernando Avenue, Negombo. Sri Lanka.
Name of the Account: National Fisheries Solidarity.
Current Number: 114049701
INDIA
Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and Communist Party Of India
(Marxist-Leninist) Red Flag
Over 125000 persons in South and South-east Asia have been killed in the
wake of the Tsunami which hit the shoreline on 26th December 2004. About
20000 have died in India alone in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Tamil
Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, etc. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives,
Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, etc. have also been badly affected.
Billions of dollars worth of property, mainly belonging to the community
of poor fishermen and other coastal communities, has been lost,
rendering them and many others without any means of livelihood.
Millions are injured or affected in this tragedy, making it one of the
worst disasters in the history of mankind. Whereas the Indian
Government is now shedding crocodile tears for the victims, past
experience has made us sceptical about how much of the relief
it has declared will reach the affected persons through the government.
The important thing is to restore the means of livelihood of the
people. The people have lost all their belongings, clothes, utensils,
boats, nets, shops, huts, houses, etc. without which it is impossible
for them to live their future lives.
Besides demanding that the Government take full responsibility to
provide full relief and rehabilitate all the affected persons by this
tragedy and knowing the inadequacies and inefficiencies of the
bureaucracy in such relief operation work, we therefore feel that there
is a need that we intervene to provide independent Relief and
Rehabilitation immediately to the victims.
The CPI (ML) and CPI (ML) Red Flag which are active in Kerala, Tamil
Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are already engaged in the relief work and we
have resolved to help the victims to struggle and to establish their
rights to live with dignity. The CPI (ML) Tsunami Relief Fund is formed
to provide all means of livelihood including boats, nets and huts and
houses to all the affected people.
We appeal to all democratic forces to come together in this hour of
calamity to be with the people and to their best to not only support the
victims of this tragedy, but also become part of their struggle by
helping the Relief Committee so that we could do our maximum in securing
Relief and Rehabilitation work to all and immediately. We solicitate
your valuable support and help in this difficult task. We once again
appeal to you to contribute wholeheartedly in these Relief efforts we
are undertaking in different states.
Cheques may be addressed to the name of ³CPI (ML) Tsunami Relief Fund².
Money transfers can be made to the following account of the fund ³CPI
(ML)Tsunami Relief Fund, Account No. cd 6/2004, Catholic Syrian Bank,
Choonad Branch, Pallickal, Allapuzha, Kerala².
The full accounts of the Relief Committee will be displayed on our
website at http://www.cpimlredflag.org. Relief materials may be
sent in the name of
Adv. Vincent Joseph, Chairman, CPI (ML) Tsunami Relief Committee, (P.O.)
Pallickal, Dt. Allappuzha, Kerala, Pin No. 650503, India
Com. Kanu Sanyal, K.N. Ramachandran, P.K.
Murthy Sanjay Singhvi General Secretary All India Secretary
CEC member CEC member
Com. Subrato Basu, Asit Sinha, Pradeep Banerjee, Somnath Chatterjee,
Subodh Mitra, Vishwam, Madhu, Arvind Sinha, Bachao Ram, R. Manasayya,
Umakant, K. Sivaraman
cpimlredflag at email.com; redflag at vsnl.com; clastrugle at yahoo.co.in
New Delhi 01-01-2005
Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry Science Forum
The Tamil Nadu Science Forum and Pondicherry Science Forum, two
constituents of the All India Peoples Science Network (AIPSN) are
involved with the relief work in the tsunami hit areas. The Pondicherry
and Tamilnadu Science Forum in close coordination with other mass
organisations and with AID India have set up a overall coordination
mechanism and a distribution and outreach mechanism to reach out to the
entire area of the affected.
For those desirous of sending relief and money, the details are as follows:
For cheques/Demand Drafts payable to: Pondicherry Science Forum
Direct transfers:
Pondicherry Science Forum
Savings Bank Account No.19448
Indian Overseas Bank, J.N.Street, Pondicherry-1
India
Mailing Address:
Pondicherry Science Forum (No.46, II Street,
P.R.Gardens, Reddiarpalayam, PONDICHERRY-605 010:
Phone: (91-413) 2290733
Tamil Nadu: Women's Collective
Address: 10, East Street, Kollattur, Chennai 600 099
Phone: 044 2550 5853 / 2550 1257
email: sheelu1 at vsnl.com; womencollective at rediffmail.com;
Mobile: 9444015851 and 9444293690 .
Please send your donations to the following account either by cheque or
demand draft Women Collective A/C NO: 10694
Corporation Bank, Kellys Branch
Chennai 600 010
OR
Tamilnadu Resource Team A/C NO: 7710
Corporation Bank, Kellys Branch,
Chennai 600 010.
Bank Swift Code: American Express Bank New York, AEIBUS33,
Account no.16321, Corpinbb122,
Routing no. 124071889
Tamil Nadu: Pasumai Thaayagam (Green Mother Land)
No. 9, (old No: 5) Lynwood Lane
Mahalingapuram
Chennai -600 034, Tamil Nadu
Email: pasumaimail at yahoo.co.in or arulgreen at yahoo.com
Mobile: (0) 94443 44331 Phone: (0) 44 2817 2122; 2817 2120 Fax: (0)
442834 1617
http://www.greenmotherland.info
SRED (Society for Rural and Education Development)
Supports Dalit Movements and are bringing relief to districts such as
Marakkanam, Pondicherry, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam. Aid will go to
communities of Dalits and fisherfolks, mainly women and children, in
coastal areas of the Tamil Nadu state. 45 villages where the Dalit
Movement is active had been washed away and 18 movement leaders have
been drowned and 41 villages of SRED¹s contact areas has been washed away.
Needs: Clothes, bed sheets, utensils, medicines, blankets, towels,
buckets and snacks. Cash for this need is estimated at 7,10,000.00 rps.
Contact person: Fatima N Burnad
Email: burnad at md3.vsnl.net.in
Account name: Society for Rural Education and Development (SRED)
Account no: 01100065292
Bank name and address:
State Bank of India
Arakkonam Branch
No. 1, Sholingur Road
Arakkonam 631001
Vellore District, Tamil Nadu
India
Swiftcode: 0793
Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union- APVVU
The worst affected villages are in Nellore, Prakasam and Krishna
districts of Andhra Pradesh.(Comparatively less damaged than Tamilnadu).
Although the government has responded immediately, the relief measures
provided are not sufficient and many of them are in camps run in the
schools without any minimum facilities. Most of them have lost their
houses, boats and nets. Therefore, the urgent need for appeal is for the
following:
Food Grains (rice)
Cooking utensils
Blankets
Support for damage houses
Repair of the damaged boats
Support for nets
Total budget is Rs4244750. Financial aid requested : Rs3901250
This is the minimum relief and rehabilitation expenses mentioned only
for 8 villages. There are an additional 63 villages affected in the area
in which many other groups have ben involved. This relief programme will
be implemented by APVVU with the support of local unions in coordination
with small local action groups will implement this program.
Support can be routed through NISARGA:
Address: 22-1096, S.B.I. Colony, Kongareddipalli, Chittoor - 517 001.
Andhra Pradesh
Phones: 08572 28592 Fax: 30804
email: chenyya at sancharnet.in ; chennaiah_p at hotmail.com
Bank Information:
S.B. Account No. 6452
Indian Overseas Bank,
CHITTOOR - 517 001. A.P.
INDIA
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK SWIFT CODE: IOBAINBB 001
SWIFT 8520190
Contact Person& Address:
6, S.B.I.Colony; CHITTOOR -517001 A.P. INDIA
Phone: 0091 8572 228592 ; fax 230804
President - P.Chennaiah
Secretary - B.Ramakrishaniah,
Treasurer - B.G.Naidu,
Though NISARGA is responsible for the financial accounting, APVVU,
Nellure will take the total responsible for the implementation and also
monitoring the rehabilitation with the support of local community leaders.
Kudumbam-Leisa Network
This network is involved with small and marginal farmers all over the
State for the last 15 years. We have initiated relief and rehabilitation
in our efforts to express our solidarity with the fishing folk and
farmers, women and children, on the East Coast of Tamil Nadu, whose
future has almost been shattered.
Needs:
Material requirement
Mats, utensils, clothes for children, women and men, repairing of
fishing nets and boats.
Volunteers
Short term volunteers for one week to 10 days is need. Long term
volunteers, i.e. 3 months to 6 months.
Food
Rice, pulses and millets.
It would be appreciated if you could support LEISA in the following areas:
Food and accommodation expenses for 60 volunteers for 3 months;
Expenses of Review and coordination meeting with NGOs, Farmers groups
involved in relief and rehabilitation;
Expenses of the Coordination Team from Kudumbam that would be involved
in Relief and Rehabilitation
You could send your contribution to the following account:
Bank Name and Address:
Indian Overseas Bank
Jamal Mohamed College,
Trichy.
Account open in the Name of: KUDUMBAM
Account number: 26483
FCRA number: 075960017.
SWIFT Code: IOBA IN BB 001
Contact Person:Mr. Oswald Quintal
Email: kudumbamtry at eth.net
Phone: 0091 431 2331879, 2331842
Fax: 0091 431 2332175
Mobile: 09842449125
STARHAWK¹S RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT NON-VIOLENCE
South India:
Prithvi Prithvi works with the CARE Trust in Tamil Nadu, the state in
south India that was hardest hit by the tsunami. He is a personal friend
of mine, a graduate of our very first Earth Activist Training who works
with rural communities of farmers and fisherfolk to develop
sustainability and local resources. A warm and compassionate man with a
beautiful smile, he told me at our first meeting that his name literally
means ³Earth², and that in his culture, people never enter the fields
with shoes on, but always barefoot, out of respect for the earth. The
CARE Trust is administering aid to five affected fishing villages, with
2500 families. Their immediate goal is to safeguard the lives and health
of the survivors. The long term goal is to restore the livelihoods and
self-sufficiency of the villagers by rebuilding houses and providing new
catamarans , nets and fishing boats. To keep a family alive for a month
costs $72. To repair a catamaran: $355. A new catamaran costs $1667 and
a new vallam (fishing boat) with engine and net costs $2778.
A donation to Prithvi¹s organization will go directly to help empower
and support these communities. To support the CARE Trust:
Collect the money in the name of CARE TRUST, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu,
India Tsunami Relief Fund and transfer the money to their sister
organization in Kanyakumari :
Stephen Charitable Trust Current Account No 830 Swift code soinin55
South Indian Bank Nagercoil Branch St.Assisi Building Nagercoil-1
Kanyakumari District Tamilnadu India
Sri Lanka:
The Nonviolent Peaceforce has been working in Sri Lanka, attempting to
be a neutral, nonviolent presence in the ongoing civil war. They suggest
donating to Sarvodaya, one of their partner organizations, which will be
providing relief in one of the most devastated countries.
To donate to Sarvodaya online by credit card you may donate through the
Nonviolent Peaceforce:
http://www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org/english/help/donatetosarvodaya.asp
{http://www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org/english/help/donation.asp}
Go directly to the Sarvodaya donation page. 100% of the money we collect
at this site will go to Sarvodaya.
To donate via post within the USA, please send a tax-deductible check
made out to:
Sarvodaya USA 5716 Manchester Avenue
3, Los Angeles, CA 90045
Please note that the check is for the Tsunami disaster and sent via the
Nonviolent Peaceforce.
To donate to Sarvodaya directly in Sri Lanka using a wire transfer here
is the information you will need for foreign remittance: Sarvodaya Inc.
Acct. No 159000 8015 Commercial Bank of Ceylon Limited.- Moratuwa branch
Swift Code CCEYLKLX.
Sarvodaya info in Sri Lanka: http://www.sarvodaya.lk
Aceh Indonesia
Nonviolence International has been working in Aceh for five years. The
Peace Education Program has been working with religious leader, teachers
and youth to build the capacity for peacebuilding and nonviolent
resolution of conflicts in Aceh, where a civil war has been raging for
years. At last report, three of their staff members were missing. Their
library of books and manuals on peacebuilding, computers, financial
records, curricula, and works in progress are all gone. One of their
surviving staff members has lost his parents and a sister.
Nonviolence International-USA has established a relief fund for the
victims and survivors of the earthquakes and tsunami in Aceh, Indonesia.
According to Chairman, Dr. Mubarak Awad, donations to the Aceh
Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Fund will be distributed directly to Acehnese
humanitarian aid agencies.
Funds can be sent via the website at www.nonviolenceinternational.net,
or checks can be made out to Nonviolence International, PO Box 39127,
Friendship Station, Washington, DC 20016, USA.
THAILAND
A number of public organizations and NGOs in the north and south of
Thailand have united to form the ³Collaborative Network for the
Rehabilitation of the Andaman Community². It was formed to enhance
support and relief for helpless victims caused by Tsunami. It has
collaborated actively to organize field-based task forces and conducted
preliminary investigations into the extent of damage left to the
smale-scale fisherfolk residing on isolated islands and along the
coastlines of Andaman.
Their immediate approaches are:
* The establishment of the OCommunity Support Fund¹ to provide financial
help to fisherfolks
* Provideimmediate vocational relief such as restoring essential
vocational toolslike boats and fishing gears
* Thedevelopment of database system on tsunami victims to identify
appropriatemeasures and plans for the communities rehabilitation.
* Developmentof communication tools to highlight the problems and issues
faced by themarginalized
* Buildthe capacity of communities in restoring communities¹ coastal
ecosystemand coastal resources
Among others, the group involves:
The Federation of Southern Fisher Folk
Friends of Andaman
Community Development Institute (Southern Office)
NGO-coordinating Committee on Development, South
Dab Ban Dab Muang Rien Ru U Dee Tee Pak Tai Project (Community Development
Project in Southern Thailand)
Health Public Life Project
RRAFA (Rural Reconstruction Alumni Friends Association)
Needs:
Kitchen utensils
Fishing boats and nets
Temporary homes and shelters for those without relatives
Contact person and enquiries:
Ms Ravadee Prasertchareonsuk (English and Thai)
The Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF)
86 Ladpraw 110 (Yeak 2)
Ladpraw Road, Wangtonglang,
Bangkok 10310, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 9352983-4
Fax: +66 2 9352980
E-mail: preecha at mozart.inet.co.th, ravadeep at hotmail.com,
oysirisook at hotmail.com
RRAFA Pongtip Samranjit (English and Thai)
pongtip at rrafa.org
Mobile: +66 09-4447580
Tel: +66 2 9352681/2
Fax: +66 2 9352980
Southern Region
The Federation of Southern Fisherfolk
Mr. Wichosak Ronnarongpaidee (Thai Only)
8/3 Kok Kan Road, Trang Province 92000
Thailand
Tel: +66 75 212414
The Collaborative Network for the Rehabilitation of Andaman Community
8/3 Kok Kan Road, Tambon Tab Tieng,
Ampur Muang, Trang Province 92000
Thailand
Telfax: +66 75 212414 / +66-1 8026-6131
E-mail. samapantrang at hotmail.com
wparkpoom at hotmail.com
Contact Persons: Mr. Pakpoom Witantirawat and Mr. Wishosak Ronnarongpaidee
Donation details
Account name: Community Support Fund
Account number: 189-0-01626-8
Bank name: Krung Thai Public Company Limited
Branch: Klong Chao Khun Sing (Ladpraw 102)
Address: Ladpraw 102, Wangtonglang, Bangkok 10310
Tel: +66 2 530 4092, +66 2 530-4243
INDONESIA
Update from KSKBA* in Medan and Aceh
During the first week the Team of Humanitarian Solidarity in the Tsunami
Disaster in Aceh & North Sumatra Provinces, Indonesia (*KSKBA) has done
a rapid surveyed of the Langsa-Meulaboh-Pidie, Beueren - Banda Aceh
route to the extent possible and set up coordination posts in Banda
Aceh, Langsa, and Lhok Seumawe.
Medicines donated by the people of Medan as well as bought by the
coalition were transported to 6 coordination post and contact persons in
Aceh. On the first day after the disaster struck one truck with food was
dispatched and distributed to people on the Langsa Banda Aceh route
along with student volunteers from Medan. The latest information on 4 4
Januari, KSKBA was able to send 271 volunteers to Banda Aceh, Singkil,
Meulaboh, and Langsa for 7 - 10 ten days per group to stay in each
location, mainly for evacuation and bury the death body. Eight medical
doctors, 4 paramedic doctors were dispatched, who are closely
coordination with other medical teams, especially the Coalition of North
Sumatra Doctors, and teams from medical teams from Malaysia.
The KSKBA coalition has also mobilized considerable resources in North
Sumatra (Rp 202 million excluded aids that also collected among the
member of the coalition, more than 500 boxes of clothes, food and milk
for 200 babies for one month consumption, 1200 boxes instant food for
women and men, 700 boxes of water, and medicines). Through the network
of the Federation of Indonesian Peasant Unions, KSKBA has set up 10
provincial level coordination post for collecting aid (FSPI exist in 12
provinces consists of 14 members, including in Aceh - PERMATA, and North
Sumatera - SPSU). In north Sumatera until right 2 January North Sumatra
Peasant Union/SPSU has set up 85 local coordination posts to collect
aid mainly cassava, bananas, vegetables, potatoes, chilly, fruits, rice
etc. from small farmers in rural area in 9 districts of North Sumatera.
SBSU (North Sumatra Worker Solidarity) set up 12 local Coordination
posts to collect aid from workers. LENTERA (Urban Poor Network, has set
up 14 local coordination bodies to collect aid from urban poor. JALA
(Fisher network) has set up 6 coordination post to collect aid from
fisher mainly salted fish. Meanwhile, CollectivE Foundation, FPPI
(Indonesian youth front for struglle), and GMNI (Nationalist Student
Movement) has organized and mobilized volunteers from the youth,
students, and skilled people. The P3MN has organized the support and
aids for the refugees who cone to Medan and focused for those who still
missing.
Our relief post in Banda Aceh and Langsa also open a public kitchen
(dapur umum), every body can come and have meal freely, equipped also
with the electricity generator.
Friends from FPPI also have distributed foods and medicine, clothes in
Meulaboh, including opening the transportation road to Meulaboh via Sibolga.
Until today the Coalition has established a special teams namely; Ulema/
cleric team, health or paramedic team, and social academician team who
will do a further and deep assessment on the Acehnese people
particularly during the disaster.
The very urgently needs up to now are: transportation fare (truck, pick
up, bus, minibus, motorcycle, van) both for renting or purchasing, the
better is purchasing because it is very difficult to rent transportation
vehicles there, communication (communication means handphone or
satellite phone and the phone credit voucher), development of station/
shelter for volunteer, clean water (and its equipment like water pump),
cooking equipment for public cooking, and fresh food (there has been
mounting piles of instant food, and Acehnese people do not like it
because of its taste and culture)
Team of Humanitarian Solidarity of Tsunami Disaster in Aceh & North
Sumatera Province, Indonesia (KSKBA)
The team had been founded to bring aid and resources for rescue and
search operations of missing people, especially peasants in Aceh
Province, who are feared dead. PERMATA (Aceh Peasant Union, who is also
member of the Federation of Indonesia Peasant Union/ FSPI) office based
in Banda Aceh has also been destroyed by the killer waves, some
activists are still missing.
Below are the immediate assistance needed by the Tsunami disaster
survivors in Aceh and North Sumatera province:
Food
Staple food: rice, maize
Supplement food: infant milk, green bean
Supplement of Food Nutrition: sugar, salt, edible oil, tea, bread
Clothes:
Clean clothes (shirts, women clothes, trousers, sarong and underwear)
Blankets
Curtains
Infant clothes
Medicines and drugs
Medicine and drugs; diarrhea, malaria, respiration and lung disease,
Specific stuff for women (like sanitary napkin)
Body bags
Blood Donor and blood pack
Shelter / refugees camps
Material to build Shelter/ camps
Carpets or any kinds of sleeping mattress
Camping shelter
Cooking and kitchen utensils
Water and Sanitation equipments
Drinking water
Soap, tooth paste, toothbrush
Air and land transportation
Vehicles to distribute the aid and transport the volunteer teams.
Communication:
Mobile phone (all telecommunication devices have been destroyed)
Contact:
Henry Saragih (Phone +62-816314441)
FEDERASI SERIKAT PETANI INDONESIA (FSPI)
Jl. SMA 14 No. 15A
DEWI SARTIKA Jakarta Timur
TEL : +62-21- 80882492
FAX : +62-21- 80882492
Email : fspi at cbn.net.id
Any donation in foreign currency (not Indonesia Rupiah) transfer to:
Bank: Standard Chartered Bank
Swift Bank Code: SCB LIDJ XAXXX
Address of Bank: Jl. Imam Bonjol No. 17 North Sumatera, Indonesia.
Account number: 047-1-005467-2
Name of Payee: Sintesa (Yayasan Sinar Tani Indonesia)
Any donation in Indonesia Rupiah Currency transfer to:
Bank: Bank Mandiri
Acount number: 105-00-045 7243-8
Kantor Cabang Medan Zaenul Arifin
Name of Payee: Edy Suhartono & M. Haris Putra
Independent Plantation Workers Union of North Sumatra (Perbbuni)
Perbbuni is an independent union for plantation workers in North
Sumatra, where the Tsunami had badly hit the area. Many of the
organisation¹s members and their families are affected. Perbbuni is
collecting funds and whatever aid available from friends and comrades so
that these can be given to the survivors.
Contact person: Sukarman
Email: perbbuni at hotmail.com
Address : Jl.Serdang No.24 B
Kota Galuh Perbaungan 20586
Deli Serdang Sumatera Utara
Tel: 061-7990631
Account name: Sukarman An. Perbbuni
Account no: 185.001091143.901
Bank name and address:
Bank Negara Indonesia
Tebing Tinggi Deli
Indonesia
Swiftcode: BNINIDJATTI
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