OT: Tragedy in Asia

[Sheri Nakken]

Good idea Simon.

To all my friends,

http://www.oxfam.org.uk
MAIN PAGE FOR DONATIONS

(be careful who you are donating to......Red Cross has not been very
reliable or ethical in their dealings in the past)
OXFAM is a wonderful organization (as far as I know) - focusing on poverty
& suffering throughout the world and also careful with the products they
work with - working a lot with 'fair trade' issues & exposing corporate rape.
http://www.maketradefair.com/en/index.p ... dumped.htm (info on this here)

We know how much is wasted in many organizations and how most of them there
are to vaccinate the world to death, making money as they do it.

We will never have peace until we relieve the world of poverty (which in
many cases has been caused by US & UK and other 1st world countries taking
and giving little in return.

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/index.htm

AND
here is how they work......
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issu ... k/aims.htm

Oxfam believes that:
entitled.
entirety, rather than in part.
to alleviate its symptoms.
Oxfam’s Aims

Oxfam's vision is of a world where there is no longer poverty and
suffering. We want to help ensure that every individual is assured of...

years)
lives)
ethnic identity)
Long-term Objectives

Oxfam’s five aims are very broad in scope and its resources limited. In
order that these resources can be channeled to areas where they can have
the greatest impact, Oxfam has agreed a set of nine statements which
describe what we would like people living in poverty to be able to achieve
for themselves.

These are long-term objectives towards which we will make a specific
contribution as part of the broader global movement against poverty and
injustice. They are objectives which will guide the work of the whole
organisation – not just the international programme – and against which we
will judge our impact.

1. People living in poverty will achieve food and income security.
2. People living in poverty will have access to secure paid employment,
labour rights, and improved working conditions.
3. People living in poverty will achieve tangible improvements in their
health, through increased access to basic health services, clean water, and
sanitation.
4. All children living in poverty will achieve their right to a good
quality basic education, and poor adults will have access to sufficient
educational opportunities to help overcome their poverty.
5. Fewer people die, fall sick, and suffer deprivation as a result of armed
conflict or natural disasters.
6. Fewer people will suffer personal or communal violence, forced
displacement, or armed conflict.
7. All people will have an effective voice in influencing decisions
affecting their lives, will achieve their civil and political rights, and
will enjoy equal status with others.
8. Women and men will enjoy equal rights.
9. Ethnic, cultural, and other groups oppressed or marginalised by reasons
of their identity will enjoy equal rights and status with other people

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/press/releases/ ... 1_1204.htm
Oxfam Press Release - 26 December 2004

Oxfam prepares response to Asian Earthquake floods

The devastating floods that have affected East and South Asia will need to
be met with a rapid response if the death toll is not to rise further,
warned international aid agency Oxfam today.
Oxfam has already started work in the region. In the worst affected areas
of Sri Lanka Oxfam staff have been working non-stop ferrying the injured to
hospital. Oxfam is now urgently assessing the situation in the worse
affected regions and preparing a significant response.

Jasmine Whitbread, Oxfam's International Director said,

"Thousands have already died because of the flooding, but unless there is a
rapid response to the emergency, many more people could die in the coming
days. The flood waters will have contaminated drinking water and food will
be scare. Oxfam already has staff in the worst affected regions assessing
how we can best help. Oxfam flood experts who have worked on other major
flood disasters are on planes already destined for the worst hit regions"

The aid effort is likely to be hampered by the impact of the flood waters.
In Trincomalee in Sri Lanka for example the Oxfam HQ has been flooded
destroying communications and key relief items, such as water tanks, have
been taken away with the retreating waters. Telephone lines are either down
or choked with calls.