Aid agencies increase their efforts as death toll rises

IRELAND: Irish aid agencies have stepped up their efforts in southern Asia as the death toll from the earthquake and tsunami disaster rises.

Concern yesterday increased its initial commitment to the disaster zone from €100,000 to €250,000.

Mr Tom Arnold, chief executive of Concern Worldwide, said: "The immediate priority is to provide food and safe drinking water to the poorest and most vulnerable. When these needs are met, the focus will shift to rehabilitation and helping people to rebuild their lives."

Last Monday Concern dispatched a team from its Indian headquarters in Orissa to assess the situation in Tamil Nadu, which is one of the most severely affected areas in India. The immediate priority action which the team had identified was the establishment of community kitchens to provide cooked food for people affected by the disaster.

Donations to Concern can be made at 1850 410 510 or www.concern.net

Trócaire said it had made an initial allocation of €100,000 to its Catholic development agency (Caritas) partners in India and Sri Lanka.

The head of Trócaire's international department, Mr Mike Williams, said these partner agencies were already distributing essential relief supplies to those most in need.

"Hundreds of families have been excavated and are being given temporary shelter in churches and schools, provided with food, clothing and essential medical assistance.

"The distribution of this initial emergency relief is vital if the needs of the millions of homeless are met in the short term."

Donations to Trócaire can be made at 1850 408 408 or www.trocaire.org

The Irish Red Cross yesterday stepped up its appeal for donations, saying it could be contacted at: (01) 676 5135, (01) 676 5136, or www.redcross.ie

The charity had already sent €100,000 to support the work of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in the affected areas.

The Cork-based charity the Hope Foundation said yesterday it had launched a relief appeal in the Tamil Nadu area. Two of its Calcutta-based aid workers are to travel to the region today. Donations to the Hope Foundation can be made at (021) 429 2990.

Other agencies working in the region are Goal (Tel: 01-280 9779), and Unicef Ireland (1850 767 999).

Meanwhile, the Labour Party's spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Michael D. Higgins, urged the Government to take a lead in the international response to the disaster "by announcing that it would make available technical expertise from the Defence Forces and from the public service".

"I believe that the Minister for Foreign Affairs should be in contact with his EU counterparts and with the members of the UN Security Council with a view to the immediate establishment of an international task force to provide food aid, medical assistance and above all logistical support," Mr Higgins said.

"While the voluntary aid agencies have responded rapidly, the level of medical aid required immediately, and the huge reconstruction programme that will be required in the longer term, can only be delivered by co-ordinated action at national government level through international organisations like the EU and the UN."

He said the disaster emphasised the need for a standing "humanitarian rapid response unit", under the auspices of the US, which could provide a speedy programme of assistance in cases of earthquakes or floods.