Powell Heading for Tsunami Disaster Areas
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=ABD76E:2F72C9DWorld leaders will gather Thursday in Indonesia to discuss relief aid
World leaders will meet in Indonesia Thursday to discuss aid for
victims of last week's earthquake and tsunami disasters. Meanwhile,
Secretary of State Colin Powell has left for Asia to visit some of the
stricken areas in Thailand and Indonesia before going to the Jakarta
conference.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin PowellShortly before departing Sunday,
Secretary Powell told CNN's Late Edition he believes the U.S. response
to the devastation in Asia was prompt and generous. "This disaster
took place just seven days ago. And during the first 24 hours, I
called every single foreign minister of the affected nations, and said
to them, the United States wants to help, the President stands ready
to help. You let our embassies know what you need," he said.
The death toll from the 9.0 earthquake and the following tsunami is
expected to surpass 150,000 people, in countries surrounding the
Indian Ocean.
Washington has pledged $350 million in relief aid. But Secretary
Powell said the U.S. contribution surpasses the official monetary
figure. "Beyond the $350 million, our Department of Defense is
spending tens of millions of dollars more, as we dispatched two
carrier groups, a regular big aircraft carrier groups and a Marine
amphibious group, to the region. And private donations are
significant," he said.
The U.S. delegation to the stricken area includes President Bush's
brother, Jeb Bush, who is the governor of Florida. The southeastern
state was devastated by four hurricanes this year.
A mosque remains in a village wiped out by tsunamis in Indonesia's
Aceh provinceSpeaking on the ABC television program This Week, United
Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said he believes it will take
years for some countries to recover. "It will differ from country to
country, but my own sense is you probably have five to 10 years, and
billions of dollars, because the devastation is enormous," he said.
The U.N. leader also will go to the international aid conference in
Jakarta. Afterwards, U.N. officials say Mr. Annan will visit the
hard-hit Indonesian island of Sumatra and Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization's David Nabarro told CNN
caring for the injured is at the top of his agenda. "That's priority
one. But then, for the whole population, as you've said, it's clean
water. We've got to make sure water supplies are not polluted with
feces and that sanitation is improved. Perhaps that's proving to be
particularly challenging in Indonesia, and it's not easy in Sri
Lanka," he said.
Dr. Nabarro said the WHO is worried about cholera and dysentery, but
has no confirmed reports of either illness yet. "And malaria incidence
is not yet noted on the increase, but we are very worried about Aceh,
because it's the rainy season, and it's the time when malaria does
start to pick up. So, at the moment, [we hope], we have not got
reports of epidemics, but it would be foolish of us to assume we're
through the worst. Indeed, it's during the next week that we really
have to be most concerned," he said.
Dr. Nabarro said there has been an increase in the number of cases of
diarrhea in stricken areas around the region. The head of the United
Nations Children's Fund, Carol Bellamy, told CNN diarrhea is
especially a problem for children. "Diarrhea is something we've all
had if we've traveled. But in children, it can lead to dehydration and
to death. And this is something that can have an enormous impact on
children," she said.
The Indonesian ambassador to the United States, Boemadi
Brotodiningrat, listed other priorities. "Well, apart from food and
medicines, we need shelter, because there are so many buildings which
are destroyed. So, all those refugees are sheltered basically in the
open area and we need tents for them," he said.
The Indonesian ambassador said his country also needs international
help developing better communications.