- WER offices will today start assembling a data
base of technical support for our ongoing efforts, especially
contact information for trained and licensed grief and crisis
counselors. We can make no promises about how or when such volunteers
might be used. We are unable to place other volunteers either
in-country or with other agencies. US office is referring such
volunteers to local American Red Cross chapters. UK and HKG office
might consider the same.
- In response to this morning's message from Global
Hand, we are prepared to help that effort, as resources allow.
US office will check if any surplus here can be put on GH web,
with provision that AERDO Standards are not eased during this
crisis.
- WER is considering aid only to organizations
which we already know. Emergency proposals are pouring in, but
regretfully we are unable to properly fund them or monitor their
activity even if funds were available.
- If they are on schedule, Gary Becks and Andrea
Stone will reach Sri Lanka later today. We have not yet heard
anything from them, which is to be expected. They do not have
a GPS phone with them.
- If people comment that the U.S. is being “stingy”,
politely advise that the $35 million headlined so far is only
from one agency (U.S. AID) and does not reflect huge expenses
of multiple U.S. military airlifts already in region as well as
6,000 U.S. marines en route to Sri Lanka today, from Guam, to
assist. Secretary of State Powell has predicted well
over $1 billion in
U.S. aid will come, once assessments are completed and service
providers contracted. I do not expect WER to seek USAID funding,
although the situation remains fluid.
- We are getting calls from churches collecting
goods; they want us to ship for them. We should thank them for
asking us, and then refer such queries to local shipping agents.
Or they can consult the Global Hand web site to see if updated
shipping information, including crisis-based Customs rules, are
posted. WER will not risk shipping inappropriate materials not
conforming to AERDO. Some callers will not understand this. Perhaps
a referral to our GIK FAQ on local web sites would be helpful.
- WER does not expect to cut back its efforts elsewhere
in the world during the Asia crisis, including our outreaches
to Africa 's war and famine zones and programs in Central America
and elsewhere in Asia .
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