Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2005 17:19:34 -0500
From: David P. Dillard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: Information Sources <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: EARTHQUAKE: SOUTH ASIA: DECEMBER 2004: CRS Report for Congress:
Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: Humanitarian Assistance and Relief
Operations
EARTHQUAKE: SOUTH ASIA: DECEMBER 2004: CRS Report for Congress: Indian
Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: Humanitarian Assistance and Relief
Operations
CRS Report for Congress:
Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: Humanitarian Assistance and Relief
Operations
<http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL32715.pdf>
Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami:
Humanitarian Assistance and Relief Operations
Summary
On December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.0 undersea earthquake off the west
coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia, unleashed a tsunami that affected
more than 12 countries throughout south and southeast Asia and stretched
as far as the northeastern African coast. Current official estimates
indicate that more than 160,000 people are dead and millions of others are
affected, including those injured, missing, or displaced, making this the
deadliest tsunami on record. News reports suggest that the death toll may
be well above 200,000. Sections of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and
Thailand have suffered the worst devastation. Eighteen Americans are
confirmed dead, with another sixteen presumed dead, and 153 remain
unaccounted for. In response, the United Nations, the United States, and
other donor nations have organized what some have called the worlds
largest relief and recovery operation to date. President Bush pledged $350
million in aid and mobilized the U.S. military to provide logistical and
other assistance.
Funding the Indian Ocean tsunami relief and reconstruction effort is
likely to be a challenge faced by the 109th Congress. Even before the
disaster struck, Congress was expected to struggle to find the resources
to sustain U.S. aid pledges amid efforts to tackle rising budget deficits
by, among other measures, slowing or reducing discretionary spending.
Congress also may wish to consider debt relief as a means of helping those
nations hit by the tsunami to recover economically. Additionally, there
have been calls to institute a tsunami detection and warning system in the
Atlantic and/or Indian Oceans, both of which would require allocations of
funds.
The large-scale U.S. response to the tsunami is unlikely to reverse the
decline in the U.S. image abroad since the September 11 attacks, because
this decline primarily is due to American policies in the Middle East.
However, the scale and scope of U.S. assistance could provide a positive
example of U.S. leadership and military capabilities. Additionally, the
disaster relief cooperation between the U.S. and Indonesian militaries is
likely to be mentioned during the annual congressional deliberations over
renewing restrictions on U.S.-Indonesian military-to-military relations,
which the Bush Administration has sought to restore since the September
11, 2001 attacks. This report summarizes the extent of the disaster and
relief effort and includes descriptions of the U.S. and international
assistance efforts. It also examines protection mechanisms for children
and separated orphans. A section is devoted to the situation in each of
the affected countries followed by an analysis of selected issues for
Congress. A Most Recent Developments section at the beginning of the
report is updated through February 10, 2005. The rest of the report is
updated through January 21, 2005. The report will be updated further as
events warrant.
-------------------------------------------
The complete document may be read at the URL above.
Sincerely,
David Dillard
Temple University
(215) 204 - 4584
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/net-gold>
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<http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/net-gold.html>
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World Business Community Advisor
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