Cuba has suffered "the worst /economic disaster/ in its history," some
news agencies have reported. Damage from hurricanes Gustav and Ike is
estimated between $3 and $4 billion. 2.5 million persons (from a
population of 11 million) were evacuated and many thousands will remain
evacuated because they have lost their homes. The total number of houses
damaged by the two storms was 320,000 (entire small towns and 70% of
houses in the Western provinces). Gustav alone totally destroyed more
than 30,000 houses. Thousands of schools, hospitals, factories and other
buildings have been damaged. Most crops in the entire island have been
lost due to the winds and/or flooding. Most of the electricity network
was damaged. And the list of destruction can go on and on...
See some pictures of the destruction caused by hurricane Ike here:
http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/cuba/2008-09-07/imagenes-de-los-estragos-de-ike-a-su-paso-por-territorio-cubano/
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2008/09/12/nacional/artic01.html
and this video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys2enWQnyxE
Cuba needs your help because (thanks to the US embargo/blockade) it does
not have access to the international credit system, so it is short in
cash to deal with immediate needs, especially food and construction
materials.
There are seven organizations in the US that have licenses from the US
government to send humanitarian aid to Cuba. If you can, please consider
donating to one. Even five dollars would help. Here is the list:
*1. _The Disarm Education Fund_*
Since 1994, the Disarm Cuban Medical Project has worked to combat the
effects of the US embargo against Cuba on the health of the Cuban people
and to advocate for a change in US policy, delivering more than $75
million worth of desperately needed medicines and medical supplies to
Cuba, benefiting more than 2 million people. They are committed to
supplying 60 Cuban hospitals and community clinics – 20 in Havana and 40
in the countryside – with supplies ranging from such desperately needed
basics as aspirin, insulin, gauze pads, and syringes, to the most
advanced treatments for pediatric cancer and AIDS. (www.disarm.org
<http://www.disarm.org/>)
*2. _Global Links_*
Global Links' program of medical aid to Cuba began in 1994 at the
request of The Pan American Health Organization/World Health
Organization (PAHO/WHO). This program is a federally licensed
humanitarian aid program. Aid sent is received and distributed to health
institutions by the PAHO/WHO office in Havana and the Cuban Ministry of
Health. Global Links has received a list of requested products from PAHO
and is raising funds to purchase and send them to Cuba.
(http://www.globallinks.org/where_we_work/cuba/)
*3. _Operation USA_*
Since its inception in September 1998, CMAP has delivered major
shipments to pediatric hospitals and other health facilities. Supplies
are donated by private companies, hospitals and physicians and are sent
to Cuba under license from the U.S.-Departments of Commerce and
Treasury. Operation USA is accepting cash contributions to pay for
shipping medical supplies to Cuba.
(http://www.opusa.org/wherewework/international/cuba/mainpage.html)
*4. _MEDICC_*
MEDICC—Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba, is a non-profit
organization working to enhance cooperation among the US, Cuban and
global health communities aimed at better health outcomes. MEDICC
supports education and development of human resources in health
committed to equitable access and quality care, providing the Cuban
experience to inform global debate, practice, policies and cooperation
in health.
MEDICC is seeking financial donations to replenish stocks of key medical
reference books lost at the badly damaged Isle of Youth Medical School,
where over 2,000 young Cubans study medicine and public health.
(http://www.medicc.org/ns/index.php?s=3&p=3
<http://www.medicc.org/ns/index.php?s=3&p=3>)
*5. _Catholic Relief Services_*
Catholic Relief Services has worked with Caritas Cubana, the Catholic
Church's relief agency, to provide emergency, humanitarian assistance to
the most vulnerable and needy people in Cuba since 1993. CRS delivers
medicine, medical supplies, food and clothing to Cuba for distribution
in hospitals, homes for the elderly, and to children with Down syndrome
and other vulnerable groups. CRS is working with Caritas Cubana in the
affected areas in infrastructure projects and assistance with access to
food, hygiene products and water. (http://crs.org/Cuba/)
*6. _Jewish Solidarity_*
Since 1993, Jewish Solidarity has delivered over 35 tons of medicine,
food and other supplies to Cuba's more than 1500 Jews in Havana and
throughout this island nation. They have a humanitarian license that
allows them to collect financial donations to then buy the necessary
items that are most needed in Cuba. Jewish Solidarity is accepting
financial donations to buy medicine, food and other supplies to be
distributed in Cuba. *
7. _Daughters of Charity_ *
The Daughters of Charity, a non-profit organization based in Miami,
Florida, that has been sending humanitarian goods to Cuba since 1994.
You can send a check donation so they can buy needed food items and pay
the cost of the containers they will be sending to Cuba.
*/All donations are tax deductible. Please include your name, address
and phone number on any mailed donations in order to receive a donation
confirmation letter. /*
*/Please write checks to one of the organizations listed above, and mail
to: Cuba Hurricane AID, P.O. Box 53106, Washington, DC 20009./*
*Note: *you can also donate online directly to any of these
organizations, or through the Cuba Central site at*
*http://democracyinamericas.org/donate/
If you cannot donate, please demand that travel and trade restrictions
are lifted, at least temporarily. Here are links to two online petitions
that have been set up for this:
1) "US assistance to Cuban hurricane victims" online petition to
the president and Congressional Leadership put together by several US
organizations:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Cubafloodaid/
2) ANSWER's Online Petition to your Representatives, President Bush
and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez: Lift the Blockade Now!
https://secure2.convio.net/pep/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr012=nrg5yknkz1.app13b&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=225
<https://secure2.convio.net/pep/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr012=nrg5yknkz1.app13b&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=225>
* *
*
A quick note about why Cuba turned down US aid offer:*
Cuba turned down US aid offer because it was conditioned on accepting an
inspection by a USAID team. Spain, Brazil, and many other countries have
offered aid without any conditions, only the US plays politics with
human suffering. And all the aid that the US had to offer is $100,000
when much smaller countries like Timor Leste have offered $500,000 and
without any conditions. The Cuban government rejected the aid as
hypocritical and asked that Cuba is allowed to buy food and construction
materials using credits offered by private business willing to do so,
like any other country does (The Bush administration introduced a
legislation that requires that Cuba buys from US business only with cash).
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