From a blog named ‘The Diplomad’
[quote=“The Diplomad”] The USA Responds, and the UN?
Monday, January 24, 2005
We received a fact sheet laying out what the USA has done (as of January 18) to aid quake and tsunami victims in Indonesia; we haven’t yet received read outs on our aid to Sri Lanka, Maldives, East Africa, or Thailand. The UN, as we reported before, is apparently going to hold a major press event around January 26 to sum up all that the UN has done since the December 26 quake and tsunami. We would be very interested in seeing how the UN puts a shiny gloss on its rusty performance.
US Responds to the December 26 Tsunami Disaster in Indonesia
(updated January 18, 2005)
The USG, thus far, has provided $33.5 million in direct humanitarian assistance to Indonesia in response to the disaster-- this is in addition to military assistance and support (which is estimated to cost some $5 million/day.) No other country or organization comes anywhere close to this figure of assistance ACTUALLY provided. With USG support, emergency humanitarian services began Sunday (December 26), immediately following the disaster:
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With $2.3 million from USAID, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) began providing emergency services to victims, including shelter, water, food and medical services.
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With $3.5 million from USAID, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) began transporting and delivering relief supplies (water, food, plastic sheeting, generators, fuel and medical supplies).
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Embassy staff in Jakarta, Banda Aceh and Medan are coordinating with the U.S. Military on logistics, especially to prioritize the delivery of relief items. TNI (Indonesian military) are assisting in loading relief planes and are accompanying U.S. helicopter sorties and trucks delivering relief supplies.
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On average we have four C-130 aircraft/day airlifting support to Jakarta, Medan and Banda Aceh for transport of relief supplies, including shelter, water, food and medical services.
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Eleven USN ships and one USCG vessel are operating near Indonesia and supporting the relief work there.
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Thirty-eight American helicopters are delivering supplies (16 from USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN Carrier Group; 22 from the USS BONHOMME RICHARD Expeditionary Group; another 4 are on the way from the USS FORT MCHENRY). The USS BONHOMME RICHARD is ferrying supplies to shore via amphibious landing craft (LCACs).
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U.S. Navy/Marine pilots have flown 600 humanitarian missions.
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Water-production facilities are being established working with the Indonesian government.
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The Combined Support Group - Indonesia has flown 1,056 sorties to deliver 1,447,700 lbs of food, 989,200 lbs of water and 1,067,800 lbs of medical supplies, and evacuate 420 Indonesian tsunami victims. CSG-I has delivered more than 3 million pounds of material to tsunami survivors.
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Some 8000 Marines and Sailors are assisting in this relief effort.
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The majority of U.S. service members are