Sounds like a right-wing story cleverly hiding behind semantics like "INITIAL HELP FROM AROUND THE WORLD".
Yesterday morning shocked by the stinginess of the US and Canada, I went and searched for this info. As of yesterday morning the EU had coughed up/pledged
91.6 million Euros and that's Euros- not dollar crap. And to add absolute insult to injury $20 million of what the US is recalcitrantly forking over is a
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2876487">DAMN LOAN :mad: :mad: :mad:
On TOP of their collective efforts, individual nations in the EU pledged millions on their own. That article is extremely misleading. Their INITIAL offering, reported yesterday morning, was
$4 million in Emergency aid + $27 million pledged + individual EU
Countries like Spain, Germany, Ireland and Belgium each pledging an additional million. So far that's $35 million and I'm sure the figure has risen but only went by this article.
EUROPEAN UNION: Ready to release up to 30 million euro ($52.6 million) on top of 3 million euro ($5.25 million) already allocated to IFRC.
Offers of aid have poured in from around the world in the past two days, with the European Union's executive arm releasing $4 million in emergency aid and pledging an additional $27 million. Canada and several European nations — including Spain, Germany, Ireland and Belgium — each pledged about $1 million yesterday.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20041228-122330-7268r.htm
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1103111Here is their
current offering of approx 156 million and they're still coughing up money as we speak.
The following is a list of contributions pledged, compiled from reports by Reuters bureaux and UN agencies.
AUSTRALIA: Increased its aid to $US27 million ($35 million) and said it, the United States, Japan and India were considering setting up a group to coordinate help. Also sent five air force transport planes with supplies and medical specialists to Sumatra, and two 15-member emergency medical teams and 12 police to Phuket.
AUSTRIA: Pledged 1 million euro ($1.75 million) in aid to the countries hit.
BELGIUM: Military plane due to stop at Dubai to load most of its cargo - UNICEF aid such as tents, vaccines.
BRITAIN: Pledged STG15 million (
$37.2 million) to the devastated area and has sent plastic sheets and tents worth STG250,000 ($620,350) to Sri Lanka. Contributing STG370,000 ($918,110) to EU aid and $US100,000 ($128,500) to World Health Organisation.
CANADA: Initial contribution of $C1 million ($1.05 million) to appeal for $US6.5 million ($8.35 million) by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
CHINA: Offering 21.6 million yuan ($3.3 million) of aid to India, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Sent planes to Sri Lanka and Thailand with drinking water and medicine, part of pledge of aid worth 10 million crowns ($573,120).
DENMARK: Increased aid pledge by maximum 85 million Danish crowns (
$20.05 million) after spending almost all initial 10 million crowns pledged. Aid will cover immediate needs - medical supplies, food, water, shelter - and reconstruction.
UNICEF flight from its Copenhagen depot taking 45 tonnes of supplies to the area, including oral rehydration salts and medical supplies for 150,000 people for three months.
EGYPT: Egyptian Red Crescent Society sending a plane with 500,000 Egyptian pounds ($104,090) worth of medicine and other aid as initial step.
EUROPEAN UNION: Ready to release up to 30 million euro (
$52.6 million)
on top of 3 million euro (
$5.25 million) already allocated to IFRC.
FINLAND: Pledged 2.5 million euro (
$4.38 million) spread among World Food Program, UNICEF, WHO and IFRC. Local aid groups contributed further 75,000 euro ($131,370). Finnish Red Cross has sent a field hospital with 15 staff to Sri Lanka and 31 aid workers to Thailand.
FRANCE: Foreign Minister Michel Barnier in Sri Lanka, then Thailand. Has earmarked 100,000 euro ($175,160) for relief, sent 16 rescuers to Thailand, 10 tonnes aid to Sri Lanka.
A Paris, le gouvernement français a annoncé une contribution de 15 millions d'euros à l'aide internationale dans la région, et l'Allemagne a porté la sienne à 20 millions d'euros. Le chancelier Gerhard Schröder a par ailleurs demandé au Club de Paris de décréter un moratoire sur le remboursement de la dette de l'Indonésie et la Somalie.GERMANY: Doubling emergency aid to 2 million euro (
$3.5 million). Air force medical evacuation plane to set off for Phuket, two more planes chartered to take disaster relief teams, medicines and consular officials there. Germany's largest utility E.ON to donate 1 million euro (
$1.75 million).
GREECE: Sending C-130 transport aircraft carrying 25 rescue workers to Phuket tomorrow to help with rescue operations.
Has sent plane to Sri Lanka carrying five tonnes of food and clothing, and offered 150,000 euros in aid to each of the two countries.
ISRAEL: Sent one medical team to Sri Lanka, one to Thailand.
Military search and rescue team due in Sri Lanka, held up by coordination problems.
ITALY: Will send 2 Hercules aircraft, one to Sri Lanka, one to Thailand.
JAPAN: Pledged $US30 million ($38.6 million) in aid, sent three navy vessels to Thailand to help rescue survivors.
KUWAIT: Pledged aid supplies worth $US2 million ($2.6 million), sent $US100,000 ($128,500) immediate aid.
NETHERLANDS: Contributing 2 million euro (
$3.5 million) to Red Cross-Red Crescent appeal, plus participating in EU aid program.
NORWAY: Preliminary contribution of 50 million Norwegian crowns (
$10.5 million) for emergency relief, including basic necessities, medicines, food, clean water and shelter.
POLAND: Earmarked 1 million zlotys ($431,770) for Polish NGOs involved in relief.
SAUDI ARABIA: Pledged $US10 million ($12.85 million) aid package - $US5 million ($6.4 million) of food, tents and medicine to be distributed via Saudi Red Crescent, $US5 million ($6.4 million) for international aid groups such as the Red Cross and UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
SINGAPORE: Contributing some $US1.2 million ($1.5 million) to global effort, military medical teams and supplies ready to fly to Indonesia.
SOUTH KOREA: Raises aid to $US2 million ($2.6 million), may send military cargo plane to move aid workers and supplies.
SPAIN: Sent aircraft to Sri Lanka with first aid, sanitary equipment and 19 volunteers, promised 1 million euro (
$1.75 million).
SWEDEN: Sent 2 communications specialists to help UN relief efforts in Sri Lanka. Sending tents and communications equipment to the Maldives. Swedish Red Cross to contribute $US750,000 (
$963,760) to IFRC appeal.
TAIWAN: Pledged additional $US5 million ($6.43 million) to South and Southeast Asian countries, after giving $US100,000 ($128,500) to Indonesia, $US50,000 ($64,250) each to Thailand, India and Sri Lanka. Sends more than 100 relief workers.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Pledged $US2 million ($2.6 million) in aid and its Red Crescent society will donate 30 tonnes of food, blankets and clothing to earthquake victims to be transported over this week.
UNITED STATES: Pledged initial $US35 million ($45 million). Pentagon ordered 12 vessels to region, though no decision taken on their role.
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS: Cargo plane flying from Kenya to Sri Lanka carrying 105 tonnes of supplies, provide aid to 150,000 people in north and east. Trying to raise more than 50 million Swiss francs ($56.5 million).
IMF: Intends to provide assistance, no specific pledges.
UNHCR: Initially distributing $US380,000 ($488,310) of non-food relief items, including 23,500 plastic sheets for shelter, 24,500 plastic mats, clothing, towels and 20,000 kitchen sets.
UNICEF: Delivered 50 water tanks to southern India, 45-tonne shipment of water purification tablets and water systems due to reach Sri Lanka on Thursday. WHO and UNICEF said they were providing four emergency kits to Indonesia to cover 40,000 people for three months, providing shelter, food and clothing.
UN WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: Sends 168 tonnes of commodities to Sri Lanka, plus more than 4,000 tonnes of rice, wheatflour, lentils and sugar, enough to provide 500,000 people with emergency rations for two weeks.
UN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: Provided $US100,000 ($128,500) each to Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, the Maldives and Thailand to help assess damage and coordinate emergency needs.
UN POPULATION FUND: Earmarked up to $US1 million ($1.3 million) and extra staff to help health needs of pregnant and nursing women.
Reuters
"Les sinistrés et blessés ont besoin de bras, de médecins,de médicaments ; les politiques n'ont rien à faire dans cette galère sauf à demander à Bush des dollars pour les victimes au lieu de dépenser un fric monstre pour faire la guerre ( 4 millions de dollars d'aide des USA c'est un millième du prix d'un bombardier furtif B2 ! c'est lamentable ) "C'est une honte. Ils feraient mieux de ne rien envoyer http://fr.news.yahoo.com/041229/295/477hl.html