Foreign aid to the Katrina Disaster...

I am just interested in listing offers/actual aid from foreign countries to this cause, I think whether you like it or not, it shows the true colors of people (some of whom even might have unfriendly relations with the US government, although not necessarily the people of the US).

As we already know, Cuba and Venezuela (two countries that are designated as unfriendly to the US) have offered considerable help, especially in the case of Cuba which is known to have first-world health system and a skilled medical force that is desperately needed in the time being, especially in Houston now as we have massive shortages of medical people who are qualified to help out (I know this fact firsthand).

Other countries that have made the single largest donations/offers so far are two Arab countries: Qatar and Kuwait. Here are two links for what each country has offered:

Kuwait donates $500 mln oil products for Katrina
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050904/ts_nm/kuwait_us_aid_dc

Qatar offers $100m to relief fund
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/03/katrina.world.aid/index.html?section=cnn_latest

There are other links of other countries providing aid/offering help, and please feel free to include them...

Moreover, as I have said in another thread, the US MUST not be too 'proud' to accept relief aid from other countries, because these poor individuals housed in the Astrodome and the GRB Conv Center need all the help they can get, especially the offer by Cuba to send medical staff to help out, that is the area of most need. I think this article addresses this issue of 'pride' well enough, and notice that even some poor countries like Bosnia are offering aid, saying things like "we remember how Americans helped us in the past", which should warm our hearts as Americans knowing that not all we have done to help out others in their times of need is forgotten; this link also has a list of countries that have offered help so far, which I feel speaks positively of human beings connecting together to help one another and feeling each others' pain and suffering, despite 'political' differences:

Hurricane Katrina: Not a time for arrogance

Despite differences with Washington, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, UAE, and Azerbaijan were among dozens of countries that offered financial aid and other assistance to help ease the suffering of the victims of Hurricane Katrina, AP reported.

This is not a time to be proud, but this is a time to accept other countries help to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Even Japan said it would send $200,000 to the American Red Cross for its relief operations, as well as providing up to $300,000 worth of tents, blankets, power generators, portable water tanks and other equipment.

The Americans need the help, and accepting the offers made by those countries could ease the U.S. burden and speed getting needed assistance to Katrina's victims.

Watching coverage of the devastation and tragedy, the need to bring help to those victims and get it there fast becomes crystal clear.

Last month, the American President George W. Bush resisted British Prime Minister Tony Blair's request of assisting Africa, though Bush took steps to double U.S. aid to more than $8.6 billion by 2010.

The United States lags behind other rich nations in the amount of aid it’s giving to African nations, the world's poorest countries.

Also accepting those countries’ aid will help create a stronger bond among nations and improve the U.S. tarnished image among several countries especially in the Middle East and the Muslim World.

Despite the U.S.’s strong economy, Washington is not universally recognized as providing the level of aid expected of rich nations to victims of disasters.

According to analysts, even if the aid offered to the U.S. doesn't provide a lasting change, it at least demonstrates that the world nations can set aside differences in times of disaster.

The aid also came from nations with whom the U.S. has disputes over certain political matters -- such as Iraq war -- like France and Germany.

It's not just governments that are responding, individuals, too, have offered help.

For example, a fund-raising effort is under way in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Adnan Rondic, a journalist with Hayat, a private television station in Sarajevo that is involved in the drive, said Bosnians remember the help Americans gave them during the 1992-95 Bosnian war.

By Friday, America received offers from Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Britain, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela and the United Arab Emirates.

The Americans should not allow this goodwill to go to waste.

 

Not a foreign group, but a local effort to help out:

U.S. MUSLIMS PLEDGE $10 MILLION FOR HURRICANE RELIEF

Major American Islamic groups form task force to coordinate humanitarian aid

(CHICAGO, IL, 9/4/05) – A coalition of major American Islamic groups meeting at the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in Chicago today announced a pledge to raise $10 million in humanitarian relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The coalition also announced the formation of a Muslim Hurricane Relief Task Force (MHRTF) to coordinate the aid effort. MHRTF members include (in alphabetical order) Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Circle of North American (ICNA), Islamic Relief, ISNA, Kind Hearts, Life for Relief and Development, Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), Muslim American Society (MAS), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), and Muslim Ummah of North American (MUNA).

Other groups who agree to the task force’s guidelines will be added as the relief efforts develop. MHRTF guidelines for collection and distribution of funds will focus on financial transparency and accountability as set forth in relevant government regulations and standards. No proselytizing of hurricane victims will be allowed by any member of the task force.

“It is a national and Islamic obligation to assist one’s neighbors when they are in need,” said ISNA Secretary General Sayyid Syeed. “The American Muslim community pledges to do its part in helping those Americans, of all faiths, who suffered such great losses in lives and property.”

Syeed said MHRTF will announce a comprehensive list of Muslim relief group that promise to adhere to the task force’s guidelines.

The initial MHRTF action plan includes an assessment of the humanitarian needs that can be met by American Muslim financial and human resources, as well as a similar assessment of the Islamic community’s ability to meet those needs.

More than $2 million in hurricane aid has already been disbursed by Islamic charities. Muslim relief workers are currently on the ground in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi.

 

Sonny,

Thanks for posting that, you have no idea how heartened I am that our government is going to forget politics for once and let those who want to help their fellow human beings (regardless of politics) help out.

I am very happy about this news, certainly will go a long way in showing the world that our nation is humble and graceful.