Over ten countries are struggling with the effects of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that has already claimed over 20,000 lives, left uncountable persons injured and millions homeless and without basic necessities.

To complicate matters, there are rumors that the Indonesian government is now debating whether to allow foreign organizations access to Aceh, the region closest to the earthquake. Indonesia has almost sealed Aceh since the beginning of martial law in May 2003.

The US government has offered assistance. Every second delayed contributes to needless death, sickness and suffering. This is clearly not the time for politics to supersede dire humanitarian needs.

Amidst this nightmare, the media is linking the Killer Tsunami to global warming. http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewNation.asp?Page=\Nation\archive\200412\NAT20041228a.html

ACTIONS
1. Call your Representative in Congress and urge her/him to sign the Dear Colleague letter (see below) initiated by Congressman Crowley to Secretary of State Powell calling for immediate US leadership and action in emergency aid relief. The deadline is Jan. 4. The contact in Mr. Crowley's office is Gregg Sheiowitz.

Please note: phone calls are the most effective way to contact your Representative. The Congressional switchboard number is 202-224-3121; ask for your Representative's office. Then ask to speak with the foreign policy aide. If you don't know who your Representative is, go to http://www.house.gov to find out and to find any other contact information.  If you are not able to make a phone call, then fax. E-mails are a last option, but are generally less effective than phone calls and faxes.

2. Call Secretary Powell and urge him to press Indonesia to allow international NGOs and the media immediate, unrestricted access to Aceh.

3. Send a contribution to a relief agency such as
The International Federation of the Red Cross
http://www.ifrc.org/index.asp

Catholic Relief Services
http://www.catholicrelief.org/

THE CONGRESSIONAL DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER
Support Humanitarian Aid for South and South East Asian Tsunami Victims

December 27, 2004

Dear Colleague:

As you know, yesterday South and South East Asia suffered the worst earthquake in the past 40 years.  It is being reported that over 23,000 people have been killed and millions displaced from the tsunami caused by this quake.  I urge you to join me in sending the below letter to Secretary Powell urging the administration to be the leader in the emergency aid relief effort.

The United States has a moral obligation to help those affected by this tragic natural disaster.  If you would like to sign on or for more information please contact Gregg Sheiowitz in my office at gregg.sheiowitz@mail.house.gov or via phone at 5-3965.  The deadline to sign will be close of business on January 4, 2005.

Sincerely,

Joseph Crowley
Member of Congress

LETTER TO SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL
December XX, 2004

The Honorable Colin Powell
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Secretary Powell,

We are deeply saddened and concerned by the loss of 23,000 lives from the worst earthquake in the past 40 years and the 4th strongest in a century.  As a strong leader in the world, the United States must be at the forefront of dispensing emergency humanitarian aid to the scores of nations affected by this tragedy.  We are pleased to see President Bush s December 26, 2004 release regarding the Bay of Bengal earthquake stating, The United States stands ready to offer all appropriate assistance to those nations most affected but we must back these words up with immediate action.

As you know, the death toll is expected to rise with thousands more reported missing in eight countries after the tsunami ripped through coastal communities.  We believe the relief effort must first be focused on ensuring the people affected by this massive tsunami have clean water and food due to the fact the flood waters contaminated the drinking water and food is scarce.  Second, the humanitarian effort must also be focused on stopping disease before it spreads through the population who survived this horrible ordeal.  While aid workers access the damage done by the tsunami, it is important for the United States to take the lead in dispensing aid, we must lead by example.

We also believe that to ensure this high loss of life does not occur again, we urge you to work with the South and South East Asian nations to assist them in setting up a network warning system for earthquakes in the Indian Ocean similar to the one along Pacific Rim nations in North America, Asia and South America.  We also believe that better coordination is needed between the international tsunami warning system and all nations even where tsunamis have been rare like in the Indian Ocean. The United States Agency for International Development should work with all the countries in South and South East Asia to develop an early warning system to save lives from future tsunamis.

We look forward to your immediate action for those millions affected by this tragedy and thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,