Antonov 124s to the rescue

What make you so sure that inside all of those boxes labeled bottled
water are really bottled water?

It could be ammunition for G.A.M. or the Indonesian military or even
both.



As for bottled water from Singapore.

It's not polite to take away a very needed resource from an area who is
quite in a shortage for it.



As for water purification units.

The aim here is dependency, not independency.

Why bother giving a fishing equipment when you can instead give a lot
of fish?

Really... If people just really want to sent out aids, they would just
sent some stuff and then just leave the locals to sort things out by
themself. The whole thing probably would have ended before new year.

Miguel Cruz wrote:
snip
And the stupidity of sourcing commodities in Canada when they could
be
procured in the region.

As the USAID web site says:

The most efficient and effective way to help those affected by a
disaster overseas is to make a monetary donation to a humanitarian
organization that is implementing relief programs in the affected
region.

See http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/tsunami/

Miguel Cruz wrote:
snip
And the stupidity of sourcing commodities in Canada when they could
be
procured in the region.

As the USAID web site says:

The most efficient and effective way to help those affected by a
disaster overseas is to make a monetary donation to a humanitarian
organization that is implementing relief programs in the affected
region.

See http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/tsunami/

wrote in message
oups.com...
What make you so sure that inside all of those boxes labeled bottled
water are really bottled water?

It could be ammunition for G.A.M. or the Indonesian military or even
both.



As for bottled water from Singapore.

It's not polite to take away a very needed resource from an area who is
quite in a shortage for it.



As for water purification units.

The aim here is dependency, not independency.

Why bother giving a fishing equipment when you can instead give a lot
of fish?

Really... If people just really want to sent out aids, they would just
sent some stuff and then just leave the locals to sort things out by
themself. The whole thing probably would have ended before new year.

wrote in message
oups.com...
What make you so sure that inside all of those boxes labeled bottled
water are really bottled water?

It could be ammunition for G.A.M. or the Indonesian military or even
both.


Whyever do you say that?! It looked like boxes of 12/1,5l water bottles, and
the TV reporters thought it was water, and I seriously doubt that a charity
would try smugglling arms on an aid flight and invite TV to film it. That
really is a very odd idea. I assume you like conspiracy theories?!


As for bottled water from Singapore.

It's not polite to take away a very needed resource from an area who is
quite in a shortage for it.

Singapore is short of bottled water? Since when? Anyway the tap water there
is quite safe to drink.
Jakarta has plenty too (I live in Jakarta half time and probably would
notice a water shortage)
Java should easily be able to provide Aceh's water needs if they can ship it
into the affected areas (not easy I think).


As for water purification units.

The aim here is dependency, not independency.

Why bother giving a fishing equipment when you can instead give a lot
of fish?

Really... If people just really want to sent out aids, they would just
sent some stuff and then just leave the locals to sort things out by
themself. The whole thing probably would have ended before new year.

The other major charity I mentioned did say that they were sending
purification units and said it was much better than sending water bottles. I
hope that most agencies are doing that. But of course you cut that from the
message... to help justifiy your suspicions?!
In case you haven't seen TV reports, some areas are so devated that the
surviving people could not be reasonably (or kindly) left to "sort things
out themself". On much of the west cost of Aceh there are virtually no
houses left, roads bridges and power are gone, and many people are injured.
Also they have lost fishing boats and other means of making a living.
I think they need some help to recover.
But I do object to aid money being wasted - especially the part I gave!