Press Room > Oxfam Ireland Press Release
January 4th 2005
Meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
Most of those directly affected by the Asia tsunami disaster are extremely poor. This is typical, and is the reason why these disasters cause so much suffering.
For example, contrast Hurricane Mitch that hit Central America in 1998 with Hurricane Andrew that struck Florida in 1992. Both were about the same force but in the former 10,000 people were killed, while in the US only 41 died. Hurricane Mitch destroyed two thirds of the Honduras economy; and Hurricane Andrew cut Florida 's output by only 10%.
Poor people are more vulnerable simply because they are poor. They are less well-nourished. Their houses are less sturdy. They live in worse areas. And they have much less to fall back upon when disaster does strike.
The tsunami catastrophe illustrates graphically that the half of the world's population surviving on less than US$2 per day are not living properly as human beings. Their poverty denies them the fundamental liberties that we in the rich world take for granted - basic health care, education, housing, clean water, and a reasonable livelihood. We should not live in a world where 35,000 children die yesterday, today, tomorrow, and every other day of easily preventable diseases such as measles and malaria.
The huge scale of the rich world's response to the tidal wave also shows that the needed resources are available to make poverty history. For the first time in the existence of humanity, our generation can make this happen.
Oxfam Ireland , therefore, calls on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern not only to give generously now to save lives and reduce suffering, but also to work much harder to put poverty behind us all. Dr Brian Scott, chief executive, said, "Mr Ahern should trust his earlier instinct when he promised to increase Ireland 's aid budget substantially. Public generosity demonstrates that the political support for this is there. The government should catch up with public opinion. Specifically, we are calling for the following:
1. meet our 0.7% aid budget promise;
2. help abolish poor country debt, while also ensuring that the freed-up money is properly spent;
4. support proper EU trade reform.
These are all very familiar, but not any the less necessary for being so.
Dr Brian Scott, chief executive
NEW:
Oxfam Ireland's Executive Director Brian Scott's reaction to meeting this afternoon with Bertie Ahern: "Two main points. Oxfam Ireland welcome very much the meeting and the support of the government, in particular Bertie Ahern mentioned the longer term rehabilitation aspect of the Asia Disaster as being very important and secondly that the government would be reviewing the amount of funding made available once it becomes clearer what s the longer term needs are. Two following meetings this week on Thursday in Jarcarta and Friday EU meeting - D ermot Ahern will be attending and he will be raising these issues at these meetings, the requirement for long term planning and Oxfam Ireland greatly welcomes these possible actions from the government."
OXFAM INTERNATIONAL WORLDWIDE DONATIONS CURRENTLY STAND AT OVER 30 MILLION EURO
500,000 FROM OXFAM IRELAND (FIGURES GOING UP ALL THE TIME via our shops, website and call centres)
Oxfam Ireland's Asia Earthquake Floods appeal : you can donate online here or lo call 1890 60 60 65 (ROI) & 0845 303 0337 (NI) or visit any Oxfam Ireland Shop.
Further information from Oxfam International website here