Post Tsunami corruption:

Posted by: Nime on 21 February 2006

I heard that a new report on the Tsunami has concluded that the money has gone straight to the rich, the hotel developers and the tourist trade in most of the countries involved. Serious violations of human rights have been the norm where the poor are concerned. 63 houses built out of the 250,000 promised, paid for and badly needed.
Multiple families still sheltering under sweltering tarpaulins in summer which leak in the winter. No washing, bathing, toilet, refuse or sewage facilities are being provided. Long distances bing covered by women to fetch fresh water has resulted in water being used from on-site which is heavily contaminated by sewage. Epidemics and more deaths are indicated.
Rape and violence against women is the norm rather than the exception. Camps deliberately being set up far from emplyment so that workers must pay for their transport leaving nothing to live on. Slavery being forced on those once independent and self supporting in thriving local communitities. Fishermen denied funds for repairs to their boats. Laws being passed to clear the poor from tourist-productive coasts while allowing illegal and dangerous building of hotels in the same danger zones as before.
The poor are being charged for health care in centres provided by funds rasied after the disaster. Or simply go without health care. Women are being forced into child rearing and prostitution by men not even related to them before the disaster. Women are being denied their rights to property owned before their husbands were drowned.
The Roman Catholic Church is pushing the idea that the Tsunami was god's will.

Don'tcha just love the human race in a crisis?
Posted on: 21 February 2006 by Steve G
I'd be interested in hearing what measures you're personally taking to help the situation.
Posted on: 21 February 2006 by Roy T
Did these sort of things never happen before the Tsunami?

quote:
Laws being passed to clear the poor from tourist-productive coasts while allowing illegal and dangerous building of hotels in the same danger zones as before.

Yep, those are the laws, now you might not like them but they are the laws of the country. Should we make aid conditional on the country following laws that we favour or ones that they pass into statute?
Posted on: 21 February 2006 by Nime
Publicity helps. If every person who chooses not to go to that country on their holidays to use the beach hotels built on the sands of corruption and Western charity... Yeah, right. It's all bullshit.
Posted on: 21 February 2006 by Bruce Woodhouse
Nime, come on.

This 'report' you read wouldn't have its own agenda by any chance would it? I suspect that some or all of the abuses you described may have occurred, but I'd very much doubt they are 'norms'. To summarise all the affected nations, communities and the whole relief effort in this paragraph is ridiculous.

It would of course be far better if such catastrophes only occurred in nice organised first world nations where the poor are protected from corruption and exploitation. Like New Orleans perhaps?

Easier still we can justify our ungenerous and uncaring atitude to a continent like Africa in one sweeping dismissal-'it all just goes to corrupt officials' and sleep comfy in our beds.

I'm being argumentative today!

Bruce
Posted on: 22 February 2006 by erik scothron
quote:
Originally posted by Steve G:
I'd be interested in hearing what measures you're personally taking to help the situation.


Dear Steve,

I don't claim to be a mind reader so I don't know if you are jumping down Naim's throat here or asking a genuine question. It seems to me Naim is making a serious point in bringing this to our attention and that is one way of doing something about the problem, is it not? One could ask 'what measures you are personally taking to help the situation'? I look forward to your reply as I am not sure what can be done.

Regards,

Erik
Posted on: 22 February 2006 by Nime
Dear Erik

Promotion at last? Smile
Posted on: 22 February 2006 by erik scothron
quote:
Originally posted by Nime:
Dear Erik

Promotion at last? Smile


Three stripes at least.
Posted on: 22 February 2006 by Nime
Wow! Thanks Erik! Now let's see... that puts me seven ranks above PMT! Is there a decent pension? Big Grin
Posted on: 26 February 2006 by Gianluigi Mazzorana
quote:
The Roman Catholic Church is pushing the idea that the Tsunami was god's will.



No.
I'm pushing the idea that the roman catholic church was god's will.
If you get what i mean.
Smile
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by erik scothron
quote:
Originally posted by Gianluigi Mazzorana:
quote:
The Roman Catholic Church is pushing the idea that the Tsunami was god's will.



No.
I'm pushing the idea that the roman catholic church was god's will.
If you get what i mean.
Smile


Yes, another bloody disaster. I am not concerned that Ratzinger was a member of the Hitler youth as a child but I am concerned that he is still a member! How dare the church cause so much suffering in the third world? It beggars belief they can be so blind.
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by erik scothron
quote:
Originally posted by Nime:
Wow! Thanks Erik! Now let's see... that puts me seven ranks above PMT! Is there a decent pension? Big Grin


Hi Nime,

Well I see you like to take risks, but is that bravery or foolishness? Expect some enfilade from TMP any time soon. Your ability to survive the next round of incoming will determine your career path. We could be talking about a commission but a decent pension is beyond my resources at present. Winker
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by Steve Bull
Nime - what's the source of this 'new report'? As Bruce says, they may well have their own agenda.

Steve.
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by Gianluigi Mazzorana
quote:
Originally posted by erik scothron:
How dare the church cause so much suffering in the third world? It beggars belief they can be so blind.



They think life means suffering.
The more disasters the more businness.
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by erik scothron
quote:
Originally posted by Gianluigi Mazzorana:
quote:
Originally posted by erik scothron:
How dare the church cause so much suffering in the third world? It beggars belief they can be so blind.



They think life means suffering.
The more disasters the more businness.


Yes, I agree. Did that interfering ignorant old sod John Paul the second ever hold the hand of a crying orphan in a Filipino orphange (no condoms in the Philippines)or scrape the sh!t off bed ridden incontinent AIDS victims in Africa (no condoms there either?. How can that man ever be considered 'holy'? It's 'business as usual' in the Vatican with the new guy - things have to change.
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by Gianluigi Mazzorana
quote:
Originally posted by erik scothron:
Yes, I agree. Did that interfering ignorant old sod John Paul the second ever hold the hand of a crying orphan in a Filipino orphange (no condoms in the Philippines)or scrape the sh!t off bed ridden incontinent AIDS victims in Africa (no condoms there either?.



Bishops and priest in Africa go around sayin' that condoms are unuseful because they have very very small holes.
In a town close mine the pharmacist, who has the shop pn the other side of the road in front of the church, had to give selling condoms because the local priest convinced the devotes not to buy medicines by him.
That's Italy today.
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by wellyspyder
quote:
Originally posted by Nime:

Don'tcha just love the human race in a crisis?


After reading a passage like this it is easy to conclude the worst about the human race but usually the atrocites are carried out by the few who ruined it for others. If every one were bad, perhaps we would not be in existance today?

Try your best to help others, it is never possible to help all. Do your bit and be happy. I am going to drink some "petit verdot" and listen to some music.
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by wellyspyder
quote:
Originally posted by Gianluigi Mazzorana:
quote:
Originally posted by erik scothron:
Yes, I agree. Did that interfering ignorant old sod John Paul the second ever hold the hand of a crying orphan in a Filipino orphange (no condoms in the Philippines)or scrape the sh!t off bed ridden incontinent AIDS victims in Africa (no condoms there either?.



Bishops and priest in Africa go around sayin' that condoms are unuseful because they have very very small holes.
In a town close mine the pharmacist, who has the shop pn the other side of the road in front of the church, had to give selling condoms because the local priest convinced the devotes not to buy medicines by him.
That's Italy today.


Blind faith or fanatism? It is a worry when self evaluation of issues goes south. How many of the rioters anywhere have stopped to think why they are there? They are just led like sheeps. One takes of and the rest follows! even if it meant straight off a cliff.
Posted on: 28 February 2006 by Gianluigi Mazzorana
I think that the most important thing that work and life's problems take away from us is the time for information.
The time to study history and realize that what some people say on tv or write on newspaper is not true.
The simple fact that someone consider this part of the world the best (as italian prime minister think) is one of the worst mistake.
I do pose this book again and i hope that someone will read it: