[chapter-delegates] ISOC Response to Tsunami Crisis in Asia PROPOSAL

[Gene Gaines]

Jacques,

Thank you for your response (below) to my proposal.

My intention is not to compete with current disaster
assistance efforts, and not to divert one centime of funds
that would go to those efforts.

Relief organizations cannot do everything.  If you doubt this,
then I suggest that you make a personal visit to one of the
well known relief organizations and ask their advice on the
subject of small volunteer organizations such as ISOC chapters
providing long-term assistance for a specific local project
such as a school.

For 20 years, my hobby (avocation) has been volunteer work
to assist with education, job training and economic development
in financially depressed areas.  I believe I know what I am
doing.  My success rate is good.  Not in _my_ achieving good
things, but rather in my assisting local people in achieving
good things.

The bad effects of the tsunami disaster will be felt by the
local people for years to come.  How to provide assistance
during those years?

You will recall humanitarian aid leaders stating that, after
the immediate disaster relief, it is better to provide good
seed and farming technology than it is to provide food.

Make an analogy between seeds and children.

My vision is to build and equip a school which provides
children:

 (1) basic education,
 (2) learning of the whole world through the Internet,
 (3) learning skills for good jobs, and
 (4) hopefully creating new economic opportunities for their area.

Totally different from immediate disaster relief.

Gene Gaines
VP, ISOC Washington DC USA Chapter


On Friday, January 7, 2005, 6:28:08 AM, Jacques wrote:

> Dear all,
> I am sorry to interfere as a dog in a skittles' play, or to turn up
> when least wanted.
> Let me say first that I greet with an immense hope the solidarity
> that is manifested world-wide to the dramatic situations in the
> tsunami crisis in Asia.
> But I must say also that I don't understand why ISOC should play on
> its own in response, when the international community is trying to
> organize the relief on the most efficient way. The best that ISOC has
> to do his to offer its services to well known organizations which
> have a good knowledge of what must done. I don't see any difficulty
> in organizing ourselves to collect money, and give it to the funds
> which are responding to the first and basic felt needs of people. I
> don't see what does mean to reconstruct a school with the best
> computer equipment. In what world are we moving?
> There are 5000 deaths in Thailand (half Thai, half foreigners) and
> the Government announces five thousands more. But the disaster counts
> today more than 150,000 deaths - the last figures are "more than
> 160,000" -, especially in Indonesia (90,000), Sri Lanka (30,000), and
> India (10,000), where the situation is still worse than in Thailand.
> I should be careful to go ahead without knowing where are the most
> urgent needs. ISOC is not equipped for answering that question.
> Promises remain often promises, but when the momentum is over...  See
> the case of earthquake in Bam (Iran): they have hardly received 45%
> of what was promised.
> What we need in the case of Asia is a long term involvement and
> strong structures more than little projects at hand. Generosity is
> not sufficient, the situation is more dramatic than we can ever feel.
> Yours,
> Jacques Berleur
> President ISOC-Belgium (Wallonia)


>>At 10:33 05-01-2005 -0500, Gene Gaines wrote:
>>>Srisakdi,
>>>
>>>I PROPOSE THAT WE UNDERTAKE THIS AS A CHAPTERS PROJECT.
>>>It would be good for Americas ISOC chapters (North America,
>>>Central America, South America) and EU ISOC chapters to
>>>join in this.
>>>
>>>Veni, Rosa, Ramon, Srisakdi Charmonman, do you consider this
>>>a constructive project?
>>
>>Dear Gene,
>>Borka from Slovenia is already discussing the issue within the
>>European Chapter Council. We hope it will be able to respond soon.
>>
>>best,
>>veni
>>
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