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

Sun Jan 9 12:05:26 PST 2005

Dear friends,

If there is something we can do together to help the people in the 
devastated area, we should do it. Re-building even just one school is 
much better than nothing. Still, we musn't let our frustration lead us 
to start projects that may only add to what someone called 'the anarchy 
of altruism'. Too many well meaning players without proper co-ordination 
easily leads to waste of resources.

Gene and Jacques both talk about long term involvement and that sounds 
like the best way to go. ISOC is not an organisation capable of quick 
relief projects. We should leave that to the experts.

If re-building schools is something we feel that we could do together, 
let's do it by all means (although I'm not sure fundraising is our forte 
either). This is something that we should maybe talk about with 
Unesco/Unicef and see what is already being done and if we could 
contribute in some way.

There are some areas where ISOC could IMHO take a leading role: 
promoting communication technologies that would enable the relief 
organisations to quickly set up communication networks in disaster areas 
(delay tolerant TCP, ad-hoc networks, Wimax and other wireless 
standards, VoIP emergency messaging etc.). We could start by contacting 
the Red Cross and asking what they are using now and what could be done 
to improve it.

Meanwhile there are little things every chapter can do, like putting 
links to local charities' donation pages on their home pages.

Just my thoughts,

Tommi

Gene Gaines wrote:
> 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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