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

[Gene Gaines]

Timo,

I have read your message (below). Perhaps I missed your meaning.

I understand you to say:

  - Putting things in perspective, the tsunami disaster is not
    that big a deal.

  - If one wants to help, do it as an individual by taking a
    vacation there.

  - There are big, long-term technical problems concerned with
    disaster relief, but let's not think about solving them on
    our own.

  - Let's just keep on doing what we already are doing.

Your email is not surprising to me.

Every time I, or my friends, have launched a "do good" project,
there seems always to be such a reaction from some people.

Good, now we have that out of the way.

I expect the next step will be the emails that will say,
in effect, "Why do you listen to local people?  You should
seek the advice of some experts in New York, Geneva, etc.,
who of course know far more about local needs."

My proposing the school project was in response to a
suggestion of such a project by the president of the ISOC chapter
in Indonesia.

Perhaps it is obvious, but I believe it is important to respond
to what people ask for, particularly in time of great need.

Gene Gaines
gene.gaines at gainesgroup.com

On Monday, January 10, 2005, 4:37:21 AM, Timo wrote:


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> Despite the effort mass media has put into publicizing the Asian
> tsunami catastrophe, I think that we should put things into
> perspective. In terms of deaths we are talking about what malaria
> kills in Africa in a couple of months. I don't think it would be wise
> use of resources for ISOC to do something that is completely out of
> its charter and competence, like supporting a school. Out members can
> and do support other organizations, which already are focusing on
> these activities and are better equipped to do this.

> Also ISOC is not a fast moving organization and by the time we could
> decide on anything, the immediate need for relief is over. If you want
> to help the locals in the disaster area, take a vacation there this
> spring.

> We could contact some competent international crisis management
> organizations, like the IRC, and ask them what kind of requirements
> they have and is there anything we can offer. Control and
> communications are a large problem after any catastrophe and much of
> the relief offered goes to waste since it can not be targeted fast
> enough. Something modeled on a military logistics system could be
> useful. Also the problem of joining dislocated persons is a large
> issue. However as an organization we have very little experience on
> crisis work, so we should even not think about solving this problem on
> our own and trying to provide a finished solution.

> Instead I think that we should stick to our earlier programs on
> spreading the Internet to the developing world. In terms of human
> benefits I see this as one area, where we can do the most good.
> Funding forums enabling the users in these countries can share their
> practices and technologies and supporting their work on developing low
> cost communications would in my opinion be the most useful position
> ISOC can take.

> kiravuo
> ISOC Finland

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