Annual report 2005 Malteser International - Ordine di Malta

Tsunami – interim statement
The seaquake on 26 December 2004 and
the resultant metre-high tsunami brought
death, misery and immeasurable suffering
to the people along the coast of the Indian
Ocean. With over 250,000 people dead or
missing, almost 1.7 million refugees and
displaced persons and an estimated total
damage of just short of USD 10 billion,
the affected countries are confronted with
extraordinary challenges. The seaquake
had drastic effects on numerous countries
and their populations: death and injury,
loss of family members and friends,
destruction of homes, infrastructure and
places of work. The tourism sector, so
vital for the economy, was badly hit.
Droughts, floods and earthquakes in
developing countries often remain ‘faroff’
events that vanish quickly again
from TV screens in industrial countries,
but the visibility and ‘nearness’ of human
suffering in South and South-East Asia,
particularly that of tourists, triggered an
unheard-of level of spontaneous readiness
to help. In a second, the world community
seemed united in global sympathy in the
face of a barely comprehensible natural
disaster that brought destruction and
death to so many along the Asian and
African coast.
The national, regional and international
reaction to the devastating consequence of
the disaster was swift. Initial humanitarian
aid measures were quickly introduced.
Malteser International immediately provided
EUR 1 million to ensure care and
temporary accommodation for survivors in
Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand
and initial plans for rehabilitation were
started.
Today, Malteser International is running
over 65 rehabilitation and reconstruction
projects in the affected countries – together
with renowned partner organisations.
Over the last year, projects with a total
volume of EUR 8.7 million have been
carried out, while ongoing and further
reconstruction programmes and aid
measures are underway, costing a total of
EUR 20 million.
One thing is for sure: help for the
people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and
Thailand will need to continue for at least
another three to four years. It is not enough
simply to re-establish people’s lives as
they were before the disaster: conditions
must be better than before and safer, so
that the people are better protected against
any new disasters in the future.
Thrissur District
income-generating
measures
Kollam District
emergency relief
emergency shelters
psycho-social care
house repairs
child care
Kanyakumari District
care for families in emergency shelters
psycho-social care
renovation of schools
income-generating measures
child care
I N D I A
With its tsunami aid, Malteser
International has already reached
more than half a million people.
Kurt Oxenius
16
A S I A