MSNBC Fact File - Who's helping (link to the entire list)
While MSNBC compiled an entire list of contributors, I have exerpted a few that I found interesting...
Australia
Increased aid to $27 million and said it, the United States, Japan and India were considering setting up a group to coordinate help. Also sent five air force transport planes with supplies and medical specialists to Sumatra, and two 15-member emergency medical teams and 12 police to Phuket.
Britain
Pledged 15 million pounds ($28.9 million); plastic sheets and tents worth 250,000 pounds to Sri Lanka; 370,000 pounds to EU aid offer, $100,000 to World Health Organisation.
United States
Pledged $350 million. Pentagon ordered 12 vessels to region, though no decision taken on their role. (that's MSNBC's take on it - as you saw earlier, the military/Pentagon have already gotten active!)
Canada
C$80 million ($67 million), a 20-fold increase over aid initially pledged; blankets, water tablets, jerrycans and plastic sheeting sent to Sri Lanka. (**My note: I find it interesting that if Canada only offered $4 million originally, why they didn't come under the same scrutiny that George Bush did...)
France
15 million euros pledged to affected states in Southeast Asia. French authorities and aid groups decide to send 110 tons of aid.
Germany
Doubling emergency aid to 2 million euros. Air force medical evacuation plane to set off for Phuket, two more planes chartered to take disaster relief teams, medicine and consular officials there. Germany’s largest utility E.ON donates 1 million euros.
Israel
Sent one medical team to Sri Lanka, one to Thailand. Military search and rescue team due in Sri Lanka, held up by coordination problems. (**My Note: guess what? the muslims in Sri Lanka refused the Israeli's help, based on - religion! ...disgusting)
Japan
Increased aid pledge to $500 million, sent three navy vessels to Thailand to help rescue survivors.
Egypt
Egyptian Red Crescent Society sending a plane with 500,000 Egyptian pounds ($81,000) worth of medicine and other aid as initial step.
Kuwait
Pledged aid supplies worth $2 million, sent $100,000 immediate aid.
Qatar
Sent urgent relief aid worth $10 million.
Saudi Arabia
Pledged $10 million aid package -- $5 million of food, tents and medicine to be distributed via Saudi Red Crescent, $5 million for international aid groups such as the Red Cross and U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
United Arab Emirates
Pledged $2 million in aid; its Red Crescent society to provide food, blankets and clothing.
U.N. World Food Program
Sends 168 tons of commodities to Sri Lanka, plus more than 4,000 tons of rice, wheat flour, lentils and sugar, enough to provide 500,000 people with emergency rations for two weeks.
U.N. Development Program
Provided $100,000 each to Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, the Maldives and Thailand to help assess damage and coordinate emergency needs.
U.N. Population Fund
Earmarked up to $1 million and extra staff to help health needs of pregnant and nursing women.
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interesting indeed...
DR
