How We Can Help?
By Jian Shuo Wang on 2008-05-16 13:34 · NewsI admit, that I didn’t wrote too much on the recent earthquake…
I didn’t write, not because I am not concerned. To be honest, there are many reasons.
TV has been out of my life for a long time. But recently, TV is the center of Wendy and my time at night. We surround the TV set, and watch the latest news from TV all the time - switching between CCTV-1 and Oriental TV, to get the latest reports. At night, we watch TV till very late, which basically occupied my time. Although the scene of the TV is sometimes repeated, but I cannot help sticking with it, and to get latest update.
I don’t feel that I can provide unique values by writing too much. As a guideline of this blog, I write things around me that I personally experience, or have personal opinions. First hand information is always what I am seeking for. These days, I suffer from not having any first hand information myself. News site and my friends’ shanghaiist.com already did great job in covering real time news or aggregate information from other sites, and bloggers in Sichuan area did wonderful job to continuously broadcast so I don’t think by quoting their story add unique values.
I feel very sad these days when I watch TV programs, when I saw many people were buried under the rubble, and this is already the 4th day of the disaster, and the hope for them to get back is turned into deep sorrow. For me? I don’t have too much comments. What can I say, other then share the pain of the people there? Keeping silent may be the best way for me to do - I mean emotionally, I don’t want to post photos of the misfortunate people there.
I attended the special program by ICS Culture Matters on earthquake as guest speaker, and I was asked the question: “How, as an individual, can help?”
Well. Besides donate money, or cloths, and spread out the news and method about how to help, there is not too many things we can do currently. The bottleneck is at the epicenter. During the program, we had telephone call with a volunteer from Shanghai, who rushed into the area to help. He said: Don’t rush into the area now, since it will add burden to transportation system, and the volunteer him/herself needs food, which is really rare resources there. So what we can do to help?
Besides the link I posted just now, I think we need to take longer term to think about help in the next few months or even two years time-frame. After the first 72 hours of rescuing people, the whole area needs to be reconstructed, and orphans need to be taken care of, and the disabled needs to make a living… There are many things in the long run that we can help. Just keep the helping spirit going, and help in longer terms.
43 Comments
Really, we can't help much. What we can do is to donate money, pray and hope that more lives will be saved.. I stay infront of the TV every evening, I am really touched by your PM Wen Jia Bao, the way he is giving encouragement to the people at the disaster areas and stand by them.
You said what's in in my mind: "There are many things in the long run that we can help. Just keep the helping spirit going, and help in longer terms."
I remember Warren Buffett said "philanthropy is always needed" when he gave fortune (stocks) away to Gates foundation. I hope someday we can similar foundations like that in China, and help the people in need, from education to healthcare...
By the way, Kudos to the Chinese goverment swift response and openness of the media coverage. Besides the devastation of the natural disaster, it reminds me western part of China is still very much under-developed, while we saw enough booming of east coast in media recently.
Do you know why the Chinese government rebuffed offers of foreign rescue teams for three days?
I'll answer the question for you: since the government is corrupt and inept, they did not have emergency response plans or sufficient resources available, even though this is a KNOWN earthquake area. So they needed to make sure that only Chinese teams got there first, even though foreigners could have arrived earlier with better equipment. Once again, like in the snowstorm, the gov't's image is more important than people's lives.
And the Chinese people keep tolerating it.....incredible.
Ask also why the government did not enforce construction standards or materials in this area, either.
1) state secret -- something related to nuclear or military facilities;
2) glory -- non-professional PLA army men may not beat professional rescue teams;
3) ability -- the government knows it does not have the ability to co-ordinate, manage and control;
4) money -- rescue teams from out of mainland China would not bring money to the corrupted government officials.
First, which foreign team? government-organized? self-organized? where did you hear the news? Credible resources? Or from a resource that has its presumptions and prejudice about the Chinese government, and that has an inate tendency to pointing at the government? CNN may not be a credbile resource with regard to its previous distorted report on the tibet issues.
Second, if read carefully in Jianshuo's article, you may find possible reasons below:
... We had telephone call with a volunteer from Shanghai, who rushed into the area to help. He said: Don't rush into the area now, since it will add burden to transportation system, and the volunteer him/herself needs food, which is really rare resources there....
Third,
Brian:
"I'll answer the question for you". Welll, you might have provided interesting personal perspective. But will appreciate more if you support your point with solid facts, or you first-hand personal experiences/information, and links to credible resources that prove your point. I think the editors from Shanghaiist.com did a good job in reporting the earthquake. After all, you are not Mr. Know-all.
If you don't trust western news agencies, take a look at Red Cross website here -
http://www.redcross.org.sg/chinaearthquake_news.htm#toll50000
@Brian - what's up?? Why are you so heartless in this time of such tragedy and devestation? There are very few countries in this world (even on fault lines) - apart from Japan - that are prepared for earthquakes of this magitude.
It is not a shame that foreign rescue teams are more efficient than PLA men. It's nothing about sovereignty or national glory. It's simply professional vs. amateur.
I don't think Brian is heartless but I do think mainland China's government is. That's communist ruler's nature, which existed in all former (and current) socialist countries in the world.
If you read Chinese and trust Chinese government, please go to the website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs at http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/chn/xwfw/fyrth/t435231.htm for Qin's press conference held on 5/15.
Thank you for providing the link.
I'm afraid you probably misunderstood what I said. CNN is only an example here for media, not western media. It could be any medium, including Chinese media, online media, etc. Not trusting CNN does NOT stands for not trusting western media. There are Canadian TV network, Australian TV network, French Televisions, German Television, BBC, ITV, Scottish TV, etc and etc. And where do you think a medium like Shanghaiist.com or wangjianshuo.com belongs to? Generalization does not help to reach understandings.
As for trust, trust isn't built in one day, or upon one link. It builds over time. It depends on the medium's consistent pursuit in respecting facts and insightful rather than sensational perspectives. Even for mainstream media who have achieved credibility among the masses of people, there's no excuse for negligence or distortion. In fact, they have more responsibility with regard to the great social impact they have.
Thank you for providing another link.
But I feel sorry that you too misread what I wrote. I do read Chinese, and English, too. I am open to different views. I especially appreciate opinions after thinking, not hasty conclusion. It's interesting to see that you associate my questions for more information with trusting government.
With regard to trust, I've said what I thought in the previous post. Same applies to government, any government, be it British, Chinese, Brazilian, Nigerian, or Singaporean, etc.
As the information Ikuu obtained has been confirmed by Red Cross and the Chinese government, it's reasonable for Ikuu to have his question, right?
Instead of questioning Ikuu (a suspect?) about source of information, why don't you answer his question if you can, or tell him his information is incorrect by presenting evidence?
Be friendly to your fellow readers, please.
如何捐助/HOW TO DONATE/寄付方法
日本/Japan/日本
http://www.china-embassy.or.jp/chn/xwdt/t433834.htm
http://www.jrc.or.jp/sanka/help/news/1394.html
美国/USA/アメリカ
http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/xw/t434820.htm
http://www.nyconsulate.prchina.org/eng/xw/t434849.htm
http://www.chinaconsulatechicago.org/eng/xw/t434219.htm
http://www.redcross.org/news/in/profiles/Intl_profile_ChinaEarthquake.html
英国/Britain/イギリス
http://uk.china-embassy.org/eng/sghd/t434619.htm
http://www.redcross.org.uk/donatesection.asp?id=81125
新加坡/Singapore/シンガポール
http://www.chinaembassy.org.sg/eng/xwdt/t434618.htm
http://www.redcross.org.sg/chinaearthquake_src_donate.htm
法国/France/フランス
http://www.amb-chine.fr/fra/jrzg/yxzg/t434744.htm
德国/Germany/ドイツ
http://www.china-botschaft.de/det/jj/t434631.htm
http://www.drk.de/tops_2008/0516_china/bericht.html
澳大利亚/Australia/オーストラリア
http://au.china-embassy.org/eng/sgfyrth/t434408.htm
http://www.redcross.org.au/ourservices_aroundtheworld_emergencyrelief_Chinaearthquake.htm
加拿大/Canada/カナダ
http://www.chinaembassycanada.org/chn/xwdt/t434330.htm
http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=000005&tid=003
新西兰/New Zealand/ニュージーランド
http://www.redcross.org.nz/index.cfm?layout=displayNews&newsArticle=779&tabID=1
中国大陆/China (mainland)/中国大陸
http://news.sina.com.cn/z/08earthquake/donate.shtml
香港/Hong Kong/香港
http://www.redcross.org.hk/home.cfm?Mid=2284&FMid=106&SMid=108&popup=0
台湾/Taiwan/台湾
http://www.redcross.org.tw/RedCross/index.htm
其他国家和地区/Other countries/areas/その他の国と地区
Please contact the Chinese embassy or Red Cross in your country. Thank you very much!
Doris:
I am uncalm about the tragedy in Sichuan, about the lives lost there. I am calm about Ikuu's concern. It IS reasonable for Ikuu to ask questions. And I fully respect Ikuu's right to ask questions. But it is also reasonable to ask follow-up questions for more information, right? Being friendly doesn't mean accepting without trying to understanding.
Dalai Lama offers help to the Chinese
Times Online, UK[Sunday, May 18, 2008 10:05]
By Sara Hashash
THE Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, has made a gesture of goodwill to China by announcing that he wants to donate to the Chinese earthquake fund, despite Beijing's denunciations of the "Dalai clique" and its description of him as "a demon".
In an interview with The Sunday Times, he said he was worried that a gift to the victims would be misunderstood by China, which accuses him of helping to foment the riots that struck Tibet in March.
The Dalai Lama, who is due to meet Gordon Brown in London this week, adopted a conciliatory tone in his remarks on China, giving strong backing for the Olympics and expressing his desire to become a fully fledged Chinese citizen. "At the moment I am a refugee. But I would like to return to Tibet as a member of China's Tibetan minority," he said.
Although many of his supporters have called for a boycott of the Olympics, the Dalai Lama said he would have liked to attend them. "It is right that China should have been awarded them," he said. "It has the world's largest population and a great and ancient culture. In normal circumstances I would very much like to have gone to Beijing as a spectator."
The Dalai Lama also showed a deep-rooted desire to return to Tibet and begin a new life as a monk in a monastery. Aged 72, he predicted that he would retire to a life of tranquillity by the time he was 80: "As soon as the situation does improve and I am able to return to Tibet, I will immediately renounce all legitimate authority."
However, he made it clear that he could not go home before China granted Tibet access to the world's media, medical aid from overseas, the release of all political prisoners and the exercise of human rights.
1) Don't go to the earthquake area in person unless you are a professional in rescue or reconstruction after the disaster. My local friends told me that lots of volunteers, with no experience or professional equipments, went to the epicenter on feet on or in their private cars, bringing little food or water. They intended well but they not only brought additional pressure to local transportation, but also consumed local water and food supply, which were limited already.
2) Don't deliver goods to the earthquake area to block the transportation system unless you are 100% sure what you're going to deliver is urgently needed by victims there. Days ago, my company delivered a batch of medicines and medical equipment to Si Chuan . The goods arrived in Shuang Liu Airport the same day they delivered, but it took my local colleague 2 days to pick them up . It almost drove me mad. There have been so many cargos from all of the country which piled in the airport, even the most emergent goods have to wait long time for pick-up.
What are needed : Foods, Water, tents, Medicine and medical equipment.
What are NOT needed, or NOT needed at this point: Second-hand clothers, Toys, books and etc.
I just called the Red Cross in Si Chuan this morning, who told me that second-hand clothers had already became a burden to them. Second-hand clothes can not be put into use immediately, they need to be sterilized first while both manpower and resource were limited there. I was also told that stuff for infants are urgently needed, but were rarely found among relief goods delivered to Si Chuan, such as milk powder, foods, clothers and diapers. Again, pls be reminded they MUST be brand new to avoid second infection. You may call local Women union for more information.
3) Donate money. There have been various ways you can donate your money, and help the local victims.
4) There are many things in the long run that we can help. Just keep the helping spirit going, and help in longer terms.This is my faviorte part in this thread.
All the victims that we see are Chinese faces, and of not Tibetans. Perhaps Chinese government is hiding the pictures and faces of Tibetan victims. If that is the case, please let us know.
Many a times, the places that natural disaster hit say alot about its regime. Its time to review "mandate of heaven" on CCP. Chinese government now wants to "divide the sorrow" by asking its citizens to show generosity. I someday hope to see CCP return these generosity to its people by having Human Rights prevail, having people speak their mind and having a voice. When happiness is shared, happiness multiply.
My humble Buddhist prayers for all the innocent Chinese brothers and sisters. OM MANI PADME HUM. OM VAJRA SATTVA HUM. OM AH HUM BENZA GURU PEDMA SEYDEY HUM.
We are just ordinary people.
Please don't politic and pour salt on the wound at this moment.
The teachings of the Dharma is to be compassionate.
OM MANI PADME HUM
We are just ordinary people.
Please don't politic and pour salt on the wound at this moment.
The teachings of the Dharma is to be compassionate.
OM MANI PADME HUM
I'm glad we're given a chance to help the people with money, since this is the best (and probably the only reasonable) way to help them for the moment being.
I DO HOPE that THE MONEY WILL REACH THEIR DESTINATION. Don't call me a paranoic, we've seen a lot of abuses of donations. In this hard times of pain many people want to help, but there're also few people that would like to exploit the disaster for their own benefit.
So, maybe there're few more things Chinese could do to help the victims of the earthquake:
- to observe and make sure the money are used reasonably.
- to make sure those who are responsible (being tipped) for the bad quality of the buidings take the responsibility for it. Otherwise the next time it happens the buildings will collapse again.
PLEASE delete the multuple msg's as well as this one.
Thank you!
(I had a problem with my internet connection)
Thanks for the understanding again!
My point is that this post is to see how we can help the victims of the disaster, not a platform to begin debate again on China / Tibet and the Chinese Govt - there are many other posts where you can (and have) posted your point of view.
There are many people that do or do not support the Chinese Govt, but although they happen to work for the Govt, they too are actually human beings, and it is not nice to infer that anyone deserves what has occurred on 5.12 or for anyone to suggest that it was a 'mandate from heaven' (a statement which in many religions would be considered blasphemous).
God bless!!
Again, Premier Wen's orders to PLA forces stationed in "Chengdu Military Area" were not carried out efficiently because they are loyal to another bigshot. More PLA men from "Ji'nan Military Area" had to be mobilized and they've been working much better.
It is true the government is doing a much much better job than before, but still, the relief efforts have been badly hampered by some political influence.
It IS a political problem. To address this problem is a critical aspect in which we can help.
You know in reality nothing could be prefect. I am not sure why you attach your comments like this under a topic discussing "How We Can Help", but apparently your speculation won't provide any meaningful suggestion to help those victims of such a big disaster. The top priority right now is to rescue as many as possible. So please save your criticism until it's a right time for retrospect.
Motorola continues to support Sichuan earthquake disaster relief
Total donation reaches RMB15 million
Motorola today announced additional donations to support the disaster relief in Sichuan, bringing the total cumulative amount to RMB15 million in cash, mobile networking equipment, mobile handsets and two way radios plus related onsite technical services. Motorola employees in China and around the world are participating in the disaster relief effort by donating cash valued over RMB2 million, matched by Motorola funds amounting to over RMB4 million.
We want to let you know that Motorola Foundation was overwhelmed by the extent of the tragedy and equally overwhelmed by the generous response of our employees worldwide. On Monday they called an emergency meeting of the Motorola Foundation Board to raise the amount of their matching donation to USD250,000 (RMB1.75 million). The Foundation will continue to work with the China Management team to provide further support for rebuilding activities in the future.
Apart from the donation in cash, we want to highlight the rapid response and significant contribution from each of our businesses. Immediately following the earthquake we began working with our customers and partners to restore communications in the impacted areas and donated a wide range of equipment and services, including TETRA portable radios, CDMA mobile phones, Remote Speaker Micro-phone, GSM network equipment and services. As the extent of the damage has become better understood, our businesses have expanded these donations and our technical teams have moved onsite to work closely with the customers, partners and related organizations to provide communications for the affected areas as quickly as possible. This rapid and ongoing response is something we should be proud of!
We are also touched by what Motorolans are doing to support the relief effort, whether through cash donations or voluntary donations of critical necessity items such as flashlights, blanket, and clothing for the people in Sichuan. The efforts are deeply appreciated.
Once again, we want to express our sincere gratitude to all Motorolans who have helped through different ways. It is a blessing that we can give to those in need, but we must keep in mind that our individual and company aid and assistance will continue to be needed over the days, weeks and months ahead. Please continue to keep the Sichuan people in your thoughts and prayers.
Good on ya, mate !
Facta non verba.
We just want the Sichuan people to know that the people from a small country can also play their parts to help.
And 99.9% of Tibetans take to heart His advice and suggestions.
Oh you got it wrong my dear !
you see, we chinese have always separated the foreigners into the good, the bad and the A-holes. No prizes for guessing which group your wonderful comments put you in.
However if you have any $ for us, we will take it too ! :D
I am skeptical of your 99.9% statistic. There are a million of so Dorje Shugden practitioners, and I doubt they take to heart His advice and suggestions.