News Briefs
Back to Weekly News Briefs...September 18, 2008
- Urgent appeal for Haiti aid
- Violence and tensions flare in Bolivia
Urgent appeal for Haiti aid
Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) is issuing a joint appeal with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s (ELCIC) Global Hunger and Development Appeal (GHDA) for donations to help Haitians recover after a devastating string of hurricanes and tropical storms. As many as 700 people have already died but the toll could reach much higher because of massive agricultural devastation in what is the poorest country in the Americas. At least 800,000 Haitians are reported to be in urgent need of help, with half of those being children.
The end of August and beginning of September have seen Haiti devastated by four tropical storms and hurricanes named Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike. Damage has been extensive, with all ten departments (provinces) of the country hit by at least one of the storms.
Over $1 million is needed for relief efforts planned by CLWR’s partner, Action by Churches Together (ACT) International. Water purification tablets, food buckets and hygiene kits for a few hundred families have already been distributed. Next steps include providing food buckets and water purifiers as well as hygiene kits, blankets, medicine and more for an additional 5,000 families.
Two million Haitians were already suffering from food insecurity before the devastating weather. Increasing food and fuel prices since early spring 2008 resulted in violent riots at that time. It has been reported that 80 percent of the country’s rice crops—which were ready for harvest—have been destroyed. The food situation could push an additional two million people into food insecurity by year’s end.
“While previous disasters in Haiti resulted in more human casualties initially, they were geographically contained and destruction of crops was mitigated by resources in other areas of the country,” says Robert Granke, executive director for CLWR. “With the entire country affected this time around, the country will be unable to rebound in the same way. Haiti needs our help.”
Donations can be made by calling 1.800.661.2597 or online at www.clwr.org/donate. Members of the ELCIC can donate through GHDA, which has already pledged $5000, by calling 1.888.786.6707 or visiting http://elcic.ca/GHDA.
– CLWR News Service
Violence and tensions flare in Bolivia
A tenuous sign of hope came yesterday in Bolivia as opposition governors agreed on steps to resolve the country’s situation, following weeks of tension, violence and even deaths. The governors may talk with President Evo Morales as early as today.
“These governors represent the ‘media luna’ or half moon, the nickname for a string of wealthy Bolivian states that are pushing for autonomy in reaction to President Morales’ attempts to nationalize mining industries and redistribute wealth to the historically impoverished indigenous population,” says Wendy Kroeker, CLWR’s program manager for Latin America.
Last week in Pando, the northernmost state belonging to the media luna, at least 16 pro-government farmers were killed on their way to a rally. Pando’s governor, Leopoldo Fernandez, was arrested Tuesday, accused of hiring the hit men. As many as a hundred other people are apparently still missing after violence in the state, which led to troops moving in to the local capital city.
“CLWR has an office in Bolivia and programs throughout some parts of the media luna, but we have not heard any reports of interruptions to our actual work,” says Kroeker. “We are praying for a peaceful resolution through these promised talks.”
– CLWR News Service
Back to Weekly News Briefs...
Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) is issuing a joint appeal with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s (ELCIC) Global Hunger and Development Appeal (GHDA) for donations to help Haitians recover after a devastating string of hurricanes and tropical storms. As many as 700 people have already died but the toll could reach much higher because of massive agricultural devastation in what is the poorest country in the Americas. At least 800,000 Haitians are reported to be in urgent need of help, with half of those being children.
The end of August and beginning of September have seen Haiti devastated by four tropical storms and hurricanes named Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike. Damage has been extensive, with all ten departments (provinces) of the country hit by at least one of the storms.
Over $1 million is needed for relief efforts planned by CLWR’s partner, Action by Churches Together (ACT) International. Water purification tablets, food buckets and hygiene kits for a few hundred families have already been distributed. Next steps include providing food buckets and water purifiers as well as hygiene kits, blankets, medicine and more for an additional 5,000 families.
Two million Haitians were already suffering from food insecurity before the devastating weather. Increasing food and fuel prices since early spring 2008 resulted in violent riots at that time. It has been reported that 80 percent of the country’s rice crops—which were ready for harvest—have been destroyed. The food situation could push an additional two million people into food insecurity by year’s end.
“While previous disasters in Haiti resulted in more human casualties initially, they were geographically contained and destruction of crops was mitigated by resources in other areas of the country,” says Robert Granke, executive director for CLWR. “With the entire country affected this time around, the country will be unable to rebound in the same way. Haiti needs our help.”
Donations can be made by calling 1.800.661.2597 or online at www.clwr.org/donate. Members of the ELCIC can donate through GHDA, which has already pledged $5000, by calling 1.888.786.6707 or visiting http://elcic.ca/GHDA.
– CLWR News Service
Violence and tensions flare in Bolivia
A tenuous sign of hope came yesterday in Bolivia as opposition governors agreed on steps to resolve the country’s situation, following weeks of tension, violence and even deaths. The governors may talk with President Evo Morales as early as today.
“These governors represent the ‘media luna’ or half moon, the nickname for a string of wealthy Bolivian states that are pushing for autonomy in reaction to President Morales’ attempts to nationalize mining industries and redistribute wealth to the historically impoverished indigenous population,” says Wendy Kroeker, CLWR’s program manager for Latin America.
Last week in Pando, the northernmost state belonging to the media luna, at least 16 pro-government farmers were killed on their way to a rally. Pando’s governor, Leopoldo Fernandez, was arrested Tuesday, accused of hiring the hit men. As many as a hundred other people are apparently still missing after violence in the state, which led to troops moving in to the local capital city.
“CLWR has an office in Bolivia and programs throughout some parts of the media luna, but we have not heard any reports of interruptions to our actual work,” says Kroeker. “We are praying for a peaceful resolution through these promised talks.”
– CLWR News Service
