China Needs to Take the Lead in Relief Efforts

Earth felt the wound, and Nature from her seat
Sighing through all her works gave signs of woe,
That all was lost.
John Milton (1608 - 1674), poet

The 9.0 magnitude quake was the strongest in 40 years and the fourth- most-powerful since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Relief efforts are critical and needed immediately. In the news articles The Misanthrope perused only MSNBC mentioned China’s aid efforts: China was preparing to dispatch to Indonesia a team of more than 40 experts for relief and rescue work, the official Xinhua News Agency said.



China is now an economic powerhouse creating trade deals throughout Asia and in South America. This is disaster is in China’s virtual backyard. The country needs to be the relief leader; it’s a responsibility that comes with economic power.

Other countries are reacting quickly and generously. According to the various news articles, the world community appears to have responded. The United States immediately offered appropriate assistance to those nations most affected. In Britain, three charities — Save the Children, World Vision and Christian Aid — were flying out teams to help workers already in Sri Lanka and India and sending money to region.

President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan urged a "swift and concerted" response from international donors and said Pakistan would send tents, medicines and water to Sri Lanka, one of the countries hit by the huge waves. Offers of on-the-ground help and financial support came from Ireland, Britain, Kuwait and Turkey.

Additionally, relief agencies in France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Israel, Russia and Greece indicated that the focus of their initial efforts would be in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital. Australia’s Foreign Minister Alexander Downer pledged $7.7 million to international aid agencies. Japan sent a 21-person disaster relief team, including doctors and nurses, to Sri Lanka with medical supplies, drinking water and tents capable of accommodating up to 1,000 people, the Foreign Ministry said.

China will soon find that being a world leader is huge responsibility and not inexpensive.