Indonesia - To Get Us$800 Million

[The_Moog]

Quote from Alwi Shihab, Indonesia's senior disaster response coordinator:

"I can guarantee you there is no starvation, except for me, because I didn't have lunch today."

What a jackass - still he's going to be a very rich man after this, so he can afford to skip one meal.

[kat]

Is that a serious quote, or are you just joking? Sorry, if I sound sarcastic, but that quote is hard to believe. Do you know the full context of the story in which this quote was made?

[The_Moog]

alas - I wasn't being facetious. Shihab really did say it....here's the context from today's editorial of International Herald Tribune.

"Right now in Indonesia, cartons of food, water and medical supplies are stacking up in airports, not getting to the villages that were hit the hardest. Part of the problem is the Indonesian military. Complaints have already arisen about soldiers' siphoning off supplies for their relatives and friends. But Indonesian government officials bear some blame. Take, for example, the remarkably callous dismissal of reports of hungry families in leveled towns made by Alwi Shihab, the country's senior disaster response coordinator: "I can guarantee you there is no starvation, except for me, because I didn't have lunch today." This is hardly the face the Indonesian government should want to present to a traumatized population."

.

[Rinrada]

Quote from Alwi Shihab, Indonesia's senior disaster response coordinator:

"I can guarantee you there is no starvation, except for me, because I didn't have lunch today."

What a jackass - still he's going to be a very rich man after this, so he can afford to skip one meal.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agree,,and as one of the most corrupt Governments around this is another $800m US.Bucks winging its way to fetherbed some "old Boys "Swiss bank accounts.

Good interview the other day with some elderly lady survivors (Thai-Indo...???)sitting on their local beach.

When asked what they wanted in the way of international aid they simply replied....not helicopters-not medical aid and not food.

All they needed/wanted was a couple of cooking pots and they would be able to do the rest.......

The only good that will come out of all these (generous World)donations will be if the money is equally distributed between the recognised and dare I say "more"honourable charities and NGOs.....not the Goverments

With a bit of luck the ladies mentioned above might even end up with a couple of second hand frying pans....doubt it though