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One less conventional - and less costly - way Delawareans can help countries hit by last month’s tsunamis is to propagate the truth about devastation in Phuket. According to Thai-based Artasia Press, news broadcasts have shown hundreds of millions of viewers the wrong impression about the damage to one of Thailand’s popular beach towns.
“I have seen discussion of the situation in Phuket voiced over horrific background images of complete devastation stretching to the horizon – taken in Sumatra,” Artasia Press publisher John Everingham wrote in a recent email. He said although a few hundred people were killed, Phuket’s infrastructure remains intact. There is no shortage of drinking water, more than 80 percent of hotels are open and only a small percentage of restaurants, shops and attractions have been disrupted.
“Poor quality reporting and focus on the sensational chases away future tourist clients, ensuring these people’s lives will be difficult for much longer,” wrote Everingham.
Everingham’s email reached the inbox of Rehoboth Beach resident and Back Porch Café owner Keith Fitzgerald. “Since I have been fortunate enough to have been a guest in Thailand many times, and because I love and respect the generosity and hospitality of the Thai people, I am forwarding this email to the paper as a small way of trying to set the record straight on what is actually happening in Phuket.”
“Each time international news organizations and foreign newspapers talk of Phuket in the same apocalyptic terms as Sumatra, Sri Lanka of Khao Lak,” said Everingham, “they are hurting the chances of the local Thais in Phuket picking up their lives again… Correcting this is where you can help.” For accurate information and beach-by-beach accounts of Phuket Everingham asks those interested to go to www.phuketmagazine.com.
On the home front, efforts to collect monetary funds continue throughout the region.
The Rev. Jack Abel, pastor of Epworth United Methodist Church, is also the president of the Lewes Rehoboth Association of Churches (LRAC). “We are encouraging the community to make use of our denominations,” said Abel. He said residents should contribute to their local churches, whether Methodist, Roman Catholic or Presbyterian, because “the structure is there to pass 100 percent of the money to emergency and ongoing efforts.”
Epworth has raised about $5,000 thus far and Abel said they are holding a special drive for tsunami relief contributions Sunday, Feb. 6. Epworth is forwarding their donations to the United Methodist Commission on Relief.
Father Ray Forester, pastor of St. Edmond’s Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach said his church collected $11,500 in one weekend alone. The church has more than 860 parishioners who donated that amount during four Masses the weekend of Jan. 1-2.
The church is forwarding the money to Catholic Relief Services headquarters in Baltimore. “When we say Catholic Relief, people know they are a very efficient organization,” said Forester. He said checks are still coming in. To make a donation, drop off a check at St Edmond’s made out to Catholic Relief Services.
Dr. Uday Jani at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes and several other Indian physicians are also collecting donations to help Southeast India through the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C. “We have had an overwhelming response,” said Jani. Because many visitors and patients have sent contributions directly to the embassy he does not know how much was collected, but, he said, they have gone through a lot of donation forms.
To donate to the fund, checks should be made payable to Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund and can be dropped off at Beebe’s Medical Staff Office or mailed directly to Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, c/o Head of Chancery, Embassy of India 2107 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20008.
In northern Delaware, the Hindu Temple Association has raised $30,000 for tsunami relief efforts. They are taking suggestions from contributors as to where to send the money and will make a decision once they reach their $50,000 goal.
Sen. Thomas Carper is scheduled to attend their interfaith prayer session 5 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 16, to offer respects to tsunami victims. The ceremony will be held at Hindu Temple, Maha Lakshmi Devasthanam, 760 Yorklyn Rd. in Hockessin. Donations can also be sent to the temple with “tsunami fund” in the memo.
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