The Story
Letter: A Plea for Generosity to Tsunami Victims
I am writing in support of the article “Contributing to Tsunami Relief Only a Click Away” by Evan Davis and commend him whole-heartedly for highlighting the plight of countless people in Asia in the wake of a tsunami and an earthquake that was more intense than all the earthquakes of the last five years put together.
December 26, 2004, a date which should live in infamy, brought untold death, destruction, and misery to millions of our brothers and sisters in South and South East Asia. According to Reuters, the death toll from the earthquake and tsunami has crossed the 125,000 mark as of December 31. Unless medical and other essential supplies reach the living victims faster, the death toll could easily double to well over 200,000 due to water-borne diseases like Typhoid, Cholera, and Diarrhea. Millions of people living in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Thailand, and the other affected countries have no access to safe drinking water and food, making an already terrible situation even worse. I would encourage everyone to provide what help they can through donations and other means. It will take a Herculean effort to help in what the UN has called the largest humanitarian effort of all times.
The tsunami and the earthquake has left in its wake shattered lives, physical infrastructure damage, and devastated economies. Without the generosity of people everywhere, millions more could conceivably join the ranks of the utterly destitute. While I am sure that the affected countries are doing all they can to save as many of its citizens, many of their economies are not capable of sustaining a long-term effort to bring back a semblance of normalcy. At a time when we reflect on the good fortunes this past year has brought us along with our loved ones, I would beseech all of you to remember your less fortunate brethren whose lives have been shattered through no fault of their own. There is no shortage of disaster-affected areas and war zones where you can make a difference through your generosity. At the very least, I hope you will all remember the less fortunate among us in your prayers.
Sincerely,
Dheeraj Jagadev
Dheeraj Jagadev is a graduate student at the College. He is a guest columnist for the DSJ. His views do not necessarily represent those of the entire staff.