World leaders today (Thursday 6th Jan 2005) vowed to co-operate to help those suffering from the tsunami disaster in Asia. Leaders met in Jakarta, Indonesia to plan out their work in providing aid to the worst natural disaster in recent times, and they said that the race against time before diseases overwhelmed the Asian region had begun.
The United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan committed himself to the drive in pushing nations forward to immediately raise the billions that they have promised. A new urgency has arisen among world leaders now after warnings that another 150,000 are at direct risk from diseases. This new figure would double the already soaring figure of confirmed dead of 140,000.
Some comforting words did come however, from another United Nations official in Geneva, who stated that the waterborne disease was now receding thanks to the huge relief efforts that have been seen across the globe.
The one-day gathering took place in Indonesia, which is the most devastated country by the December earthquake. Worldwide, currently over Ł2 billion has been pledged, however the UN gave a stark warning that some of these promises might not be respected as has been the case in previous disasters.
The American Secretary of State, Colin Powell today also reported that the core countries providing the aid relief will now be coordinated and merged into a UN-led operation.
Powell said, "The core group helped to catalyse the international response. Now having served its purpose, it will fold itself into the broader coordination efforts of the United Nations."
As the conference was finalised, world leaders declared in unity that they pledged to work together fully to help the broken nations to recover, and to set up a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean region, so that in the future the coastal communities could have time to flee to higher land.
The declaration stated, "This unprecedented devastation needs unprecedented global response in assisting the national governments to cope with such disaster."
Kofi Annan reported, "Whole communities have disappeared. Millions in Asia, Africa, and even in far away countries, are suffering unimaginable trauma and psychological wounds that will take a long time to heal. Families have been torn apart."
"The disaster was so brutal, so quick, and so far-reaching, that we are still struggling to comprehend it...it is a race against time."
The exact figure of those killed in the huge tsunami across Asia and Africa will never be known, however, the figure is almost certain to exceed 150,000. The number of dead is still rising each day, with Sri Lanka today recording a further 375 deaths, taking the death toll of the country to 30,615.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that the death toll could even double across southeast Asia if full aid resources do not reach the desperate soon.
WHO Director General, Dr Jong-Wook said, "As many as 150,000 people are at extreme risk if a major disease outbreak in the affected areas occurs."
Leaders all agreed that a tsunami wave warning, similar to the one already set up in the Pacific Ocean, is a vital requirement that must be established as soon as possible in the Indian Ocean. They expressed that one would result from international cooperation and information sharing.
In the last paragraph of the declaration, the leaders promised to work together in rebuilding the suffering countries, "We believe that through concerted efforts, spurred by spirit of compassion and sacrifice and endurance, together we will prevail in overcoming this catastrophe."
Jong-Wook said, "Five million people have been severely affected by the tsunamis. We now estimate that as many as 150,000 people are at extreme risk if a major disease outbreak in the affected areas occurs."
More drama took place today as a 6.2 magnitude aftershock near Banda Aceh shook the city just after dawn today. People fled into the streets in fear that their homes were about to come crashing down on them. However, thankfully there has been no news of fresh dead