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Ottawa offers DART to Burma while Canadians open wallets

DirtyDog said:
I'm on the DART and I really don't expect to go anywhere.  Too bad...

Have fun and don't forget to write!

NFLD Sapper said:
CTV Newsnet appears to report that DART is a go for deployment to Burma. Can't find anything on CTV.CA
 
NFLD Sapper said:
CTV Newsnet appears to report that DART is a go for deployment to Burma. Can't find anything on CTV.CA

Can't find any news regarding this.  The latest I found was that the advance team is in Bangkok.

Article Link
 
Yeah that's what I meant  :-[ But if the ADV PARTY is on the ground/near by Burma would the main body be that far behind?
 
yeah, still at home waiting for word to move.

Even if the recce team were to be allowed in, it still will take them a day to get an AOR, etc. The team could forward deploy (perhaps Thailand) but they'd just be sitting there until the recce finishes up securing the things the team needs before they can move in complete.
 
Wesley  Down Under said:
I would like to see Asian countries doing their bit, and more publicity on this.

South Asian countries and Southeast Asian countries have done their bit in other natural calamities; you just don't hear their efforts emphasized that much in the media. Examples include aid from Sri Lanka and Singapore during the Katrina rescue and recovery efforts including some RSAF Chinooks:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0906/p07s01-wogi.html

Asian countries were kicking in too, led by South Korea, which has pledged $30 million and 40 rescue workers. A fleet of Singaporean Chinook helicopters is already lifting survivors from roofs in New Orleans, and the Thai prime minister said Monday that his offer of 100 doctors and nurses had been accepted.

Even tiny Sri Lanka, which is still struggling to rebuild after last December's tsunami, has promised $25,000 to the American Red Cross.
 
NFLD Sapper said:
Yeah that's what I meant  :-[ But if the ADV PARTY is on the ground/near by Burma would the main body be that far behind?

It's getting the visas that's the problem.

Myanmar Junta Still Blocking Much Cyclone Aid

The United Nations World Food Program said that only one visa had been approved out of 16 it had requested and the aid group World Vision said it had requested 20 visas but received two.

 
So what is the actual situation today? - late Sunday PST.
Sending DART is not the same as high altitude air drops, is it?

 
A different mission for DART? ???

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080512/dart_burma_080512/20080512?hub=TopStories



Group urges Canada to send DART to China
Updated Mon. May. 12 2008 5:55 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A Canadian group is urging the government to send the Disaster Assistance Response Team to China to help earthquake survivors, but the team is still waiting for permission to enter Burma.
The Canadian Forces' DART is now in Thailand, as Canadian officials try to get approval from Burma's military rulers to help in relief efforts. The team specializes in providing clean drinking water and medical assistance.
Colleen Hua, national president of the Chinese Canadian National Council, said DART should immediately deploy to China.
"There are a large number of people missing and trapped in flattened buildings and a rapid response within 24 to 48 hours is necessary to be effective," Hua said in a press release Monday.
"Canada has rescue expertise and equipment in the Disaster Assistance Response Team and can make a difference in saving lives -- we should offer to send an advance team immediately."
DART was created in 1996, two years after humanitarian efforts failed to prevent a cholera outbreak in Rwandan refugee camps. The team has more than 200 members and can deploy rapidly to anywhere in the world.
If DART deploys to China, it has enough supplies to assist in immediate relief efforts for up to 40 days, until the establishment of long-term help.
DART uses Reverse Osmosis Water Purification units to provide clean drinking water to survivors, and can provide medical care to hundreds of patients each day. The team helped in Pakistan relief efforts in 2005, after a massive 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit the region, and flew to Honduras in 1998 after Hurricane Mitch struck the region as a category 5 storm.
The earthquake that struck China on Monday has been measured at 7.9 and the death toll has soared to nearly 90,000 people.
"We urge the Canadian Government to be generous in pledging humanitarian aid to meet the immediate and long-term needs of the earthquake victims," said Hua.
 
China has 100x the resources that DART has...Canadians actually think this is a specialized aid unit, verses just a hosh-posh of military specialties tossed together.

what an ignorant plead.
 
St. Micheals Medical Team said:
China has 100x the resources that DART has...Canadians actually think this is a specialized aid unit, verses just a hosh-posh of military specialties tossed together.

what an ignorant plead.

Agreed!

On the CBS news they said that China has already dispatched 20,000 aid workers to the earthquake area and more are on the way. They have the largest Army in the world, and most likely have a lot more experience in dealing with this scale of disasters. So far China has not asked for any outside help. 
 
Foot in the door?  Note C-17 ref highlighted....

Canada to Airlift 2,000 Emergency Shelter Kits to Burma
CIDA news release, May 13, 2008 18:02 ET
News release

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 13, 2008) - The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence, today announced that the Government of Canada will send 2,000 much needed emergency shelter kits to the devastated Rangoon region on Wednesday, May 14.

"Canada's response to the growing humanitarian crisis in Burma will provide much-needed shelter to up to 10,000 people affected by the disaster," said Minister Oda. "Our Government remains committed to responding to humanitarian crises such as this one created by Cyclone Nargis. Thankfully, Canada has mechanisms in place to effectively and immediately help populations affected by natural disasters. Working with the International Red Cross Movement, all necessary steps have been taken to ensure these will reach families in need."

"Canada remains deeply concerned about the well-being of the people in Burma who are suffering gravely in the aftermath of the cyclone," Minister Bernier said. "We call upon the Burmese government to move rapidly to meet the immediate needs of the affected communities, rather than pushing forward with the upcoming referendum on the constitution. We continue to advocate, both with Burma directly and through diplomatic contacts with other countries in the region and around the world, for full and unhindered access for all humanitarian organizations and aid workers."

On Wednesday May 14, the shelter kits will be shipped from CFB Trenton to Bangkok via ONE OF the Department of National Defence's FOUR Globemaster C-17 aircraft. The International Red Cross Movement will then manage the shipment into the Rangoon region and distribute the shelter kits to people in need in the affected areas.

"By using our C-17, Canada's Government is responding to the humanitarian emergency in Burma with a large shipment of emergency aid supplies," said Minister MacKay. "These supplies will bring much-needed relief to Burma in a timely fashion."

"Over 27,000 Myanmar Red Cross volunteers have been working around the clock since this disaster struck. Red Cross volunteers will be distributing these relief supplies from the Government of Canada directly to the survivors of Cyclone Nargis,"said Canadian Red Cross Secretary General Conrad Sauve. "Our ongoing relationship with the Government of Canada allows Canadian Red Cross to translate the care and compassion of Canadians into immediate and meaningful help for people affected by disasters around the world."

Canada is monitoring the situation and will continue to respond as the humanitarian crisis in Burma evolves. Canada is working with the United Nations and non-governmental organizations to assess how we may be able to best assist the people of Burma. Core funding provided by Canada to international humanitarian agencies enables these partners to begin assessments and to provide immediate relief in the aftermath of natural disasters.

BACKGROUNDER

An acute need for emergency shelter supplies has been identified in Burma. The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) is coordinating the overall shelter response in Burma and has appealed to donors for the in-kind contribution of 20,000 emergency shelter kits.

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) maintains a stock level of 5,000 of these kits in its emergency stockpile in Mississauga, Ontario. Each shelter kit contains two tarpaulins and a set of basic tools (shovel, rope, hammer, nails, hand saw, etc.). These shelter kits were designed by the International Federation of the Red Cross following extensive consultations with operational humanitarian agencies and building on lessons learned in previous disasters that exposed the limitations of other approaches to disaster sheltering.

On Wednesday May 14, 40 metric tonnes of emergency relief supplies will be moved from CIDA's emergency stockpile in Mississauga to CFB Trenton. They will then be loaded onto ONE OF THE Canadian military's FOUR C-17 Globemasters for airlift to Bangkok, Thailand where officials from the Canadian Government and the Red Cross Movement will receive them.

The Red Cross will then take over delivery to Rangoon and onward distribution to beneficiaries in affected areas. The IFRC will closely track the movement of goods, ensuring timely and effective transit through Bangkok and Rangoon.. The Burmese authorities have provided the Red Cross Movement with a satisfactory level of access and operational independence with regards to incoming shipments of emergency relief materials and onward distribution of emergency supplies.

This shipment is part of the initial $2 million commitment Canada made on May 5, 2008 to respond to Tropical Cyclone Nargis. Canada's annual core contributions to key Canadian and international partners are already helping its partners provide relief efforts to the people of Burma. For example, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated nearly $20 million in response to this crisis. With a 2008 contribution of $39.4 million, Canada is the CERF's fifth largest donor. Canada is continuing to work closely with trusted partners such as United Nations humanitarian agencies, the Red Cross Movement and experienced non-governmental organizations to determine how Canada's support can best meet the humanitarian needs of the people affected by Cyclone Nargis.

This emergency stockpile is one component of CIDA's Rapid Response Project, a service contract held by the Canadian Red Cross Society, to rapidly deploy Canadian technical expertise and emergency relief supplies, procured according to established international specifications, in response to sudden-onset humanitarian crises. These deployments complement financial contributions made by CIDA to trusted non-government organizations and agencies for humanitarian relief efforts.

Cyclone Nargis struck Burma during the night of May 2, with devastating impact. Accurate information has been difficult to obtain and the full scale of the disaster is not yet known. The UN estimates that up to 100,000 people have died as a result of the storm, and at least 1.5 million people have been severely affected. These numbers are expected to increase once ongoing assessments are made in the following days.

To date, there are no reports of Canadian deaths or injuries as a result of the cyclone. Canadians are advised against non-essential travel to Burma due to extensive damage caused. Canadians in the region can contact Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada in Ottawa at sos@international.gc.ca or make a collect call to 613-996-8885.

Canadians interested in providing donations in response to Tropical Cyclone Nargis in Burma should consult our information webpage about humanitarian exemptions to Canada's sanctions against Burma. http://geo.international.gc.ca/cip-pic/library/howcanadians-en.aspx.
 
Toe in the door is more like it......

It would seem that the government wants to send aid and use the C-17 as well, so this kills two birds with one stone.  Still doesn't mean the DART is any closer to getting into the country.
 
Something is better than nothing. Kudo's to those depts who got it done.
 
Why is it that Canadians assume that other countries want/need/will accept our help ?
 
CDN Aviator said:
Why is it that Canadians assume that other countries want/need/will accept our help ?
Makes them feel special and warm and fuzzy inside.
 
CDN Aviator said:
Why is it that Canadians assume that other countries want/need/will accept our help ?

Because they do need our help, and I'm positive the Burmese people would also want our help considering that their government is doing dick all for them. Why is it that you think we shouldn't help them, or that they shouldn't want our help?
 
Gimpy said:
Because they do need our help, and I'm positive the Burmese people would also want our help considering that their government is doing dick all for them. Why is it that you think we shouldn't help them, or that they shouldn't want our help?

::)

I mean in general terms.

Take China for example. Some people think we should send the DART to China. Why are Canadians assuming that the PRC needs/wants/will accept our help ?

I never said we shouldnt help Burma, but last time i checked, they are a sovreign country and can tell us to pound salt if they wish ( rightly or wrongly).
 
CDN Aviator said:
::)

I mean in general terms.

Take China for example. Some people think we should send the DART to China. Why are Canadians assuming that the PRC needs/wants/will accept our help ?

I never said we shouldnt help Burma, but last time i checked, they are a sovreign country and can tell us to pound salt if they wish ( rightly or wrongly).

Since when does the Chinese Canadian National Council represent what Canadians think? I haven't seen any other calls for DART to go to China? China doesn't need our help, China has the resources to get through these disasters. Myanmar doesn't. Even if Myanmar is a sovereign country it doesn't make what they are doing any less criminal. There are 1.5 million people without aid getting worse and worse everyday while the Junta processes around 4 visas a day for aid workers. I'd say the people of Myanmar desperately need help from wherever they can get it, and unless the government changes their tune soon something drastic needs to happen.
 
OK so if they dont change their tune, what do you propose we do ?

Sanctions ?

Invasion ?
 
CDN Aviator said:
::)

I never said we shouldnt help Burma, but last time i checked, they are a sovreign country and can tell us to pound salt if they wish ( rightly or wrongly).

Exactly, and from what i am hearing on teh news here, the junta is disgusting, including attaching the names ofsome  Generals on to some aid packaging.

What a bunch of mongrels.

Meanwhile teh innocent suffer. Truly a shame, but there is nothing we can do, and its certainly not worth any military action.
 
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