Saudi's Hold Telethon for Tsunami Aid; Triples Initial Aid Offer

just adding balance to all the threads regarding donations for tsunami aid

Saudi Arabia Holds Telethon for Tsunami Victims, Triples Aid

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Saudis streamed into a stadium to load bundles of clothes into trucks and stuff glass boxes with cash Thursday as the government launched a public campaign to help southeast Asian tsunami victims.
The stadium was the heart of a live national telethon that raised $67.4 million in 11 hours, of which King Fahd donated $5.3 million and Crown Prince Abdullah donated $1.3 million, according to Saudi television.

During the broadcast, which was to last 12 hours, state TV alternated scenes of Saudis coming to the stadium to make their donations in person and images from the destruction and suffering in the stricken areas. A number was flashed across the screen for pledges by telephone.

Diamond and gold jewelry, as well as clothes, tents, blankets and even a schoolboy's daily $1.30 allowance, were among the donations. Individual contributions ranged from $1 to $133,000.

[edit on 1-6-2005 by worldwatcher]

By stating "triples aid", I am a little confused.

It, to me at least, sounds like you are saying that the Saudi's tripled the aid globally. I think you mean that the country itself tripled the aid, right?

I know that the three power players are Australia, Japan, and the U.S., as it stands right now. (Correct me If I'm wrong - I tend to be =] )

Regarding Australia, I am very proud of them. $810 Million is a lot of moolah, so definately a big thank you to the Aussie govt.

-wD

sorry let me clarify, the saudi's are tripling the aid they initially offered.

A day earlier, the official Saudi Press Agency reported the government was raising its initial tsunami aid pledge of $10 million to $30 million "in view of the recent assessments of the magnitude of the tragedy."
[/quote
from the same above article



[edit on 1-6-2005 by worldwatcher]

wow.... you people are unbelievable you know. I think that no matter the muslim world does, you'll still find a way to downplay it (same like anti bush supporters )

I posted this yesterday, only one person commented and few read it, but yet, the thread "where's the muslim countries aid?" still got more hits.

very interesting.

[edit on 1-7-2005 by worldwatcher]

The telethon is a nice idea. It gives the average Saudi a
chance to donate.

BUT .. (yes, there is a but), the only
Saudi's with real money to spare are the royals. Saudi
women are oppressed (and most likely lacking funds)
and the men aren't much better off. It's the royals
that have the $$$. The King and the Crown Prince
donated millions. Excellent! Where are the other royals?
Where are the big companies in Saudi Arabia? (Boeing here
in the USA donated 1 Million PLUS it's matching all
donations made by it's workers - Johnson and Johnson
made a huge donation - UPS also - etc.etc.) Where
are the oil rich Saudi companies??

Anyways ... all donations are good donations...
glad to see the average Saudi having a chance to
donate what they can. Perhaps it will shame
the rest of the Royals and the Oil Companies
over there into helping out.

Just offering more balance:

Muslim Aid Sends �1,000,000 to the Tsunami Affected Areas

In an emergency meeting today Muslim Aid allocated a further sum of �1,000,000 for relief aid in the tsunami devastated countries of Asia. This is in addition to the �100,000 already distributed by Muslim Aid volunteers and partner NGO�s in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.

Muslim Aid has established a field hospital in Aceh and dispatched groups of volunteers from neighbouring Malaysia who are now delivering relief and medical assistance in Aceh. Asian Resource Foundation based in Bangkok, a Muslim Aid partner NGO is delivering relief and assistance in Pukhet, Phi Phi and more importantly Ranoog near the Burma border. Our field officer Mrs Nung, who is currently in Ranoog, informed us yesterday that despite being seriously affected Ranoog has so far received no media attention simply because it is not a holiday destination.

and:
‏Two Dubai-based firms extend 11 tons of aid to Sri Lankan displaced children ‏

Two Dubai-based firms extend 11 tons of aid to Sri Lankan displaced children�
��
� DUBAI, Jan 2 (KUNA) -- The Dubai Humanitarian City and the International �
�Association for Human Values, both based in Dubai, had airlifted 11 tons of �
�aid and relief materials to the victims the tsunami tidal waves that hit the �
�Indian Ocean shores of several southeastern countries taking tens of thousands �
�of lives last week.�

There's good in the world still and it comes from all facets of life, you just have to look, every religion, race, nationality has it's goods and bads. Generalizing everyone because of a few is never good. Hope you can see that.



[edit on 1-7-2005 by worldwatcher]

With all the negative press the Saudi get, it's good to see something positive. I'd like to see the Saudis start generating some kind of future for their own people before our neo cons decide it's time to spread a little more Cheny democracy.

While I applaud the Saudi's for their efforts to help the victims of the tsunami, there are other times when they have been more generous.

Most people will remember the last telethon the Saudi's had. This one was to raise money for the families of Palestinian suicide bombers. It was quite a successful one at that. They raised over 150 million dollars.

How much did you say they raised for the tsunami victims?
Oh yeah, less then half that, 67 million.

I never doubted they would help. They're human beings, not monsters.