TSUNAMI -- Delivering aid stymies UN
By Francis Till, National Business Review
Truth be told, there's little commentary I can add to this. Ms. Till does a stellar job all by her own self. The UN relief efforts have taken their biggest verbal thrashing yet with her scathing reports of poor performance.
Drawing on everything from blogs by "career US Foreign Service officers" to reports from Dutch diplomats recently returned from Aceh, Ms. Till sketchs a picture of UN officials doing little more than scheduling meetings to ...er... schedule meetings, and touting psychiatric assistance for survivors as "the key thing as people have lost everything."
By stark contrast, an excerpt from the Dutch diplomat praises US military efficiency:
The US military has arrived and is clearly establishing its presence everywhere in Banda Aceh. They completely have taken over the military hospital, which was a mess until yesterday but is now completely up and running. They brought big stocks of medicines, materials for the operation room, teams of doctors, water and food. Most of the patients who were lying in the hospital untreated for a week have undergone medical treatment by the US teams by this afternoon. US military have unloaded lots of heavy vehicles and organize the logistics with Indonesian military near the airport. A big camp is being set up at a major square in the town. Huge generators are ready to provide electricity. US helicopters fly to places which haven't been reached for the whole week and drop food. The impression it makes on the people is also highly positive; finally something happens in the city of Banda Aceh and finally it seems some people are in control and are doing something. No talking but action. European countries are until now invisible on the ground. IOM staff [note from Diplomad: this is a USAID-funded organization] is very busy briefing the incoming Americans and Australians about the situation.
The US, Australia, Singapore and the Indonesian military have started a 'Coalition Co-ordination Centre' in Medan to organize all the incoming and outgoing military flights with aid. A sub-centre is established in Banda Aceh.
Makes your heart just swell with pride, no? Our troops are just the best. Evidently all could see that THE folks to be dealing with were those that were getting the job done - and that didn't include the UN officials. Per another blog:
Nobody wants to be "coordinated" by the UN. The local UN reps are getting desperate. They're calling for yet another meeting this afternoon; they've flown in more UN big shots to lecture us all on "coordination" and the need to work together, i.e., let the UN take credit. With Kofi about to arrive for a big conference, the UNocrats are scrambling to show something, anything as a UN accomplishment.
Determined not to be outdone in pure ineptitude, the World Food Program representatives also arrived, ready to set up shop. Per one blogger report:
The team has spent the day and will likely spend a few more setting up their "coordination and opcenter" at a local five-star hotel. And their number one concern, even before phones, fax and copy machines? Arranging for the hotel to provide 24hr catering service.
USAID folks already are cracking jokes about "The UN Sheraton."
Meanwhile, our military and civilians, working with the super Aussies, continue to keep the C-130 air bridge of supplies flowing and the choppers flying, and keep on saving lives -- and without 24hr catering services from any five-star hotel . . . . The contrast grows more stark every minute.
Tall on words, short on productive action. Yep... that would be the UN in a nutshell.
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