Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05MUSCAT59
2005-01-11 08:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Muscat
Cable title:  

ADDITIONAL TSUNAMI AID

Tags:  EAID PGOV PREL AEMR CE ID MU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS MUSCAT 000059 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI(TROBERTS)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PGOV PREL AEMR CE ID MU
SUBJECT: ADDITIONAL TSUNAMI AID

REF: A. SECSTATE 959

B. MUSCAT 025

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000059

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI(TROBERTS)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PGOV PREL AEMR CE ID MU
SUBJECT: ADDITIONAL TSUNAMI AID

REF: A. SECSTATE 959

B. MUSCAT 025


1. As reported in ref B, the government of Oman has offered
to facilitate the delivery of private contributions to
tsunami victims in the Indian Ocean region. Since an initial

SIPDIS
shipment of 41 tons of aid, the government of Oman has
committed to shipping over 300 tons of relief supplies. The
Oman Charitable Organization (OCO),a government-supervised
charitable umbrella entity, has taken the lead in the
collection effort on behalf of the government. In an effort
to raise USD 3 million worth of aid, the OCO has also set up
special accounts for monetary donations. To date, the OCO
has delivered over 1,200 tons to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
According to the executive director of the OCO, Ali Ibrahim
Shanoor, if the organization receives more money than
expected, the OCO plans on constructing small houses in the
affected countries. According to the Oman News Agency, a
supervisory delegation organized by the OCO is departing for
Indonesia on January 11 to help set up relief centers in Aceh
and Sumatra.


2. Private contributions continue to grow as both organized
NGOs and individuals have stepped in to serve as liaisons for
private donations. Humanitarian Oman (an informal relief
group in the Sultanate),The American International School of
Muscat, and the British School of Muscat are organizing
donation drives. Additional collection points have been
established at the Muscat Rugby Club and the Muscat
Intercontinental Hotel. To mobilize support from the large
Indian expatriate community, the Indian Embassy and the State
Bank of India in Muscat have issued notifications with bank
account numbers for contributions to the Prime Minister's
National Relief Fund. The Art of Living Foundation in
association with International Association for Human Values
(AOL) has also organized volunteers in Oman and are
collecting funds.
BALTIMORE