INDIA TSUNAMI UPDATE: JANUARY 13

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000353

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

USDA/FAS/FAA/CALEXANDER/MCONLON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL CASC AEMR EAID MASS SOCI EAGR ID CE MV IN
SUBJECT: INDIA TSUNAMI UPDATE: JANUARY 13

REF: NEW DELHI 103


1. (SBU) Summary: Consular officers in Chennai continue to
work to resolve the fewer than 20 remaining missing persons
inquiries in India. The USAID/DART team that conducted
assessments in Andhra Pradesh has found that there is not an
emergency need for shelter, food and water in the state. The
GOI has not yet been able to assemble a team of scientists to
consider the need for a tsunami warning system for India, and
SciCouns is working on the possibility of a US participant
for the GOI's late January warning system brainstorming
session. New Delhi raised the number of tsunami-related
Indian deaths by 345 in the last 24 hours amid criticism in
local media of India's refusal to accept outside assistance.
End Summary.

Consular: Bringing Down the Numbers
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2. (U) ConGen Chennai is working to clear the fewer than 20
remaining open missing persons inquiries for India.

USAID: Andhra Pradesh May Need Support For Livelihoods
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3. (U) On January 12 and 13, the USAID/DART team conducted
assessments of coastal villages in southern Andhra Pradesh.
The team reports that in Andhra Pradesh, shelter, food, water
and sanitation are not emergency needs, but some livelihoods
support may be required. It is still unclear whether NGOs
will be permitted to operate in the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands. There is little available land for resettlement in
the Islands, and displaced residents will likely need to
remain in camps until a survey of habitable land is completed
and resettlement areas are determined.

Tsunami Warning System for India?

SIPDIS
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4. (SBU) The sensationalist "Asian Age," in a January 13
report, highlighted that Science and Technology Minister
Kapil Sibal continues to promise a tsunami warning system for
India. Meanwhile, India is struggling to assemble a group of
scientists to advise the GOI on what tsunami warning systems
are like, and what are the benefits likely to accrue to India
from such a system (reftel). SciCouns has been in touch with
NOAA and the NSF regarding possible US participants to the
January 21-22 Tsunami Warning System Brainstorming Session
the Department of Science and Technology is calling in New
Delhi.

"Tsunami Diplomacy:" Continued
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5. (U) Despite the generally positive take on India's
handling of the disaster at home and in neighboring
countries, some observers have raised questions about the
wisdom of New Delhi's refusal of outside help. A January 12
editorial in the "Indian Express" criticized the GOI's
decision to disallow Kofi Annan's visit as demonstrating
"indifferent diplomacy" and "misplaced hypersensitivity" to
offers of assistance. A "Tribune" op-ed from the same day
called India's position illogical, noting that "India, more
so its government, suffers from a silly notion about
nationalism." Highlighting the GOI's "hypocritical stand,"
the piece noted that NGOs operating in India receive a large
amount of foreign funding. Novelist Amitav Ghosh, in his
three-part article published in the "Hindu," remarked that
Indians waiting for days for help in the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands took little consolation in radio reports that New
Delhi's rapid deployment of assistance to Sri Lanka would
establish India as a superpower.

Casualty Numbers
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6. (U) Over the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) again revised the Indian dead and missing numbers
upward. On January 13, the MHA reported that 10,672 Indians
had died as a result of the tsunami, an increase of 345 from
January 12. While the MHA has not yet declared the more than
5,000 missing as presumed dead, the GOI lowered the figure by
three to 5,625.
MULFORD