The Hindu Business Line : Clinton for disaster mitigation system

Mr Bill Clinton, UN Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery and former US President, addressing a press meet at the Chennai airport on Friday after visiting the tsunami- affected areas of Nagapattinam. — Bijoy Ghosh

Chennai , May 27

AN early warning system, a disaster mitigation and management system and a compilation of the best practices in various countries that have dealt with disaster recovery are some of the areas countries in the region should work on, according to the former US President, Mr Bill Clinton.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday after visiting Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, that bore the brunt of the tsunami on December 26, Mr Clinton, the UN Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, said countries in the region should work together to put in place a disaster mitigation system.

The immediate challenge is to get those affected by the tsunami out of the temporary shelters and into permanent homes, restore their livelihood and ensure that the support is delivered equally to all those affected.

An early warning system should also be put in place and it should interface with those in other countries in the region for an effective regional system.

The recovery experience from such disasters should be compiled as a manual of best practices that have helped tackle such disasters effectively. This could prove an important tool for other developing countries, said Mr Clinton.

Mr Clinton repeatedly commended India, the local government and the authorities for effectively dealing with the emergency phase and the recovery from the disaster. The coordination between the NGOs and the local authorities should be appreciated, he said.

The authorities should use this challenge as an opportunity to help those affected by the disaster to learn new means of livelihood.

This will help create a diversified and viable economy in the coastal areas. An indication of this is the enthusiasm with which the people here are learning new skills such as making incense sticks, candles, recycled paper products and other small handicrafts.

It is important such products are marketed.

"I am going to take some personal responsibility for doing that," he said. Though nothing can replace the loss of lives, we owe it to these people to ensure that they rebuild their lives, Mr Clinton said.

He was confident that funding was not an issue of immediate concern. Ample funds were available with the NGOs working on tsunami rehabilitation projects, which are accountable and have the responsibility of spending the money effectively.

Countries in the region must be transparent and efficient in handling the funds to ensure a continuous flow, he said.

The NGOs alone had about $3 billion from various donor agencies in their coffers.

The US has committed about $ 2 billion, and more than 50 per cent of that is in the bank. The US Congress will soon approve the Appropriation Bill for $950 million, said Mr Clinton.

Funds for at least the next six months are not a concern. Maybe in a year's time, it could be an issue. But the UN is taking responsibility to ensure that countries stick to their commitment, said Mr Clinton.

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