IHT/DSE: In response to “inadequate” government efforts, independent groups offer aid to Lebanon

By Pakinam Amer and Shereen El-Gazzar
First Published: July 26, 2006

CAIRO: The Egyptian government’s effort to send aid to war-stricken Lebanon and Palestine has been limited and deemed “inadequate.” Non-governmental organizations, political and independent groups are adopting the cause in their stead, condemning the “weakness” of the Arab states and glorifying the Hezbollah militia.
The state-directed Red Crescent sent two military planes, provided by the state, full of goods. Promises of a larger aid supply were announced by Al-Ahram, with reservoirs of fuel, water, medical equipment and aid expected to be sent to Lebanon “soon.”
But the promises remain simply promises, as national newspapers announce that the Egyptian Red Crescent is still getting in touch with various aid organizations, the Red Cross included, to “assess the real emergency needs” of the country, pounded almost continuously by Israeli air strikes.
According to the United Nation’s wire service IRIN, it was not until July 23, the 12th day of bombing in Lebanon, that the Egyptian Red Crescent and the Egyptian government reacted and sent emergency assistance to Lebanon, saying, “The Egyptian government … has done very little else since.”
According to the news agency, the Egyptian government and the Red Crescent have been criticized by opponents and the media for responding relatively slowly to the unfolding humanitarian crisis.
"Unlike the local NGO community and the Muslim Brotherhood, the government and the Red Crescent have been incredibly slow to plan any emergency assistance for Lebanon," Gamal Essam El-Din, Al-Ahram Weekly veteran journalist and political analyst, was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, the Committee of Humanitarian Relief of the Arab Doctor’s Union, held a conference at Dar Al-Hekma, their official headquarters, last Friday to discuss the Palestinian-Lebanese situation in order to gather donations for the war victims.
According to IRIN, the Doctor’s Union, dominated by members of the Muslim Brotherhood, has been instrumental in co-coordinating relief efforts from Egypt and across the region where its members are based; the union immediately dispatched a team of doctors to the country to assess needs.
The Committee of Humanitarian Relief has a history of charitable work, including giving aid to countries like Afghanistan, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Bosnia, Kosovo and Chechnya. The committee’s mission is to offer the victims of wars and natural disasters protection from disease, as well as offering medical treatment and first aid without differentiating between religion, color, or race.
When the war in Lebanon broke out, coupled with air strikes on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the Committee of Humanitarian Relief succeeded in gathering LE 300,000 and sent a team of doctors to aid the Lebanese people.
“Today, Lebanon is in desperate need of our assistance,” said Hamdy El Sayed, head of the doctor’s syndicate, during the committee’s Friday conference. “Lebanon is short in milk, insulin, blood pressure and heart medications.”
"[Also] most urgently needed are medicines to combat heart disease and diabetes, which are fast running out, as well as pain killers and antibiotics," Gamal Abdel-Salam, head of the Arab Doctor’s Union's emergency relief program, told IRIN. An assessment team sent to Lebanon last week was told by Lebanese medical professionals that the country is not short of doctors.
On July 22 and 23, however, medical teams will be sent to Lebanon through Damascus, according to El-Sayed who in his nationalistic speech condemned Arab passivity.
“The Arabs who own two-thirds of the world’s natural resources don’t want to unite, they keep lingering and seek pity from the West,” he said, referring to Hassan Nasrallah, leader of resistance group Hezbollah as the only man who has brought back the “ummah’s” (nation’s) dignity.
Mostafa Bakry, editor in chief of opposition weekly Al-Osbou and member of the Egyptian parliament, was among the conference’s spokespersons who condemned the reaction to the ongoing war from the Arab states and particularly Egypt.
Bakry spoke of an incident where an Arab ruler sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert urging him to get rid of the Islamic Shiite group Hezbollah. “They are afraid of losing their chairs,” said Bakry.
On one hand, Bakry said he despised the Arab rulers, while praising Hezbollah’s achievements during the last 10 days, describing their performance as “a balance of terror” between the Arabs and the Zionists.
Bakry added that he thinks that now the Israeli community has mixed feelings, with some thinking that the war against Hezbollah was a mistake that yielded unanticipated losses.
“Everyday Israel continues in the war it loses $200 million,” said Bakry. “Hezbollah is ‘a major power’ and not just any political party.”
Khaled Ramy, Palestinian Ministry of Health representative, spoke to the audience via speakerphone. Ramy referred to Israel’s hostile acts as “terrorism” practiced by an entire country.
Ramy also spoke of what he chose to call the “never-ending cut down of electricity.” “The problem is not with the light; some patients have chronic respiratory diseases and they need a respiratory machine to live,” said Ramy. “In hospitals operation rooms don’t have air conditioners.” Ramy added that the Palestinian minister of health, himself, lives in candlelight.
Notable for their efforts in aiding Palestine and Lebanon are also the Muslim Brotherhood, who is currently collecting donations in a bank account established for the Lebanese crisis. The Muslim Brotherhood upper house of parliament members are due to hold what they call “a national conference in solidarity with Lebanon and Palestine” under the slogan “Parliamentarians for Palestine and Lebanon.” During this conference, the Brotherhood leaders will discuss possible means of aid for the war-stricken countries, aside from money for food and medicine.
According to IRIN, Muslim Brotherhood members Abdel-Salam and union head Abdel-Moneim Aboul-Futouh have said so far that “money from Egyptians would be better than assistance in goods, as medicines can be bought from neighboring Syria through the Damascus-based Syrian Doctors' Syndicate.”
The Lebanese Embassy has also opened a special account in Misr Bank for rescue in Lebanon, and they have an open fax line for item donations. Egyptians, who are equally sympathetic to the Lebanese cause and critical of government efforts, have been circulating the Lebanese account number through mobile phone messages with the tag "Please circulate by all means. God bless."

Link: http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=2395