Humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake 

• Federal Government — After committing and distributing to international aid an initial AUD 10 million pledge (USD 7.7 million), the government of Australia announced on 29 December and 31 December that two additional disbursements of AUD 25 million (USD 18.1 million) each would be committed:⁷¹ AUD 10 million to aid organizations, AUD 10 million to Indonesia, and AUD 5 million (USD 3.6 million) to Sri Lanka. Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has indicated Australia will offer further aid as needed. On 5 January in Jarkarta, Prime Minister John Howard announced an Australian aid package of AUD 1 billion⁷² for Indonesia (USD 766.89m), significantly exceeding the half billion expected.⁷³ The bilateral aid package⁷⁴ consists equally of grant assistance and highly concessional funding. On 11 January, AUD 500,000 aid was announced for the Seychelles, taking total federal government monetary assistance to AUD 1,060,500,000.
• State governments — The governments of the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia have all pledged monetary assistance to a combined total of AUD 17.45 million (USD 13.6 million).
• Military/Professional — As part of Australia's aid-assistance, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is working extensively in the region, alongside American forces. Upwards on 900 unarmed personnel are working in Indonesia, including 15 air-traffic controllers managing the massive aid effort in Aceh. Eight Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules are currently assisting in the massive clean-up in Indonesia. Four Hercules are moving stores within Indonesia, while another four planes are establishing an air bridge to move material and personnel from Australia. At the outbreak of the disaster, three were immediately dispatched, laden with essentials such as medical supplies, water purification units, blankets and bottled water. Also, a Royal Australian Navy amphibious transport ship HMAS Kanimbla was dispatched from Sydney on New Year's Eve, to arrive in Indonesia on 13 January, with two H-3 Sea King helicopters on board. Furthermore, four Australian Army UH-1 Iroquois helicopters are working in Aceh, where the ADF has established a field hospital and water plant. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) also has teams on the ground, particularly in Thailand, including body identification teams. Teams of medical and emergency professionals were sent with the call going out for volunteers ready and willing to fly to the affected areas to further assist with the relief and rebuilding operation. In response to a request from the Maldivian Government, Australia has sent ecological experts to repair coral reefs - the life-blood of Maldivian tourism - and teachers to restore schooling. The estimated cost of this additional support is above AUD 60 million (USD 46.5m), and is being managed by Emergency Management Australia (EMA).
• Public/Corporate — Australia's three major commercial television networks, the Seven Network, the Nine Network and Network Ten took the unprecedented step of pooling resources to organise a special concert telethon which aired on 8 January. Simultaneously broadcast on all three networks and in most capitals on the Triple M radio network, the telethon was an extraordinary display of solidarity and co-operation in the usually fiercely competitive commercial television and radio markets (see Australia Unites: Reach Out To Asia). As of end of broadcast, the figure raised/pledged was AUD 15,198,349.53, however phone lines remained open and the final tally totalled at over AUD 20 million. Overall corporate response has been criticised as inadequate, particularly considering bumper profits. The Australian public has raised over AUD 190 million (USD 143.37 million) so far. As a sign of respect to the victims of the disaster, New Year's Eve celebrations around the country were either toned down or cancelled. Most of those celebrations that did proceed organised collections for charities in an attempt to avoid criticism. Australia's largest New Year's celebration, in Sydney, alone raised over AUD 1.1 million for.⁷⁵

Hutchison Whampoa Limited and Li Ka Shing Foundation of Hong Kong announced on 28 December 2004 that they would donate HKD 24 million (USD 3.08 million) for the relief fund. Performer Karen Joy Morris (aka. Karen Man Wai Mok) pledged to donate HKD 200 thousand (Ming Pao). Performers of EEG also pledged to donate a total sum of HKD 630 thousand. Sir Run Run Shaw has donated HKD 10 m.

Hong Kong Jockey Club has donated HKD 10 m, and will donate HKD 1 for each dollar it received from donors (target at a minimum HKD 10 m). MTR donated HKD 0.5 for each passenger trip on 2 January 2005, with a total sum at HKD 1 m. KCR donated all the fares collected in the four-hour extension of train services on 1 January 2005.

Hong Kong Red Cross has collected HKD 100 m (global target USD 46 m / HKD 360 m). MSF has stopped collected donations for the tsunami, and requested donors to donate to its other programmes. World Vision Hong Kong has collected HKD 50 m.

A variety show TV programme on TVB and RTHK on 2 January 2005 has collected HKD 40 m (HKET).

Various NGOs, companies and individuals have set off to the affected countries to offer assistance.

The government of Hong Kong has sent 120 personnel to help Hong Kong residents and search for missing people. Police and medical teams are stand-by to offer assistance.

Update: At December 3, 2005, Red Cross Hong Kong has already collected HK$620m.⁴³

• Government of India — The federal government has pledged INR 1 billion (USD $23 million) to Sri Lanka and Maldives in addition to warships and aircraft to distribute relief supplies. A federal budgetary allocation of INR 7 billion (USD 160 million) has been earmarked for immediate distribution to affected Indian provinces.
• Military — As part of India's rescue and aid-assistance,⁷⁷ the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard deployed 32 Naval ships, seven aircraft and 20 helicopter in the Indian ocean region. This was the part of various opertions like 'Operation Madath' (In Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu coasts), 'Operation Sea Waves' (Indian territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands), 'Operation Castor' (In Maldives), 'Operation Rainbow' (In Sri Lanka) and 'Operation Gambhir' (In Indonesia).⁷⁸ Also Indian Naval group was able to start the rescue operations in neighbouring countries within 12 hours from the time of the Tsunami and the first foreign navy to reach them.⁷⁹
• Public — The citizens of India and various NGO's have actively participated in providing relief materials and charity to the Tsunami striken people.

Japan, which is the world's second largest donor of Official Development Assistance (known as ODA), is also dispatching Japan Self-Defense Forces vessels off Northern Sumatra to supply aid. Land, Air, and Maritime Forces were already ordered preparation.

• Government — The New Zealand government announced it will donate NZD 10 million (USD 7.2 million). On January 18, the New Zealand Government announced an increase in aid to a total of NZD 68 million (USD 47.2M), including its initial NZD 10 million commitment. The government's response includes $NZ20 million ($A18.4 million) for United Nations relief efforts, $NZ20 million ($A18.4 million) for work in Aceh and other parts of Sumatra through a bilateral aid program in Indonesia and a $NZ19 million ($A17.5 million) dollar-for-dollar matching of public donations by New Zealanders.
• Military — Also, an airforce (RNZAF) C-130 Hercules, working in unison with the Royal Australian Air Force, has been sent for evacuation and transport of relief supplies. . New Zealand has also sent an RNZAF 757 aircraft to the Thai city of Phuket with a specialist victim identification team on board. The 38-year old aircraft have, unfortunately, been plagued with severe technical difficulties, and on several occasions, been forced to halt aid efforts.
• Public — The New Zealand government also announced that it would match, dollar for dollar, the amount pledged by its citizens to various charities. As of January 18, this equates to a further NZD 19 million.⁸³

• Government of Pakistan has announced a PKR 10 million (USD 0.2 million) relief package for the earthquake victims of Sri Lanka. This consists of goods such as tents, medicines, drinking water and food items.
• Military Pakistan plans to send 500 military personnel in medical and engineering teams to Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
  • Aeroplanes2 C-130 aeroplanes with relief goods and 250 doctors and engineers left forIndonesia and Sri Lanka each.⁸⁴ Six more C-130 will fly to Indonesia in a week to help in the relief work. and also two Seaking helicopters onboard PNS (Pakistan Navy Ship) Moawin are in srilanka to provide logistics support.⁸⁵
  • Navy ships Ships Khyber and Mua'awan are being sent to Sri Lanka. On board, these ships have three helicopters, a marine Expeditionary Force, doctors, and paramedics. Besides, relief goods - medicines, medical equipment, food supplies, tents, blankets- are being sent in huge quantities. Pakistan Navy ships, Tariq and Nasr, on a good will visit to the Maldives, saved 367 foreign tourists, representing 17 nationalities conducted aerial surveys to judge the extent of damage, distributed food and medicines, and provided medical assistance.⁸⁶ Pakistan Navy Task Force arrived at Colombo port to provide humanitarian assistance and relief goods to the government of Sri Lanka. An ISPR (Navy) statement here on Tuesday said that the commander of the Task Force is Commodore Ehsan Saeed and it comprises Pakistan Navy ship Moawin, a Logistic support ship having two Seaking helicopters onboard and PNS Khaibar, a guided missile destroyer carrying one Aloutte helicopter. On arrival, officials from Pakistan Mission at Colombo and local Navy officials of Sri Lanka received the ships.⁸⁵

Upon arrival, a co-ordination meeting was held onboard PNS Moawin between Sri Lanka Navy officials, Pakistan High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Pakistan Navy Mission Commander Commodore Ehsan Saeed to discuss the modus operandi of the relief operat

The Singaporean humantarian relief operation involves more than 1200 military and civil defence personnel - of whom 900 are in Aceh, Indonesia. The humanitarian assistance provided by its military, medical and rescue teams is estimated to cost SGD 20m. Singapore has also offered to rebuild hospitals and clinics in Aceh.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has deployed three Endurance class landing platform dock ships - RSS Endurance, RSS Persistence and RSS Endeavour - off the coast of Meulaboh, one of the worst hit areas where all road access was cut off. Onboard these ships were medical and engineering teams and volunteers with NGOs. The ships were also loaded with medical supplies and heavy equipment to help clear roads and debris. It has also dispatched six Chinook helicopters and two Super Puma helicopters to Aceh, two Chinook helicopters and two Super Puma helicopters to Phuket, Thailand. C130s were also dispatched to ferry relief supplies to tsunami-hit areas.⁸⁹

• Government — The Government of Vanuatu has contributed VUV 5,000,000 (USD 47,300) to relief efforts.
• Public — A benefit concert was held 8 January, which raised VUV 200,000 (USD 1,800) for the Vanuatu Red Cross Society (both.⁹¹

Danish PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that Denmark will increase this amount if it is deemed necessary by the UN or emergency relief organisations.

The Greek people raised over EUR 15m (USD 19.9m) through private donations made during a TV charity marathon which included the auction of articles such as commemorative items from the Athens Olympic Games and the Euro 2004 event, as well as the fountain pen of the retreating President of the Hellenic Republic. The Greek Government added EUR 1m (USD 1.3m) to the initial amount.

• Central Government The Spanish Cabinet has approved an aid package totalling EUR 54m (USD 70.5m): EUR 4m (USD 5.2m) for immediate delivery, allocated to the relief shipments conducted by the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation (AECI) and NGOs; and EUR 50m Development Aid Fund (FAD) loan, with favourable terms that include long periods of repayment and low interest, aimed to support the reconstruction efforts in all countries affected by the quake. Two cargo planes with humanitarian aid took off on 28 December to Sri Lanka and another three, of the AECI and the Red Cross, were dispatched on 31 December to Sumatra in Indonesia and Thailand. The Government has also announced a debt moratorium for affected countries.
• Military On 8 January Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announced the immediate deployment of a military force to assist in humanitarian tasks, comprising 650 troops, 5 planes with humanitarian aid, 2 helicopters and a hospital-ship. The military mission will last two months, it will be focused on Sumatra and it cost will be EUR 6,5m.
• Regional and local Governments Several Governments of the Autonomous communities have approved their particular aid packages for urgent delivery: Galicia (EUR 500,000), Madrid (EUR 300,000), Basque Country, (EUR 150,000), Andalusia (EUR 150,000), Land of Valencia (EUR 150,000), Balearic Islands (EUR 150,000), Castile-La Mancha (EUR 140,000), Catalonia (EUR 130,000) and La Rioja (EUR 66,000). The donations of regional governments and local councils amount EUR 2m.

• Government — The UK government announced an increase in its aid to GBP 75m on 10 January 2005, up from the GBP 50m (USD 96m) pledged on 30 December 2004, and the initial pledge of GBP 15m of aid in the early stages. The government has also promised to match the public donation. As president of the G8, the UK government and former Chancellor now Prime Minister Gordon Brown pushed for the suspension of debt repayments to the industrialised nations.
  • Military — The government has also sent the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Diligence, the Royal Navy frigate HMS Chatham with Lynx helicopters to move supplies, and a RAF C-17 Globemaster III and a Tristar strategic airlifter.
• Public — By the end of 6 January 2005 the total from UK citizens stood at GBP 100m (USD 190m)¹⁰⁶ who responded by donating at a rate of up to GBP 1m per hour in the first week. — On 26 February 2005, it was announced that the Disasters Emergency Committee (an umbrella organisation of 12 aid agencies) were closing their appeal after raising a total of GBP 300m in the two months since the disaster struck. Other British charities raised a total of GBP 50m.⁶³
• Corporate/Notable — Large donations were also made by HM The Queen, and other notable celebrities and wealthy individuals. Half of the FTSE 100 companies had announced sizeable donations of money/resources, with many other companies donating their services and resources at no cost.

• Federal Government: The Canadian government has pledged, as of 10 January 2005, CAD 425m (USD 344.96m),²⁹ an increase to the original figure of CAD 4m offered by the federal government, which had previously been revised to 40m and then to 80m, as an immediate contribution toward the aid effort and will also be providing blankets, water purification devices, and generators through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
• The Canadian government will also match private donations received by 11 January 2005; according to CIDA, this represents an additional CAD 200M.³⁰
  • The Canadian federal government has also announced a debt moratorium for the countries most severely affected by the tsunami.¹¹⁶ Also, Canada has announced it will send its DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) to Ampara in Sri Lanka.¹¹⁷
• Provincial Governments: In addition to the federal funds, the provincial government of British Columbia has given CAD 8m (USD 6.6m) to the Canadian Red Cross, the provincial governments of Ontario and Alberta have each pledged CAD 5m (USD 4.1m), the provincial governments of Quebec, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia have each given CAD 100,000 (USD 82,000), and the provincial governments of the Northwest Territories and Prince Edward Island have pledged CAD 25,000 and 20,000 respectively.
• Private Sector: Measuring the extent of individual and corporate philanthropy is more difficult, although the government estimates that donations to tsunami victims have reached more than CAD 230M, with 200M of this available for matching. The federal government created incentives for private donations: it announced that it would match donations dollar-for-dollar and decided to bend the rules by allowing tsunami-related donations made before 11 January 2005 to be claimed on 2004 income-tax returns.
  • On 7 January CBC announced plans for a tsunami benefit concert on 13 January. Performers included Tom Cochrane, Blue Rodeo, Bryan Adams, Anne Murray, Rush, Molly Johnson, Oscar Peterson, Jann Arden, Barenaked Ladies, Bruce Cockburn and, in a special segment direct from her Las Vegas stage venue, Céline Dion. In addition, non-musical celebrities will range from author Margaret Atwood to sports commentator Don Cherry to Bubbles of the Trailer Park Boys. Ron MacLean and Rick Mercer will serve as co-hosts.¹¹⁸