Distribution formula for Ashika Relief Fund [1]
Saturday, August 22, 2009 - 06:15. Updated on Monday, April 28, 2014 - 09:27.
Editor,
We hope the multitude of international funds currently outpouring into the Kingdom for the Ashika Victims and Missing Persons (AVMP) will all be distributed to them and their close relatives 'proper', and not to be 'set aside' for any other future crisis of similar form or otherwise.
Some may argue against this, and say, "but AVMP have had enough". We have to always bear in mind the fundamentally crucial question, "why the Ashika Relief Fund (ARF) was established in the first place." It was not for investment and reserved purposes, not at all - but for victims and close relatives of missing persons.
It doesn't matter whether the individual AVMP will end up receiving $10,000 or $20,000 per head, "it's all theirs and it's all for them and them only". By the ethics of humanitarianism and human rights under World Red Cross and World Vision, together with the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, all funds must be belonged to the AVMP, except for related and necessary expenses occurring in the process of distribution.
Some may say, "but it's too much to receive $20,000 per head in the economic situation of nations like Tonga". As soon such a question is asked, we will straightaway begin to bring back the horrific memories and agonies of Ashika into the fore, and this will never come peacefully, "but surely with chaotic and disturbing consequences." We then have to ask again, especially by the Government, "can we be able to deal with such outcomes."
The Lo'auan response is very simple, "No", notably in the currently political situation. Government should learn from their past mistakes, if not, "history will repeat itself in part, and worst of all if it does repeat wholly."
International Relief Funds should be all collected and distributed by the World and Tongan Red Cross, through them rather than the Government. Government should be very cautious, because there are still countless complicated and very serious matters to be sorted out in the Kingdom.
Government should be totally independent on this matter, and by doing so it will definitely help them not to be sucked into another unforeseen drams in the near future. Also, it is better for Government to leave the ARF to be handled by the World and Tongan Red Cross. We have not only the AVMP but the rest of the 100,000 or more population to be looked after, and on the top of it is the constitutional and political reforms, and the list continues.
Government should be independent from the Ashika Relief Fund (ARF) for their own good, as well as, benefit of the nation. I am aware that the Government's endorsement of the idea of ARF, but with or without theirs, the international communities and the Tongan Diaspora will still donate for the Ashika Victims and Missing Persons (AVMP).
This ARF should be handled in accordance to international and historical method of letting it be for world charitable organizations, like the Red Cross, to play such a crucial role of altruism and philanthropy. Red Cross, or World Vision, are the main two professional and experienced world organizations to deal with crisis of such horrific momentum. All Red Cross branches around the world are operated on the same principles and ethics, and Tongan Red Cross follows accordingly.
Also there is already a Relief Fund Board established outside by the Government to handle the ARF independently.
Government have distributed $2,000 per head from their National Emergence Fund, but not from around $1 millions being collected by the ARF. No complex algebra and calculus are required to solve and sort out this fund distribution, it is very simple - "count all the Ashika Victims and Missing Persons (except two still unaccounted for) and then divide the Ashika Relief Fund among them."
Siosiua Lafitani Tofua'ipangai
Chairperson
Lo'au Research Society
Canberra Branch.
slafitani [at] nuama [dot] org