Caritas Asia to Mobilize US $ 30 million for Relief Efforts

Bangkok, Thailand – Caritas Asia is all set to mobilize over US $ 30 million that it has received as pledges for earthquake and tsunami relief in calamity–stricken Asian countries.

According to Caritas Asia executive director Father Yvon Ambroise, the South Asia director of the Catholic Relief Services, Kevin Hartigan, told him the U.S. Bishops' Social and Development Agency has pledged US$25 million. Father Ambroise said that Caritas Internationalis has pledged nearly US $ 7 million from other Caritas partners in Europe and elsewhere. The Caritas network comprises 162 agencies mandated by local Church hierarchies around the world.

Fr. Ambroise said that his office is helping local Churches in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand raise funds so they can fashion appropriate local responses in the wake of the December 26, 2004 catastrophe. Till date, more than 1,50,000 deaths were confirmed. Thousands are still missing and over 5 millions displaced.

Fr. Ambroise visited Sri Lanka on December 30–31 to assess the needs of Caritas Sri Lanka. Later, he returned to Thailand and discussed with Father Phibul Visitnonthachai, director of the Thai Bishops' Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees, how Caritas Asia could assist the local Church.

Fr. Ambroise and Thai Bishop Lawrence Thienchai of Chanthaburi, president of Caritas Asia, left on January 6 for Jakarta to meet with officials of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference and Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith.

The Caritas Asia official has commended the Churches in the four hardest–hit countries for being "very much involved in responding to this tragedy from the beginning."