>Dear colleagues,

>the following message reached me today concerning the catastrophe in
>Nicaragua and Honduras. Maybe some of you feel like getting involved
>somehow.
>Best regards

>
>>From [log in to unmask]:
>>
>>Dear friends:
>>Hurricane Mitch has desvastated Central américan countries. In first place,
>>Nicaragua and Honduras. But El Salvador, Guatemala, South of Mexico and in
>>less proportion Costa Rica And Panama. It is the worst catastroph in
>>history of central america. Principal victims are peasants and poors
>>already seriously afected becauses of programs of international monetary
>>found.
>>
>>In Nicaragua, MEDIPAZ is working with a large group of citizens from the
>>northern desvastated area. Yesterday we have send 3 helicopters (one US Air
>>Force and 2 from the Nicaraguan air force) with the first aid to this
>>region. In total of 10,000 pounds of basic food and medicines.
>>
>>Today we are trying to get more helicopters to transport some 16,000
>>aditional pounds of food, basic medicines and water. There is shortage of
>>air transportatión, the only way to send aid to many areas of the country.
>>
>>People from diferent nations are collecting aid. Those of you who have de
>>posibility to help, can be recipients of aid to be send to MEDIPAZ. We will
>>thanks those efforts.
>>
>>Deads are thousands, afected close to  1 million and still there is not
>>imformation from several areas. Crops are desvastated, some sources said up
>>to 80%. Epidemies will start soon.  aditionally, seismologic and volcanic
>>activity started 3 days ago. one or two vulcanoes are in eruption, one of
>>them in a very damaged area with isolated population.
>>
>>There is strong criticism to goverment because of selected and political
>>use of forein aid. It is one of the reasons MEDIPAZ is working in direct
>>comunicatión with civil society and red cross. There is danger of violence
>>because hunger ang goverment actitud with the aid. NGO¨s have serious
>>criticism to it.
>>
>>We have stated the eforts and aid for the victims have to be NON
>>DISCRIMINATORY because of religeous, political or social reasons.
>>
>>You can contact us by E.Mail. [log in to unmask]
>>
>>We will keep you informed.
>>
>>With best wishes.
>>
>>Antonio Jarquín
>>MEDIPAZ Nicaragua
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Central America Pleads for Help
>>By NIKO PRICE Associated Press
>>
>>Nicaragua (AP) - Survivors of Central America's worst disaster in memory
>>pleaded for help Friday as anger grew over the slow pace of relief in the
>>devastated countryside.
>>
>>Doctors rationed out slim medical supplies to injured refugees. Though tons
>>of aid has poured in from across the world for victims of Hurricane Mitch,
>>the region's fractured road system and limited air transportation forced
>>many desperate survivors to continue waiting.
>>
>>Six-year-old Justa Pastora Povera Guillen, laid out on a cot at a refugee
>>center in Posoltega, shook with fever.
>>Dabbing the girl with a wet cloth, Dr. Rigoberto Sampson gave her half a
>>tablet of Tylenol and said her yellowish eyes suggested malaria. There was
>>little he could do.
>>.
>>The devastation has overwhelmed Central America, where officials say more
>>than 10,000 people died in flooding and mudslides. Honduras said 569,000
>>were homeless and about 1 million others lost loved ones or property.
>>
>>Nicaragua said more than 750,000 of its people were affected.
>>
>>Nicaraguan victims of last week's storm have accused President Arnoldo
>>Aleman of being slow to help some of the worst-hit regions because
>>inhabitants overwhelmingly support leftist Sandinistas, the former rebels
>>who governed through the 1980s.
>>``The government has not sent anything. Posoltega Mayor Felicita Zeledon said.
>>
>>Crowds of hungry flood victims jeered Aleman, calling him a murderer, when
>>he visited nearby Leon on Tuesday. the mountainside above Posoltega, where
>>some 2,000 people were killed a week ago when the crater lake at top
>>Casitas Volcano broke open, military brigades continued to burn or bury the
>>victims' bodies.
>>
>Dr. Thomas M. Ruprecht
>Hofweg 98
>D-22085 Hamburg
>Tel.: +49-40-22 71 77-19
>Fax: +49-40-22 71 77-20
>mailto:[log in to unmask]
>
>

Anne W. Bunde-Birouste
IUHPE Director of Programmes
<[log in to unmask]>
tel : 33.1.46.45.00.59
fax : 33.1.46.45.00.45
2 rue Auguste Comte
92170 Vanves, FRANCE