UN
Secretary-General Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, former
U.S. President Bill Clinton said that he was impressed by the
substantial progress of the International Federation-led transitional
shelter programme, after visiting an Australian Red Cross site
in Aceh.
Making his way through a waving crowd, Mr. Clinton was visibly
pleased to see that substantial efforts have been made to establish
transitional living arrangements for the tsunami survivors as
they waited for their new homes to be completed.
“I am extremely encouraged by the restoration of a sense
of community among these tsunami survivors. This is a vast improvement
over living conditions in tents,” he said “The shelter
plan is an innovative and extraordinary response by a coalition
of willing international partners and the government, and will
provide good lessons for future disasters.”
President Clinton toured the transitional shelters in Aceh as
he wrapped up a three-country tour of the tsunami affected region
that included visits to Tamil Nadu, India and Phuket, Thailand.
President Clinton was briefed by International Federation Construction
Project Manager Kevin Duignan as he toured the transitional
shelter site. Ivan Winata, a field officer for the Australian
Red Cross, served as a translator between the President and
the people living in the shelters.
The Red Cross transitional shelter programme was started in
August 2005 to serve as a stop-gap measure between temporary
tents and permanent houses for the survivors of the tragedy.
The sturdy steel-framed and timber clad units were specially
designed to suit local weather conditions, while facilitating
ease of delivery and speed of assembly. The Federation is set
to build 20,000 transitional shelters with 33 implementing partners
that include Red Cross Red Crescent national societies and other
relief agencies.
So far, more than 14,000 transitional shelters have been completed.
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Former
President Bill Clinton visits Red Cross transitional shelters
in Aceh. (p15133)
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President Clinton was briefed by International Federation
Construction Project Manager Kevin Duignan (at the front-left)
as he toured the transitional shelter site. Ivan Winata
(in the back-left), a field officer for the Australian
Red Cross, served as a translator between the President
and the people living in the shelters. (p15134)
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