30 April, 2004
NEW YORK ? The Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) and the Alianza Dominicana announced this morning at a press conference their plan to collaboratively assist victims of the recent devastating floods and landslides that have caused more than 1950 deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. ?We are making an urgent appeal to everyone to assist us in this time of tragedy and pain,? said Ulrick Gaillard, Executive Director of the Batey Relief Alliance.
Immediate monetary support is urgently needed to help ship, ground transport and distribute donated medical, food and hygiene supplies to the victims. Money raised and donations received will be channeled to BRA Dominicana in Santo Domingo to address, in collaboration with BRA?s local member organizations, CASCO and SSID, the emergency needs of the affected populations.
Follow instructions on how to donate:
Please make a tax-deductible gift online at DONATE NOW! You may also mail in your check payable to Batey Relief Alliance, P.O. Box 300565, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230.
Alianza Dominicana has also established a special bank account at JP Morgan Chase Bank to receive money relief donations. Your deposits can be made directly using the account number 682501913065 and routing number is 021000021.
Please mention on your checks, direct deposits or online donations: Dominican Republic/Haiti Flood Relief.
Items such as rice, beans, cooking oil, powdered-milk, canned-food, blankets, sheets, towels and soaps can be dropped off at: Alianza Dominicana, 2410 Amsterdam Ave. (between 179th and 180th Streets), New York, NY 10033. Please contact their offices at (212) 740-1960 exts. 233, 129 or 126.
?Collaborative efforts to save and rebuild lives are even more crucial and warranted now than later. Some may try to overlook the situation given the demographic characteristics of the situation ? many victims are from the border area with Haiti. In addition, survivors may have no family in the Diaspora to mobilize support on their behalf,? said Moises Perez, Executive Director of Alianza Dominicana.
The death toll from Sunday?s flash floods in the watershed of the Soleil River in Jimani continues to rise as hundreds of unidentified corpses are being buried in mass graves. According to reports, no photographs were taken of these deceased nor were they identified in any way. Among onsite doctors’ concerns is the possibility for epidemic outbreaks in the area and the near-certain likelihood of discovering more bodies ? those that have been washed away from the local cemetery and sent further down the river, towards Lake Enriquillo.
Other support in medicines, vitamins, medical and food supplies will come from BRA?s partners including the Catholic Medical Mission Board, Direct Relief International and Food for the Poor.
?Aid to the victims may be challenged by the currently political climate on the island. Both countries recently had a change of government. In Haiti, for example, many organizations, individuals or countries may reject the notion of assisting the country not to give the interim government a sense of legitimacy. In the Dominican Republic, there may be an attitude of laissez-faire during the transitional period. This is a time of pain, sorrow and human destruction, and fortunately we are witnessing a sense of urgency from many to save lives,? concluded Gaillard.
For more information about a donation or how you can help, please contact BRA at bra@bkreative.net or www.bateyrelief.org.
