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Updated April 1, 2005 The Buddhist Peace Fellowship sends our heartfelt
prayers and support to all who have been We have recently received updated information from two trusted sources doing good work in Asia:
We continue to list other appeals that we have received from countries with large Buddhist populations, as well as international aid agencies. May all beings live in peace, may all beings live in safety. Foundation for the People of Burma March 2005: Read Report from FPB's Field Team in Burma The Foundation for the People of Burma, a U.S. based nonprofit which provides humanitarian aid to Burmese refugees and people within the Burmese borders, asks your help. With your help, we can alleviate some of the suffering which has resulted from this disaster. The Foundation operates quietly within Burma, without the involvement of the government. We work primarily through monasteries and other indigenous groups on the ground. Our local and native staff in Burma is small but remarkably resourceful. All of your contributions go directly to alleviate suffering. The administrative overhead of the Foundation is fully funded by our founders. Please consider making a special, tax deductible contribution now. Funds may be sent to: Phone: Donations in the form of stock are welcome. Contact us for account instructions. More information on the Foundation, and the opportunity to donate online is available at our website: www.foundationburma.org. Needed: $2,500 to Help Two Local Organizations Rebuild the Lives of Those Affected by the Tsunami Disaster in South Asia from Andrew Jilani, BPF Member The outpouring of generosity has been immense for the people who suffered from the tsunami disaster in Asia. Many big charity organizations and governments in the West have promised to rebuild the lives of the people in the region. It is also known that most of the money by these organizations and governments in the West will be spent on buying goods and equipment from the West and in hiring expensive consultants. Local organizations which are culturally, spiritually, and professionally more apt to help the people are planning concrete projects to help these people. There are two such organizations; one in Sri Lanka and one in India. The Nilambe Buddhist Mediation Center has an NGO (Non-governmental organization) which is working with women and children. The other is Krishna Murti Foundation, which is helping local organizations to carry out different project for the affected people in Tamil Nadu, the state worst hit in India. The specific requests from these two organizations are to assist in the following projects
The amount requested by these two organizations is $2,500. You can help in one of two ways:
BPF will then cash all these checks and transfer the money to the Krishna Murti Foundation in India and the Nilambe Buddhist Meditation Center. The money saved from the bank charges will add to the contribution for these two organizations. So far, community groups and friends have raised $920 dollars. We are making headways and ask you to join us in this effort.
Donate to Groups Responding to the Tsunami Disaster Below is a list of just a few of the many groups providing critically
needed humanitarian aid to
Sometimes the most devastating tragedies can inspire amazing acts of generosity. Many of us have been hearing about some of these. Here is one we find particularly inspiring. The Buddhist Peace Fellowship has received the following requests from friends in some of the areas affected (listed by country):
INDIA "Swadhina" in Tamil Nadu, India
INDONESIA Nonviolence International-USA has been working in Aceh, Indonesia for five years. As of Dec 29th, most of their staff in Aceh were missing. NI has established a relief fund for the victims and survivors of the earthquakes and tsunami in Aceh. Donations to the Aceh Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Fund will be distributed directly to Acehnese humanitarian aid agencies. The Aceh Relief Fund has established an advisory board of prominent Acehnese leaders who will oversee the disbursement of the funds. The initial members include:
Funds can be sent via the website at
www.nonviolenceinternational.net, or checks can be made out
to Nonviolence International, PO Box 39127, Friendship Station,
Washington, DC 20016, USA. Yayasan IDEP The UN is reporting that fatality rates in some parts of Aceh are over 75 percent. In the town of Calang, 90 percent of the population was killed by the tsunami. Until Jan. 10, when IDEP's chartered vessel -- holding 80 tons of supplies -- arrived in Calang, no aid had reached the area. The survivors had almost no food or clean water for two weeks. This is just an example of the work that IDEP, which was created out of the crisis of the Bali bombings, has been doing. Because of the reputation of its programs and close connections with other NGO's in Sumatra, IDEP was able to mobilize before the big international aid groups and is better connected at the ground level. The goal of IDEP with regard to this disaster is to help the survivors rebuild their lives and not create a new and long-term group of refugees living in camps. This can be accomplished by understanding what the survivors need to rebuild (repair fishing boats or build new ones, clean or dig new wells, clear land to plant new food crops, build houses). Alternet says that IDEP is the kind of ethical, honest, transparent,
and caring grassroots organization that they know and love. It has
been accepted by Tides Foundation to channel funds and Microsoft
has agreed Please check out their web site to read the latest update. How to help: 1. With a credit card, via PayPal, an Internet payment system which allows you to make payments from 45 countries (not including Indonesia -- if your credit card billing address is in Indonesia this will not work). Follow the instructions from this address: www.idepfoundation.org/aceh_aid.html. 2. By check payable to "Aceh Aid at IDEP/Tides Foundation" and mailed to Byron Miranda, Accounting, Tides Foundation, P.O. Box 29903, San Francisco, CA 94129, USA. If you have questions or interest in sponsoring particular projects, supplies, equipment, or about contributing in other ways, please contact David Mendoza at . Two other reputable local resource groups are:
MALAYSIA The Subang Jaya Buddhist Association (SJBA) is establishing an
emergency centre to oraganize collection of donation and other materials
to help victims of the Tsunami disaster which had Please send your items (food stuff, clothes, bed sheets, towels, etc) to SJBA immediately. Subang Jaya Buddhist Association
SRI LANKA December 28: Update and report from Sarvodaya in Sri Lanka December 30: update and report from Dr. Ariyaratne of Sarvodaya in Sri Lanka February 14: Letter from western relief worker/dharma practitioner in Sri Lanka At Sarvodaya we are working round the clock in all affected areas
to help those innocent victims. +94 785 107 107 (Krishna) Or email for more details Please help us to help the needy at this sorrowful moment in the history of this country. With the blessings of the Triple Gem, Yours affectionately
What We Can Do Right Now
Please act today. Richard S. Brooks
THAILAND From Michele McDonald (well known western Dharma teacher):
BUDDHIST MAHA VIHARA TSUNAMI RELIEF It is with great sadness and also urgency that I have directed the set-up of the “Buddhist Maha Vihara Tsunami Relief” after the devastating effect of an earthquake and the resulting tsunami. We are mobilizing all our available resources to assist the victims of the natural disaster. We are appealing to you to provide any form of aid, which we assure you will be used to alleviate the suffering of the victims of the tsunami. We have contacted and are contacting the embassies of the countries affected by the tsunami. We are initiating the following immediately:
The 1st container is expected to leave the Buddhist Maha Vihara on Friday, 31st December 2004. We trust you will endeavour to assist the victims of this natural disaster, and May the Blessings of the Triple Gem be upon you and your family. Yours in the Dhamma, K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera
BANDAR UTAMA BUDDHIST SOCIETY Bandar Utama Buddhist Society is responding to the Tsunami disaster
by collecting aid in the form
Members are requested to bring these items to BUBS Centre (2nd house - kitchen area) on Sunday morning, 2 January 2005. Please note that at the moment, we are not collecting any financial contributions for this relief effort. We also require packing materials such as cardboard boxes and bags and volunteers to sort and pack the donated items. If you require further info, please contact Raymond Tang (raytang@pc.jaring.my, 012-2222338). If this mail is forwarded, please note that you can obtain a map and address of BUBS Centre at www.parami.org/bubs/mappage.htm. Thank you for your compassion and meritorious actions. May the Three Jewels keep us safe always.
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