The Canberra Multicultural Community Forum has praised the ACT Government for its donations of $50,000 to each of the appeals for the victims of the Burmese cyclone and the Chinese earthquake.
CMCF chair Sam Wong said it would have been very easy for the Territory Government to say it is not its business to involve itself in international disaster appeals and that the work should be left to the Federal Government and concerned individuals.
“In making these very generous donations, the Government recognises it represents a truly multicultural city whose population is deeply concerned about what is going on in the world,” he said.
Mr Wong called upon the citizens of Canberra to follow the lead of the Government and give generously to the appeals.
“With two such disasters of this magnitude so close to each other, the relief agencies are stretched to the limit,” he said. “More funds are urgently needed both to meet the basic needs of the literally millions of survivors who have lost everything, and to begin the vital work of reconstruction.”
He praised the Canberra Chinese community which raised more than $20,000 at a single appeal dinner. “If there was any more proof needed that Canberra is a caring community, this is it,” he said.