Target: Joe Biden, President of the United States
Goal: Provide comprehensive assistance for communities decimated by deadly earthquakes.
Destroyed communities, human chains of rescuers, and a devastating death toll only alleviated by miraculous yet sporadic rescues have gripped Turkey and Syria. Some of the most powerful earthquakes in history, registering a 7.8 and a 7.5, recently struck the two nations, setting off violent aftershocks that destroyed thousands of buildings and left even more people trapped in the rubble.
The disasters began in the early morning hours, compounding the devastation. In addition, infrastructure designed to withstand such forces is not up to par. Many of the regions have also been beset by war and conflict for several years, hampering aid efforts. And desperate refugees who must deal with freezing temperatures and punishing weather have decried the seemingly lagging government response.
Sign the petition below to compel leaders to lend urgent aid not only for the immediate aftermath but for efforts ensuring such a tragedy cannot devolve into a worst-case scenario again.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear President Biden,
It is difficult to talk about a disaster that caused billions of dollars of damage, thousands of lost lives, tens of thousands of displacements, and impact zones that—by reports—will be “uninhabitable for years to come” in the past tense. The people most affected by the Turkey and Syria earthquakes need urgent aid now. But they also require a framework and a foundation on which to rebuild.
Decades of instability have already taken their toll, helping create the lacking emergency responses and infrastructure needs that at least in part worsened the tragedy. Please invest in bolstering these life-saving protective measures as an integral part of the aid and assistance you have vowed to send on behalf of the United States. The road to recovery must be strong and sure.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Voice of America
688 Signatures