Target: Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General of United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Goal: Strengthen response to Papa New Guinea landside and natural disasters of similar scope and scale.
As residents of a remote village in Papa New Guinea peacefully slept, their world literally came crashing down around them. A massive landslide buried dozens of homes and an elementary school. Some rocks in the debris (which reportedly reached up to 25 feet from the ground) were as large as shipping containers. Preliminary estimates place the death toll anywhere from 650 to 2,000.
The instability of land in the region lasted far beyond the initial landslide, and fears of another disaster seriously derailed rescue efforts. The wreckage of the primary road in the region has also hindered aid. Worsening the crisis are ongoing political struggles, poverty, and tribal violence. Nearby Australia has already pledged assistance, but the struggling region desperately needs more.
Sign the petition below to urge the United Nations to make stabilizing this region in every respect a top priority.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Under-Secretary-General Griffiths,
The political and economic instability in Papa New Guinea took devastating physical form when a landslide literally buried an entire community alive within the Enga Province. Eastern China recently experienced a similar disaster on a smaller scale. The worsening effects of an unpredictable climate and environment have ensured that some of the worst humanitarian crises will arise from natural disasters.
Please make Papa New Guinea and its displaced, devastated citizens a template for how to return both short and long-term stability to ravaged regions of the world. Commit to and implement a comprehensive aid plan that includes the machinery and manpower desperately needed to remove the mountains of rubble this and other disasters caused. In addition, help create and deploy teams that can address the chronic economic and political struggles that stand in the way of building a strong road to recovery.
Investment and commitment must be made now in order to mitigate the tragedies of tomorrow.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: R.W. Gibson
