Wednesday, January 19 2005 13:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: India has called for sustained political will and international solidarity to restore the livelihood of survivors of the tsunami tragedy and steps to protect them from future disasters.

The role of the United Nations and its agencies and international institutions like the World Bank is critical in implementing quick, creative and concrete programmes for the affected people, Indian United Nations Ambassador Nirupam Sen said yesterday (Jan 18, 2005).

During a debate on the tsunami disaster in the United Nations General Assembly, Sen said, "It is axiomatic that those who suffered most were poor, particularly those whose dependence on the sea made the crisis so much harder to bear."

India, in cooperation with the United Nations and the international community, is committed to rehabilitating those affected by the crisis at the earliest, he told the Assembly.

Citing India's experience in setting up early warning systems using remote sensing and satellite technology in coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh affected by cyclones, he offered the country's cooperation to the international community and particularly to the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian region for establishing a tsunami warning system.

India has already allocated several billion Rupees to help develop such a system, he said.

Though India did not avail of external assistance, Sen said that "spontaneous offers" of support and solidarity at a time of crisis were "critical" in assuring people that they were not alone in dealing with the enormity of the loss suffered by them.

"In a sense, the foundations of the UN have been strengthened not just by what it did in coordinating relief efforts but, above all, by the colossal international solidarity shown by ordinary people throughout the world, by their contributions, and reflected the actions of their Governments," Sen said.

Sen said that India's experience of handling natural disasters enabled it to develop well-defined mechanisms for disaster management at all levels.

"The lessons we learnt from the Orissa cyclone of 2000, the Gujarat earthquake of 2001 and other disasters have helped effect a paradigm shift in our approach to disaster management."

"This has proceeded from the conviction that development cannot be sustainable unless disaster mitigation is built into the development process at all levels," he said.

As a result, India was able to respond to the tsunami disaster promptly through a massive effort launched by a "well-oiled machinery, experienced and trained personnel and with the resources required to successfully deal with the unexpected disaster within our existing capacity."

About the assistance provided by India to its neighbours, Sen said, "Indian Air Force (IAF) planes and Indian Naval ships have formed an almost continuous bridge of relief assistance to Sri Lanka and the Maldives in solidarity and friendship."

"Many hundred sorties were flown to deliver relief supplies and for search and rescue. The planes and ships also brought field hospitals, doctors and para-medical staff," he added.