Saturday, November 26 2005 14:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Doha: Voicing support for victims of the deadly October 8 earthquake in India and Pakistan, former US President Bill Clinton has said the international community should track relief efforts for such disasters till the end and not lose interest midway.

"People are very forthcoming in the beginning but then forget about it," Clinton said addressing audiences at a dinner organized for raising funds for Asia's tsunami and earthquake victims here last night.

Emphasising the need for organizing relief efforts for the quake victims, he said "the quake has dislocated more people than the tsunami though the devastation in the latter was more... thus we should concentrate more on providing succour to the those affected by the temblor."

Sometimes when terrible things happen it is only then that people finally come together, he said.

Canadian rock star Bryan Adams, who has consistently been associated with raising funds for victims of last year's tsunami, enthralled audiences with a few of his songs at the gala dinner, part of the 'Reach out to Asia' campaign.

Spearheaded by the Qatar Foundation, Qatar Airways and the Doha Asian Games Organising Committee, the 'Reach out to Asia' charity drive besides raising funds for tsunami and quake-hit people of Asia aims at providing succour to the poor and underprivileged of the continent.

Adams performance was followed by an auction by Sotheby's in which items from the world of sports and music were put up for bidding.

A guitar owned by Adams and signed by leading personalities from the international music circuit like Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, was auctioned off earlier in the year and the money from the same was donated to the cause.

"Proceeds from the guitar will go towards building a new school in Thailand, one of the countries affected by the tsunami," the rock star said.

The charity dinner was attended among others by the ruler of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, politicians from the country and international Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge.