[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 48 (Thursday, March 25, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMENDING CITIZENS FROM CONNECTICUT FOR AIDING VICTIMS OF HURRICANE 
                                 MITCH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SAM GEJDENSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 25, 1999

  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call my colleagues' 
attention to the work of a number of people from Connecticut who are 
helping to make life easier for our neighbors in Central America.
  Last October, Central America suffered the greatest natural disaster 
of this century when Hurricane Mitch roared through the region. In 
Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador, Hurricane Mitch caused 
more than 9,000 deaths, left millions homeless, and resulted in $8.5 
billion in damage to homes, hospitals, schools, roads, farms, and 
businesses. As these countries were consolidating the gains of 
democracy, this brutal natural disaster came along and wiped out years 
of progress.
  I have attached an article that appeared this week in the Hartford 
Courant which illustrates that the people of Connecticut are going out 
of their way to alleviate suffering and restore a small ray of hope to 
the people of Honduras. The Honduras Relief Committee of Connecticut--
led by Dario Euraque, Cynthia Hall and a number of other students at 
Trinity College--has raised $30,000 for relief efforts and sent 50 tons 
of food, clothing and medical supplies to Honduras.
  Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that Congress has failed to provide 
desperately needed assistance to the hurricane-ravaged nations of 
Central America. I commend the people of Connecticut are helping to 
fill this void by providing assistance directly to the people of 
Central America. This kind of assistance is vital to alleviate 
suffering. Moreover, it also deepens the bonds of friendship between 
the people of the U.S. and the people of Central America. This will pay 
dividends for years to come.

                 Ambassador Outlines Needs of Honduras

                          (By Cynde Rodriguez)

       The Honduran ambassador to the United Nations asked for 
     continued global and financial support Saturday as the 
     country begins to rebuild after being devastated by Hurricane 
     Mitch last fall.
       The ambassador, Hugo Noe Pino, told a small crowd at 
     Trinity College that, several months after the natural 
     disaster, Honduras is looking for financial help to rebuild 
     roads, bridges, homes and schools. While Honduras received 
     millions of dollars in emergency food and supplies right 
     after the hurricane, Pino said there is still a lot of work 
     to be done.
       Hurricane Mitch killed more than 9,000 people and caused 
     about $7 billion to $10 billion in damage.
       New maps of Honduras are now being drawn to reflect rivers 
     that have taken new courses and villages that were forced to 
     relocate.
       Pino said there is a big concern that Honduras will be 
     forgotten in the coming months, that developed countries in 
     the position to help may turn their attention and dollars 
     elsewhere.
       ``In the emergency part, one month after the hurricane, 
     international help was very important and opportune to 
     prevent hunger. The most important need now is to rebuild,'' 
     Pino said. ``After six months, people forget about what 
     happened and there's a problem in another part of the world 
     and the attention goes there.''
       In an effort to prevent that from happening, the Clinton 
     administration recently asked Congress for an emergency 
     package of $956 million to rebuild Central America. The money 
     would be in addition to the $300 million already provided for 
     immediate disaster relief.
       Locally, the Honduras Relief Committee of Connecticut 
     continues to raise money and supplies, said Dario Euraque, 
     director of international studies at Trinity and the 
     committee's treasurer. Since November, the committee has 
     raised $30,000 and has sent 50 tons of food, clothing and 
     medical supplies to Honduras.
       Trinity senior Cynthia Hill will be one of three students 
     to go on a relief mission in June. Hill and the others will 
     use a $2,000 donation from Trinity to buy food and medical 
     and housing supplies for Hondurans while they are there.
       An anthropology major who graduates in June, Hill said she 
     was compelled to help with the relief effort because ``the 
     devastation was so all-consuming.''
       ``Every aspect of the country was hit,'' said Hill. ``I see 
     it as they have a right to be rebuilt. . . . It was a natural 
     disaster. It just happened to be Honduras, but it could've 
     been any of us.''

     

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