First-class tragedy
: Australia’s The Age says visits of VIPs are interfering with tsunami relief:
World leaders visiting the region said they were shocked by the devastation, but humanitarian workers complained that their aid delivery was being hampered by the stream of VIP visitors….
In Aceh, the visits by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and US Secretary of State Colin Mr Powell have shut the only airport at Banda Aceh, the capital, for hours at a time, so incoming shipments have not been able to land and injured survivors have been forced to wait to be evacuated.
On the other hand:
“VIPs come in and see the destruction for themselves and then aid follows,” the diplomat, who asked not to be identified, said.
