Anger at delays in handing over aid to ‘Mitch’ victims

Date: 18/11/1999

By Gareth Harding

DEVELOPMENT groups have attacked the European Commission for failing to hand over a penny of the money promised to help rebuild the four central American countries devastated by Hurricane Mitch a year ago.

The Commission pledged to send €250 million to the region in May as part of a €2.5 billion international aid package. However, the cheque has yet to be signed and development groups active in the field estimate it will take another six months for the cash to reach the affected areas.

Fifteen thousand people were killed and more than two million made home-less by Hurricane Mitch, which ripped through Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala last November. Billions of euro of damage was also caused as crops were ruined, buildings and bridges swept away, and land and livestock destroyed. In the past two months, new storms have hit Honduras, the country worst affected by Hurricane Mitch, wreaking further havoc.

The EU initially responded swiftly to last November's disaster by sending aid and putting a freeze on debt repayments, but Commission officials admit no long-term aid has yet been sent.

However, they put most of the blame for this on member states. "We are not like the World Bank," said one. "We cannot dole out €250 million at the drop of a hat. We have to follow procedures."

EU governments have approved the Commission's action plan for the region, but have yet to endorse the list of projects eligible for funding recently drawn up by the institution. Officials say the money will start trickling through early next year once the detailed plans have been approved.

But Christian Aid, which is leading the campaign to persuade aid donors to honour their pledges, says the institution's excuses will not be accepted by the hundreds of thousands still homeless in the region. "The Commission's procedural hurdles are no consolation to the people who are poor, cut off and at the mercy of new rains," said spokesman Alex Milner.

Development groups have attacked the European Commission for failing to hand over a penny of the money promised to help rebuild the four Central American countries devastated by Hurricane Mitch in November 1998.