Logan City Council in southeast Queensland is encouraging and supporting community effort to help the victims of the recent cyclone in Burma and earthquake in China.
The cyclone, which devastated Burma on 3 May, left more than 134,000 Burmese residents dead and approximately one million people homeless.
The 12 May earthquake in the Sichuan province of China, measured 8.0 on the Richter scale and has left more than 71,000 people dead.
Logan’s Governance, Finance and Water Committee Chairperson, Councillor Luke Smith, said Council is currently focused on coordinating an event that all Logan residents can get involved in. He said Council is working with World Vision and the Australian Myanmar Friendship Association of Queensland (AMFAQ).
“The working group is going to designate one weekend in June, where charity organisations, service clubs, churches and so forth can host events such as sausage sizzles, clothing sales or similar,” he said. “All money raised will be split between World Vision and AMFAQ to assist those affected by the earthquake in China and cyclone in Burma.”
Councillor Smith said working with World Vision will ensure relief is provided to those who need it.
“World Vision is the only organisation that has been invited to help in Burma and we are more than willing to support its efforts,” he said. “Burma has been utterly devastated by the cyclone and we want to do anything we can to help those who are suffering.
“We are monitoring the current international relief effort, in relation to the Burmese Government allowing aid into the region, and will continue to be guided by World Vision as to where Council’s contribution would best be utilised.”
Councillor Smith said he has visited Burma many times and has friends who were directly affected by the cyclone.
“Fortunately, I had an email not long after the cyclone to let me know my friends were okay, but the description of the devastation was heartbreaking,” he said. “Herbert Bik, who lives in Yangon, emailed me and said his house was still standing but it had no roof. He said he couldn’t repair the roof because he can’t afford it, so he has covered it with plastic sheets.
“He described a region in crisis, with foul smelling, contaminated water the major concern for surviving residents.”
Councillor Smith said he will also work closely with Burmese community groups in Logan.
For more information about the appeals visit Council’s website at www.logan.qld.gov.au
