First Things First: Tragedy Hits The Ngobe Of Panama-A Plea For Your Help
Friday, September 12th, 2008I have just returned from Paris, where I spent a dizzying two weeks trying to find as many free or cheap things to do as possible. I can safely say that I have seen more of Paris than most and am confident that I left no stone unturned in my quest for seeing all of the City of Lights.
However, before going into greater detail about my time in Paris, I’d like to inform all of my readers about some terrible news concerning the Ngobe people of Panama.
Anyone who has been reading this blog for awhile knows that I volunteered with the organization Medo while in Panama back in March. Medo works with, and is run by Ngobe people in the Comarca of Western Panama. The Ngobe are an extremely poor indigenous group living in very difficult, rough conditions. Medo has been helping them by bringing in education, sanitation, and other basic necessities of life.
I was so busy in Paris that I rarely checked my email, and when I finally did, I discovered countless emails from the Ngobe people I knew in Panama and the volunteers sent to work with them.
They all concerned some terrible news: That there had been a terrible flood, and and that numerous communities along the Comarca had been severely damaged. Some had even been entirely swept away, leaving nothing standing.
Of the communities that were severely damaged, Soloy, the largest village and the location of most of the public services, was greatly impacted.
Even worse, there were people missing and quite a few dead, in spite of great evacuation efforts that had been made. People had been stranded on islands which were created by the tremendous floods. Suspension bridges were so badly damaged as to be unusable; indeed, many were completely destroyed by the flooding.
Ngobe houses and public buildings are too badly damaged to be salvageable: the traditional style of building a shelter or hut with sticks was easily swept away, while the sturdier structures made of cinder blocks and mortar were also destroyed if not on higher ground.
The latrines which were being built thruout the community have contaminated the water supply.
Dead animals and detritus cover the landscape and also contaminate the water supply.
There is a great concern over the coming days and weeks, when the threat of cholera and other diseases may become epidemic.
Meanwhile, the Ngobe have lost everything: their homes, their few clothes, their cooking pots, their livestock, and their crops. Some entire communities have been swept away and have to relocate.
The people in the mountainous areas may fare far worse. What few roads there are have been washed away or are still flooded over, as the heavy rains continue. All the bridges have been destroyed, leaving them basically stranded in their communities with no hope of receiving any services.
There is little known at this time about the conditions in these mountain communities, as they are very isolated. It is safe to say, however, that they are stranded, with no way to obtain food outside of whatever crops or stores they have that have not been destroyed. They also have no access to clean drinking water and no way for any to be brought in.
This is..such a tragedy. For the Ngobe, who already have been dealt such a terrible hand by the Panamanian government, who have been living in such substandard conditions , to have this happen is such a blow.
There has been very little about their situation in the news. Panama newspapers have instead chosen to cover the damage due to the floods in areas closer to Panama City and to indigenous groups that have more power and prestige.
There is, however, a website that has been created and has updates about the situation, as well as photographs of some of the damage. You can also make a tax deductible donation by going to the donation link on the main page.
Please help. The beautiful Ngobe who have struggled so much already, need your help and prayers in this emergency situation.
Go to: http://ngobesafewater.synthasite.com for more information.
Sincerely,
Gigi
illuminate.gigi