Sympathy for Katrina Victims

Human Rights Watch extends its deepest sympathies to the victims of  
Hurricane Katrina, particularly to those who have been rendered homelessand who have lost family members and friends.

Many survivors now endure a desperate lack of food, water, essential medical services, sanitation, and shelter. Given the tremendous resources of the United States, we expect the government to undertake an effective and comprehensive effort to bring aid to all who need it. We are also gravely concerned about reports of chaos, violence, and rape in the wake of this tragedy. We demand that the government adhere to international human rights standards in its response. In particular, we highlight the need to:

• protect women and children from sexual and other forms of violence;
 

• respect principles of non-discrimination in the distribution of  
  humanitarian assistance;
 

• ensure that persons are protected from discrimination based on  
  their status as displaced persons;
 

• protect the rights of all persons to freedom of movement, family  
  unity, and freedom from arbitrary detention; and
 

• address lawlessness through appropriate law enforcement  
  measures, including when such measures are carried out by military  
  personnel.

We add our voice to the many urgent pleas for speedy and generous contributions to help those in need. Those who wish to contribute to the relief effort may contribute to the following groups. This is a partial list. Human Rights Watch does not necessarily endorse these groups above others:  
 
Charity Navigator: charitynavigator.org

• Information on various charities and ways to donate to the relief effort.

American Red Cross: 1-800-HELP-NOW or www.redcross.org  
 
AmeriCares: http://www.americares.org/  
 
America's Second Harvest: 1-800-344-8070 or http://www.secondharvest.org/  
 
Baton Rouge Area Foundation(BRAF): 877.387.6126 or http://www.braf.org  
 
Catholic Charities: 1-800-919-9338 or www.catholiccharitiesusa.org  
 
Christian Disaster Response: 1-941-956-5183 or 1-941-551-9554 or www.cdresponse.org/cdrhome.html  
 
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee: 1-800-848-5818 or http://www.crwrc.org/  
 
Church World Service: 1-800-297-1516 or http://www.churchworldservice.org/  
 
Convoy of Hope: 1-417-823-8998 or http://www.convoyofhope.org/  
 
Episcopal Relief & Development: 1-800-334-7626 or www.er-d.org  
 
FEMA Charity tips: www.fema.gov/rrr/help2.shtm  
 
Islamic Relief: http://www.irw.org/  
 
Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: www.laspca.org  
 
Lutheran Disaster Response: 1-800-638-3522 or http://www.elca.org/disaster/  
 
Mennonite Disaster Service: 1-717-859-2210 or http://www.mds.mennonite.net/  
 
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster: www.nvoad.org  
 
NAACP Disaster Relief Fund: http://www.naacp.org/  
 
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance: 1-800-872-3283 or http://www.pcusa.org/pda/  
 
Salvation Army: 1-800-SAL-ARMY or www.salvationarmyusa.org  
 
Southern Baptist Convention - Disaster Relief: 1-800-462-8657, ext. 6440 or  
www.namb.net  
 
United Jewish Communities Federation of North America: http://www.ujc.org/  
 
United Methodist Committee on Relief: 1-800-554-8583 or umc.org/umcor/emergency/hurricanes/2005

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Related Material

Letter to Secretary Margaret Spellings
Letter, September 26, 2005

New Orleans: Prisoners Abandoned to Floodwaters
Press Release, September 22, 2005

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