US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI353

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000353 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
USDA/FAS/FAA/CALEXANDER/MCONLON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, CASC, AEMR, EAID, MASS, SOCI, EAGR, ID, CE, MV, IN, Tsunami Relief 
SUBJECT: INDIA TSUNAMI UPDATE: JANUARY 13 
 
REF: NEW DELHI 103 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Consular officers in Chennai continue to 
work to resolve the fewer than 20 remaining missing persons 
inquiries in India.  The USAID/DART team that conducted 
assessments in Andhra Pradesh has found that there is not an 
emergency need for shelter, food and water in the state.  The 
GOI has not yet been able to assemble a team of scientists to 
consider the need for a tsunami warning system for India, and 
SciCouns is working on the possibility of a US participant 
for the GOI's late January warning system brainstorming 
session.  New Delhi raised the number of tsunami-related 
Indian deaths by 345 in the last 24 hours amid criticism in 
local media of India's refusal to accept outside assistance. 
End Summary. 
 
Consular: Bringing Down the Numbers 
----------------------------------- 
 
2. (U) ConGen Chennai is working to clear the fewer than 20 
remaining open missing persons inquiries for India. 
 
USAID: Andhra Pradesh May Need Support For Livelihoods 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
3.  (U) On January 12 and 13, the USAID/DART team conducted 
assessments of coastal villages in southern Andhra Pradesh. 
The team reports that in Andhra Pradesh, shelter, food, water 
and sanitation are not emergency needs, but some livelihoods 
support may be required.  It is still unclear whether NGOs 
will be permitted to operate in the Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands.  There is little available land for resettlement in 
the Islands, and displaced residents will likely need to 
remain in camps until a survey of habitable land is completed 
and resettlement areas are determined. 
 
Tsunami Warning System for India? 
 
SIPDIS 
--------------------------------- 
 
4.  (SBU) The sensationalist "Asian Age," in a January 13 
report, highlighted that Science and Technology Minister 
Kapil Sibal continues to promise a tsunami warning system for 
India.  Meanwhile, India is struggling to assemble a group of 
scientists to advise the GOI on what tsunami warning systems 
are like, and what are the benefits likely to accrue to India 
from such a system (reftel).  SciCouns has been in touch with 
NOAA and the NSF regarding possible US participants to the 
January 21-22 Tsunami Warning System Brainstorming Session 
the Department of Science and Technology is calling in New 
Delhi. 
 
"Tsunami Diplomacy:" Continued 
------------------------------ 
 
5.  (U) Despite the generally positive take on India's 
handling of the disaster at home and in neighboring 
countries, some observers have raised questions about the 
wisdom of New Delhi's refusal of outside help.  A January 12 
editorial in the "Indian Express" criticized the GOI's 
decision to disallow Kofi Annan's visit as demonstrating 
"indifferent diplomacy" and "misplaced hypersensitivity" to 
offers of assistance.  A "Tribune" op-ed from the same day 
called India's position illogical, noting that "India, more 
so its government, suffers from a silly notion about 
nationalism."  Highlighting the GOI's "hypocritical stand," 
the piece noted that NGOs operating in India receive a large 
amount of foreign funding.  Novelist Amitav Ghosh, in his 
three-part article published in the "Hindu," remarked that 
Indians waiting for days for help in the Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands took little consolation in radio reports that New 
Delhi's rapid deployment of assistance to Sri Lanka would 
establish India as a superpower. 
 
Casualty Numbers 
---------------- 
 
6.  (U) Over the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Home Affairs 
(MHA) again revised the Indian dead and missing numbers 
upward.  On January 13, the MHA reported that 10,672 Indians 
had died as a result of the tsunami, an increase of 345 from 
January 12.  While the MHA has not yet declared the more than 
5,000 missing as presumed dead, the GOI lowered the figure by 
three to 5,625. 
MULFORD