Americans urged to open wallet for tsunami victims

A female refugee washes her clothes in their makeshift accommodation at Meulaboh College yesterday after the city was flattened by an earthquake and tsunami on December 26, 2004. The Indonesian death toll from the earthquake and tsunami disaster has climbed nearly 6,000 to 107,039, the social affairs ministry's relief coordination center said. PHOTO: AFP

The world is "seeing the good heart of America in an outpouring of generosity here at home," Bush said in his weekly radio address. "Private citizens are showing their compassion in creative and inspiring ways."

He noted that he had recruited two former presidents, his father, George Bush, and Bill Clinton, "to encourage contributions both large and small, directly to the organizations with recovery efforts underway in the disaster area.

"To encourage support for these groups, I have signed legislation allowing Americans to deduct from their 2004 federal income tax cash contributions made to tsunami relief efforts this month. I urge all Americans to contribute as they are able."

Americans who contribute a certain portion of their income to charity can avoid paying taxes on that amount. Under the new law donations made to tsunami relief this January can still be deducted on tax returns filed for calender year 2004.

Private US donations to aid tsunami victims reportedly passed 337 million dollars and could soon dwarf the 350 million dollars pledged by the federal government, while European governments Saturday marshaled additional resources to bolster relief operations.

The Washington Post said many US charities are raising money faster than they can spend it and are holding some back for long-term reconstruction in response to the December 26 tsunami disaster, which killed around 156,000 people in 11 countries in south Asia and east Africa.

Meanwhile, UN chief Kofi Annan Saturday toured tsunami-ravaged areas of Sri Lanka as fresh tension flared between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels and the WHO declared the health situation of thousands displaced on the island to be under control.

Tension between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the government had already been ratcheted up after the rebels Wednesday accused the security forces of preventing private donations from getting to temporary shelters holding tsunami survivors in their zones -- claims the government denied.