Hugh's Sharebook 

I have just been informed of two concerns that are widely believed among the Chinese population. The first is that a sizeable portion of the funds given to the Chinese Red cross for the Sichuan earthquake victims never reached them. The second is that Red Cross officials in China have been rejecting donations of second hand clothing for the earthquake victims and telling people to bring new clothes or money. I have written to the International Red Cross asking them to investigate these two allegations, because if true either must be prolonging the disadvantage of those still displaced by the disaster. If corruption is the reason that funds are not getting to the suffering the perpetrators must be removed from the organization as soon as they are revealed. Some diversion to administrative costs is understandable but embezzlement of charity funds is in my opinion a major crime.

My Care2 brothers and sisters, please support my informant in her desire to see the victims of this disaster get the help so many people in so many countries donated. Winter is upon them and any clothing in reasonable condition should be accepted to help them stay alive. You can help by writing to the International Red Cross and/or your country's branch to have this situation changed. If there is any truth in this and the International body does not root out the problem the well earned reputation of this great organization is in danger.

The concern is made more urgent by the fact that the Chinese government appears to have suppressed this story and newspapers are too fearful of reprisal to publish it. We outside of China are the only voice that can have any effect, by directly seeking an investigation by the International Red Cross. Let us put indirect pressure on the Chinese government to save face by pursuing the truth, not through hiding it.
                                                                     Xingtiao