Corruption allegations taint tsunami rememberance
Millions across Asia paused today to remember five years ago when an undersea earthquake unleashed a devastating tsumami that tragically killed more than 220,000 people
A solemn day of prayers and remembrance was held in Indonesia's Aceh province, which lost almost 170,000 people in the Asian tsunami of December 26, 2004.
Prayers were said in mosques throughout the staunchly Islamic province, and beside mass graves near the local capital of Banda Aceh.
The reconstruction effort has generally been hailed as a success, but relief agencies have complained about widespread graft and questions remain about how much of the international aid was actually spent. There are concerns about corruption related to the distribution of billions of dollars of international aid. Indonesia's tsunami reconstruction agency finished its work in April, having spent almost seven billion dollars on rebuilding including 140,000 new homes, 1,759 school buildings, 363 bridges and 13 airports.
In Sri Lanka, the government is under pressure from a leading anti-corruption group to account for nearly half of the 2.2 billion dollars pledged to the country by foreign donors.
UN Under-Secretary General Noeleen Heyzer said countries in the region had been working with international partners to strengthen early-warning systems. But "significant gaps" needed to be addressed.
