WHEREAS, On December 26, 2004, one of the most devastating natural
disasters in recent history brought modern civilization to its knees
and unspeakable grief to our hearts; and
WHEREAS, An earthquake, 9.0 in magnitude, centered underwater off
the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, triggered a tsunami that
traveled at speeds of up to 500 miles per hour and 40 feet in height,
devastating the coastal areas of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand,
Malaysia, and the Maldives; and
WHEREAS, The disaster was felt as far away as Somalia, where nine
people died; and
WHEREAS, An estimated 212,611 people lost their lives, including 18
Americans, and 6,245 people are still missing, including 17 Americans
presumed dead; and
WHEREAS, Governments, corporations, relief agencies, and
individuals worldwide have come together to pledge more than $5 billion
to the relief and recovery effort; and
WHEREAS, UNICEF, Save The Children, and the Red Cross are
international organizations that provide medical and basic need
disaster relief services to underdeveloped and disaster-stricken
regions; and
WHEREAS, More than 1 million children were orphaned, displaced,
injured, or otherwise affected by the disaster and UNICEF has deemed
these children the "Tsunami Generation"; and
WHEREAS, Children are among the most vulnerable in this disaster;
many have been orphaned or separated from their parents, making them
susceptible to exploitation, abuse, or criminal trafficking, making
current efforts by UNICEF and Save The Children to register, support,
and keep such children safe of paramount importance; and
WHEREAS, We also recognize Save The Children for its ongoing relief
efforts setting up temporary camps and providing water, food, shelter,
medicine, and protection from disease to both children and adults who
were victimized by the tsunami; and
WHEREAS, Recognizing the need to reopen schools in South Asia and
reestablish a daily routine for children, Education International
established a tsunami relief program to provide assistance directly to
teachers, students, and schools in the affected areas, which allowed
schools in Sri Lanka to reopen January 10th;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State House of
Representatives honor and support the Red Cross, Save The Children, and
UNICEF for their work to aid the victims of the tsunami and to protect
the "Tsunami Generation" from further trauma; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be
immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of
Representatives to Washington state chapters of the Red Cross, UNICEF,
and Save The Children.