Well from the Red Cross point of view there was a level of coordination and a determination to make sure people were doing what was needed and what they were capable of doing. Obviously the Red Cross was not the only rallying point for volunteers and there was some overlap and lack of coordination in places, but overall, compared to any other disaster on this scale the picture has been one of organization and order, rather than disorganization and disorder.
Have there been any gaps in the relief effort?
From the Red Cross perspective, we've been extraordinarily impressed by the speed, efficiency and commitment of the government's response to the disaster. But no government, not matter how powerful, can meet all the needs of the people at the same time and at the same pace. So there is a role for the RCSC supported by the IFRC, especially helping in more remote areas, focusing on townships where it's more difficult for the government to come in with its large scale solutions. In the urban centers the scale of construction of prefabricated housing has been tremendous, but the smaller and further away the population center, the more difficult it is for the government, and it is here that the Red Cross can step in.
Can you give us an example of the work of the RCSC?
The RCSC has been helping with the construction of prefab schools; in Pengzhou, a satellite city of Chengdu, the RCSC has funded and organized the construction of 27 prefabricated schools.
We are going to see much more of this. The RCSC received an overwhelmingly generous response in terms of donations and it will be playing a very significant role in Sichuan in the long term.
How do you see the reconstruction phase developing?
We have seen already with all the other provinces involved in twinning arrangements that things are moving at tremendous speed. China will stun the world with the pace the rebuilding process moves. But that will also serve as a reminder that it takes more than bricks to rebuild communities and lives, and we also need to focus on people's psychological well-being. The RCSC has already sent teams of skilled psychologists to teach volunteers how to counsel earthquake survivors.
Many survivors are experiencing grief, some are experiencing anger. Many people have told me they feel a sense of inertia and are not able to move forward with their lives. There's a lot of stress, but also a lot of determination and resolve to get back to their communities and start rebuilding, even if that means living in tents. I'm sure that will happen at an impressive pace, even if psychological scars inevitably remain for many people.
(China.org.cn June 9, 2008)