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Tsunami Disaster Relief Presents Complications

Aired December 30, 2004 - 08:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: And I'm Rick Sanchez in for Bill Hemmer on this day. And here is what we now know on the tsunami disaster that we at CNN have been diligently covering for you. The number of dead has dramatically increased now to 115,000. That's 115,000 people, almost 80,000 in Indonesia alone. That is where we've seen the big jump in the last 24 hours. The Indonesian island of Sumatra, closest to the epicenter of Sunday's earthquake, has been widely devastated. A geologist reports 75 percent of its coastline is broken and beneath the sea.
The loss of infrastructure there and in other hard-hit areas is keeping aid from reaching 5 million survivors in need of food, water and shelter, and in danger of death from disease as well.

And dozens of Americans are known dead, but the State Department is overwhelmed by phone calls at this point. Three thousand Americans are still unaccounted for - Heidi.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: With the death toll at 115,000 now and climbing, the United Nations has launched the biggest relief operation in its history. And President Bush confirmed America's support for those suffering from the catastrophe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Forty percent of all the relief aid given in the world last year was provided by the United States government. Now, we're a very generous, kind-hearted nation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Joining us now with more on the U.N.'s huge relief effort, the under secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, Jan Egeland.

Thank you for being here with us today. You know, we've just updated the number, 115,000. It's just nearly impossible to get your arms around. I can't imagine what it feels like to actually be there. The biggest problem, though: coordinating this relief effort. How do you go about doing that? And will this aid be enough?

JAN EGELAND, RELIEF COORDINATOR, U.N.: I think the aid coming now is overwhelming and generous, and the problem is indeed to be able for us to run five huge and parallel relief operations from Somalia in Africa in the west, to Indonesia in the east, including the enormous operations in Sri Lanka and also in the Maldives, Thailand and elsewhere.

I have never ever seen anything like it. It is the largest natural disaster in recorded history. The phenomenally terrible figure of 115,000 dead is not the last figure we'll see. It will have to grow because we are still finding places in Northern Sumatra and elsewhere where there are many, many dead.

COLLINS: And it's because - my understanding anyway is that it's just so difficult to get there, and so it brings up the question. We talk about relief aid, and it sounds like you have a plan for how to get the things there, but then you talk about infrastructure. I mean the roads are gone. How do you actually logistically get this stuff in to these people?

EGELAND: Well, some of the places we have come to is because there are no roads and there are no available helicopters yet. The governments involved in Indonesia, in Sri Lanka, in Thailand and elsewhere are doing their best. They put in their military. They put in all their logistics. What we have to do as an international community is help them reach their people.

I'll give you one example. In Aceh, Banda, north of Sumatra, when we came, we thought we could start the relief work immediately. What we then had to do in parallel is to set up a self-contained camp for the relief workers, because there was no food, there was no place to stay. There is nothing to build on. So that camp for relief workers, 90 relief workers, will be ready tomorrow.

Relief organizations are coming in as we speak. Some have water. Some have food. Some concentrate on the medical side. Some concentrate on helping to bury the dead. . Some bring in body bags. Others bring in baby food.

We try, from the U.N., to coordinate that by saying what should be provided and what is not needed yet, because unsolicited aid should not clog up on the few air strips that we have for the aid for - for the very needed relief.

COLLINS: In fact, you have actually even mentioned to the foreign aid workers, again, you've got be careful about going in there because you don't want to - I mean they need to be taken care of, too, when you mention these camps. You don't want to create more of a need.

EGELAND: Indeed, and we have had, in all disasters, situations previously, less than this fortunately, because I think the quality of aid is going up every year. We haven't had all of these groups coming in and saying I'm here, can you help me get to the place, can you help me find the people, can you help me dispose of what I have brought with me.

People have to come in a solicited manner, and those who should be in charge are the local communities, the national communities, and the United Nations is doing the overall coordination, together with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Federation. COLLINS: Well, Mr. Egeland, you received a lot of criticism in the first coming days after the tsunami about saying that some of the western countries were stingy, and I hear you say this morning that generous now. I mean the donations are large. Have you changed your mind? Do you feel like maybe you said it too early?

EGELAND: What I said was that the overall aid level in this world, in this past year, has gone down from the community of rich nations. I do not think that is right, and I should have the right to say that because I'm the global humanitarian relief coordinator. I never commented on any individual country. The U.S. is a very generous partner for the United Nations. It's the biggest contributor to humanitarian relief, has always been, will always be, I hope.

In the tsunami case, it has been phenomenal. I think the outpouring is now beyond anything I've seen from NGOs who are getting more on their web pages than any time before here in the United States, to the poorest of the poor, east Timor giving $50,000.

COLLINS: How does that make you feel? Before we let you go here, with the job that you've had for as long as you have and the things you have seen, how does it make you feel in your heart to see the world coming together like this?

EGELAND: I think there is - it's very important that the world come together like this, from the United States to East Timor to Pakistan and India to my own country Norway in the north. We all come together, and I think also people are coming together in these countries.

One of the problems we have is that there is conflict in the Somalia, one of most devastated countries.

COLLINS: Right.

EGELAND: There has been conflict in Aceh and in Sri Lanka. We hope to see peace also being built as we help them rebuild their societies across ethnic lines and across political lines.

COLLINS: Boy, wouldn't that be a wonderful outcome? Jan Egeland, U.N. emergency relief coordinator - we appreciate your time here.

EGELAND: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: This continues to be, Heidi, a story about people, the people affected by this, for many, awaiting word, for example, from family members living in the countries that have been devastated. And the wait, as you might imagine, is agonizing.

Dr. Christopher Daniel, he's a pastor from Iowa, he spent hours himself just trying to get in touch with at least 50 members of his family. They live in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He's joining us now from Des Moines, Iowa.

We're talking, doctor, about three brothers and five sisters and then all of their children, right?

DR. CHRISTOPHER DANIEL, CAN'T LOCATE 50 RELATIVES: Yes. It's more than 50 members of the family.

SANCHEZ: Where are they? Where do they live?

DANIEL: They live just close to Colombo, the capital city north of Colombo, about 20 miles away.

SANCHEZ: Are they near the coast, though?

DANIEL: Yes. That's on the coast.

SANCHEZ: So they live in the southeastern part of the area of Colombo, which would put them in a little bit of a vulnerable position, right?

DANIEL: Yes. It's right on the beach, and so they are vulnerable.

SANCHEZ: Have you received any news yet?

DANIEL: Not so far. We have tried to contact them through the Red Cross, and they are not able to get in touch with them. And we have tried to call them. Even last night we tried to call them, but it's - communications are not getting through.

SANCHEZ: What do you know about the infrastructure there now and before, as far as phone lines are concerned?

DANIEL: Say that again.

SANCHEZ: The infrastructure, the ability for you to even be able to call, even prior to this. I mean I guess we're looking for a glimmer of hope, that thing that says the reason you haven't heard from them isn't because there's anything wrong with them, but rather because there's just no way for them to call you or for you to be able to reach out to them.

DANIEL: I think that's the reason. There's no way for them to call, and we cannot call, because every time a call goes, they say communications are not clear, and it doesn't go through.

SANCHEZ: How frustrating is this for you?

DANIEL: It is frustrating because we are anxiously waiting, but then we know the situation is not easy, and so we take it on this side and with much prayer and waiting patiently. We are waiting for some good news.

SANCHEZ: What do you ask of God, as a man of faith, after something like this?

DANIEL: Yes, we ask God, because he is in control. That's our faith. And so to take control of the situations, both in Sri Lanka and all the other countries and bring comfort and strength to those who are still there.

SANCHEZ: Dr. Christopher Daniel from Des Moines, Iowa - we thank you, sir, for taking time to talk to us, and we certainly wish you the very best.

DANIEL: Thank you very much, and keep praying for us and for those in Sri Lanka and the other countries.

SANCHEZ: Thank you, sir.

DANIEL: And I appreciate this opportunity to be with you today.

SANCHEZ: We'll help in any way we can. In the meantime, we want you to know that we do have our Web site set up as well, to bring you the very latest on this story as it happens, and you can always go to CNN.com for the very latest on this tsunami disaster - many more firsthand accounts from survivors, as well, and information on relief as well. It will show what to do or what you can do to help some of the victims of this tragedy - Heidi.

COLLINS: We want to go ahead and get a check on the other headlines now, and Carol Costello is here for that. We begin in Iraq this morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We do. Good morning. Good morning to all of you.

Now in the news, U.S.-led forces in Iraq are reportedly questioning a senior al Qaeda member captured in a raid in Baghdad. That's according to wire reports this morning. The man is apparently linked to Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi and his terror group. Officials say he was responsible for facilitating communications between al Qaeda and the Zarqawi group. It's not clear when that arrest was made.

The Pentagon is reportedly planning to cut billions of dollars over the next six years, according to sources cited by "The New York Times." The biggest cuts are aimed at the Navy. Officials want to retire an aircraft carrier and delay battleship construction. Congress still needs to approve the package.

More than 19 months after a mad cow scare, the U.S. is planning to reopen borders to Canadian beef. The U.S. Agriculture Department says it will allow limited imports of Canadian cattle beginning on March 7. That scare in May of last year put a temporary block on such trade.

And Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps gets 18 months probation after pleading guilty to drunk driving. The 19-year-old Phelps apparently ran a stop sign in Maryland last month. A judge fined Phelps $250. He also ordered him to attend a meeting sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and also to speak to students about the dangers of alcohol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Well, before you donate relief money, Andy Serwer steers us away from rip-offs and wastes and tells us where our dollars will do the most good, helpful advice.

COLLINS: And is America a good neighbor? We're going to ask the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee if America is planning to give more money to tsunami victims. Stay with us for that on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Senator Joe Lieberman is in Iraq and says the country's upcoming election is a historic event, that is, part of the "birth of real democracy in the Arab world." But will the elections be fair and free of violence, and will the Sunnis participate?

One of Senator Lieberman's colleagues, Senator Richard Lugar, has some thoughts. He heads up the foreign relations committee and joins me now this morning from Capitol Hill.

Senator, good morning to you, and thank you for being with us.

SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R) CHMN. FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE.: Good morning, Heidi. Thank you.

COLLINS: Before we get to Iraq, though, I want to talk to you about this disaster of the tsunami. We know that the United States has pledged to donate $35 million. Do you believe, sir, that this could be just the beginning of efforts?

LUGAR: Yes. I think the efforts to appropriate money will be very substantial. I have prepared, in the absence of our colleagues and before they return on January 4 for the new Senate to be sworn in, a resolution explaining the gravity of the situation, offering condolences certainly to the victims, but also setting the stage in which Congress goes on record for a very generous appropriations.

Now, the technical aspects of that many members of Congress are already working on during the break, and I think there will be a very decisive action early on.

COLLINS: All right. Senator, let's talk now, if we could, about Iraq and the elections that are upcoming January 30. A lot of concern about Sunni participation. We know that the largest group of Sunnis has boycotted the election. Do you think there's anything that can be done beforehand to actually bolster the participation of the Sunnis?

LUGAR: Well, presently, Iraqis are doing a lot to bolster participation by the Sunnis. President Yawer, the president of Iraq, is a Sunni. Now, he was over here for visits a couple of weeks ago. I had the privilege of sitting next to him at a luncheon at the State Department, and I asked him specifically about this. And he personally is working among Sunnis. He believes there's going to be a good turnout.

I asked President Yawer whether he himself would be a candidate for office. He said that he would, and so will his wife. In other words, they're participating vigorously as Sunnis, and I think that's important, despite these official pronouncements by various Sunni organizations.

COLLINS: What about the idea that we read about in "The New York Times" that the U.S. is floating this idea of possibly adding Sunnis to the 275-member legislature, even if they lose to non-Sunni members? Do you think that's something that should be considered?

LUGAR: It should be considered only by Iraqis, not by Americans trying to rearrange the election board's health. I've made a comment that I believe that the, not only President Yawer, but Prime Minister Allawi, are very savvy politicians.

When the constitutional convention meets, they're going to have to consider such things as single member districts, as opposed to national or regional lists. In other words, various means by which it's clear that various parts of the country, including various religious colleagues, are likely to be in the parliament.

I think they're capable of doing that, but I think the election ought to be free and fair. People ought to vote for whoever they want to without suggestions by the United States or really others as to how to arrange it in advance.

COLLINS: You know, next hour, we're going to be talking with Iraq's representative at the United Nations, Samir Sumaida'ie, who has suggested postponing elections for two or three weeks, citing security concerns and so forth. In fact, he writes this in "The Washington Post." "The electoral process is subject to an impractically tight schedule. While we must demonstrate commitment to the overall political process and its timeliness, we must not be enslaved by it.

Now, President Bush has insisted that there will be no postponements. Would you have a problem with an extra couple of weeks?

LUGAR: Yes I would, and I say this respectfully, because I read the piece written by the distinguished ambassador. I would just simply say that there is no end of potential reasons to postpone, to temporize, to try to do something to tweak the system. Ultimately, we have to come down to a thought that there is going to be an election. Now, January 30, all parties agreeing now, is going to be that time.

COLLINS: But clearly, sir, everyone wants to make sure it is seen as a legitimate election.

LUGAR: Well, I would suspect that, from the very beginning of the discussion, Prime Minister Allawi got it right when he was over here speaking to a joint session and to others in Congress. And he pointed out that first election could be a pretty rough affair. It could involve, in fact, violence at some polls, in which election workers or even voters, as they try to vote, are inhibited. In other words, it is not going to be something for the fastidious to go through sort of tracing vote by vote, but the need to have a vote, a first declaration of people, of how they feel and to elect their own officers any way they want to, to get to a constitutional convention in which there will be another attempt to ratify it and finally, a year from now, with security hopefully much better, an attempt to elect the officers of the country.

COLLINS: Well, the election is just a few weeks away, and, of course, everyone will be watching very closely. Senator Richard Lugar, we appreciate your time. Thank you.

LUGAR: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Once again, we continue to follow the very latest after the effects of the tsunami, including the death toll, which has risen, as you've heard. You've seen the pictures out of Southeast Asia, and maybe want to help somehow. There are dos and don'ts when it comes to donating, and Andy is going to be here to tell us how you can decide how to get your money over there, what decisions you should make - ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Many people are rushing to donate money to help the tsunami victims. But how can we be sure the donations get to those who need them most? It's a common concern, and Andy Serwer's talking about it now in "Minding Your Business." First, though, the markets.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Yes, let's do that first of all, Heidi. Yesterday, a bit of a down day, the Dow in particular was off 25 points, some concerns about Boeing, some concerns about violence in Saudi Arabia. Two trading days left in this year, of course. Futures are off a little bit this morning.

Yes. What happens to your money when you decide to give to charity? Obviously, a very pertinent question right now, if you're looking to give to the Red Cross or Doctors Without Orders or Save the Children or UNICEF.

Let's take a look at UNICEF, for instance, to start off a little bit. Five dollars will get you an emergency health kit. That's for one person. Eighty-seven dollars, a water kit for 10 households, and $188 gets education supplies. That's important. It doesn't sound like it, but a lot of schools obviously were devastated by the destruction as well.

It's also important to understand charities and how much of your dollar actually goes to the relief effort. That's obviously a very important issue with charities, and they suggest that it's very important that a charity gets 60 cents on the dollar out there into the field.

You can see here's Doctors Without Orders doing a good job, Heidi, 85.7 percent going to the actual people who need it and the balance going to administrative costs.

Now, this is very sad, but it is true. It will happen, and Rick can tell you this happened in Florida during hurricanes. People take advantage of these situations. There are scams and scam artists, the worst sort of people imaginable, who will take your money and run with it. So here what you should do to make sure it's a legitimate charity. Do your research and look at charitywatch.org - is a good place to check. Pay by check. There's no reason to give actual cash. The charities are patient. In other words, they can clear the checks for you.

And that brings up another point. The most important thing to give right now is money. They do not need your down parka. They do not needs cans of Hormel chili. They can't get those things there. Money, that allows them to decide the charities and the relief organizations where the money goes.

COLLINS: Yes. They've said - part of that reason is also because different regions in different areas that have been affected - we're talking about 11 countries...

SERWER: Yes.

COLLINS: They need different things.

SERWER: That's right.

COLLINS: It's hard for us to know exactly what they are at this time.

SERWER: And one other very salient point. There are two days left in the calendar year. If you make a contribution before midnight on Friday, when you'll be watching Anderson Cooper's show, you can take a deduction on this year's taxes.

COLLINS: Great.

SERWER: So it's actually something you should really think about...

SANCHEZ: Good advice.

SERWER: ... so two days left.

SANCHEZ: If you're going to do it, do it quick. Thanks, Andy.

SERWER: Yes, you're welcome.

SANCHEZ: Well, if you saw a massive wave crashing toward you, the first instinct might be to run for your life, right? Well, some people lived because they actually stayed in the water, as in under water. A couple's remarkable story of survival, we're going to bring it to you on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired December 30, 2004 - 08:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: And I'm Rick Sanchez in for Bill Hemmer on this day. And here is what we now know on the tsunami disaster that we at CNN have been diligently covering for you. The number of dead has dramatically increased now to 115,000. That's 115,000 people, almost 80,000 in Indonesia alone. That is where we've seen the big jump in the last 24 hours. The Indonesian island of Sumatra, closest to the epicenter of Sunday's earthquake, has been widely devastated. A geologist reports 75 percent of its coastline is broken and beneath the sea.
The loss of infrastructure there and in other hard-hit areas is keeping aid from reaching 5 million survivors in need of food, water and shelter, and in danger of death from disease as well.

And dozens of Americans are known dead, but the State Department is overwhelmed by phone calls at this point. Three thousand Americans are still unaccounted for - Heidi.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: With the death toll at 115,000 now and climbing, the United Nations has launched the biggest relief operation in its history. And President Bush confirmed America's support for those suffering from the catastrophe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Forty percent of all the relief aid given in the world last year was provided by the United States government. Now, we're a very generous, kind-hearted nation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Joining us now with more on the U.N.'s huge relief effort, the under secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, Jan Egeland.

Thank you for being here with us today. You know, we've just updated the number, 115,000. It's just nearly impossible to get your arms around. I can't imagine what it feels like to actually be there. The biggest problem, though: coordinating this relief effort. How do you go about doing that? And will this aid be enough?

JAN EGELAND, RELIEF COORDINATOR, U.N.: I think the aid coming now is overwhelming and generous, and the problem is indeed to be able for us to run five huge and parallel relief operations from Somalia in Africa in the west, to Indonesia in the east, including the enormous operations in Sri Lanka and also in the Maldives, Thailand and elsewhere.

I have never ever seen anything like it. It is the largest natural disaster in recorded history. The phenomenally terrible figure of 115,000 dead is not the last figure we'll see. It will have to grow because we are still finding places in Northern Sumatra and elsewhere where there are many, many dead.

COLLINS: And it's because - my understanding anyway is that it's just so difficult to get there, and so it brings up the question. We talk about relief aid, and it sounds like you have a plan for how to get the things there, but then you talk about infrastructure. I mean the roads are gone. How do you actually logistically get this stuff in to these people?

EGELAND: Well, some of the places we have come to is because there are no roads and there are no available helicopters yet. The governments involved in Indonesia, in Sri Lanka, in Thailand and elsewhere are doing their best. They put in their military. They put in all their logistics. What we have to do as an international community is help them reach their people.

I'll give you one example. In Aceh, Banda, north of Sumatra, when we came, we thought we could start the relief work immediately. What we then had to do in parallel is to set up a self-contained camp for the relief workers, because there was no food, there was no place to stay. There is nothing to build on. So that camp for relief workers, 90 relief workers, will be ready tomorrow.

Relief organizations are coming in as we speak. Some have water. Some have food. Some concentrate on the medical side. Some concentrate on helping to bury the dead. . Some bring in body bags. Others bring in baby food.

We try, from the U.N., to coordinate that by saying what should be provided and what is not needed yet, because unsolicited aid should not clog up on the few air strips that we have for the aid for - for the very needed relief.

COLLINS: In fact, you have actually even mentioned to the foreign aid workers, again, you've got be careful about going in there because you don't want to - I mean they need to be taken care of, too, when you mention these camps. You don't want to create more of a need.

EGELAND: Indeed, and we have had, in all disasters, situations previously, less than this fortunately, because I think the quality of aid is going up every year. We haven't had all of these groups coming in and saying I'm here, can you help me get to the place, can you help me find the people, can you help me dispose of what I have brought with me.

People have to come in a solicited manner, and those who should be in charge are the local communities, the national communities, and the United Nations is doing the overall coordination, together with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Federation. COLLINS: Well, Mr. Egeland, you received a lot of criticism in the first coming days after the tsunami about saying that some of the western countries were stingy, and I hear you say this morning that generous now. I mean the donations are large. Have you changed your mind? Do you feel like maybe you said it too early?

EGELAND: What I said was that the overall aid level in this world, in this past year, has gone down from the community of rich nations. I do not think that is right, and I should have the right to say that because I'm the global humanitarian relief coordinator. I never commented on any individual country. The U.S. is a very generous partner for the United Nations. It's the biggest contributor to humanitarian relief, has always been, will always be, I hope.

In the tsunami case, it has been phenomenal. I think the outpouring is now beyond anything I've seen from NGOs who are getting more on their web pages than any time before here in the United States, to the poorest of the poor, east Timor giving $50,000.

COLLINS: How does that make you feel? Before we let you go here, with the job that you've had for as long as you have and the things you have seen, how does it make you feel in your heart to see the world coming together like this?

EGELAND: I think there is - it's very important that the world come together like this, from the United States to East Timor to Pakistan and India to my own country Norway in the north. We all come together, and I think also people are coming together in these countries.

One of the problems we have is that there is conflict in the Somalia, one of most devastated countries.

COLLINS: Right.

EGELAND: There has been conflict in Aceh and in Sri Lanka. We hope to see peace also being built as we help them rebuild their societies across ethnic lines and across political lines.

COLLINS: Boy, wouldn't that be a wonderful outcome? Jan Egeland, U.N. emergency relief coordinator - we appreciate your time here.

EGELAND: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: This continues to be, Heidi, a story about people, the people affected by this, for many, awaiting word, for example, from family members living in the countries that have been devastated. And the wait, as you might imagine, is agonizing.

Dr. Christopher Daniel, he's a pastor from Iowa, he spent hours himself just trying to get in touch with at least 50 members of his family. They live in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He's joining us now from Des Moines, Iowa.

We're talking, doctor, about three brothers and five sisters and then all of their children, right?

DR. CHRISTOPHER DANIEL, CAN'T LOCATE 50 RELATIVES: Yes. It's more than 50 members of the family.

SANCHEZ: Where are they? Where do they live?

DANIEL: They live just close to Colombo, the capital city north of Colombo, about 20 miles away.

SANCHEZ: Are they near the coast, though?

DANIEL: Yes. That's on the coast.

SANCHEZ: So they live in the southeastern part of the area of Colombo, which would put them in a little bit of a vulnerable position, right?

DANIEL: Yes. It's right on the beach, and so they are vulnerable.

SANCHEZ: Have you received any news yet?

DANIEL: Not so far. We have tried to contact them through the Red Cross, and they are not able to get in touch with them. And we have tried to call them. Even last night we tried to call them, but it's - communications are not getting through.

SANCHEZ: What do you know about the infrastructure there now and before, as far as phone lines are concerned?

DANIEL: Say that again.

SANCHEZ: The infrastructure, the ability for you to even be able to call, even prior to this. I mean I guess we're looking for a glimmer of hope, that thing that says the reason you haven't heard from them isn't because there's anything wrong with them, but rather because there's just no way for them to call you or for you to be able to reach out to them.

DANIEL: I think that's the reason. There's no way for them to call, and we cannot call, because every time a call goes, they say communications are not clear, and it doesn't go through.

SANCHEZ: How frustrating is this for you?

DANIEL: It is frustrating because we are anxiously waiting, but then we know the situation is not easy, and so we take it on this side and with much prayer and waiting patiently. We are waiting for some good news.

SANCHEZ: What do you ask of God, as a man of faith, after something like this?

DANIEL: Yes, we ask God, because he is in control. That's our faith. And so to take control of the situations, both in Sri Lanka and all the other countries and bring comfort and strength to those who are still there.

SANCHEZ: Dr. Christopher Daniel from Des Moines, Iowa - we thank you, sir, for taking time to talk to us, and we certainly wish you the very best.

DANIEL: Thank you very much, and keep praying for us and for those in Sri Lanka and the other countries.

SANCHEZ: Thank you, sir.

DANIEL: And I appreciate this opportunity to be with you today.

SANCHEZ: We'll help in any way we can. In the meantime, we want you to know that we do have our Web site set up as well, to bring you the very latest on this story as it happens, and you can always go to CNN.com for the very latest on this tsunami disaster - many more firsthand accounts from survivors, as well, and information on relief as well. It will show what to do or what you can do to help some of the victims of this tragedy - Heidi.

COLLINS: We want to go ahead and get a check on the other headlines now, and Carol Costello is here for that. We begin in Iraq this morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We do. Good morning. Good morning to all of you.

Now in the news, U.S.-led forces in Iraq are reportedly questioning a senior al Qaeda member captured in a raid in Baghdad. That's according to wire reports this morning. The man is apparently linked to Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi and his terror group. Officials say he was responsible for facilitating communications between al Qaeda and the Zarqawi group. It's not clear when that arrest was made.

The Pentagon is reportedly planning to cut billions of dollars over the next six years, according to sources cited by "The New York Times." The biggest cuts are aimed at the Navy. Officials want to retire an aircraft carrier and delay battleship construction. Congress still needs to approve the package.

More than 19 months after a mad cow scare, the U.S. is planning to reopen borders to Canadian beef. The U.S. Agriculture Department says it will allow limited imports of Canadian cattle beginning on March 7. That scare in May of last year put a temporary block on such trade.

And Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps gets 18 months probation after pleading guilty to drunk driving. The 19-year-old Phelps apparently ran a stop sign in Maryland last month. A judge fined Phelps $250. He also ordered him to attend a meeting sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and also to speak to students about the dangers of alcohol.

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SANCHEZ: Well, before you donate relief money, Andy Serwer steers us away from rip-offs and wastes and tells us where our dollars will do the most good, helpful advice.

COLLINS: And is America a good neighbor? We're going to ask the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee if America is planning to give more money to tsunami victims. Stay with us for that on AMERICAN MORNING.

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COLLINS: Senator Joe Lieberman is in Iraq and says the country's upcoming election is a historic event, that is, part of the "birth of real democracy in the Arab world." But will the elections be fair and free of violence, and will the Sunnis participate?

One of Senator Lieberman's colleagues, Senator Richard Lugar, has some thoughts. He heads up the foreign relations committee and joins me now this morning from Capitol Hill.

Senator, good morning to you, and thank you for being with us.

SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R) CHMN. FOREIGN RELATIONS CMTE.: Good morning, Heidi. Thank you.

COLLINS: Before we get to Iraq, though, I want to talk to you about this disaster of the tsunami. We know that the United States has pledged to donate $35 million. Do you believe, sir, that this could be just the beginning of efforts?

LUGAR: Yes. I think the efforts to appropriate money will be very substantial. I have prepared, in the absence of our colleagues and before they return on January 4 for the new Senate to be sworn in, a resolution explaining the gravity of the situation, offering condolences certainly to the victims, but also setting the stage in which Congress goes on record for a very generous appropriations.

Now, the technical aspects of that many members of Congress are already working on during the break, and I think there will be a very decisive action early on.

COLLINS: All right. Senator, let's talk now, if we could, about Iraq and the elections that are upcoming January 30. A lot of concern about Sunni participation. We know that the largest group of Sunnis has boycotted the election. Do you think there's anything that can be done beforehand to actually bolster the participation of the Sunnis?

LUGAR: Well, presently, Iraqis are doing a lot to bolster participation by the Sunnis. President Yawer, the president of Iraq, is a Sunni. Now, he was over here for visits a couple of weeks ago. I had the privilege of sitting next to him at a luncheon at the State Department, and I asked him specifically about this. And he personally is working among Sunnis. He believes there's going to be a good turnout.

I asked President Yawer whether he himself would be a candidate for office. He said that he would, and so will his wife. In other words, they're participating vigorously as Sunnis, and I think that's important, despite these official pronouncements by various Sunni organizations.

COLLINS: What about the idea that we read about in "The New York Times" that the U.S. is floating this idea of possibly adding Sunnis to the 275-member legislature, even if they lose to non-Sunni members? Do you think that's something that should be considered?

LUGAR: It should be considered only by Iraqis, not by Americans trying to rearrange the election board's health. I've made a comment that I believe that the, not only President Yawer, but Prime Minister Allawi, are very savvy politicians.

When the constitutional convention meets, they're going to have to consider such things as single member districts, as opposed to national or regional lists. In other words, various means by which it's clear that various parts of the country, including various religious colleagues, are likely to be in the parliament.

I think they're capable of doing that, but I think the election ought to be free and fair. People ought to vote for whoever they want to without suggestions by the United States or really others as to how to arrange it in advance.

COLLINS: You know, next hour, we're going to be talking with Iraq's representative at the United Nations, Samir Sumaida'ie, who has suggested postponing elections for two or three weeks, citing security concerns and so forth. In fact, he writes this in "The Washington Post." "The electoral process is subject to an impractically tight schedule. While we must demonstrate commitment to the overall political process and its timeliness, we must not be enslaved by it.

Now, President Bush has insisted that there will be no postponements. Would you have a problem with an extra couple of weeks?

LUGAR: Yes I would, and I say this respectfully, because I read the piece written by the distinguished ambassador. I would just simply say that there is no end of potential reasons to postpone, to temporize, to try to do something to tweak the system. Ultimately, we have to come down to a thought that there is going to be an election. Now, January 30, all parties agreeing now, is going to be that time.

COLLINS: But clearly, sir, everyone wants to make sure it is seen as a legitimate election.

LUGAR: Well, I would suspect that, from the very beginning of the discussion, Prime Minister Allawi got it right when he was over here speaking to a joint session and to others in Congress. And he pointed out that first election could be a pretty rough affair. It could involve, in fact, violence at some polls, in which election workers or even voters, as they try to vote, are inhibited. In other words, it is not going to be something for the fastidious to go through sort of tracing vote by vote, but the need to have a vote, a first declaration of people, of how they feel and to elect their own officers any way they want to, to get to a constitutional convention in which there will be another attempt to ratify it and finally, a year from now, with security hopefully much better, an attempt to elect the officers of the country.

COLLINS: Well, the election is just a few weeks away, and, of course, everyone will be watching very closely. Senator Richard Lugar, we appreciate your time. Thank you.

LUGAR: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Once again, we continue to follow the very latest after the effects of the tsunami, including the death toll, which has risen, as you've heard. You've seen the pictures out of Southeast Asia, and maybe want to help somehow. There are dos and don'ts when it comes to donating, and Andy is going to be here to tell us how you can decide how to get your money over there, what decisions you should make - ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

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COLLINS: Many people are rushing to donate money to help the tsunami victims. But how can we be sure the donations get to those who need them most? It's a common concern, and Andy Serwer's talking about it now in "Minding Your Business." First, though, the markets.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Yes, let's do that first of all, Heidi. Yesterday, a bit of a down day, the Dow in particular was off 25 points, some concerns about Boeing, some concerns about violence in Saudi Arabia. Two trading days left in this year, of course. Futures are off a little bit this morning.

Yes. What happens to your money when you decide to give to charity? Obviously, a very pertinent question right now, if you're looking to give to the Red Cross or Doctors Without Orders or Save the Children or UNICEF.

Let's take a look at UNICEF, for instance, to start off a little bit. Five dollars will get you an emergency health kit. That's for one person. Eighty-seven dollars, a water kit for 10 households, and $188 gets education supplies. That's important. It doesn't sound like it, but a lot of schools obviously were devastated by the destruction as well.

It's also important to understand charities and how much of your dollar actually goes to the relief effort. That's obviously a very important issue with charities, and they suggest that it's very important that a charity gets 60 cents on the dollar out there into the field.

You can see here's Doctors Without Orders doing a good job, Heidi, 85.7 percent going to the actual people who need it and the balance going to administrative costs.

Now, this is very sad, but it is true. It will happen, and Rick can tell you this happened in Florida during hurricanes. People take advantage of these situations. There are scams and scam artists, the worst sort of people imaginable, who will take your money and run with it. So here what you should do to make sure it's a legitimate charity. Do your research and look at charitywatch.org - is a good place to check. Pay by check. There's no reason to give actual cash. The charities are patient. In other words, they can clear the checks for you.

And that brings up another point. The most important thing to give right now is money. They do not need your down parka. They do not needs cans of Hormel chili. They can't get those things there. Money, that allows them to decide the charities and the relief organizations where the money goes.

COLLINS: Yes. They've said - part of that reason is also because different regions in different areas that have been affected - we're talking about 11 countries...

SERWER: Yes.

COLLINS: They need different things.

SERWER: That's right.

COLLINS: It's hard for us to know exactly what they are at this time.

SERWER: And one other very salient point. There are two days left in the calendar year. If you make a contribution before midnight on Friday, when you'll be watching Anderson Cooper's show, you can take a deduction on this year's taxes.

COLLINS: Great.

SERWER: So it's actually something you should really think about...

SANCHEZ: Good advice.

SERWER: ... so two days left.

SANCHEZ: If you're going to do it, do it quick. Thanks, Andy.

SERWER: Yes, you're welcome.

SANCHEZ: Well, if you saw a massive wave crashing toward you, the first instinct might be to run for your life, right? Well, some people lived because they actually stayed in the water, as in under water. A couple's remarkable story of survival, we're going to bring it to you on AMERICAN MORNING.

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