by Assumpta Pereira, Daijiworld News Network - London
With input from Metro Papers

London, Nov 28: Nearly 3, 00,000 people died within a few hours. But the relief help released to reach out for the victims and survivors has perhaps failed in its purpose. The general feeling is that the relief aid helped a few to fill their pockets at the expense of a few lives.  Almost £ 9.3 million has gone unaccounted, say sources.

The money that was donated by the public for the victims of South Asian Tsunami has gone missing. The amount disappeared from the accounts of humanitarian aid. MPs on the Common public accounts committee are demanding an explanation from the United Nations, charities and even the government aid workers regarding this amount.

There was £ 76.8million given by The Department for International Development.  In this £ 52.6 million was given to UN agencies and some other organizations.  But when the MPs were told that the ministry was asking about accounts in May it could account for only £43.3 million out of the £52.6 million. This missing £9.3 million included £4 million of UN agencies and £3.9 million of the ministry’s own Indonesia aid programme.

The Government insisted on November 22 that £2.5 million had since been recovered.  Chairman Edward Leigh said, ‘nearly a year and a half after the disaster, the DID still has no idea whether £9 million has been spent or not. If the money is in bank accounts, then it must be recovered and spent on appropriate means.’

The DID said, ‘The tsunami was a disaster that caused damage on an unpredicted scale. we had to rush with our projects. Owing to difficulties, some were given more money than was required.’