HURRICANE MITCH BRINGS BOTH TRAGEDY, OPPORTUNITY

"Hurricane Mitch was an incredible calamity for Central America, but it may also provide an opportunity for some badly needed environmental construction," according to University of Oregon political scientist Daniel Goldrich. "Deforestation has been an environmental disaster for Central America and heavy rainfall associated with the hurricane compounded the damage," says Goldrich. Central America was already suffering from high unemployment, he says. Now it faces economic catastrophe. Systematic reforestation could provide thousands of jobs–at the same time undoing decades of damage caused by logging. "If Central Americans can’t work at home–and no current or proposed alternative economic strategy promises anywhere near the number of jobs needed–they’ll migrate to what looks like opportunity in Mexico and the United States, which are neither prepared nor disposed to accept them. But environmental reclamation would benefit all of us." Goldrich explains. SOURCE: Daniel Goldrich, UO professor of political science, (541) 346-4861; e-mail dgoldric@oregon.uoregon.edu

"Honduras and Nicaragua will have to borrow money in order to rebuild their ruined infrastructure," says University of Oregon graduate student Carlos Castros. "To speed up the recovery of these already highly indebted countries, the World Bank and other lenders must forgive the approximately $10 billion the two countries now owe," he says. The most immediate problem for survivors of the hurricane is the destruction of this year’s harvest. Castros, who is a native Nicaraguan, is studying sociology at the UO. He says the most important short-term needs of the population are food, medicine and shelter. The long-term problems are the restoration of the infrastructure and soils. "No one knows what will have to be done to restore the soil, but it’s clear that recovery will be painful without a major effort from the government and people of Central America, as well as the United St ates and the international community," Castro says. SOURCE: Carlos Castro, UO graduate teaching fellow, sociology (541) 346-5032; e-mail ccastro@oregon.uoregon.edu

‘MITCH’ REFUGEES WILL NEED MONTHS OF FOOD AID, SAYS UO PROF

"This relief effort is going to be an on-going problem for at least five months," says University of Oregon geography professor emeritus Carl Johannessen. He says donors should be prepared to give at least once a month until the crisis is over. Johannessen, who knows the area well, urges donors to make sure they send culturally appropriate goods. "Rice and beans are staples of the Central American diet," he notes, adding that these items are inexpensive, travel well and will be easily cooked by refugees who may have minimal resources to prepare food. "Powdered milk and eggs also would add needed protein," he says. American canned foods may be unfamiliar, and therefore unpalatable, to the refugees. SOURCE: Carl Johannessen, (541) 346-4560 (campus); (541) 342-2235 (home); e-mail carljohann@oregon.uoregon.edu

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