Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY), center, met with leaders of the Jackson Heights Merchants Association to discuss aid for the tsunami victims in South Asia. Seen in the photo are Mohinder Verma, left, member of the association, and Shiv Dass, the association’s president. (Photo by Evan Mantyk. Courtesy, The Epoch Times)

Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY) met with leaders of the South Asian community in Jackson Heights as well as elected official to discuss what the greater Queens community can do to assist in aid and relief for the people affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

“This tragedy is a severe one for millions of people in South and Southeast Asia. We as a community will work together to send as much relief to the region as possible. I will also call upon USAID to work with the countries in the ravaged region to develop systems that would monitor tsunamis so that we can avoid a tragedy of this enormity from happening again,” Congressman Crowley said.

He has written a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter addressed to Secretary of State Collin Powell urging him that the U.S. “be at the forefront of dispensing emergency humanitarian aid to the scores of nations affected by this tragedy.”

“We believe the relief effort must first be focused on ensuring the people affected by this massive tsunami have clean water and food due to the fact the flood waters contaminated and food is scare. The humanitarian effort must also be focused on stopping disease before it spreads through the population who has survived this horrible ordeal,” the Congressman said.

Crowley also urged Powell that the U.S. work with the South and Southeast Asian nations to assist them in setting up a network of warning system for the earthquakes. The letter to be signed by other lawmakers was scheduled to be sent on Jan. 5. “Mere words are inadequate to describe the tragedy that happened in South Asia recently,” said State Senator John Sabini. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families both there and here. I encourage everyone with means to contribute to the relief effort,” he said.

Crowley also interacted with the Jackson Heights Merchants Association, which has begun a fund-raising drive and plans to send the money in the next 10 days. The checks can be made in favor of Jackson Heights Merchants Association. “Most of those people (tsunami victims) are poor people and don’t have any food or shelter,” Shiv Dass, president of the association, said.