The Words of the Gurung Family
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The Words of the Gurung Family |
Gangtok, Sikkim, India -- A team from the Universal Peace Federation of Sikkim led by its President Shri G. M. Gurung donated US$ 2620.00 to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to aid victims of the September 18 earthquake. The donation was made on behalf of the Founder of the Universal Peace Federation and its Chairman, Rev. Hyung Jin Moon as well as UPF chapters in Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Taiwan.
The donation was accompanied by the message: "We know that Sikkim is a small but beautiful Himalayan state of the nation of India, with warm-hearted, generous people."
The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Sikkim, Dr. Pawan Chamling, thanked UPF for its generosity and solidarity in such a tragic time: "We know that you have always been lending assistance and aid wherever possible to those in need. We very much appreciate the good cooperation and mutual respect that exists between the people of Sikkim with the Universal Peace Federation."
The quake measured 6.8 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter near the Nepal-Sikkim border. It caused utter devastation in Sikkim -- especially in the North district -- killing a reported 116 people and injuring many others. The army, air force, and Border Roads Organization personnel have been rescuing people, sometimes by helicopter. The work is difficult because many roads, including the main one in the North district, were washed away.