Madam, - Yesterday the American people held a day of prayer and remembrance for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Casualty numbers are very high, but any loss of life is a tragedy in personal, human terms. Many thousands of people in a very large area also lost their homes and livelihoods. As we in the United States recover and rebuild, we will also identify the mistakes made in our response so that we can learn from them.
In the meantime, the focus is on alleviating the suffering, and even a country with tremendous resources needs the help of friends to get through a disaster. Ireland's assistance - both officially in the aid rendered through the American Red Cross and through the EU, and privately through the many, many individual donations, large and small, sent to the embassy - has been of very real and concrete assistance to the needy and suffering in New Orleans, Mississippi, and elsewhere. The American people are grateful.
In addition, we have received hundreds of expressions of sympathy and solidarity from Irish citizens in all walks of life. As used to Irish generosity as I am, I am humbled by the response. Coming as they do near the anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, I believe the thoughts and prayers of the Irish people are all the more welcome in America. I am also mindful that there is much suffering in other parts of the world and I continue to be impressed by the capacity of the Irish people to care and offer assistance.
Many in Ireland disagree with aspects of US foreign policy, and many have criticised our handling of this crisis. We welcome and listen to such views because they come from a free people with a long history of friendship with the United States. We also count on the continued goodwill of the Irish people and their concern for the fate of all Americans on a human level, and we have not been let down. I want therefore to express my deep appreciation and thanks to the Irish people and Government for their support and help at this difficult time for Americans. - Yours, etc,
JAMES C KENNY, United States Ambassador to Ireland, Dublin 4.
Madam, - The Irish Times and media in many parts of the world have recently used the term "refugee" to describe the displaced people and communities of the Gulf Coast of the US in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
While many residents of affected areas have had to flee the terrible destruction of this natural disaster and while many others have been evacuated, it is not entirely accurate to describe them as "refugees".
"Refugee" is a term used to define persons who have fled from their countries based on a well-founded fear of being persecuted, because of their religion, political opinion, race, nationality, or for belonging to a specific social group.
We have noticed that there has been a tendency in the media to use the word "refugee" as a catch-all term for describing groups of displaced people, no matter what the cause of their suffering.
In the interest of future debate on the issue of asylum and refugees, particularly in Ireland, I would like to make the distinction between refugees and others, without of course in any way diminishing the great suffering of the people caught up in the terrible tragedy in the United States. - Yours, etc,
STEVEN O'BRIEN, Public Information Officer, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Dublin 2.