Britons donate pounds 4.25m to appeal

AN APPEAL for Rwanda by Britain's aid agencies has raised four times the amount raised by a similar appeal for Yugoslavia earlier this year, writes Richard Dowden.

The Disasters Emergency Committee appeal, launched on television by the actress Helen Mirren on 13 May, raised pounds 4.25m and donations are still flowing in. A DEC appeal for former Yugoslavia launched in March has raised only pounds 1m.

Andy Bearpark, Head of Emergency Aid at the Overseas Development Administration said: 'We've had an enormous postbag on Rwanda. It shows that Africa is not being marginalised.'

Britain has so far given pounds 11m for Rwanda, providing assistance with an airlift of urgent supplies for refugees.

Africa returns, page 18