Aid for flood victims decreases<\/p>\n
Ahmad Junaidi
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The return of the floods have made flood victims increasingly
\nworried specially as they are still in desperate need of food,
\nmedicine and clothing. Unfortunately, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso
\nrevealed on Thursday that the stock of these three items had
\nbegan to decrease following the inundation.<\/p>\n
\"The floods have lasted longer than what we had anticipated,\"
\nsaid the governor, who has been under sharp criticism due to his
\nadministration's tardy response to the crisis.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso announced the administration would hold a charity
\nnight for flood victims in the near future at Ancol recreation
\npark in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Private businessmen and executives of city-owned firms are in
\nthe guest list for the event which will also feature local
\nartists including top dangdut singer Evie Tamala.<\/p>\n
Despite Sutiyoso's statement on the decreasing stock, City
\nHall has been showered with donations from the public every
\nsingle day since the water began to inundate most areas in the
\ncapital on Jan. 28.<\/p>\n
A Rp 1 billion (US$98,000) donation from the Ministry of
\nSocial Affairs has been used to buy clothes, blankets and food
\nfor the victims. Other donations from private firms were
\ndistributed last week.<\/p>\n
The administration announced on Wednesday that it would donate
\nRp 50 million to each of the 167 flood-hit subdistricts. The Rp
\n8.35 billion fund, which was supposed to be given to the victims,
\nwas taken from the City Budget reserve fund of Rp 40 billion.<\/p>\n
It also plans to use its Rp 505 billion emergency fund to
\nrepair public facilities, including roads and schools, which were
\nseverely damaged by the inundation. However, the administration
\nmust still wait for the City Council's approval to use the
\nbudget.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, lines of trucks carrying aid for the victims
\nare rarely in sight.<\/p>\n
The governor admitted that the public and other institutions
\nhave donated directly to the victims without informing the
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
\"They should have coordinated with us to avoid concentration
\nof donations since we know the exact location of the victims,\"
\nSutiyoso claimed, urging the public to keep on donating.<\/p>\n
Most donors opted to hand over their aid directly to the
\nvictims, temporary shelters or flood monitoring posts due to
\ntheir lack of trust in the administration. Most victims had
\nreportedly not yet received help from the administration.<\/p>\n
Ade Rostina, an activist of Suara Ibu Peduli (Voice of
\nConcerned Mothers), said the organization began to stop emergency
\nfood aid two days ago but had to begin all over again.<\/p>\n
\"The returning floods forced us to provide food to the victims
\nas their houses began to be inundated again,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Two days prior to the current floods, the organization had
\ngiven books and uniforms to school students, medicine for the
\nsick and pots and stoves for households.<\/p>\n
Ade was optimistic that Suara Ibu Peduli could still help the
\nvictims for quite a long time.<\/p>\n
\"I can't estimate the period but there are many individual
\ndonors who come to us to provide goods for distribution,\" she
\nsaid. \"Unfortunately, we can't help victims all over Jakarta due
\nto the limited stock and volunteers. So far, we have helped
\nvictims in Cilandak and Pondok Labu in South Jakarta, Tanjung
\nPriok in North Jakarta, Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta,
\nCengkareng in West Jakarta and Depok.<\/p>\n
Several countries have also given aid for flood victims
\nincluding the United States, England, Australia, Canada and
\nChina. The Federal Republic of Germany said its embassy in
\nJakarta would also hand over 145,627 euros (Rp 1.24 billion) to
\nthe victims in Karet Tengsin, Central Jakarta, on Friday.<\/p>\n
Around 380,000 residents were evacuated when the floods
\nreached calamitous levels two weeks ago. Many of the refugees
\nopted to stay at the shelters and were reluctant to return home
\nsince their houses were still flooded.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aid-for-flood-victims-decreases-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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