PMI ready to channel aid from NGOs<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) is bracing for an increased
\nworkload as humanitarian assistance from international non-
\ngovernmental organizations (NGOs) continues to pour into Aceh.<\/p>\n
Following the government's decision not to give access to
\nforeign NGOs to the war-torn province, PMI is the only local
\nprivate institution through which they can deliver their aid.<\/p>\n
\"However, considering our principles of independence,
\nneutrality and impartiality we do not have any intention to
\ncoordinate with foreign organizations,\" PMI said in a statement
\non Thursday.<\/p>\n
PMI, it said, would distribute the assistance based on its own
\njudgment and assessment of what people in the province needed.<\/p>\n
A PMI official said that the decision was taken due to the
\norganization's limited capacity to conduct such activities.<\/p>\n
\"There are no ulterior reasons, it is simply because we do not
\nhave the capacity to coordinate this and it is actually the job
\nof the government,\" the official, who refused to be named, said.<\/p>\n
Government has refused access to the international community
\nto directly deliver humanitarian relief to Aceh, saying it cannot
\nguarantee the safety of foreign workers in the war zone. The
\ngovernment also worries about \"hidden motives\" behind the
\nforeigners' humanitarian mission, fearing Aceh could become an
\ninternational issue.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has maintained that all foreign assistance should be
\nchanneled through the government, Aceh administration or PMI,
\nwhich has 18 offices across Aceh and hundreds of volunteers.<\/p>\n
PMI has so far provided medicine, hygiene kits and other
\nmedical necessities for people in the province. It is being
\nsupported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).<\/p>\n
PMI has also distributed 10,000 tons of rice from the World
\nFood Programme (WFP) to the province.<\/p>\n
It complained on Thursday about the dwindling supply of blood
\nneeded to cope with the demand for between 20 packs and 30 packs
\ndaily.<\/p>\n
\"We may not have sufficient supplies of blood for the
\nincreasing number of victims as the conflict escalates,\" PMI Aceh
\nspokesman Riya Ison said as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
PMI called on local people to donate blood to help ease the
\nproblem.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, aid continued to flow into the province as the war
\nentered its second week.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, the Indonesian Air Force sent two Hercules
\naircraft to the province, carrying 3.2 tons of medical supplies
\nfrom the health ministry and Indonesian Military (TNI)
\nheadquarters.<\/p>\n
The planes also carried two ambulances and military vehicles
\nto support the humanitarian operation.<\/p>\n
Late on Tuesday, three tons of medical supplies from the World
\nHealth Organization and United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef)
\nalong with their international workers arrived in Aceh. Another
\n17 tons of emergency supplies are expected within days.<\/p>\n
Waiting for the additional supplies to be flown in, Aceh's
\ndeputy governor Azwar Abubakar said he had no objection to the
\npresence of Unicef and WHO foreign officials with him at the
\nairport in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"How can we not be happy with people who empathize with us?\"
\nAzwar said as quoted by Reuters.<\/p>\n
The chief of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of
\nHumanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Jakarta, Michael Elmquist, said UN
\nagencies and international NGOs had agreed to remain in Banda
\nAceh and not travel outside the city for security reasons.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile the Indonesian Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs
\nAssociation pledged to send medicine and other medical supplies
\nto Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"We will support the humanitarian operation and will
\nimmediately arrange our medical aid package,\" the association
\ndeputy chairman Kendra Riadi told Antara on Thursday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pmi-ready-to-channel-aid-from-ngos-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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