RI extends condolences, prepares aid for Pakistan<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has extended his condolences
\nto Pakistan over Saturday's deadly earthquake, with a medical
\nteam prepared for a humanitarian mission to the East Asian
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"The president has directly expressed his condolences to his
\nexcellency President Pervez Musharraf,\" foreign ministry
\nspokesman Marty Natalegawa said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
He said the Indonesian government would send a Hercules C-130
\naircraft with a medical team, medicine and various emergency
\nmaterials to Pakistan, where a major earthquake left around
\n18,000 people dead on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the humanitarian mission would
\nleave for Pakistan on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"I think on Tuesday the government will send a medical team
\nwho will open a field hospital. Everything is being arranged by
\nthe coordinating ministry for people's welfare and the Indonesian
\nMilitary chief,\" Kalla said after closing a batik exhibition in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
In a show of solidarity, Pakistan deployed 300 personnel to
\ntsunami-wrecked Aceh in January to conduct a relief mission in
\nthe province, where the killer waves claimed over 130,000 lives.
\nThe Pakistani soldiers helped clear rubble from the streets and
\nopened a field hospital to provide medical services for tsunami
\nsurvivors.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) is coordinating with
\nthe Geneva-based International Federation of the Red Cross and
\nRed Crescent on the humanitarian aid it will offer to Pakistan.<\/p>\n
PMI secretary-general Iyang Sukandar said the organization had
\naround 30 skilled workers who were ready to carry out a relief
\nmission in Pakistan. The team was ready to leave for New Orleans
\nfollowing Hurricane Katrina, but the U.S. turned down the offer.<\/p>\n
\"If the medical workers are already enough, we will provide
\nother kinds of aid, such as food and money,\" Iyang said.<\/p>\n
The quake in Pakistan provided an opportunity for Indonesia to
\nrepay foreign countries for their assistance in the aftermath of
\nthe Dec. 26 tsunami, Iyang said.<\/p>\n
Regarding the fate of Indonesian nationals who live in
\nPakistan, Marty said he had not yet received reports on
\nIndonesian casualties or injuries.<\/p>\n
\"But judging from the huge number of deaths, we have to
\ncontinuously monitor whether there are Indonesian nationals among
\nthe victims,\" Marty said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Embassy in Pakistan has recorded 300 Indonesian
\nnationals who stay in the country, mostly in Islamabad. Of the
\nnumber, 143 are students.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-extends-condolences-prepares-aid-for-pakistan-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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