Slow relief operation upsets quake victims<\/p>\n
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Tension mounted among local
\nofficials in Irian Jaya yesterday over the slow pace of the
\ngovernment's operation to send relief aid to the victims of
\nSaturday's devastating earthquake off Biak Island.<\/p>\n
Officials in Jayapura admitted that the dispatch of the relief
\naid had been slow, but this was chiefly because of poor
\ntransportation facilities rather than lack of stocks.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Biak Regency Chief Amandus Masnembra complained
\nat what he saw as the slow response from government agencies in
\nJayapura to the needs of the islanders.<\/p>\n
Biak took the brunt of the earthquake, which measured 7.0 on
\nthe Richter scale. More than 2,000 houses on the island were
\ndemolished by the tremor, or by the huge tidal waves that swept
\nmany coastal villages in the north and south of the island.<\/p>\n
Several smaller islands near Biak were believed to have been
\naffected although the extent of damage is not immediately clear
\nbecause they have been cut off from the rest of the world.<\/p>\n
In Manokwari, the main town on Irian Jaya's Bird's Head
\nregion, more than 3,600 lost their homes in the tidal waves.<\/p>\n
By last night, the death toll from the earthquake was put at
\n96 with the number expected to rise. More than 50 people are
\nstill missing. Another 43 were being treated with serious injury.<\/p>\n
Government officials estimate that as many as 10,000 people
\nare homeless.<\/p>\n
As many as 150 fishing boats were destroyed.<\/p>\n
Most of Biak was without electricity because the hydropower
\nplant was out of order.<\/p>\n
Budi Subianto, deputy chief of the Irian Jaya Health Office,
\nsaid the relief operation should be supported by helicopters
\nbecause they were the only means of reaching villages on Biak and
\nsmaller islands around it. \"But not a single helicopter has been
\nmade available,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Given the current monsoon, officials in Biak were not willing
\nto take the risk of sailing to the smaller islands, he said.<\/p>\n
His office has contacted the Mission Aviation Fellowship which
\nruns several aircraft from Wamena, to take part in the
\ndistribution of relief supplies. The Australian embassy in
\nJakarta, which has financed many health projects in Irian Jaya,
\nhas also been approached for help, he added.<\/p>\n
Chief of the Irian Jaya Social Services Office Sukirdiyono
\ntook particular offense at the accusation made by Amandus
\nMasnembra, which was widely published by the media yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"We've done a lot, yet he felt it was inadequate,\" Sukirdiyono
\nsaid, adding that the remarks \"really hurt\".<\/p>\n
He said however that Amandus has apologized for the remarks.<\/p>\n
The Irian Jaya Social Services Office has sent 20 tons of
\nrice, three large tents, kitchen utensils, plastic mats, kerosene
\nlamps, cooking stoves, and clothes, he said. They were sent by a
\nHercules transport airplane to Biak.<\/p>\n
\"We badly need more tents because many people were left
\nhomeless,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The health authorities in Jayapura have also sent doctors and
\nmedicines to Biak.<\/p>\n
Captain Cipuk of the Biak military command confirmed yesterday
\nthat the relief supplies had arrived and were being distributed
\nby troopers.<\/p>\n
Budi Subianto of the Health Office said he feared outbreaks of
\ndiarrhea and upper respiratory infections among the islanders
\nbecause most of them do not have access to clean water.<\/p>\n
\"The well waters on the island have been contaminated. People
\nhave to make do with water from the river and whatever they can
\ncollect from the rain.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, residents in Biak said yesterday that islanders
\nwere trying to restart the economy, with many people reporting to
\nwork and shops resuming their trade.<\/p>\n
There were also long queues at gasoline stations, they said.<\/p>\n
The disaster has also destroyed many on-going community
\nprojects, including one run by the Rumsam Biak Foundation for the
\ndevelopment of a \"people-tourism\" project.<\/p>\n
Binny Buchori, who works as a consultant for the project, said
\nthe 1,000 participating beneficiaries of the project on the
\nPadaido islands east of Biak have lost everything in the
\ndisaster, from their homes to all their belongings.<\/p>\n
\"We've postponed the project. Now we're focusing our attention
\non rehabilitation programs,\" she said. (prs\/emb\/Binny Buchori)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/slow-relief-operation-upsets-quake-victims-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}