USAID pledges more aid for Indonesia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The United States Agency for International
\nDevelopment (USAID) announced yesterday it would give an
\nadditional US$50 million in aid in the form of food and loan
\nguarantees to help crisis-worn Indonesia.<\/p>\n
USAID administrator J. Brian Atwood told a public forum here
\nyesterday the agency would spend $25 million, in addition to $25
\nmillion pledged earlier, to provide Indonesia with 50,000 metric
\ntons of American rice.<\/p>\n
The rice is to be distributed to over half a million poor
\npeople living in urban areas, Atwood said.<\/p>\n
"The first shipments of food will arrive within two weeks and
\nwill head for East Timor, East Nusa Tenggara and South Sumatra."<\/p>\n
The agency will also provide an additional $25 million in loan
\nguarantees to support the construction of urban environmental
\ninfrastructure, such as drinking water services, drainage canals,
\nfootpaths and garbage collection and disposal, he said.<\/p>\n
Such projects will generate 1.4 million temporary jobs in the
\ncountry's poor urban neighborhoods, he said.<\/p>\n
So far, USAID has allocated over $100 million in humanitarian
\nassistance, including $16.6 million for public health and family
\nplanning services in 11 provinces and $10 million in medical
\nsupplies and equipment for maternal and child health, HIV\/AIDS
\nand family planning programs.<\/p>\n
It has also provided $25 million in concessional loans to buy
\nrice and other food, and $26 million in technical expertise for
\nthe government.<\/p>\n
Today, the agency is scheduled to sign an agreement with the
\nNational Development Planning Board to provide it with $5.6
\nmillion in technical assistance for economic reform.<\/p>\n
Politics<\/p>\n
Atwood, who was here on a three day visit from Wednesday, also
\ndenied reports that USAID had financed antigovernment campaigns.<\/p>\n
He noted that USAID only gave funds to legal organizations to
\nhelp them pursue their organizational goals.<\/p>\n
"We have not provided funds to (Adnan) Buyung Nasution or any
\nother individuals. (Our funds go) only to organizations which are
\nlegally registered in Indonesia," Atwood said, referring to one
\nof the political figures who helped lead the downfall of ex-
\npresident Soeharto.<\/p>\n
"Some of these groups opposed government policies, but not
\nbecause we suggested they do so," he said.<\/p>\n
Several student groups and legislators in the past several
\nweeks have accused the U.S. of meddling in Indonesia's political
\naffairs by financially supporting antigovernment activities here.<\/p>\n
Last week, a group of 89 legislators wrote a letter to U.S.
\nPresident Bill Clinton, demanding he ensure that American aid
\nwould not be used to finance activities that would interfere in
\nthe country's domestic affairs.<\/p>\n
The letter cited a May 21 report in the New York Times and
\nInternational Herald Tribune which indicated that government
\nopponents in the country had used U.S. aid to conduct
\nantigovernment activities.<\/p>\n
Atwood pledged that USAID's support for Indonesia's
\ndevelopment would be in an open and transparent manner.<\/p>\n
He said the agency "carefully tracked the aid".<\/p>\n
Atwood also met yesterday with President Habibie and several
\nof the country's reform figures, including Emil Salim, Adnan
\nBuyung and Abdurrahman Wahid, as well as a group of legislators.
\n(das)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/usaid-pledges-more-aid-for-indonesia-1447893297",
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