Australia gives A$1m in aid to Irian Jaya

Australia gives A$1m in aid to Irian Jaya

JAKARTA (JP): The Australian government announced yesterday it
would provide A$1 million (US$700,000) in aid to Jayawijaya in
Irian Jaya, adding to the string of donations to the drought-hit
regency.

The Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) also announced Monday
that it would provide experienced former pilots to help fly
relief to remote villages in the mountainous regency, Antara
reported.

The Australian Embassy said A$500,000 of its assistance would
be provided in response to a United Nations appeal and the same
amount to an appeal by the International Committee of the Red
Cross.

"A UN disaster assessment team which recently visited the
worst affected areas found Irian Jaya on the verge of famine,"
the news agency quoted the embassy as saying.

The UN team reported that water supplies were drying up and
the little water left was polluted. Many people were suffering
from diarrhea, scabies and respiratory infections.

The money will be used to transport food, medicine and other
relief supplies and personnel from Wamena, the capital of
Jayawijaya regency, to isolated villages.

Director of MAF Wally D. Wiley said in the province's capital
of Jayapura Monday that former MAF pilots who had served the
Jayawijaya region would be assigned due to the mission's shortage
of pilots.

The first group comprises 10 pilots who will render their
services for at least three to six months, Wiley said. The MAF
will also make available 17 Cessna planes and one helicopter.

More than 500 people have died in the province from drought-
related illnesses since last August.

The drought, expected to last into next month, is believed to
be threatening the lives of 90,000 Irianese, mostly subsistence
farmers.

Thick haze from forest fires has complicated relief
operations, particularly in the mountainous district of
Jayawijaya which is accessible mainly by air. (aan)