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)