Companies continue to pour aid into Aceh, N. Sumatra
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Three weeks have passed since a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami devastated two-thirds of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and part of North Sumatra. The death toll has risen to more than 110,000 since the Dec. 26 catastrophe, and at least 10,000 are missing.
With hundreds of thousands of Acehnese in dire need of food, medicine and any kind of assistance, many local and multinational companies continue to rush to their aid, donating cash and equipment to relief and rehabilitation efforts.
Total E&P Indonesia, a fully owned subsidiary of France's Total Group and which operates the offshore Mahakam oil block in East Kalimantan, has committed to financing the construction of 400 houses.
State housing firm Perumnas will handle the construction, while the further utilization of the houses will be managed by the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI).
Total with its partner INPEX Corporation has also signed an agreement with the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) to provide emergency scholarships to 75 Acehnese ITB students who are facing financial straits due to the disaster.
The company has also donated US$1 million to PMI for immediate relief operations.
Meanwhile, the Astra Group has donated Rp 40 billion ($4.31 million) to tsunami victims in cash, heavy equipment, medicine and food.
"The donation was channeled through the Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Social Services and other institutes," said PT Astra International president director Budi Setiadharma. "Some Rp 26.5 billion of our donation has already been channeled, while the rest will be allocated toward the construction of educational and health facilities."
The Newmont Mining Corporation has increased its donation to Asian countries affected by the tsunami from Rp 5 billion ($538,793) to Rp 45 billion, which will be channeled through various organizations, the company said in a statement.
About 200 Newmont employees and their families were killed or are missing in the disaster.
CLSA Ltd., the top brokerage firm in the Asia Pacific, has raised nearly $2 million for the CLSA Relief Fund to support reconstruction in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and Thailand.
"The CLSA Relief Fund was created to enable investors to link the investments they make in affected countries to the relief effort. The outpouring of support underscores just how dedicated the investment community is to the long-term growth and development of the economies that they invest in," said CLSA Chief Executive Officer Rob Morrison.
As with others, the fund will be channeled through several different organizations, including the PMI.
Elsewhere, Shell Indonesia has donated Rp 4.8 billion through the PMI, while Shell Singapore will donate fuel tanks to affected areas to help overcome severe post-disaster fuel shortages.
The government has estimated that it would need about Rp 20 trillion for the rehabilitation of Aceh.