Indonesia sends plywood to Kobe

Indonesia sends plywood to Kobe

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is sending 100,000 pieces of high
quality concrete plywood to Japan to help in the reconstruction
of several Japanese cities that were devastated by a powerful
earthquake this month.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, who announced the
government aid to Indonesia's biggest aid donor country
yesterday, put the value of the plywood shipment at about $1
million.

The aid is "an expression of our concern and solidarity with
the human beings affected there," Moerdiono said. "The government
of Indonesia has decided to provide assistance to help ease the
suffering and also to help in the reconstruction of buildings
destroyed in the Kobe area."

"Indonesia's capability to help is limited," the minister
admitted. "But the assistance will soon be delivered to those who
need the plywood."

Concrete plywood is widely used in constructing bridges and
other structures. The plywood is also appropriate for housing
construction, he explained.

Nearly 6,000 people were killed in the earthquake, the worst
to hit Japan this century. The city of Kobe, also the epicenter
of the quake, suffered the most destruction.

Japan has been Indonesia's largest aid donor country and also
a major source of direct foreign investment. (emb)