Jayawijaya regent seeks more drought relief supplies

JAKARTA (JP): The regent of the area in Irian Jaya with the highest number of drought-related deaths warned yesterday that while relief was getting through to the worst hit villages, food shortages could get worse in the next three months.

Jayawijaya Regent J.B. Wenas said most farms in the mountainous region had been hit by the drought and production of cassava, the staple food of the region's 500,000 people, had dwindled.

At least 391 deaths from drought-related illnesses have been reported in the region.

Wenas said the regency was prioritizing aid to villages worst hit by food shortages.

"We will drop the relief later to villages which can still produce their own food," Wenas told The Jakarta Post by phone from Jayawijaya.

He said his administration was considering dropping the food and medicine to local churches, which are dotted throughout the regency.

"This will be in anticipation of drought conditions that are likely to get worse in the next three months," Wenas said.

The churches, Wenas said, would be well placed to channel the relief to local tribespeople living in villages scattered throughout the regency, which has an area equivalent to the size of East Java.

Wenas said there is now a great need for more rice, milk powder and cooking oil.

"The cooking oil is not for cooking cookies though, but to feed children who are suffering from malnutrition," Wenas said. "It is good for vitamin A."

Wenas said the channeling of the relief was being conducted "gradually" to avoid problems which may arise from a sudden change in diet.

The administration's mobile team of doctors have been deployed since last month, he said.

Wenas said that the cooperation between his administration, local churches, non-governmental organizations, the military and the Freeport mining company, in coping with the disaster had been "wonderful" so far.

Local churches have made their radio communications equipment available for providing much-needed information to the administration, he said.

Two airplanes and a helicopter have been provided by the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) and Protestant Advent Foundation and Freeport.

Wenas said the Irian Jaya District Military had offered its helicopters to be used for dropping food relief to remote villages, but the offer for the moment had not been taken up.

"The available aircraft, a Cessna from Advent and a Caravan from MAF and a chopper from Freeport are enough for the moment," Wenas explained.

Asked what he needed most now apart from food relief, Wenas said: "Avtur (airplane fuel)".

According to him, the current fuel supply was only sufficient for another two days. At least 200 drums of fuel are needed to help further air relief operations.

Commenting on the latest increase of drought-related deaths in his regency, from 262 to 391, Wenas said that all the deaths occurred more than two weeks ago.

"The figures have been slow coming in," he said.

On Sunday, Wenas reported to the governor of Irian Jaya that at least 413 people died in August and September in the regencies of Jayawijaya and Merauke.

Most of the victims died of cholera after drinking dirty water.

Wenas also said yesterday that envoys from USAid, the Australian Embassy and the United Nations had visited the area and learned about the relief needed by the regency. (aan)

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