JP/4/SITI

;JP;EVA; ANPAa..r.. Scene-PKS-aceh PKS launches aid committee for Aceh JP/4/scene PKS launches aid committee for Aceh

JAKARTA: The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has launched a humanitarian committee for Aceh to help survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatra.

Committee chairman Soeripto said on Sunday that PKS supporters were used to conducting charity events and organizations.

"PKS believes that the government is capable of handling the disaster but the damage caused by it are too big, therefore, help from outsiders is badly needed," PKS chairman Tifatul Sembiring said.

He said the committee has so far sent 900 volunteers to Aceh and would deploy 1,100 others in two weeks. --Antara.

;JP;MUN; ANPAa..r.. Aceh-Prosecutors

JP/4/scene Jakarta to take over prosecutor's offices

JAKARTA: The central government will take over the legal authority and duties of prosecutor's offices in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and in Nias regency, North Sumatra, which were destroyed by the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami, an official said.

Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh said the decision was made by the government in a recent Cabinet meeting.

"The calamity has destroyed buildings of many prosecutor's offices in Aceh and Nias, including documents, and killed a number of prosecutors and staff members," he said on Friday.

However, Rahman said he has yet to make any decisions regarding the case, including the possibility of moving the damaged Aceh prosecutor's offices to North Sumatra.

Attorney General spokesman RJ Soehandoyo said the office recorded as many as 40 prosecutors and staff members were among those killed in Banda Aceh alone during the catastrophe.

Deaths of prosecutors and employees of attorney offices in other districts in the province were yet to be reported, he said. --JP