Norway, Denmark send aid to Irian Jaya

JAKARTA: The Red Cross from Norway and Denmark has sent relief aid for starving people in Irian Jaya, in the form of compact food worth US$177,843 and $148,000 respectively, a Red Cross official said yesterday.

The aid was sent to Timika yesterday along with other international relief packages.

The Indonesian Red Cross and International Commission of Red Cross sent a joint team to Timika and Jayawijaya regencies last week to help local residents.

"Our field study shows that the situation there is very worrying. Most of the (drought) victims died of malaria, respiratory problems, and severe malnutrition," said Soesanto Mangoensadjito from the Indonesian Red Cross. (prb)