Number of drought-related deaths rises in Irian Jaya

JAKARTA (JP): The number of drought-related deaths in three Irian Jaya regencies rose to 271 yesterday as haze continued to hinder relief operations to the disaster-stricken area.

Minister of Social Services Inten Soeweno said after meeting President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace that 253 people had died in the Jayawijaya regency, 11 in the Merauke regency, and seven from the Puncak Jaya regency.

Seventy-three other people were being treated by doctors in Merauke, she said.

Inten said the government had sent food, medical supplies and other relief to the area.

"Relief has been dispatched to the location despite the very difficult terrain. We will continue to watch and monitor," she said.

Inten said Soeharto suggested people come down from the mountains if relief could not reach them.

A staff from a humanitarian social group in Wamena said yesterday thick haze forced authorities in Jayawijaya, a remote area of rugged mountains and heavy jungle, to delay air operations to relieve several drought-stricken villages.

Food and water has been dispatched by air.

World Vision Indonesia's Sukoyo told The Jakarta Post that if the conditions permitted air operations to Kuyawage village, Jayawijaya, would resume today with planes provided by the Mission Aviation Fellowship.

The heavy smoke which has hampered relief operations is from the widespread forest fires in surrounding areas.

The fires have spread to several parts of Irian Jaya including the Lorentz national park.

The fire has destroyed up to 80,000 hectares of forest in Irian Jaya alone.

Sukoyo said the Kuyawage village was targeted because it was one of the villages worst hit by this year's drought.

"Many villagers there have been eating withered cassava because their farms have been parched by the frost," he said.

Meanwhile, Jayawijaya Regent JB Wenas said this year's dry season had also caused Jayawijaya's vegetable crops to fail, affecting supply to the provincial capital Jayapura.

Wenas was quoted by Antara, as saying the regency's entire agricultural crop was doomed if the drought continued for another three months.

The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency expects the wet season in Irian Jaya to come late.

Wenas said the dire situation had prompted him to call for help from other provinces.

The head of the Jayapura logistics agency, Tubagus Husaen, promised Tuesday there would be no famine in Wamena because the town had 1,400 tons of rice stored.

Tubagus said the town had enough rice to feed Jayawijaya's 50,000 people for the next four-and-a-half months.

He said the agency would add an extra 3,000 tons.

"But the additional stock has no connection with the famine in the area," he was quoted by Antara as saying. (prb/aan)

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