Oxfam accuses world leaders of indifference on RI

Oxfam accuses world leaders of indifference on RI

WASHINGTON (AFP): The international aid agency Oxfam has
warned that Indonesia, struggling with debt and drought, faces a
four-fold increase in poverty this year and accused world leaders
of indifference.

The agency based its dire prediction on "the savage effects of
the economic crisis, which has triggered rising unemployment,
soaring prices and food shortages".

A statement here charged that Asian and European political
leaders planning to meet in London from April 2 to April 4 had
done "too little to protect Indonesia's poor people from the
impact of the economic crisis".

It said the failure of this year's harvest, in response to a
prolonged drought, would force Indonesia to import eight million
tons of rice -- a burden that will cost US$5 billion.

Oxfam reported that in West Timor, 75 percent of the families
are down to one meal a day, which is frequently of putak, the
bark of a tree normally used as cattle feed.

According to the latest official data, in 1996 the number of
Indonesian poor was 22.6 million or 11.3 percent of the
population.

The agency appealed to the International Monetary Fund,
leading industrialized nations and the Indonesian government to
take immediate measures, including the provision of funding for
emergency food aid and public works projects in the poorest
districts.

It also recommended that claims of foreign commercial banks be
rescheduled and where necessary reduced.

The United States announced Tuesday that it was providing $56
million in food and medical assistance to Indonesia.

In addition, the World Bank has called an international
meeting of Indonesian creditors on April 1 to discuss additional
measures.

From Tokyo, Antara reported that Japan would grant 3 billion
yen ($23 million) in humanitarian aid to Indonesia to fulfill the
promise made by Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto during
his visit to Jakarta last March 15.

The aid will come in the form of food, milk and medical
supplies, the Japanese Foreign Ministry's director general for
press and public information, Sadaaki Numata, announced
yesterday.

This is Japan's second aid package to Indonesia this month
after the 1.02 billion yen it granted on March 6 to help the
country purchase medical supplies.

Japan has also extended emergency aid to Indonesia in the form
of medical supplies and equipment worth more than 1 billion yen.

Numata said the Japanese government had been following the
monetary crisis in Indonesia which had caused the rupiah to
plummet against the U.S. dollar, thus raising the prices of
various commodities including chemical products and other raw
materials for drugs, milk and other basic needs.

The situation had prompted the Japanese government to grant
the additional 3 billion yen, he said.

Numata said the aid would be sent to Indonesia as soon as
possible.