Police aid for Merapi victims

JAKARTA (JP): The City Police Force is sending rice, blankets, cloth, instant noodles and salted fish to help villagers near Mt. Merapi in Central Java to be able to celebrate Christmas Day.

The aid arranged by the City Police Committee for Christmas Celebration was transported by two police trucks.

The aid consisted of two tons of rice, 850 blankets, 960 pieces of cloth, 980 boxes of instant noodles and 200 kilograms of salted fish.

City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad Hindarto witnessed the departure of the trucks.

"We hope the Merapi victims and their relatives will be able to celebrate Christmas Day," Hindarto, who is a Moslem, said. (bsr)