President orders continued efforts to put out fires

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto told ministers yesterday to continue efforts to extinguish forest fires and thanked the international community for their assistance in facing the disaster.

The President said government officials should learn from the situation to prepare the nation for a repeat of a prolonged dry season in the future.

"The President appreciates and expresses his gratitude, especially for the international assistance, because this is a reflection of their understanding of the problem we are facing," State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said after a monthly cabinet meeting on economic affairs at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Soeharto apologized again Sunday to neighboring countries affected by the haze caused by Indonesian brush and forest fires. He first apologized last month.

Malaysia has been particularly active in assisting Indonesia fight forest fires. It sent a team of 1,200 firefighters to Sumatra and Kalimantan to join an estimated 50,000 troops, firefighters, and other volunteers to put out the forest fires.

Australia donated A$1 million to tackle health problems caused by the haze. Japan sent 300 portable water cannons and a supply of medical equipment.

South Korea donated US$100,000 and the British government donated $70,000 to help fire victims.

It was reported yesterday that New Zealand will provide Indonesia with US$200,000 in assistance for combating the bush fires and its aftermath, Foreign Minister Don McKinnon said. The aid, in the form of tools and equipment, will be made available through the United Nations Department for Humanitarian Affairs, coordinator of aid to Indonesia.

Separately, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas strongly denied the suggestion that Indonesia was not serious in handling the fires.

"Forest fires in Australia are much bigger than here, but because the fires do not disturb anyone then it does not become headlines in the newspapers," Alatas said before the cabinet meeting.

He also ruled out reports that the haze caused by the fires had became a source of conflict among other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"There is a deep understanding among ASEAN governments, although there has been some negative reports in Thailand press and criticism from small groups in Malaysia," Alatas added.

Firefighters

Meanwhile, AP reported from Kuala Lumpur that Malaysian firefighters battling the forest fires in Indonesia will be replaced in stages.

The news agency quoted Housing and Local Government Minister Ting Chew Peh as saying yesterday the decision was taken because "the government is very concerned about the well-being of our firefighters there and also that of their families".

He said the replacement would begin in the next few days.

The Malaysian firefighters left for Indonesia on Sept. 24 to help fight fires that are blamed for the haze blanketing several countries, including Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and the Philippines.

Ting said the number of Malaysian firefighters in Kalimantan would be increased from 200 to about 500 while the number in Sumatra would be reduced from 1,000 to less than 800.

He also said the Malaysians were successful in putting out 80 percent of the fires in the areas assigned to them.

The dispatch coincided with an Antara report that some of the 352 Malaysian firefighters assigned to four regencies in Jambi have started to suffer from fever, coughing, colds and skin irritations.

The chief for the team in Jambi, Nik Zulkifli, attributed the ailments to changes in weather and the shortage of water for bathing and drinking. "This is usual because they work in the jungle, so they are vulnerable to disease," he said, adding that a medical team had been sent for.

He said the team also brought additional food supplies from Malaysia.

Along with their Indonesian counterparts, troops and police, the Malaysian firefighters slept either in tents near the raging fires or in base camps of local logging and plantation companies.

From London, AFP reported that two Royal Air Force Canberra aircraft equipped with infrared detection systems will head for Indonesia this week to help trace the source of fires which have caused an environmental disaster in Southeast Asia.

It was announced Tuesday the operation was being launched in response to a United Nations request for equipment to pinpoint the location of the fires.

Local conditions, particularly smog and thick haze, make it impossible to locate the fires on the ground. Even satellite technology does not provide sufficient data to accurately locate the source of the fires, the report said.

The Canberras from RAF Marham, Norfolk, are fitted with Infrared Linescan equipment which can see through cloud and smoke to locate heat sources.

The RAF Canberras will be based in Jakarta with three crew members and 40 support staff.

From Banda Aceh came a report that thick smoke still blanketed the capital of Aceh, despite the heavy rain since Tuesday morning. Visibility around the Sultan Iskandarmuda Airport was three kilometers, safe enough for normal flight activities, according to the airport's meteorology office.

Daily activities could go on as usual, however.

In Palembang, South Sumatra, visibility of only 30 meters forced dozens of boats and ships to delay entering the Boom Baru Port. Several other ships had to delay their trip because of poor visibility.

In Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, three airlines -- PT DAS, Merpati and Mandala -- are ready to start operations again because the successful efforts to put out forest fires has improved visibility.

In Jakarta, Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto said almost all airports in Sumatra and Kalimantan were reopened as weather improved steadily.

"Jambi airport, however, is still closed because the situation is still not improving," Haryanto said. (prb/swe)