Slovakia to build school in Banda Aceh

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Slovakia, a small Central European nation, is planning to build a US$200,000 school in a tsunami-affected area of Banda Aceh, Slovakian Ambassador to Indonesia Peter Holasek said in Jakarta.

"Slovakia's Red Cross with the help of the government (Slovakian) has decided to build a two-story school building in Banda Aceh. We have already consulted with Indonesian authorities. We have already prepared the plan and are now looking for a credible contractor to build the school," Ambassador Holasek told a gathering of senior journalists and diplomats, including Czech Ambassador to Indonesia Jaroslav Vesely, on Thursday.

The Czech and Slovak republics were formerly one country -- Czechoslovakia. On Jan. 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia split into two states: The Czech Republic and Slovakia, in a peaceful manner during what has been termed the "Velvet Revolution."

Slovakia, whose government donated $1.2 million to Indonesia and other tsunami-affected countries, has also sent a medical team -- consisting of doctors and nurses -- to Aceh.

"Our medical team will be in Aceh as long as it is needed. We will rotate the team members from time to time," Holasek, who speaks fluent Indonesian, said.

Slovakia, a country with 5 million people, has also collected 40 tons of in-kind aid, including food, medicine, tents and electrical generators, and will be sending it very soon to Indonesia.

The Slovakian people and companies also raised several million dollars in donations for tsunami victims.