Slow relief operation upsets quake victims

Slow relief operation upsets quake victims

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Tension mounted among local
officials in Irian Jaya yesterday over the slow pace of the
government's operation to send relief aid to the victims of
Saturday's devastating earthquake off Biak Island.

Officials in Jayapura admitted that the dispatch of the relief
aid had been slow, but this was chiefly because of poor
transportation facilities rather than lack of stocks.

On Wednesday, Biak Regency Chief Amandus Masnembra complained
at what he saw as the slow response from government agencies in
Jayapura to the needs of the islanders.

Biak took the brunt of the earthquake, which measured 7.0 on
the Richter scale. More than 2,000 houses on the island were
demolished by the tremor, or by the huge tidal waves that swept
many coastal villages in the north and south of the island.

Several smaller islands near Biak were believed to have been
affected although the extent of damage is not immediately clear
because they have been cut off from the rest of the world.

In Manokwari, the main town on Irian Jaya's Bird's Head
region, more than 3,600 lost their homes in the tidal waves.

By last night, the death toll from the earthquake was put at
96 with the number expected to rise. More than 50 people are
still missing. Another 43 were being treated with serious injury.

Government officials estimate that as many as 10,000 people
are homeless.

As many as 150 fishing boats were destroyed.

Most of Biak was without electricity because the hydropower
plant was out of order.

Budi Subianto, deputy chief of the Irian Jaya Health Office,
said the relief operation should be supported by helicopters
because they were the only means of reaching villages on Biak and
smaller islands around it. "But not a single helicopter has been
made available," he said.

Given the current monsoon, officials in Biak were not willing
to take the risk of sailing to the smaller islands, he said.

His office has contacted the Mission Aviation Fellowship which
runs several aircraft from Wamena, to take part in the
distribution of relief supplies. The Australian embassy in
Jakarta, which has financed many health projects in Irian Jaya,
has also been approached for help, he added.

Chief of the Irian Jaya Social Services Office Sukirdiyono
took particular offense at the accusation made by Amandus
Masnembra, which was widely published by the media yesterday.

"We've done a lot, yet he felt it was inadequate," Sukirdiyono
said, adding that the remarks "really hurt".

He said however that Amandus has apologized for the remarks.

The Irian Jaya Social Services Office has sent 20 tons of
rice, three large tents, kitchen utensils, plastic mats, kerosene
lamps, cooking stoves, and clothes, he said. They were sent by a
Hercules transport airplane to Biak.

"We badly need more tents because many people were left
homeless," he said.

The health authorities in Jayapura have also sent doctors and
medicines to Biak.

Captain Cipuk of the Biak military command confirmed yesterday
that the relief supplies had arrived and were being distributed
by troopers.

Budi Subianto of the Health Office said he feared outbreaks of
diarrhea and upper respiratory infections among the islanders
because most of them do not have access to clean water.

"The well waters on the island have been contaminated. People
have to make do with water from the river and whatever they can
collect from the rain."

Meanwhile, residents in Biak said yesterday that islanders
were trying to restart the economy, with many people reporting to
work and shops resuming their trade.

There were also long queues at gasoline stations, they said.

The disaster has also destroyed many on-going community
projects, including one run by the Rumsam Biak Foundation for the
development of a "people-tourism" project.

Binny Buchori, who works as a consultant for the project, said
the 1,000 participating beneficiaries of the project on the
Padaido islands east of Biak have lost everything in the
disaster, from their homes to all their belongings.

"We've postponed the project. Now we're focusing our attention
on rehabilitation programs," she said. (prs/emb/Binny Buchori)