Tsunami kills 6,800 workers

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

State employment insurance fund PT Jamsostek has allocated more than Rp 100 billion (US$10.5 million) in compensation to the families of 6,800 workers killed by last month's tsunami in Aceh.

Jamsostek president Achmad Djunaidi said Jamsostek had already paid compensation to the relatives of more than 3,000 workers killed in the province.

"We are still making a database of the relatives of the remaining 3,800 workers so that the rest of the compensation can be paid as soon as possible. It is our obligation to pay the money as quickly as we can to help the victims' families," he said, after attending a ceremony where three ambulances were given to the Indonesian Red Cross and military here on Tuesday.

The ambulances will ferry victims to Red Cross and Army field hospitals in Banda Aceh.

Djunaidi said Jamsostek had to pay compensation to more than 3,000 workers of cement factory PT Semen Andalas who were killed by the tsunami while at their workplace. Thousands of other workers in companies covered by Jamsostek, including those in PT Pupuk Iskandar Muda, state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina's offices in Lhokseumawe and pulp mill PT Kertas Aceh in North Aceh, also lost their lives in the disaster.

"Besides paying the insurance compensation, Jamsostek has also donated Rp 4 million in cash to the Aceh provincial administration, and dispatched more than 1,500 body bags, along with nine units of tents, food and medical aid to Aceh and Nias," he said.

Meanwhile, State Minister of State Enterprises Sugiharto praised Jamsostek's work to help the disaster victims, especially workers and their relatives.

"Jamsostek has set a good example. Other state enterprises such as Pertamina, PLN and state plantations should take similar steps to help the rehabilitation efforts so that the Acehnese can one again begin to live normal lives," he said.