U.S. sends naval, medical ships to quake-hit Nias

U.S. sends naval, medical ships to quake-hit Nias

Ridwan M. Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

U.S. Embassy in Jakarta expressed its deep concern over the
latest earthquake tragedy, and stated that the U.S. government
was committed to supporting the recovery and relief efforts in
Nias and Simeulue, two islands greatly affected by Monday's
earthquake.

"The United States has good ties with Indonesia... We are
still coordinating with the Indonesian government on what kind of
relief we can deliver immediately to the affected areas.

"We have provided US$100,000 in preliminary emergency aid to
help children and for other purposes in the two islands. We have
been coordinating with two international non governmental
organizations and sent a five-member medical team to help injured
survivors," U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Lynn B. Pascoe said.

He added that the U.S. government would likely provide heavy
equipment such as helicopters, communications, logistical support
and resources if the Indonesian government needed them to conduct
the relief and recovery operations.

Pascoe confirmed that USNS Mercy left East Timor on Wednesday
bound for Nias if it was needed to provide medical aid to injured
survivors in the area.

Over the last three months since the tragic tsunami, the
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and
other U.S. government agencies had been working closely with the
Indonesian government to provide relief and other assistance to
disaster victims in Aceh.

The Navy hospital ship conducted a wide range of medical and
dental assistance programs ashore and afloat. To date, USAID has
provided more than $52.1 million in emergency food assistance,
relief supplies, shelter, water and sanitation, health and other
support for affected communities in northern Sumatra.

The U.S. had deployed 16,000 military personnel, 26 ships, 58
helicopters and 43 fixed wing aircraft in that relief and
recovery effort.

Meanwhile, the AFP reported from Washington that the U.S. had
dispatched naval and medical ships in a bid to help stricken
victims of the latest killer earthquake in Indonesia.

"Today, the U.S. naval ships and the medical ships, Niagara
Falls and Mercy, are proceeding to the region, should their
assistance be necessary," U.S. State Department spokesman Adam
Ereli told reporters.

The Australian and Singapore militaries are helping Indonesia
with relief and recovery efforts while the United States and
Japan had offered military assistance and awaiting the green
light from Jakarta.

Just before the latest disaster, Indonesia had urged all
foreign militaries that had been providing aid to victims of the
Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia's Aceh province to
leave.