We help our neighbors

Uli Pandjaitan's reply to Mark Potts' Ignoring American aid (The Jakarta Post, Jan. 13 was well said. I gave a donation to the appeal because they are fellow human beings in trouble, they are also our neighbors.

The vast majority of Australians have given money because they can't sit back and do nothing, like me, they don't care about the religion of the people, the don't care if they get a thank you, they care for the people who have lost loved ones, homes and their means of livelihood, most of all they care about the children because they are parents too.

Like most parents out there in the world I care about the children because without them we don't exist. Australians don't want to take over Indonesia or its religion, there would be mass protests in the streets if our government even suggested that. They are our neighbors and we help our neighbors.

GEOFF TOLE Melbourne, Australia