PRESS RELEASE

10/PHM/XII/04

In an effort to facilitate relief operations to aid victims of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatera, the Indonesian Government has issued a twelve-point plan of action.

This plan attaches the utmost priority to the restoration of communication between Jakarta and the affected regions, since the devastation of access communication and transportation lines has been enormous. This has created major obstacles to the extension of relief efforts. The twelve points are as follows:

1. Intensification of the evacuation of victims;

2. Relocation of refugees;

3. Location of missing people or survivors as well as the amassing of bodies;

4. Organization of logistics for the delivery, supply and distribution of and particularly food, medicines, gas and fuel, clothes, tents, sanitation facilities as well as communication and transportation facilities;

5. Restoration of communication infrastructure, in particular between Jakarta and Medan, Sibolga, Banda Aceh, Lhokseumawe, Meulaboh, Biureun, Sigli, Simeuleu, Sabang, and Nias;

6. Reconstruction of cities;

7. Transparent and accountable management of domestic and foreign aid;

8. Proper management of public fund for disaster relief operations;

9. Preservation of law and order;

10. Increase the number of military and police personnel to support disaster relief operations and to restore stability in affected areas;

11. Encouragement of NGO’s participation, including Palang Merah Indonesia (Indonesian Red Cross) and ICRC, in disaster relief operations. The government will also invite certain NGOs to work together to ensure transparent and accountable management of such fund;

12. Assurance of proper and correct conduct of disaster relief operations and maintaining the stability of restoration operations.
At present, the evacuation process constitutes the most important stage of rescue efforts. In light of the situation on the ground, the Government of the Republic of Indonesia has formulated a three-stage action plan to cope with the disaster and its aftermath. This action plan consists of the following:

1. Emergency measures (covering the period December 2004 - January 2005) which will consist of immediate distribution of necessary logistics: food, clothes and other household items, sanitary equipment, mobile medical clinics and medicines; and generator sets and emergency light;

2. Rehabilitation measures during one full year period starting February 2005 to February 2006 that will put rehabilitation of public facilities and services, such as schools, hospitals, water treatment and electrical facilities, telecommunication systems, roads and harbours, houses and government offices, as well as renovation of houses that have suffered minor structural damage as its priority; and

3. Reconstruction measures in 2005-2006 that will encompass the reconstruction of public services and facilities as well as public housing.

New York, 30 December 2004