 |
|
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
||||||||||
 |
 |
||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ACT AlertIndonesia - 1/04ACT members assist families fleeing volcano in IndonesiaGeneva,
15 June, 2004
Two volcanoes in Indonesia, part of the Pacific "ring of fire," have
become active with the June 9 eruption of Mt. Bromo on Java, which
killed two people, and the eruption the following day of Mt. Awu on
Sangihe Island, North Sulawesi. Few people live in the area immediately around Mt. Bromo, while the
affected population around Mt. Awu is 22,573 people in 6,179 families.
Residents began evacuating in the days before the Mt. Awu eruption,
when the volcano began spewing ash and smoke, and have been moving
to school buildings, offices, halls and private homes in Tahuna, Petta
and Enemawira districts. Mt. Awu is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes. The last eruption
was in August 1966, which caused 34 deaths and widespread damage. Local members of the global alliance Action by Churches Together
(ACT) International have been responding to the needs of the Mt. Awu
evacuees. According to the general secretary of the GMIST (Evangelical
Church in Sangihe and Tahuna) Synod Board, the number of displaced
people is rapidly increasing. The secretary said on June 12 that 19,375
people had been displaced since explosions from Mt. Awu began. The GMIST church president and the local government report that the
immediate needs of the displaced people are food, medicines (for malaria,
diarrhea, flu and cough), mattresses and blankets. The rice stock
in the town on Sangihe Island is limited. In addition to the material assistance being provided by the government,
GMIST congregations are providing food for displaced people. Residents
and congregations in the areas where the displaced people have gone,
together with local government workers, have opened public kitchens
to serve the displaced. The GMIST Synod Board has assembled a team to respond to the emergency.
It will be responsible for monitoring the condition and situation
of the displaced people related to shelter, food, water and sanitation,
health and nutrition, administering the assistance and providing storage
for food, distribution of material aid in cooperation with the government,
and evaluating the response. ACT member Yayasan Tanggul Benkana (YTB) is in contact with its local
partners in the affected areas. It is providing 15 million rupiahs
(approximately US$1,600), which will be sent to the GMIST Synod Board
soon to assist in its efforts. YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU), another ACT member, has also assembled
a team, which will be sent to the affected area in the next few days
when it has more information from the Volcano and Mitigation Department
and from other disaster-response networks already on site. ACT member Church World Service-Indonesia is distributing 3,000 masks
for the displaced people in Tahuna. It is also considering the distribution
of rice and vegetables from the World Food Program to 2,725 displaced
persons through the public kitchens. All ACT members in Indonesia, including SAG Manado (General Synod
of Churches in North and Central Sulawesi) and GMIST Synod Board,
are in close contact with each other as well as with local churches
to coordinate their responses. They are also communicating with the
local government of Sangihe, the PMI (Indonesian Red Cross) and the
volcano expert in the Volcano and Mitigation Department. The ACT CO on June 15 received a joint Rapid Response Fund (RRF)
request from ACT members, YTB, YEU and CWS. These members will be
responsible for the implementation of a one-month emergency response
program in association with their local partners GMIST and CC SAG
in Sangir Talaud and Manado. Program planning will be done jointly.
YTB will act as the overall Coorindator, ensuring that the necessary
documents and reports be submitted to the ACT CO on completion of
the project. The ACT members are planning on assisting vulnerable families within
the displaced community, by distributing basic items such as supplementary
food, medicines, mattresses and masks. Psychosocial assistance in
the form of counselling will also be provided. The members expect
to assist 6,713 people in Tahuna, Tabukan Utar, Tabukan Tengah, Manganitu,
and Manganitu Selatan Districts.
The proposed budget includes: Food items: sugar & green beans - USD 4,106 Total: USD 41,891 ACT CO has started the approval process for the requested RRF. Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jessie
Kgoroeadira, ACT Finance Officer (jkg@act-intl.org).
Thank you. |
|
|
