Posted on 12/30/2004 10:01:15 AM PST by Keith Burwell
Indonesia Needs Help, Death Toll Expected To Exceed 400,000 Thu Dec 30 2004 12:52:01 ET
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- The death toll in Acheh, the region worst hit by last Sunday's tsunami, may exceed 400,000 as many affected areas could still not be reached for search and rescue operations, Indonesia's Ambassador to Malaysia Drs H. Rusdihardjo said Thursday.
He said the estimate was based on air surveillance by Indonesian authorities who found no signs of life in places like Meulaboh, Pulau Simeulue and Tapak Tuan while several islands off the west coast of Sumatera had "disappeared".
He said the latest death toll of more than 40,000 in Acheh and northern Sumatera did not take into account the figures from the other areas, especially in the west of the region.
"Aerial surveillance found the town of Meulaboh completely destroyed with only one buiding standing. The building, which belonged to the military, happens to be on a hill," he told reporters after receiving RM1 million in aid for Indonesia's Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund here Thursday.
Rusdihardjo said there were about 150,000 residents in Meulaboh, which was located 150km from the epicentre of the earthquake while Pulau Simeuleu had a population of 76,000.
The contributions were from several corporate giants.
Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), represented by Chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, gave RM200,000; Guthrie, represented by Chief Executive Officer Datuk Abdul Wahab Maskan, gave RM200,000; Golden Hope Plantations Berhad, represented by Group Director for Corporate, Legal and Public Affairs Norlin Abdul Samad, gave RM200,000; Maybank, represented by Head of Public Affairs Wan Norhiyati Ibrahim, gave RM200,000 and Sime Darby Group's Motor Division, represented by Director Yip Jon Khiam, also gave RM200,000.
Ahmad Sarji also handed over a PNB contribution to Utusan's Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund, which was received by Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Executive Chairman Tan Sri Hashim Makarudin to help Malaysian tsunami victims.
Ambassador Rusdihardjo said a combination of earthquake and tsunami had left 80 to 100 per cent of infrastructure in Acheh province, such as hospitals, health centres, transport and communication networks and homes, destroyed.
"Looking at the scale of destruction, it's difficult to say when the search and rescue operations can be mounted in all affected areas," he said.
He said rescue efforts were hampered by transportation difficulties and lack of fuel.
Rusdihardjo said that at this time international help, especially in the form of medicines, clean water, food and clothing, were desperately needed by Indonesia to aid survivors in Acheh.
"Now we are worried about the outbreak of diseases such as cholera, the work of disposing corpses and the absence of clean water following the contamination of water sources," he said.
What on earth are you talking about? What he said was *true*
Let's wait until the 400,000 number is confirmed. The numbers of confirmed dead are bad enough, and right now, every agency that is capable is doing everything humany possible (that precludes the UN and all of it's whining sub-agencies) to help as much as is physically possible.
It's disgraceful... On a thread where there may or may not be over a million region-wide deaths, this type of stuff is beyond poor taste. It's an absolute disgrace, just like those who were making tasteless jokes about the tsunami on other threads.
Please accept my deepest and most heartfelt sympathies for you, your friends, and all who are affected by this tragedy. It is truly a catastrophe of epic proportions. I am glad some of you came out ok, and I grieve for all who have perished or are missing.
Today is sorrowful and terrible, as the scope of this tragedy comes into focus. Tomorrow will be another day. There will be brighter days ahead, and you have to believe that. Time will heal the wounds, eventually.
Please understand that there are millions of decent people in this world who care very deeply about each and every one of you, and we will do the best we can as human beings to help. Just hang on a little bit longer.
Hang in there, FRiend.
That is fine, but I do not wish one person to perish that is innocent the same way I don't want any member of your family to perish who considers Islam the enemy.
I want to take out our enemies out as much as anyone, but children and farmers are not our enemies.
Our aid to those people who would wish harm to us is what distinguishes us from them. I, for one, do not wish to win this war by turning into one of them for then they have won.
"Love your enemies," the Man said.
In my duck blind!
I don't believe all muslims are bad (All 1.6 billion of them). I don't believe all are "Blood thirsty animals" like the ones that attack us (Or support those attacks) like the terrorists do.
If they were, they would be the most "Undermotivated" 1.6 billion people ever.
(In other words, if they were all bad, America would be a smoldering heap, and it's not).
It's sarcasm. Labeling all Muslims as bloodthirsty animals would mean that a lot of them must be undermotivated when one considers the percentage that are not terrorists.
Many of these PEOPLE may be Buddhists or Hindus or Christians.
Your comment is the most cold hearted thing I have ever seen on Free Republic.
No.
Newborns died in this tragedy. Either you agree with that poster's hatred (Towards ALL muslims), or you don't.
You agreed with him.
D@mn.
Very well explained!!
No one's advocating becoming a Muslim out of sympathy for these people. But suffering is suffering, and the people of Indonesia have been suffering at the hands of radical Islamists (by the way) perhaps more than any other nation on earth.
But to convict every man, woman, and child for their religious affiliation smacks deeply of... oh... Bin Laden's mentality.
You won't 'turn into one of them' until you have the prayer carpet out and you're pointing towards mecca 5 times a day. So I wouldn't worry.
Exactly, well said
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.