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.
How much have George Soros and Warren Buffet pledged to send in aid? Oh - wait - they're in favor of population control...
Watch the limousine liberals retreat to their compounds.
At least we don't know for sure that their hearts are filled with hatred.
Oddly, the Indonesian GOVERNMENT estimates 80,000 dead. That's plenty bad enough without nutballs padding the numbers.
One doesn't have to be Christian in order to help others and/or NOT act like a pig on a message board.
Of course not, but charity is more likely to come from Christians, than from the world of Islam!
I do not presume that all members here on FR are Christian, but most probably are... and I will pray for you!
Good to hear it, sukhoi-3Omki. Thanks for writing!
Nobody would come to help us if the US was the one in this disaster. The United States over the past 200 years has donated not only money it didn't have because we are technically pretty much broke but we also gave with the blood of our citizens. Usually not asking for anything in return (except a spot to bury our dead). And hardly ever getting a "thank you" back from anyone.
We usually didn't owe anything to the people we have helped in the past. Aids in Africa? Our problem? Nope! The dictator in Iraq our problem? Nope! What about all these suffering people from this latest disaster? Is there any reason our tax dollars should go to them? No!
Why have we given so much and bled so much in the past for others? As a people we have done so many wonderful and decent things. Why? What belief system has made the American people the kind and generous people we are? Islam? Not a chance? Something the ACLU came up with? No way. Did this behavior come from something the Democrats came up with? LOL! Why are Americans so generous?
I know what the answer is. George Bush knows what the answer is. Too bad so many people around the world don't get it.
My father has a policy of dividing most dramatic statistics he sees by 10.
Therefore, 400,000 probably truly equals 40,000.
An Indonesian official is saying that a city of 150,000 and another of 80,000 have been completely wiped out. No buildings and no peple left. There are also several inhabited islands that have been wiped out.
>>>Oddly, the Indonesian GOVERNMENT estimates 80,000 dead
That's CONFIRMED. There are major towns and islands that have not been reached yet, and reportedly aerial surveying found no indication of survivors.
Many of these people never even have read a newspaper or or seen a television.
I am as anti-Islamonazi as anyone, but come on already.
You don't need to hit me with the "I'll pray for you" guilt trip. I'm Catholic.
But still, my point stands.
Well, now...isn't that special? Fortunately, most Americans don't feel that way, and are happy to help human beings who have suffered a tragedy, regardless of their religion.
don't pray for him, he seems fine. pray for the bastard who is happy they are dead.
Please make that..
"The vast, VAST majority, approaching 100% of humans, with a working brain and/or heart don't feel that way".
???
Of course, you and the victims, their friends and families have our prayers.
I worry that some new influenza bug will exploit the squalor and disarray of all this to make the leap from pig or chicken to human...like a Spanish Flu. Wouldn't that be a nightmare scenario?
If you want to be angry about something, be angry at them for being stupid enough to build back in areas that get hit by tsunamis every few years; be angry that LIFEGUARDS were the ONLY early warning system those same tsunami-prone areas have...but don't withold aid and comfort just because you're angry, and don't tell US not to try to help.
That's just inhuman.
bump...
""The vast, VAST majority, approaching 100% of humans, with a working brain and/or heart don't feel that way". "
Indeed, and help is pouring in from virtually everywhere, and more will come as the death toll mounts. Sadly, there are those who cannot see past their own hatred. There's even one Freeper in this thread who is an Indonesian Catholic and in the middle of this.
Only idiots celebrate the deaths of others who are unknown to them.
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