[Marinir] Indonesia Digest No: 17.06 ; 29 - 05 - '06

[Yap Hong Gie]

INDONESIA DIGEST

Indonesia's complex Issues in a Nutshell
By: Ms. Wuryastuti Sunario
Published by: TBSC-Strategic Communication
No.: 17.06 - Dated: 29 May 2006

Our condolences and deepest sympathies to the victims of the Yogyakarta 
Earthquake

In this issue:

BREAKING NEWS:
THE SATURDAY MORNING QUAKE THAT KILLED MORE THAN 4,000

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BREAKING NEWS:

THE SATURDAY MORNING QUAKE THAT KILLED MORE THAN 4,000

For weeks now inhabitants in the ancient city of Yogyakarta, in the densely 
populated heart of Java, had been looking north with fear, for Mt. Merapi 
had threatened to erupt any moment now. Emergency preparedness efforts had 
been meticulously set in place along threatened slopes, from emergency 
bunkers to evacuation sites, tents, clinics, foodstuff distribution, trucks, 
inspections, even to locations where to evacuate cattle to: all was ready 
for the eruption of Mount Merapi.  But, man proposes and God disposes.

For, completely unexpected, disaster struck from the south, from the 
Indonesian Ocean floor.  On Saturday morning, 27 May, at exactly  05.54 am 
local time, a tectonic earthquake measuring 5.9 (other sources mention 6.2) 
on the Richter Scale, rattled the area for almost one minute (other reports 
say five minutes) as the city was just awakening from sleep. Soon, in the 
bright morning sun, thousands of houses were seen reduced to rubble. People 
were running in panic screaming or crying in pain or stunned unable to move.

Then, throngs ran up streets, trying to flee to higher ground fearing a 
tsunami. For, as the sea level was seen rising, rumour of an oncoming 
tsunami had created even more panic. Motorbikes and cars filled roads to 
escape the city. But, up north towards the mountains, at the same moment, 
Mt. Merapi was coming to life again, spewing threatening smoke, blowing 
large clouds high into the air and throwing down rains of ash over towns and 
countryside. Had Merapi erupted, had it caused the quake?

Thankfully, however, soon the Geological Office assured that no tsunami was 
created by the quake, thus calming all. And, since the earthquake was 
tectonic, which was caused by the collision between the Indo-Australia plate 
and the Eurasia plate, the quake had no direct connection with the Merapi 
volcano. Volcanologists , however, warned that the powerful quake could 
disturb the lava dome sitting precariously atop the crater, which could 
collapse and avalanche down the slopes at any moment, causing another 
disaster.
And so, at the end of one day of exhausting rescue operations, more than 
three thousand people were counted dead and thousands more injured. All the 
hospitals in Yogyakarta and surroundings were completely overwhelmed and way 
over capacity, no longer able to handle the dead and wounded, many victims 
had fractured bones and more were bleeding profusely. Blood supply, 
medicines, bandages, had run out. In the evening, Yogyakarta Governor, 
Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, called on all hospitals on Java to help out, as 
victims were attended to lying on straw mats, plastic sheets or newspapers 
on hallway floors or in hospital driveways and gardens, with some drips 
hanging from trees.

Meanwhile, in Yogya's southern suburb of Bantul, which is located closest - 
at a mere six kilometer- to the quake's epicenter, the town was completely 
flattened, with no house left standing. For houses and buildings here are 
not built to withstand quakes. Along Yogya's main street, Malioboro, tens of 
shophouses were cracked or roofs collapsed. The airport of Adisucipto was 
closed immediately, as its roof in the domestic terminal had collapsed onto 
the floor, electricity was down and computers broken. Parts of its runway 
had cracked and sunk. The last flight out of Yogyakarta was a Garuda 
Indonesia plane that took off minutes before the quake.  Power lines had 
also fallen down in parts of the city and phone communications was 
difficult.

President Yudhoyono was quick to response. Eve before noon that fateful 
Saturday, the President and entourage of Ministers directly involved with 
disaster relief, had flown to the stricken city of Yogyakarta, a 45-minutes 
flight from the capital. Consoling the wounded and homeless, the President 
there and then decided to personally oversee disaster relief operations 
himself, staying in Yogyakarta for a number of days. He also immediately 
ordered the military to provide logistics and personnel, help with 
evacuation of the living and search for the dead and wounded from under the 
rubble of thousands of homes. Vice-President, Jusuf Kalla, meanwhile, was 
entrusted with coordination of relief operations in Jakarta. In a press 
conference, VP Jusuf Kalla informed that help had been pledged by a number 
of countries. Singapore will send US$ 50 million in medicines, tents, 
blankets and military medical personnel; China has pledged US$ 2 million, 
Canada US$ 1.8 million, Saudi Arabia US$5 million in medicines and 
logistics, The United States US$ 2.5 million, Japan Yen 100 million, Holland 
Euro 1 million, and the UNICEF 2,000 tents and 9,000 pieces of tarpaulin.

On Suday, the second day after the deadly earthquake, the immediate problem 
became: how to distribute food, drinking water and clothing to the thousands 
of evacuees who lost all except the clothing on their bodies? Worst still, 
with a shortage of tents, many evacuees had to sit in the open air 
unprotected, when rain drenched the city.

Meantime, Yogyakarta's economic life had come to a near a standstill as 
people tried to recover from the shock, assemble their wits and whatever may 
be left of their scarce belongings among the ruins that was once their home. 
For, more than 200,000 are reported to have lost their homes and belongings 
with nowhere to go and nothing to eat. And so, by the end of the second day, 
on Sunday, the body count mounted to over 4, 000 dead.
The official count is 4,661 dead. But, Coordinating Minister for Welfare, 
Aburizal Bakrie, expects the number to reach closer to 5,000.

Indonesian Geological experts said that the earthquake that struck 
Yogyakarta had a strength of 6.2 MMI (Modified Mercally Intensity) or equal 
to 5.9 on the Richter scale. Its epicenter was located some 38 km. south 
west of the city of Yogyakarta, close to shore,  at a depth of 33 km below 
the surface, with tremors moving south-west to north-east.

Of the historic sites surrounding Yogyakarta, the 9th. century Buddhist 
temple Borobudur was so far reported unscathed, although there are fears 
that its foundation and structure may have been affected. Nonetheless, the 
9th century Prambanan Hindu temple, meaning "The Slender Maiden", due north 
east of Yogyakarta in the district of Klaten has been damaged, with sections 
of stones of the main Siva temple part having fallen off. But, worst damage 
was suffered by the adjacent temple dedicated to the Lord Brahma. The 
Prambanan temple is said to have been completed in the year 856 AD. The 
nearby 9th. century Buddhist temples of Sewu and Plaosan are reported to 
have also suffered damage.

In the city of Yogyakarta itself, the Justice Pavilion in the Keraton or 
Palace of the Sultan, known as the "Traju Mas" had collapsed, causing people 
to whisper: "is this a symbol that Justice in the country has collapsed?" 
Next to the Keraton, parts of the newly renovated "Taman Sari" water palace 
has also been badly damaged.

The Keraton of Yogyakarta was designed and built  by Yogya's founder, Sri 
Sultan Hamengkubuwono I, in stages between 1756 and 1790. Designed along the 
ancient Hindu-Javanese concept of the cosmos, the Keraton or Palace faces 
North-South. To the north it faces Mount Merapi, and to its South the 
Indian, or Indonesian ocean. Celebrations move north, while funeral 
processions pass through the southern gates. The wild Indonesian ocean is 
believed to be the abode of the "Queen of the South Seas" otherwise known as 
"Ni Loro Kidul", believed to be the Consort of the Sultans.

The Sultan himself, however, believes that this concept holds the basic 
philosophy understood by the Keraton of Yogyakarta, namely that royal 
governance must look to God and dedicate its rule to the Almighty, while its 
government must be very much rooted in the interest of the people, and live 
and govern for the welfare of her subjects. The Traju Mas pavilion in the 
Keraton is, nonetheless, indeed a symbol that justice must be upheld.
.
As to the extent of damage suffered by tourist facilities and hotels, no 
news or data have as yet been received.   The Adisucipto Airport is expected 
to be re-opened for commercial flights by Monday, 29 May. However, trains to 
and from Yogyakarta have continued services.

Recovery Efforts

On Sunday, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, declared the province of Yogyakarta 
under Emergency situation between five to seven days, as the local 
government assist those wounded, in medical and food needs and bury the 
dead. Total damage will be assessed and total financial reconstruction needs 
determined.

Meanwhile, national government assessed that Yogyakarta will need a total of 
Rp. 1 trillion for emergency relief during 3 months, and reconstruction and 
rehabilitation efforts within one year.

In the Emergency stage, Rp. 20.7 billion for the first three months is 
needed to buy foodstuff, Rp. 1 billion for basic furniture and cooking 
utensils for 10,000 families; and Rp. 5 billion for clothing. Rp. 20 billion 
is allocated to purchase 20,000 tents, Rp. 6.25 billion to purchase 25 
mobile water tanks, Rp. 500 million to buy 1,000 mobile toilets, and Rp. 5 
billion for lighting. Another Rp. 25 billion is earmarked to buy foodstuff 
for the following 3 months.

For reconstruction purposes, Rp. 35 million is allocated to rebuild 10,000 
heavily damaged  houses at Rp. 350 billion, and Rp. 250 billion for 10,000 
lightly damaged houses. Rp. 200 billion  is allocated to reconstruct 200 
schools at Rp. 500 million each, Rp. 50 billion to repair government 
buildings and Rp. 50 billion to repair damaged mosques and churches.

WHERE CAN YOU SEND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ? :

What are needed? The Regent of Bantul has pleaded for tents. There is also 
an immediate need for blankets, drinking water, clothing, milk for babies, 
jerry cans to fill water, candles, torch lights, mats, women's sanitary 
napkins, and home medicines against headaches, stomach aches, muscle aches, 
etc.  Hospitals need blood supply, antibiotics, medicines for drips, body 
bags, gauze for bandages. Most help so far have been for adults. There is an 
urgent need for infants' and children's food and clothing.

Money is of course welcome. Almost all of Indonesia's Television stations 
and newspapers have opened a relief account. Most active are Metro TV, ANTV, 
Indosiar and RCTI.

Kompas Account is: PT Kompas Media Nusantara/Dana Kemanusiaan Kompas, at 
Bank BNI Jakarta Kota, No. 14132840; Bank BCA Gajah Mada branch, no.: 
012300577.2 and Bank Mandiri at Plaza Mandiri Branch, no.: 07-000-777-8888.

Metro TV/Media Indonesia: to Media Televisi Indonesia at BCA Bank, Puri 
Indah branch, no. 288.3015959, or Bank Mandiri Pondok Indah Mal branch, 
account no. 101-000-277777. While medicines, foodstuffs and others can be 
delivered to: Media Group Komplex Delta Kedoya, Jalan Pilar Raya Kav. A-D, 
Kedoya Selatan, Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta.

(Sources: Metro TV, ANTV, Kompas, Media Indonesia, Bisnis Indonesia )  (Tuti 
Sunario)
For your comments or further inquiries, please e-mail to: 
tbsc-strategy at indo.net.id
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