PACIFIC DISASTER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION NETWORK (PDMIN)
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Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Update

 

January 24, 2005

 

Note: New content has been inserted in red, italicized, bold font.

 

 

 

Table of Contents:

 

Overview......................................page 2-6

Indonesia.....................................page 7-18

Sri Lanka......................................page 19-28

Thailand.......................................page 29-35

Overview

 

·      Search and rescue operations for last month’s (December 26) massive tsunamis are largely over. The overall focus of attention is relief, recovery and rehabilitation. The death toll from tsunamis triggered by an undersea earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale off the west coast of Indonesia’s northern Sumatra Island, is now over 228,000 people along the coastal areas of 11 countries in the Indian Ocean. Tsunami-related deaths have been reported in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Maldives, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya. The loss of life is particularly severe in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. The death toll in Indonesia’s northern province of Aceh on the island of Sumatra, which was close to the epicenter of the earthquake, climbed to more than 173,981, with tens of thousands people still unaccounted for. WHO estimates 80 percent of Aceh’s west coast was damaged. The death toll in Sri Lanka climbed to 38,000 and is expected to go higher. In India, at least 10,672 died. India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the southern state of Tamil Nadu were the worst-hit areas. The death toll on Thailand’s west coast, including the resort islands of Phuket and Phi Phi, climbed to over 5,300, including some 1,765 foreigners from at least 36 countries. More than 400 combined deaths have been reported in Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Maldives, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya. Preliminary costs are: Indonesia – US$4.5 billion, Sri Lanka - US$3.5 billion, India - US$2 billion, Thailand - US$235 million and Maldives at US$1.3 billion. The world’s largest reinsurer, Munich Re, estimates the total cost of the disaster will exceed US$13.6 billion.

 

·      Coordination: The United States and a number of other militaries and agencies are operating out of and coordinating at Thailand’s Utapao Royal Thai Air Force Base, about 100 miles (161 km) south of Bangkok. The US Combined Support Force 536 (CSF 536), Combined Coordination Center (CCC), which is comprised of liaison officers from Australia, UK, Japan, Thailand and Singapore, and a Civil-Military Coordination Cell, are operating. USAID DART representatives are present, as is the UNOCHA coordinator in Thailand. 1,200 US troops are on the ground. Additionally, the US and perhaps others are using the base for transshipment of relief supplies. Work continues on refining the process humanitarian organizations use to request military transport.

 

o      Lieutenant General Robert Blackman, commander of Combined Support Force (CSF 536), said “conditions for transition” have been met in both Thailand and Sri Lanka. Lieutenant General Blackman planned to officially disband CSF-Thailand on January 22, pending concurrence by US Ambassador to Thailand Ralph Boyce. Blackman also plans to phase out CSF-Sri Lanka by January 29.

 

·      Logistics: A number of logistics challenges remain, despite progress. Thailand is in good shape. In Sri Lanka, transport capacity to move relief supplies is improving, as are distribution mechanisms. The need for helicopters is diminishing as more areas become accessible by road. In Indonesia, backlogs at Banda Aceh airport and nearby Medan airport are diminishing with increased humanitarian coordination and the opening of airport facilities on Weh Island and in neighboring Singapore and Malaysia. Tracking and prioritization systems for humanitarian cargo and military airlift are being developed. Indonesian military (TNI) control of Banda Aceh and Medan airports and control of humanitarian and military access have been challenges for relief efforts. UNJLC has teams in Banda Aceh, Medan, Jakarta, and Colombo as well as liaison officers to work with the US military. Roads are now open to Meulaboh on the west coast of Aceh, but the road south from Banda Aceh is closed for perhaps a month as TNI effects repairs. (Jan-18, OCHA, US DoD)

 

o      The UN is using Malaysia’s Subang Airport, near the capital Kuala Lumpur, as its regional Humanitarian Air Hub (SHAH). SHAH is jointly managed by WFP, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) and UNJLC. Cargo is airlifted to either Banda Aceh or Medan, or transported for dispatch by ship. UNJLC recommends all international relief flights land in Subang, and then further dispatch the cargo by smaller aircraft to Banda Aceh and Medan. The UN plans to continue to use SHAH as its priority-one dispatch center for all freight and will keep it as a strategic hub until the end of February. An assessment will be carried out in mid-February to determine whether the hub should be kept longer. (Jan-21, UNJLC)

 

o      Agencies with cargo loads too small to charter an aircraft can now complete a cargo request form available at UNJLC’s website. UNJLC will collate these loads for common chartering. (Jan-21, UNJLC)

 

·      Food: Jan Egeland, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, says at least 1.6 million people affected by the disaster are in need of food aid. UN’s World Food Program (WFP) has already delivered some 9,744 metric tons of food in affected countries. WFP is currently assisting 1,100,000 people with food in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar, Thailand and Somalia. WFP says it has received US$81.9 million or one-third of its US$256 million emergency appeal. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates 2 million people in 12 countries affected by the tsunami disaster are in need of food assistance. FAO says despite local losses, overall food availability in the region is adequate to cover needs. FAO recommends local purchases of food, where possible, to meet food aid requirements. The agency is working to rehabilitate fisheries and agriculture in affected countries.

 

o      WFP says as of Friday (January 21), it has provided 14,800 tons of food to some 1.43 million people in tsunami-affected countries. WFP estimates some 2 million people are in need of food assistance in the aftermath of last month’s tsunami. It is currently carrying out Emergency Needs Assessments (ENA) in Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. WFP says it will run out of wheat, sugar and rice by April if additional donor support is not secured. The agency is seeking US$256 million to fund its operations. (Jan-21, WFP, UNJLC)

 

o      WFP says it is currently feeding some 400,000 people in Indonesia’s Aceh province, adding that some 200,000 people were still not receiving adequate food. WFP has begun food shipments via a chartered vessel to the island of Simuelue, Meulaboh town, and other locations along Aceh’s western coast. The vessel is carrying some 4,000 MT of commodities. (Jan-24, OCHA)

 

·      Health/Medical: World Health Organization (WHO) officials in South Asia estimate as many as five million people displaced and at risk across the region. In Indonesia alone, an estimated 750,000 people are displaced. WHO estimates 500,000 people were injured. There have been some reports of diarrhea, malaria, pneumonia and skin infections in Indonesia. Ingestion of dirty water from the tsunami has increased the risk of pneumonia. Contamination of drinking water sources and stagnant water has increased the risk of water-borne diseases, such as cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, malaria and dengue fever. With the lack of services in some areas, wounds quickly become infected. Measles inoculation in camps has prevented its spread so far.

 

o      WHO reports no disease outbreaks anywhere in the region. WHO is conducting helicopter-assisted rapid health assessments along the west coast of Indonesia’s Aceh Province. Large-scale measles vaccination campaigns aimed at 1.16 million children in Indonesia’s Meulaboh and in North Aceh , following sporadic reports of measles. Local health officials vaccinated children against measles in four hardest-hit Thai provinces. WHO recommends malaria treatment and control measures be put in place, as well as a strategic plan to support existing health facilities.

 

o      WHO says disease surveillance is high on everybody's agenda. WHO established an effective disease surveillance system in the vicinity of Banda Aceh; In Thailand, disease surveillance is focused on risks of dengue fever outbreaks following reports of five cases of dengue in mid-January. In Aceh, an assessment of health, water and sanitation in 50 camps began on 24 January. A similar assessment in Jaffna, Sri Lanka confirmed there is work needed for better water quality and hygiene in camps. In Indonesia, close to 55,000 children were vaccinated against measles, and in Thailand, progress is being made in addressing the mental health needs of people in tsunami-affected areas. (Jan-24, WHO)

 

o      Along Acech’s west coast, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) reports cases of tetanus, a potentially life-threatening disease with a mortality rate as high as 25%. The disease is caused when untreated wounds are infected with the tetanus bacteria. MSF is urging other organizations to start preventive measures.

 

·      Security: Indonesia’s military chief General Endriartono Sutarto says the military had stopped raids on Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels in tsunami-ravaged Aceh province. The announcement comes amid European efforts to restart stalled peace talks between the government and the rebels. Helsinki-based Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), headed by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, is mediating peace talks expected to be held in Helsinki, Finland on Thursday (January 27). Bakhtiar Abdullah, spokesman for GAM, confirmed to BBC News that a meeting with the government was to be held later this week in Finland. He said GAM remained committed to a ceasefire to help aid efforts in Aceh and welcomed the peace talks. Aid groups and foreign troops helping with the relief efforts in Aceh have not reported any security problems. The Indonesian military says it had killed some 208 rebels in the past four weeks as they interfered with relief operations. The rebels dispute the government’s allegation and death count. (Jan-24, BBC, AP)

 

o      UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan says relief workers have had no problems working in Indonesia’s tsunami-ravaged Aceh province, despite simmering tensions between the government and rebels. However, he asked the UN staff to be careful.

 

o      UN activities outside the UN compound in Banda Aceh are under curfew from 2400hrs to 0600hrs. WFP has carried out field security assessments in Meulaboh and Calang, on roads from Banda Aceh-Medan and Singkil-Meulaboh, and has found the situation to be acceptable. UN Security Team is doing Medivac/emergency planning. Initial indications are that a charter medivac plane will be placed in Banda Aceh for evacuation to Singapore. (Jan-21, UNJLC)

 

o      While visiting the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, Indonesian Vice President Yusuf Kalla said his government was working with GAM rebels for a permanent truce. The government indicates it may open talks with GAM this month.

o      Sri Lankan government allows the UN and NGOs access to areas controlled by Liberation Tigers of Tamil (LTTE) rebels, which were devastated by last month’s tsunami. Both parties accuse each other of slowing down aid. Norwegian envoys, led by Foreign Minister Jan Petersen, are trying to bridge differences between the LTTE and the government over the distribution of aid to tsunami victims. (Jan-21, AP)

 

·      Political-Military: Joel Boutroue, head of United Nations relief efforts in Aceh, says Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) should hand over post-tsunami humanitarian relief operations to civilian authorities at the earliest opportunity. Boutroue said TNI’s work has been essential during the emergency phase of the disaster, adding that it is only normal that operations are gradually handed over to civilian authority. Boutroue also welcomed news of peace talks between the government and separatist GAM rebels, adding it would help to further stabilize the situation in Aceh. (Jan-24, DPA)

 

o      US Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz says the US military is eager to begin a transitional phase to hand over its relief operations in countries affected by last month’s tsunamis to their respective governments, other militaries, non-governmental organizations and aid agencies. He said, “We certainly hope that the US military can be handing this off to other people long before [the end of March].”

 

o      UN head of tsunami coordination, Margareta Walhstrom, says the need for foreign militaries will diminish rapidly in the coming weeks as the UN and other aid organizations organize their own transportation. Admiral Thomas Fargo, the commander of the US Pacific Command, says that effective immediately, the US military will start transferring functions to the appropriate host nations and international organizations. The UN Joint Logistics Center has developed a transportation transition plan emphasizing shipping and trucking. The plan has been approved by the Indonesian government and was coordinated with foreign militaries. Some humanitarians express concern that the militaries will depart too soon.

 

o      Senior Indonesian military officials assure their foreign military counterparts that troops from friendly ASEAN nations can stay in tsunami-ravaged Aceh province as long as necessary to assist tsunami relief efforts—withdrawing an earlier Vice Presidential deadline of 26 March.

 

o      Singapore is wrapping up their military projects in Indonesia’s Aceh with the arrival of their third ship with Singaporean NGOs. Singapore’s Defense Minister Teo Chee Hean says the overall situation in Aceh is stabilizing , and it is time for relief efforts to move from the emergency to the reconstruction phase.

 

·      International Assistance: On January 20, an international group of donors, known as the Consultative Group on Indonesia, pledged US$1.7 billion to help Indonesia fund the reconstruction of its tsunami-stricken Aceh province. The pledges, made at the close of a two-day donor conference, are preliminary and depend on Jakarta's drafting of a plan to rebuild Aceh. Donors also pledged an additional US$3.4 billion to help Indonesia balance its budget and fund other programs, bringing the total aid package to US$5.1 billion. (Jan-20, FT, JP)

 

o      Jan Egeland, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, says his office is working with international financial experts, including the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, to devise a public tracking system on the Internet that will allow donors to track the progress and utilization of their contributions as they make their way to those in need.

 

o      A weeklong UN-sponsored World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR) concluded on Saturday, January 22 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan with delegates from some 168 nations around the globe agreeing to the Hyogo Framework for Action: 2005-2015 - a broad 10-year framework for action, which calls for nations to share technology and draw up their own disaster reduction and response plans. Delegates also adopted a declaration that recommends a "culture of disaster prevention and resilience" be fostered, and notes the relationship between disaster reduction, sustainable development and poverty reduction. Delegates from the US, Australia and Canada reportedly objected to language in the agreement that points to climate change as a possible trigger for future natural disasters. According to a statement issued following the conference’s conclusion, the documents are non-binding, however, they are expected to serve as a blueprint in guiding nations and individuals toward developing more disaster-resilient communities. Critics have expressed disappointment that no new money was committed to risk reduction, adding that conference documents were non-binding and did not set hard targets to assess progress. The UN will lead efforts to set up a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean within 18 months, at a cost of US$30 million. Richer nations pledged US$8 million toward the system. Thailand is hosting a 43-nation, 13-international organization meeting in Phuket to plan the warning system in late January.

 

·      International Development & Relief Organizations: IFRC says its Revised Preliminary Appeal 28/2004 is funded at US$119 million (77.1%) of the US$155 million target.

 

 

 

Indonesia

 

Organization

 

Overview …………………………………………………………page 8

 

Sectors……………………………………………………………page 9

 

Domestic Response……………………………………………page 14

            Government                                                             

            Local Humanitarian Organizations

 

International Response……………………………………….page 15

            Foreign Governments

            United Nations

            International Humanitarian Organizations

Overview: Although there have been no major outbreaks of diseases in IDP camps, the World Health Organization (WHO) today warned that a major outbreak of diseases remained a threat. WHO special envoy Eigil Sorensen says that water sanitation remained a concern. Sorensen says that there have been several cases of measles and tetanus in camps, but aid workers had been able to treat the diseases and prevent them from spreading. He says that cases of infections continued to decline. The focus of health workers is now shifting to efforts to reestablish collapsed health services. Head of the UN relief effort in Aceh, Joel Boutroue, says that the number of temporary displaced camps has dropped by about 75 percent in the past week from 385 to less than 100. Boutroue says that most of the people were leaving to move in with relatives, with some returning to their homes along the west coast. Meanwhile, the BBC reports that a spokesperson for the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), Bakhtiar Abdullah, who is in exile in Sweden, says that a meeting between the GAM and the government of Indonesia (GOI) would take place in Helsinki, Finland by the end of this week. The talks will be mediated by the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), which is headed by Finnish ex-President Martti Ahtisaari. According to CNN, the CMI had yesterday confirmed that there would be talks, but released no details. The Indonesian government said over the weekend that the emergency phase of relief operations is almost over, and civilian relief workers should soon begin replacing foreign military troops in delivering relief to survivors. The UN says military helicopters remain a key tool for reaching isolated pockets of survivors. However, UN workers say they are ready to shoulder more of the burden as foreign militaries scale back operations. Some aid groups and workers warned that it might be too early for the US military to scale-back its relief operations. The UN Joint Logistics Center has developed a transportation plan to take over as the militaries phase out. The plan, while still using helicopters for delivery to difficult areas, will rely on trucking and sea transport. The GOI is supporting the plan and the militaries are confirming that the plan can handle work they are currently doing. Indonesia’s Health Ministry on Sunday (January 23) raised its estimated death toll to 173,981.

 

The Consultative Group on Indonesia, made up of some 30 international lenders, pledged US$1.7 billion in tsunami aid for 2005, consisting of US$1.2 billion in grants and US$500 million in soft loans. The aid is on top of some US$3.4 billion donors pledged that will mostly go towards reducing the national deficit. GOI earlier put tsunami/earthquake losses at US$4.5 billion. During the international ministerial tsunami meeting in Geneva on January 11, several countries pledged US$900 million for a six-month period to Indonesia. Indonesia wants its creditors to freeze US$3.3 billion in debt repayments through 2006, or about a third of its US$8.8 billion in payments over the period.

 

Banda Aceh vicinity: Second WFP consignment of 45 MT of canned fish from Bangkok will arrive tomorrow (January 25) in Banda Aceh. Shipment is part of some 600 MT of canned fish to be delivered. IOM is regularly dispatching truck convoys from Jakarta to north Sumatra, with additional major routes from Medan to Banda Aceh, and, increasingly, Medan to Meulaboh on the west coast. A midnight to 6AM curfew remains in effect. The World Food Program (WFP) is distributing 300 tons of rice a day with most people around Banda Aceh provisioned with one-month of rations. Some semblance of normalcy is returning to the city. Around 380 government officials were imported from Jakarta to get local government affairs restarted; Over 3,000 government officials are reported dead or missing in the province. Hundreds of police and thousands of TNI have been brought in. UN figures at least 100 NGOs in Aceh. (Jan-20, Reuters) Although the road system in north Sumatra is fragile, weather should not add to the burden of increased trucking. With February historically the driest month, the Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) in Hawaii estimates that rainfall in February, March, and April will be below average.

 

West Coast of Aceh Province/Western Islands: Report from multi-agency assessment of west coast reveals that team members found that the tsunami had destroyed virtually every village, town and roads and bridges along a 170-kilometer (105-mile) stretch of coast that was not more than 10 meters (33 feet) above sea level. The Age reports that the devastation reached an average of 3 to 6 kilometers inland. The leader of the team, Rob Holden from WHO, says that a complete lack of sanitation along the coast was the main risk facing some 125,000 displaced people. The team found that one of the problems was that IDPs were gathering in the major towns of Meulaboh and Calang, where increasing numbers increased the chances of a disease outbreak. Aid workers say there is an excess of field hospitals and highly trained foreign staff. The west coast had lost some 50 to 70 percent of its health services. (Jan-24, The Age) A 400-ton landing vessel carrying WFP aid arrived in Calang city. WFP hopes to leave a one-month supply of rice, noodles, biscuits, fish and vegetable oil. The 3,000-ton WFP chartered vessel, the M/V Kimtrans, carrying some 2,230 tons of rice, biscuits and noodles (enough to feed survivors for one month), arrived off the west coast. CARE began distribution today of some 350 MT in WFP relief supplies at the island of Simuelue. Greenpeace’s ship, the Rainbow Warrior, and Action Contre la Faim (ACF) delivered over 70 MT of WFP relief supplies to the town of Lamno on January 22. A rapid assessment of the western islands off coast of Sumatra found considerable damage to housing and livelihoods, AusAID/CARE reports. Only seven people reported killed by the disaster. Local knowledge of tsunamis possibly helped avert a higher death toll. (Jan-24, Aus AID) The west coast of Aceh had a population of about one million in its six regencies, with about 500,000 in the heavily damaged northern three and 500,000 in the southern three. The largest west coast death toll is in Meulaboh, near the southern end of the most-devastated west coast, where nearly 30,000 died. UNJLC says key UN agencies are in Meulaboh, and there is a large and growing NGO presence working to deliver assistance to outlying areas. WFP reports long stretches of the coast between Banda Aceh and Meulaboh are totally destroyed, and survivors are often found 5 to 10 kilometers inland. Pilots report thousands of displaced, who were hiding in the hills, are now streaming down and setting up temporary camps. IRC reports survivors leaving west coast by boat to Banda Aceh. ICRC reports small pockets of communities yet to be reached by international assistance. WFP says helicopters are the only way to reach these isolated communities. The health agency reports that NGOs running mobile clinics and visiting camps unable to provide adequate coverage. NGOs are chartering boats, and sometimes helicopters, to deliver their people and supplies to the west coast. US military increased flights to the west coast from about 30 daily to 80. Simeulue Island, off the west coast and closest to the epicenter, has about 22,000 IDPs. There are two major support centers, and CARE is taking over food delivery from WFP.

 

 

Domestic Response

 

Local Government

 

·       Welfare Minister Alwi Shihab says that the GOI will set up a number of supervisory bodies to monitor various reconstruction projects in Aceh. NGOs and donor representatives would be included. A blueprint for reconstruction is currently being drafted by the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) and is expected to be completed in the next 4 weeks. (Jan-23, Jakarta Post)

 

·       As of Saturday (January 22), 54 out of 241 subdistrict administrations were still not functioning as well as 647 out of 5,958 village administrations. (Jan-23, Jakarta Post)

 

·       In Jakarta, the Indonesian Government established the joint Disaster Management Centre (DMC) with the United Nations, which will prioritize the management and coordination of relief efforts. UN will assist the government with resources of UNOCHA and UNJLC.

 

·       The GOI has a three-phase plan: Emergency measures through January 2005 followed by rehabilitation through February 2006 and reconstruction, also through February 2006.

 

·       Indonesian President Yudhoyono ordered the reorganization of the National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Relief and Refugees (Bakornas PBP) led by Vice President Jusuf Kalla (Jan-17, Xinhua). MEKOKESRA will handle international assistance. (Dec-30, US Consulate Medan)

 

• Influx of international aid prompted local corruption watchdog groups to express fears that aid might not reach where it is needed. Information Minister Sofyan Djalil says the GOI will set up a “credible” oversight scheme to monitor the money. (Jan-17, Reuters) GOI retained the American accounting firm of Ernst &Young to audit foreign aid. (Jan-14, IHT) Welfare Minister Alwi Shihab says the government would make official announcements of the amount of aid received from donors and what had been spent on a monthly basis. (Jan-23, Jakarta Post)

 

·       TNI is sending thousands more troops into Aceh to help with the relief effort, bringing the total to 50,000. 38,000 troops were already in Aceh for military operations against the GAM. Troops will focus on humanitarian operations. TNI said 517 soldiers were killed in the tsunami.

 

·       Indonesian police deployed around 800 officers to Aceh Province to fill the posts of 450 killed in the disaster.

 

Local Organizations

 

• The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) sent over 800 trained volunteers to Aceh. PMI has disaster response team in Meulaboh.

• Indonesian Midwives Association says 30 percent of its 1,650 members in Aceh died in the disaster. (Jan-21, AP)

 

International Response

 

Foreign Governments

 

·       Afghanistan’s medical team began work in Banda Aceh on Monday (January 24). Afghanistan has sent 20 doctors and three tons of supplies, enough for around 5,000 people. (Jan-16, AP).

 

·       Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) assessed the offshore island of Simuelue. 900 Australian Defence Force personnel are in Indonesia. Australia is operating out of its old Butterworth airfield near Penang Island in Malaysia.

 

·       Brunei sends team of doctors, nurse, health personnel and volunteers to Banda Aceh.

 

·       China says it will offer assembled mobile buildings to Indonesia for temporary schools and houses. A team of reconstruction experts will leave for Indonesia soon. (Jan-20, Xinhua)

 

·       Egypt is sending medical team and humanitarian aid to Aceh. (Jan-10, Jakarta Post)

 

·       European Commission (EC) contributions from Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Norway, and Portugal.

 

• France sent helicopter carrier Jeanne d’Arc, carrying 11 helicopters and the frigate George Leygues to provide medical aid in Aceh. (Jan 2, AFP)

 

·       German supply/hospital ship Berlin, which also has a field hospital, is offshore Banda Aceh.

 

·       The Japanese embassy said that a destroyer, amphibious ship and a supply ship were expected to arrive off the coast of Banda Aceh today (January 24) carrying some 950 Self Defense Force (SDF) members. At least five helicopters being deployed for airlifts. (Jan-24, AFP) A C-130 provided by the SDF is transporting relief from UNHCR from Utapao (Thailand) to Medan, daily. (Jan-11, UNJLC)

 

• Malaysia has 300 police and military personnel in Aceh. Malaysia is setting up a relief center and a 50-bed hospital. Malaysia will deploy another 100 military personnel to set up a field hospital. Two more ships with relief supplies leaving for Aceh late January. Malaysia also plans to set up a relief center that can shelter at least 10,000 displaced. The UN’s World Food Program/UN Joint Logistics Center is using Subang airport, located outside Kuala Lumpur, while Australia is using Butterworth in the northern part of peninsula Malaysia.

 

·       New Zealand has 3 Defense Force medical teams in Banda Aceh, 1 C-130 Hercules cargo plane and crew, and some 30 medical staff in Indonesia.

 

·       Pakistan sent 87 army engineers and paramedics. Personnel are setting up a field hospital.

 

·       Philippines sending medical team to Indonesia. (Jan-13, AFP)

 

·       Russian medical unit arrived on January 11 and set up a mobile hospital in Banda Aceh. Troops will eventually number 200. (Jan-14, AP)

 

·       Singapore’s military contingent in Meulaboh and off the west coast leave for home. Replacing the military are Singapore relief supplies, including tents for 10,000, and staff from the Singapore Red Cross, Mercy Relief, Touch Community Services, the National Volunteer Philanthropy Centre and YMCA.

 

·       US Rear Admiral William Crowder dismissed fears from some aid workers that the US military was leaving too soon. Crowder says the US departure would be gradual and that some 25-30 helicopters from other countries and organizations would start flying for the UN and aid groups soon. (Jan-23, AP) US Navy and Marine helicopters have delivered some 3.5 million pounds of aid supplies since Jan 1, or about 75 tons a day. (Jan-21, AP) The US is operating two “flat decks” and a number of support ships in the area. US military helicopters have flown more than 1,200 trips. US airlift operations continue to be flown out of Utapao base in Thailand. A US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) team under WHO will support the Indonesian Ministry of Health in conducting health facilities assessment.

 

United Nations

 

·       UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) UNICEF taking lead in water and sanitation, education and child protection. UNICEF established an office in Aceh and a logistical team in Medan. (Jan-18, UNICEF A rapid assessment in 7 of 11 districts in Aceh reveals 420 schools destroyed and 1,200 teachers killed. UNICEF is looking ahead to establish 600 schools to serve 120,000 children.

 

·       UN Development Programme (UNDP) provides 17 pieces of heavy equipment and 60 staff. (Jan-21, UNNC) UNDP will expand local hire program to 3,000

 

• United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) says damage in Aceh and North Sumatra are 25,000 hectares (ha) (61,800 acres) of mangroves (US$118.2 million), 32,000 ha (74,130 acres) of coral reefs (US$332.4 million) and 120 ha of seagrass beds (US$2.3 million). Coastal forests and a 200-mile (300 kilometer) stretch of coastal lands were also damaged or lost. Rivers and rural wells will also need to be rehabilitated. (Jan-21, UNCC, AP)

 

• UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) focuses on reviving the fishing industry.

 

·       UN Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT) is collecting funds and preparing emergency and reconstruction proposals.

 

·       UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is using three Swiss helicopters that will operate from Medan-Meulaboh, Medan-Banda Aceh and Banda Aceh–Meulaboh. (Jan-14, Reuters)

 

·       UN Population Fund (UNFPA) delivered over 600 reproductive health kits. Agency estimates 15,000 pregnant women among the survivors and more than 800 are due to give birth within a month. UNFPA plans to distribute 20 tons of hygiene and prenatal care products. (Jan-21, UNNC, AP)

 

·       World Bank will provide US$300 million in initial financial support for Indonesia. (Jan-14, AlertNet)

 

• World Food Program (WFP) has 4 offices in Aceh and North Sumatra provinces; WFP’s Humanitarian Air Hub, operating out of Subang airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, began operations on January 9. WFP base camp jointly run by UNOCHA in Banda Aceh.

 

·       World Health Organization (WHO) organizing international health groups in Aceh to provide medical care and organized disease outbreak surveillance system.

 

International Humanitarian Relief Organizations

 

·       Asian Development Bank (ADB) allocates US$800 million for Indonesia, in addition to tsunami relief.

 

·       The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) operates a100-bed field hospital opened in Banda Aceh. ICRC says it has enough supplies for 300,000 people.

 

·       Field Assessment and Coordination Teams (FACT) from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) officially terminated its assignment on January 15, and a revised operational structure is being finalized.

 

·       The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is charged with the major truck convoys among Jakarta, Medan, Banda Aceh, and Meulaboh. IOM reports road convoys have moved 2,300 tons of relief supplies into Banda Aceh and 600 tons into Meulaboh, since December 30.

 

• Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is working in Banda Aceh, Meulaboh, Medan, Lamno and Lampe-Ngo assisting roughly 100,000 people. (Jan-12, MSF). MSF sent more than 60 international staff and 120 tons of relief to Indonesia.

 

• Mercy Corps (MC) has over 50 staff in Banda Aceh vicinity and an office in Meulaboh.

 

• Oxfam has an operational base in Banda Aceh, a logistics base in Medan, and a program base in Meulaboh. (Jan-19, Oxfam). Oxfam is working water and sanitation issues in Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar Province, and Meulaboh.

 

• World Vision International (WVI) sent 125 tons of relief aid from the US and Canada; World Vision Indonesia started distribution in early January. WVI has staff of 30 in Banda Aceh.

 

• Tzu Chi putting up 1,500 tents in Meulaboh and 1,500 in Banda Aceh - will build 3,000 permanent houses later. Tzu Chi also providing food, water purification equipment, and non-food items.

 

Sri Lanka

 

a

 

Overview. …………………………………………………page 20

 

Sectors…………………………………………………….page 20

 

Domestic Response…………………………………….page 24

            Government

            Local Humanitarian Organizations

 

International Response…………………………………page 24

            Foreign Governments

            United Nations

            International Humanitarian Organizations

Overview: The death toll from the December 26 tsunami is in the 30,000s. The Center for National Operations (CNO) reports 30,957, while the Public Security Ministry reports 38,195. The discrepancy could result from the use of different methods of counting and sources of figures. The CNO uses figures provided by government agents, while the Public Security Ministry uses figures provided by the police. The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is using a final toll of around 40,000 for planning purposes in its recovery plan. About 5,600 are still missing from the14 tsunami-affected districts (out of Sri Lanka’s 25 districts). The number of displaced, at about 396,295, continues to drop. About 174,903 are in “welfare centers” and about 221,392 are with relatives or friends. The number of camps is around 325. Emergency coordinators believe aid is reaching all survivors.

 

GoSL, through the CNO, has issued an urgent flash appeal for family–sized tents (double fly/fold center pole) and reinforced PVC ground sheets, as over 17,000 families will have to move from schools where they have been living in order to make room for returning students. After visiting Sri Lanka on Thursday (January 20), UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner urged Sri Lanka to include the tens of thousands of people displaced by the long running conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Sri Lanka in its plans for post-tsunami resettlement.

 

The GoSL vehemently denied LTTE accusations that it is using international aid for tsunami relief to purchase arms for its military. LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran raised the issue when he met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen and peace envoy Erik Solheim on Saturday (January 22). LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham pointed out that the GoSL is in the process of purchasing US$150 million in arms from Iran. However, a defense ministry spokesman denied that aid moneys were used and pointed out that talks with Iran had been ongoing for some time.

 

Norway’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Vidar Helgesen, and LTTE political chief, S.P. Thamilsevan, met Monday (January 24) in the northeastern town of Kilinochchi. The discussion centered on how to get the two parties to cooperate to ensure relief aid is distributed in all parts of the country. The Norwegians want to see a joint body set up to ensure equal distribution of aid to LTTE areas. The LTTE have expressed their willingness to join a common program with the government for providing relief to the victims of the tsunami disaster in the North-East. LTTE has specified that discussions are to be confined to humanitarian work and no political issues will be taken up.

 

In related news, international donors and watchdog agencies have voiced concerns about a perceived lack of transparency in the GoSL’s approach to aid distribution and reconstruction, which increases the risk of corruption and mismanagement.

 

President Chandrika Kumaratunga says reconstruction is a priority. The government of Sri Lanka announced a US$3.5 billion reconstruction plan, which includes about sixty towns, physical infrastructure such as roads, small cash grants to those affected and forgiveness of fees for utilities and schools. GoSL also unveiled a US$320 million plan to revive the tourist industry. Earlier this week, the British government relaxed its travel warning as some resorts and hotels reopen.

 

Sector Status
Affected Population	About 396,295 remain displaced with numbers decreasing; about 174,900 in camps or public buildings as many return to damaged homes or move in with family. World Food Program (WFP) director, James T. Morris, said that the number of people who need food aid might rise from the current 750,000 to 850,000. (Jan-17, AFP)
Coordination	The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) established the Center for National Operations (CNO) under the direct authority of the Prime Minister. CNO serves as focal point for the coordination of relief work, including coordination of line ministries, and all provincial and governmental bodies. Center also provides links to sectoral ministries and serves as the interface between the government, NGOs, and the UN.   Information is compiled and disseminated through the government website (http://www.cnosrilanka.org). The GoSL established a Task Force for Logistics and Law and Order, which will set up a tracking system for all relief goods. The Disaster Relief Network (DRN) set up operations at the airport in Colombo and signed an agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka to receive all incoming relief commodities. All assistance at the district level is being coordinated by GoSL agents supported by UN interagency teams deployed to affected areas.   Under the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society plan, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) coordinates Red Cross activities in the north and east LTTE areas while the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) coordinates elsewhere.
Logistics	There is a UN On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) and UN Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) presence in the capital Colombo. UNJLC runs the Logistics Operations Center, which include civilian loads and military lift.   The Ports and Aviation Ministry has appointed a special committee aimed at ensuring efficient functioning of ports. The committee is in charge of all operational functions of ports in Colombo, Galle, and Trincomalee.   IOM providing transportation and logistical support to Ministry of Health to transport medical supplies and other cargo. Backlogs at the airport have largely been cleared. Humanitarian supplies trucked south to Galle. Most remote areas are now accessible by road. The need for helicopter delivery is greatly diminished.   As of February 1, WFP will take over all transport of its commodities from the port of Colombo to final distribution points. The commodities will continue to be stored in GoSL warehouses.   Seventeen vehicles arrived over the weekend in Colombo to ease transport problems and enable increased trips by WFP staff to inland distribution sites and villages. (Jan-24, WFP)
Food	WFP director James Morris is confident food aid is reaching most people in need. WFP distributed 15-day food rations to 750,000 beneficiaries; WFP is now working on delivery for the next 15-day period using 50 trucks. WFP expects to deliver food for six months. WFP has sub-offices in Galle, Ampara, Trincomalee, Mullaithivu and Batticaloa, and is established a sub-office in the northern LTTE-controlled city of Jaffna.   A Unilever train carrying 450 tons of WFP rice departed Colombo this weekend bound for Trincomalee. The rice will be enough to feed 90,000 people for two weeks. This is the second train Unilever has provided to WFP in Sri Lanka, along with trucking support. (Jan-24, WFP)   The GoSL announced a relief package including food and other essential items worth Rs 375 (US$3.72) per person per week to be distributed among displaced people through the Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation. Ration cards will be distributed nationwide to facilitate even distribution of food.   UN says 80% of fishing fleet was destroyed, and 10 of 12 key fishing harbors inoperative. Fish provide half the animal protein in Sri Lanka.
Water and Sanitation	WHO, UNICEF, and Oxfam working water and sanitation relief and plan. WHO leads water quality monitoring. In Batticaloa and Ampara districts, returnees are using shallow wells that are contaminated. WHO reported a shortage of water-purification tablets in Ampara and Kalmunai in the East. WHO reports water supply and quality sufficient in camps in Galle, with sanitation improvements required.   WHO reports that clean water and sanitation remain concerns. Contaminated wells, insufficient latrine maintenance, poor hygiene practices, and inadequate waste collection have contributed to the poor sanitation situation. (Jan-24, WHO)
Public Health and Medical	WHO Southeast Asia Director Samlee Plianbangchang says no disease outbreaks in first critical month.   The Ministry of Health Epidemiology Unit reports immunizations taking place in most camps.   WHO and UNICEF working health sector. WHO strengthening laboratory network and reestablishing cold chain. WHO says no additional health personnel required, but transportation and sanitation are priorities. WHO recommends strengthening disease surveillance mechanisms.   All hospitals are functioning. WHO is collaborating with the World Bank to assess health facilities.   There are 50 international health teams with an average of 10 workers each.   Prior to the tsunami, estimated one-third of children in the north malnourished.   Three basic public health laboratories are being established in Kalmunai, Batticoloa, and Ampara to diagnose epidemic-prone diseases and to test water quality. The GoSL is planning a dog eradication program after one case of rabies was reported in Ampara. The risk of rabies, which is endemic in Sri Lanka, is increasing as hundreds of dogs without owners are loose and competing for food.   Medical teams are currently located in Batticaloa, Trincomalee, and Amparai, where they are conducting mobile clinics in makeshift camps and assisting local doctors in hospitals. Northwest Medical Teams has accepted an urgent request by Sri Lankan health authorities to manage the direct medical care for 150,000 homeless people living in tent camps in the Batticaloa region. Medical volunteers have set up a pediatric unit at the Amparai hospital, which is the only pediatric care facility on the east coast of Sri Lanka. A Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team is being deployed to train community leaders, teachers, and social workers to assist children grieving from trauma or loss of family. Northwest Medical Teams has airlifted US$25.5 million worth of life-saving medicines and medical supplies. (Jan-24, NWMTI)   The Epidemiology Unit of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health has reported that routine immunization services have commenced in many camps, and most camps are expected to be covered by the end of January. (Jan-24, USAID)
Shelter	Immediate needs are being met by 325 camps, schools, places of worship, and other public buildings. Total of 200 schools being used as temporary shelters for displaced families. Displaced people continue to leave camps reportedly because they are concerned that they could lose their land if they do not return.   The GoSL issued an urgent flash appeal for family-sized tents, as about 17,000 displaced people will have to vacate schools for returning students.   President Kumaratunga said GoSL will replace lost homes at no cost to the owners within three months; GoSL identifies 75,000 sites so far.   USAID/OFDA implementing Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has contributed to the development of the temporary shelter strategy being submitted for ratification to the GoSL by UNHCR. The 20-square meter framed units have been inspected and approved by the District Superintendent and the District technical team. In Batticaloa District, CRS has erected temporary shelter units and short-term emergency shelters. In Ampara district, CRS has erected demonstration units and is working with local authorities to provide temporary shelters. (Jan-24, USAID)
Infrastructure	GoSL announces US$3.5 billion Action Plan for Rebuilding the Nation involving new coastal cities and towns, and rebuilt infrastructure in response to the three reconstruction plans it commissioned. The three-phase recovery program of emergency repairs, reconstruction, and improvements/additions will devote 40% of money to new projects. Roads and bridges are being repaired to facilitate deliveries. Local initiatives are lining up infrastructure and housing projects, in addition to those of the GoSL.
Security	25 Grama Sevakas (GS), or village heads, have gone on strike after a GS was assaulted in Ninthavur division by an individual seeking to be registered as a food beneficiary. GS’s implement food distributions at the local level. Local authorities are working to resolve matter. (Jan. 22-WFP)   LTTE wants aid sent directly to their areas without going through GoSL. LTTE was upset over GoSL military presence in camps; GoSL military resumed normal patrols with police taking their place in the camps.   As of January 17, 2005, the Danish Demining Group has removed more than 80 mines in the Kuchaveli area. In addition, a minefield has been uncovered in Trincomalee District. Mines were uprooted from identified areas during the tsunami, requiring renewed efforts to locate and restrict minefield areas (Jan-24, USAID)

 

Domestic Response

 

Local Government

 

• For information on IDP camps, injured, mission, deaths, and, schools, hospitals, houses and roads and bridges damaged, as well as spreadsheets with the amounts and sorts of relief goods that have been distributed, check the CNO website at http://www.cnosrilanka.org/ The Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation’s website, www.mrrr.lk contains additional information.

 

Local Humanitarian Relief Organizations

 

·       The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society-developed plan is being implemented by IFRC, ICRC, and national Red Cross organizations.

• The Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) (relief arm of the LTTE and registered as a humanitarian organization in Sri Lanka) maintaining 60 care centers in Trincomalee district and 23 care centers in Batticaloa district. TRO formed volunteer groups in the affected districts in the north and east in which it operates (Amaparai, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Mullaitivu, Jaffna).

 

International Response

 

• ADB has pledged US$200 million in relief assistance for short- and long-term reconstruction and rehabilitation. (Jan-15, Xinhua)

 

• World Bank allocating US$100 million to Sri Lanka. The US$100 million will initially be made of reallocated funds from existing programs, and emergency credits and grants.

 

Foreign Governments

 

• Austria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs will begin a three-day visit to Sri Lanka to study the development of Austrian projects and discuss further relief assistance. (Jan-23, Colombo Page) Austria has 77 troops and is providing pure water in Galle.

 

• Bangladesh has dispatched 157 soldiers to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Two C-130 aircraft and two Bell-212 helicopters carried the soldiers, rescue equipment, anti-diarrhea medicine, water purifying tablets, food and tents from Dhaka to Sri Lanka. (Jan-08, Reuters)

 

• Canada’s Prime Minister Paul Martin, on a visit to Sri Lanka, promised long-term presence of Canadian military personnel, if requested by the GoSL. Canada has a disaster assistance and recovery team working in Ampara and is regularly flying supplies to Sri Lanka.

 

• Great Britain closed its military coordination office in Colombo and its ships will depart in the next few days as disaster response moves to recovery and rehabilitation.

 

• Two naval ships from India will be leaving Sri Lanka, where they were carrying out relief efforts. (Jan-22, Press Trust of India) India sent 5 navy ships to Sri Lanka. In addition to taking relief supplies to the north, the Indian navy is doing port clearance in LTTE Jaffna area after opening ports in Galle and Trincomalee.

 

• A 14-member team from Israel is operating the Israeli-Jewish Emergency Medical, Feeding and Children’s Station in the southern city of Balapitiyia. (Jan-17, IsraAid)

 

• Italy’s Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini proposes factory for housing, boat-making plant, and bakery. Italy has 90 civil defense personnel in Sri Lanka.

 

• Japan to send 10-member disaster team to Sri Lanka and Maldives. Japan decides to provide US$80 million in relief to Sri Lanka.

 

• Ten containers from Malta carrying Lm 30,000 (US$90,200) worth of supplies were shipped to Sri Lanka on Saturday (January 22). A total of 56 containers of supplies have been sent by Malta to Sri Lanka. (Jan-22, di-ve news)

 

• Pakistan sent two ships with a 50-bed hospital to the Galle area; the ships are also dispensing food, and temporary shelter items. Pakistan has 170 people in country.

 

• The 50-bed airmobile hospital of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, deployed on the southern coast of Sri Lanka on January 19, is continuing to provide health services. The hospital has 15 physicians and 15 nurses.

 

• A relief and rescue team from Slovakia has carried out disinfection work in the main hospital, with a capacity of 1,600 beds, in the southern town of Matara. The team is also working to disinfect hospitals in Galle and other southern towns. (Jan-17, The Slovak Spectator)

 

• U.S. Navy and Marines, with some staff providing coordination in Colombo, have 700 troops working ship-based debris removal. The US military is flying fresh produce to the north and east for the National Agrobusiness Council. Two US naval supply ships are leaving Sri Lanka and heading to the Maldives. USAID has provided US$46 million in additional assistance.

 

• The European Commission countries provide aid: Sweden, France, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Austria, Greece, Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, and Cyprus.

 

United Nations

 

• UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team established an operations center at the Ministry of Public Security, Law and Order and is working to coordinate emergency assessments and reports. UN-agencies (WFP, UNHCR, IOM and UNICEF) are planning to set up regional offices in Galle. Logistic Operations Centers (LOCs) will be set up in Batticaloa and Kilinochchi. WHO to set up offices in Galle, Ampara and Jaffna.

 

·       UN will soon launch a major rehabilitation program for fishers – 18,500 fishing vessels damaged or lost. UNDP is collating and distributing statistics and information on affected areas – will be used by development agencies and NGOs to better target relief and reconstruction. (Jan-14, UNDP) A UNDP technical survey found all minefields identified before tsunamis are intact, however, there are reports of IDPs discovering mines in areas thought to be cleared. UN agencies and WFP have moved out of affected areas until they are cleared. (Jan-14, WFP)

 

·       UNICEF is working to rebuild schools and distribute more than 3,000 “school in a box” kits. UNICEF and GTZ are working to provide psychosocial support to children. UNICEF is continuing the registration of unaccompanied and separated children with the focus on children living outside camps. The National Child Protection Agency (NCPA) has released provisional data collected from inside camps on the number of unaccompanied children (38), separated children (836), and children who have lost one parent (3,203). (Jan-16, WHO) UNICEF has distributed drugs, medical supplies, fortified biscuits, and non-food items. UNICEF warehouses and plastic sheeting supplies arriving from several continents. Compiling information about water and sanitation activities and will produce country overview matrix of all activities in that sector. (Jan-14, UN OCHA)

 

·       WFP acquired a 5,000 sq m warehouse at the Colombo Port, which will be available to other agencies as well. WFP is implementing operations through the Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation and coordinating closely with the National Relief Operations Unit of the CNO, and with District and Divisional Disaster Management Authorities. In the Northeast, WFP works with the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) and other LTTE authorities. Food distribution at community level is organized through Multi-purpose Cooperative Societies. (Jan-06, UN Humanitarian Situation Report) In addition to its regular food ration of lentils, sugar, and vegetable oil, WFP will be distributing corn-soya to malnourished children, and pregnant and lactating women in areas of highest vulnerability. (Jan-22, WFP)

 

·       The United Nations Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) is assisting Sri Lanka with internal transport, logistics, and operational Civil Military Coordination. The Logistics Operations Center (LOC) is staffed by UNJLC, UNHCR, and IOM staff. UNJLOC establishes surface and air corridors and assists in the movement of cargo and persons. UNJLC component expanded to include customs, air coordination, commodity tracking and general logistics staff. (Jan-14, UN OCHA)

 

International Humanitarian Relief Organizations

 

• Information on many NGO activities can be obtained from the following link: http://www.humanitarian-srilanka.org/ (under Tsunami 2004 Information Center)

 

• Action Against Hunger (ACH) Spain is building latrines and analyzing drinking water supplies, as well as recovering bodies and distributing mosquito nets, blankets, and mattresses. (Jan-20, Reuters) Action Against Hunger (ACH) UK in Batticaloa, Trincomalee, and Jaffna is constructing latrines, trucking in water, and ferrying bodies to hospitals for identification.

 

• ActionAid – USA is helping to restore livelihoods, provide shelter, psychosocial rehabilitation, and train local educators and counselors. (Jan-20, Reuters)

 

• CARE is continuing short-term assistance to tsunami victims, while transitioning into the rehabilitation phase of helping to restore livelihoods and infrastructure. Rehabilitation phase projects include increasing access and use of water and sanitation facilities in the east, and the temporary construction of latrines and bathing areas in areas of large numbers of displaced families. CARE is also conducting cash-for-work programs, providing psychosocial support, reviving the fishing industry, and building temporary and permanent housing structures. (Jan-22, Reuters)

 

• International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) coordinating activity in the south and southwest; International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) coordinating in the north and east in support of Sri Lanka Red Cross Society plan. IFRC has staff of 110 and eight emergency response units (ERU) in Sri Lanka. Assisting are Red Cross contingents from 30 nations including Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Spain, and US. Red Cross plans to support 200,000. The ICRC has opened a new medical clinic in Eachchilampattai on the eastern coast, with the Norwegian Red Cross as the lead.

 

• International Organization for Migration (IOM) is registering IDPs and providing shelter in Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Ampara, and Matara. IOM also providing transportation. Established a new office in southern Matara district. Will provide shelters assistance to up to 12,000 people in the district. 4,700 families registered and further 2,000 to be completed.

 

• A cruise liner, provided free of charge by the firm Majestic Cruises and carrying dozens of medical personnel and several hundred tons of relief aid, will depart from the Greek city of Piraeus and head to the northern city of Trincomalee. The ship will serve as a floating hospital. (Jan-22, Kathimerini)

 

• Medair-Switzerland training local staff in Ampara district to clean contaminated wells and purify water supplies. Medair staff built 8 latrines, water point, and distributed water purification chemicals, and other personal supplies. (Jan-20, Reuters)

 

• Norwegian People’s Aid is providing electricity and is building latrines in camps in Vanni district. (Jan-20, Reuters)

 

• OXFAM is working out of five field offices – conducting water and sanitation assessments, providing water and sanitation services, and delivering food and non-food items.

 

• Plan UK is focusing on housing construction, livelihoods, education and water and sanitation needs, mainly in Hambantota district. (Jan-20, Reuters)

 

• US-based Project Compassion has dispatched medicines and a 30-member team of doctors, nurses, and pharmacists to assist tsunami victims. (Jan-22, NBCSanDiego.com)

 

Thailand

 

 

 

Overview. ………………………………………………. page 30

 

Sectors……………………………………………………page 30

 

Domestic Response……………………………………page 32

            Government

            Local Humanitarian Organizations

 

International Response…………………………….…page 34

            Foreign Governments

            United Nations

            International Humanitarian Organizations

Overview: Thailand is well into recovery and reconstruction, with some relief efforts continuing. In the six affected provinces, the official death toll on January 24 was reported at 5,374, and missing at 3,134. There are now about 3,300 unidentified bodies, including 1,900 foreigners. NGOs said toll might be under-reported as at least 2,500 Myanmar migrants might have been killed.

 

The Thai Cabinet endorsed a central committee headed by Interior Minister Bhokin Bhalakula to supervise identification of tsunami victims to settle a dispute between the Royal Thai Police and the Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS). In Phang Nga province, officials have relented in the face of continued local protests and said only bodies of foreigners will be moved to a central location in Phuket province–most bodies were found in hardest-hit Phang Nga. Interior Minister Bhokin Bhalakula today threatened politicians that he said were continuing to incite local residents to protest the transfer. Almost 4,000 bodies are being kept in Phang Nga, about 1,500 of the bodies are believed to be Caucasian. In Phuket province, Interpol officials say body identification may again have to start from scratch.

 

A tsunami warning system linkage between Thailand’s new tsunami alert system (to be built in the next 6 months) and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii (US) is planned in next 2 weeks. Thailand will host a Jan 28-29 meeting in Phuket to discuss a disaster warning system, as well as an international conference on psychological support to tsunami victims on February 2-3.

 

US Lieutenant General Robert Blackman, commander of Combined Support Force (CSF 536), planned to officially disband CSF-Thailand by January 22. Thailand does not require financial assistance, but welcomes technical aid, especially in tsunami warning and community rebuilding. The Thai public and private corporations donated generously. Donations by Thais to the government’s tsunami relief fund exceed 900 million baht (US$23.3 million) – 560 million baht (US$14.5 million) remains to be spent (Jan-24, Bangkok Post).

 

 

Domestic Response

 

Local government

 

• Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra put Cabinet in charge of the affected provinces.

 

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Director-General, Department of East Asian Affairs, Nopadol Gunavibool, is Humanitarian Relief Coordinator. MOFA maintains list of foreign assistance at: http://www.mfa.go.th/tsunami/body_en.php?id=1562

 

• Ten national sub-committees set up to assist tsunami victims. Cabinet approved more than 69 billion baht (US$1.5 billion) for businesses and transportation costs for foreign survivors. 5.97 billion baht (US$155 million) in total approved for foreign and Thai victims. First portion of the fund, or 3.49 billion baht (US$90.6 million), has been allocated to the ten subcommittees. (Jan-24, Bangkok Post) Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Interior tells government agencies to make sure allocated federal financial aid reaches tsunami-affected residents no later than end of this month. (Jan-22, The Nation)

 

• Cabinet approved 700 million baht (US$18.2 million) for environmental rehabilitation. Another 718 million baht (US$18.6 million) approved for medium- and long-term community reconstruction. Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop said donations by Thais to the government’s tsunami relief fund exceed 900 million baht (US$23.3 million). Private donations go mainly to six centers: Prime Minister’s disaster relief fund, Rajaprajanugroh Foundation, iTV’s disaster relief fund, Thai Red Cross Society, UNICEF Thailand, and Bangkok Bank. (Jan-22, The Nation)

 

• Committee on DNA Identification for Tsunami Victims, under Ministry of Public Health, set procedure for missing. Relatives of foreign victims can submit DNA samples through MOFA, Thais can go to any provincial hospital. (Jan-18, TNA) The government has recently approved a budget of 66 million baht (US$1.7 million) from the Justice Ministry to identify bodies of tsunami victims. (Jan-24, Bangkok Post)

 

• General Noppadol Sombunsab, Deputy Chief of the Royal Thai Police, heads the international task force for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI). Police setting up one-stop victim identification center in Phuket; foreign bodies from Phang Nga being moved to Phuket. Central Institute for Forensic Science (CIFS) will complete work in Phang Nga before handing over bodies. About 1,000 unidentified Western bodies will be moved to Phuket on January 25, while autopsy center in Yan Yao Temple, Phang Nga will be closed on February 3. (Jan-25, The Nation) Police officials say that unless identity information is given from the countries of origin of those missing, identification and repatriation could take years – so far, only 100 bodies have been released. (Jan-24, TNA)

 

• Ministry of Public Health received 522 million baht (US$13.6 million) for health infrastructure. Ministry of Public Health setting up rehabilitation center for up to 400 orphans in Phang Nga.

 

Local humanitarian relief organizations

 

• Assembly of Southern Small-scale Fishermen coalition helping Urak Lawoi and Moken sea gypsy people in Phuket repair boats and rebuild fishing livelihood. (Jan-21, Bangkok Post)

 

• Thai Red Cross is lead agency in food distribution. Mobile health teams treating people in Phang Nga, Phuket and Ranong provinces in regions not covered by government/international agencies. Will continue to rehabilitate medical centers, distribute relief supplies, and provide temporary shelter and psychological counseling. (Jan-13, Red Cross)

 

• Thai-based National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), Human Rights Education Institution of Burma (HREIB), and Yaung Chi Oo Workers Association advocating for Myanmar migrant workers. Tsunami Action Group and Empower Foundation assisting in relief for migrants.

 

• Community Organizations Development Institute plans short-term shelter and livelihood rehabilitation for 3,400 IDPs until March, and medium- and long-term rehabilitation till June.

 

• Office for the Coalition Network for Andaman Coastal Community Support and Population and Community Development Association providing long-term rehabilitation for fishing communities.

 

International Response

 

• Asian Development Bank (ADB) says Thailand in good position to recover well - greatest economic risk is Thailand may be perceived as unsafe tourist destination.

 

Foreign governments

           

• 30 international forensic teams working. Royal Thai Police (under Interior Ministry) and Australian Federal Police heading coordination of forensic operations. Interpol launched biggest disaster victim identification system in history in Phuket.

 

• China aiding Thai laboratories by handling DNA analysis and X-ray for unidentified bodies. (Jan-19, TNA) The Royal Thai Police is preparing to send another 1,000 DNA samples to China, in addition to 100 samples sent earlier this month. (Jan-24, TNA) China assigned a reassessment and reconstruction team to help with reconstruction work. (Jan-20, Xinhua)

 

• Italy will donate US$6.5 million to Thailand to rebuild schools, hospitals and villages.

 

• Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF) sends 40 troops - set up liaison base in Thailand to coordinate its international operations in the region. (Jan-14, CSIS)

• Singapore pledged US$245,000 to the Thai Red Cross for relief and reconstruction. (Jan-18, Channel NewsAsia)

• US using Utapao Air Base as command center and hub for response operations in South and Southeast Asia. US, UK, Australia and Japan running a joint aid operations at the base. Approximately 1,694 US military personnel on the ground in Thailand. (Jan-18, USAID) Ministry of Health and US CDC conducting rapid environmental health assessments. (Jan-21, WHO)

 

United Nations

 

• Priority areas for UN support, in coordination with the Thai government for the next 6 months, include shelter, livelihood recovery, and fisheries and agriculture rehabilitation.

 

• FAO is ready to disburse its first phase of financial aid, about 16 million baht (US$ 415,000), to about 8,700 tsunami-hit fishermen and farmers for the next 10 months. (Jan-24, Bangkok Post)

• UNDP working with local NGO, Community Organization Development Institute (CODI), to support 3 IDP centers in Phang Nga, housing about 1,000 families. (Jan-18, UNDP)

 

• UNICEF established 3 centers in Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga. UNICEF aiding displaced children to attend schools – all schools are open.

 

• International Labor Organization (ILO) working with UN country team, the government and local organizations for livelihood assistance.

 

• WFP distributing food worth 20 million baht (US$520,000) to 8,000 schoolchildren and 2,000 vulnerable families, including migrant workers. WFP Executive Director James Morris says the agency will probably not have a recovery stage operation in Thailand, unless the government asks for help. WFP has opened a temporary office in Bangkok as a base for relief operations in Southeast Asian region – will stay open for at least one year. (Jan-24, TNA)

 

• WHO Intercountry Crisis Support Unit (ICSU) in Bangkok coordinating among UN agencies.

 

International organizations

 

• Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) advocating with Ministry of Labor on behalf of Myanmar migrants. (Jan-22, The Nation)

 

• ActionAid to provide fishing boats and rebuild homes for 2,000 families. (Jan-22, Reuters)

 

• ADRA working on Prathong and Surin islands water systems and boats. (Jan-22, Reuters)

 

• American Refugee Committee providing medical supplies, water, counseling, fishing boats. (Jan-22, Reuters)

 

• CARE has been providing medical-related supplies; will help revitalize fishing industry. (Jan-13, CARE)

 

• Caritas International providing water sanitation, medical care and counseling. Will launch Special Operations Appeal to provide relief and long-term rehabilitation. (Jan-22, Reuters)

 

• Habitat for Humanity helping to build 1,000 temporary houses in Krabi and Phang Nga, along with other NGOs. (Jan-20, HHI)

 

• Muslim Aid is working with partner NGOs in Phuket, Phi Phi island (Krabi) and Ranong. (Jan-22, Reuters)

 

• Northwest Medical Teams assisting in body identification in Phuket and long-term rehabilitation for those not reached by established relief system. Granted US$30,000 in aid to rebuild fishing industry. (Jan-24, NMT)

 

• Save the Children in Phang Nga and Ranong coordinating rehabilitation with the local government and Duang Prathip Foundation. Will assist 3,000 IDPs in Phang Nga. Requests Save the Children Myanmar to follow up on returning migrants.

 

·       World Vision Thailand working UNICEF to address needs of Myanmar migrants in Phang Nga and Ranong. (Jan-17, UNICEF) Worked with Thai military to construct 220 temporary homes in Phang Nga province. (Jan-24, World Vision)