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

 

September 1, 2005

 

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

 

 

Table of Contents:

 

Overview......................................page 2

Indonesia.....................................page 4-9

Sri Lanka.....................................page 10-14

Thailand.......................................page 15-18

Overview

 

·      The overall focus of attention is on long-term recovery and rehabilitation for the December 26, 2004 earthquake and tsunami disaster. The dead and missing toll from tsunamis triggered by the undersea earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale off the west coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island was 232,010 (Jun-22, Reuters) people along the coastal areas of 11 countries in the Indian Ocean. Over 1.7 million are reported to be homeless.

 

·      Tsunami-related deaths were recorded in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Maldives, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya. The loss of life was particularly severe in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. Nearly 166,000 dead and missing are from Indonesia. The dead and missing toll in Sri Lanka climbed to nearly 39,000. In India, at least 10,672 died in Tamil Nadu State and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The death toll in Thailand is around 5,400, including about 1,953 foreigners from at least 36 countries. More than 400 combined deaths have been reported in the other countries.

 

·      Coordination:

 

·    Indian Ocean Earthquake-Tsunami Flash Appeal Expenditure Tracking: http://ocha.unog.ch/ets/Default.aspx

 

·      International Assistance:

 

· Eric Schwartz, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, was expected to travel to Indonesia and Sri Lanka on Wednesday (August 31) on a 10-day fact-finding mission to see the impact of the disaster and to gauge progress of recovery efforts, the UN News Service reports. (Aug-30, UNNS)

 

·       In his report on the UN’s International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged governments to maintain support for a tsunami early warning system. (Aug-30, UNNS)

 

·    UN raised its initial appeal of US$977 million to US$1.086 billion. (Apr-6, Reuters) Reuters reports that government and multilateral agencies have pledged around US$9 billion in aid for nations affected by the disaster, while global private donations amounted to almost US$5 billion. (Aug-11, Reuters)

 

·    Wetlands experts say that governments are failing to properly restore coastal mangrove forests damaged in the tsunami, which saved lives and houses by absorbing some of the force of the waves. Expert Faizal Parish, Director of the Malaysia-based Global Environment Centre says that the mangroves are important ecological areas that have not been properly revitalized. He says more efforts need to be done in the next 3 to 6 months to focus on getting the strategy right. He says that about 30 to 40 million dollars was needed to rehabilitate 890 miles (1,300 kilometers) of damaged coastline. (Aug-25, AFP)

 

·    According to a six-month progress report issued by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) less than half the funds committed for women’s reproductive health, safety and equality in parts of South Asia affected by the disaster have been used. Thus far, only some US$11.7 million of the US$26.9 million has been spent. UNFPA says that considerable progress in certain areas has been achieved, however, a “narrow pipeline effect” has impeded faster progress. (Aug-22, UNNC)

 

·    Delegates of 27 Indian Ocean countries decided to set up a network of seabed sensors and buoys as part of a tsunami warning system. The system may be in place by summer 2006, but some buoys may be in place by December. The three-day forum in Perth Australia, which ended Friday, August 5, decided that seven warning centers instead of one would be created. The centers will be based in Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, Iran and Pakistan. (Aug-11, BBC) At the meeting, it was also decided that India would be the warning system’s first head, a position that will rotate every two years. Indonesia and Mauritius were elected vice-chairs. (Aug-3,4 Reuters, AFP)

 

·      Food: WFP expects to feed about 800,000 people in Indonesia for at least another year; in Sri Lanka, about 915,000 people being fed—distributions will discontinue in August and will give way to targeted and recovery-oriented approaches; in Thailand, food assistance provided to some 26,000.

 

·      Health/Medical: WHO estimates 500,000 people were injured. There were scattered reports of diarrhea, malaria, dengue, measles, pneumonia, tetanus and skin infections, but no outbreaks.

 

·      Security: Violence continues in Sri Lanka’s east and Thailand’s south. Some clashes reported in Aceh—Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) says it is investigating.

Indonesia

 

Organization

 

Overview …………………………………………………………page 5

 

Sectors……………………………………………………………page 6

Overview:

 

Hundreds of Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members were set free from prisons in Java on Wednesday (August 31), a day after Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed an amnesty decree as part of a peace deal signed between the government and GAM earlier this month.  The decree grants amnesty to all members in jail or sought by authorities for activities related to the separatist movement.  However, those convicted of criminal activity would not be freed.  The amnesty was a key measure in the Memorandum of Understanding on a peaceful solution to the Aceh conflict signed between the GAM and the government on August 15th.  According to the peace deal, Jakarta was required to grant amnesty to “all persons who have participated in GAM activities” no later than 15 days after the signing of the pact.  Tuesday (August 30) marked exactly 15 days after the signing of the pact.  The Jakarta Post reports that Teuku Darwin, head of the provincial justice ministry in Aceh, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that 1,424 GAM prisoners across the country were released, including 958 in Aceh province.  The BBC reports that among those, 4 high-ranking rebels were also released.  The group reportedly included senior negotiators who took part in talks that led to a short-lived ceasefire in late 2002 which later collapsed in May 2003 when the government declared martial law and launched a major offensive in Aceh province.  The negotiators were arrested soon after and were imprisoned for 12 to 15 years for treason.  According to the International Herald Tribune, the released prisoners were given money, food, shoes and Muslim prayer mats by a United Nations agency.  The amnesty clause of the agreement proved controversial, with national lawmakers seeking to have the prisoners take an oath of allegiance to Indonesia before being offered the amnesty. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had rejected the lawmakers’ request, but said that he would consider it as input, while State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said that the government had received the House of Representatives recommendations, but defended the granting of the amnesty, saying that the decree would not contradict the recommendations. 

 

Meanwhile, several violent clashes were reported in Aceh province, ahead of the signing of the amnesty decree.  The Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) tasked with overseeing the implementation of the peace pact, reported an armed clash between the GAM and Indonesian security troops in Aceh Besar district on Sunday (August 28).  No casualties were reported from the incident.  According to the Jakarta Post, both sides immediately accused the other of violating the peace pact.  The AMM also reported that there was a clash on August 25 in the Bireun area.  Following the latest incident, a team comprised of local security officials and the Initial Monitoring Presence (IMP), the precursor to the AMM, went to investigate the clash.  The head of the AMM, Pieter Feith, expressed concern over the violence and called for both sides to adhere to the peace pact.  “The initial presence of the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) learned with great concern about several serious incidents that happened in parts of Aceh province during the last days and which included the use of weapons,” Feith said. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator reports that the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) has established initial bases in Banda Aceh, Meulaboh, Lhokseumawe and Bireun. The overseeing of the decommissioning of weapons is scheduled to begin on September 15. (Aug, UNOHC)

 

Reuters reports that Indonesia’s reconstruction chief, Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, head of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency for Aceh and Nias (BRR - Badan Rehabilitasi dan Rekonstruksi), says that massive reconstruction projects by foreign contractors should begin in one or two months, with the recently signed peace deal between the government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels helping to accelerate the process. However, he says that some people will have to continue living in tents for up to 2 years. (Aug-26, Reuters)

 

The World Bank says that reconstruction and monetary aid pouring into Aceh could put livelihoods at risk once the money dries up unless the economy is strengthened. World Bank data shows the province’s annual inflation rate at 17 percent, versus 7 percent in other parts of Indonesia. Reuters reports that Aceh’s unemployment rate is at 27 percent and around 600,000 people will be pushed below the poverty line, with daily earnings below US$,1 within the next 6 to 18 months. (Aug-25, Reuters)

 

Sri Lanka

 

 

Overview…………………………………………………..page 11

 

Sectors…………………………………………………….page 12

 

Overview:

 

The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Wednesday (August 31) rejected the Sri Lankan government’s offer to hold ceasefire review talks in Sri Lanka.  The LTTE response comes about a week after the government refused using Norway as a venue for talks, saying that the LTTE would use a foreign location to promote their bid for autonomy.  The news also comes after the LTTE on Sunday (August 28) demanded an end to the state of emergency imposed this month.  The LTTE says that the expanded police powers allow security troops to target the Tamil minority and could possibly derail proposed talks on the shaky Norwegian-brokered 2002 ceasefire in the country.  The state of emergency was ordered by Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga after Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was killed by alleged rebels on August 12.  The LTTE has denied any involvement in his death. According to the Associated Press, officials speaking on condition of anonymity and involved in the peace process said that the LTTE claimed that they would not attend talks if they were held in Sri Lanka because of concerns over security.  Norwegian peace envoys are reportedly talking with both the government and LTTE in hopes of arranging a meeting to review the 2002 ceasefire. 

 

The setback comes amid news of more violence in the country.  Agence France Presse (AFP) reported that suspected LTTE rebels threw a grenade at a military checkpoint in eastern Sri Lanka, which wounded two soldiers.  Defence Ministry spokesperson Daya Ratnayake said that the LTTE carried out the attack in Mawadivembu in Batticaloa district. The fresh violence comes a day after the LTTE claimed that one of its cadres was killed by a breakaway faction of the LTTE.  “One LTTE member was killed and another LTTE member and two civilians were seriously injured,” the LTTE said in a statement on its website.  Violence has risen in the country, particularly in eastern Sri Lanka, since a split in the LTTE occurred in March of last year.  The government has accused the LTTE of killing dozens of rivals and intelligence operatives, while the main northern faction of the LTTE has accused the government of supporting the breakaway eastern faction. 

 

Earlier this week, Sri Lankan police said that a security guard was killed after attackers on a bicycle threw grenades at the office of the Tamil-language newspaper, the Sudar Oli, in the capital, Colombo.  The newspaper is allegedly linked to the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).  Two other people were also reportedly injured in the attack.  The Associated Press reports that the attack comes just eight days after two bombs were thrown at another office of the newspaper, also located in Colombo.  The editor of the newspaper, K. Rathnasingham, says that it was the third attack on the newspaper.  Last week, a cameraman from the newspaper was attacked and arrested while covering a Marxist (JVP) party protest in Colombo.  Protestors accused him of being a Tamil rebel and handed him over to police who later released him.  According to the Hindustan Times, the staff of the Sudar Oli accused the Marxist JVP party of instigating the violence.  The leader of the JVP has been accusing the newspaper of being a mouthpiece of the LTTE.  Attacks on Tamil journalists have increased since a split in 2004 within the LTTE.  The breakaway eastern faction accuses most media of favoring the main northern LTTE group.  

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka said on August 25^th that tsunami aid has helped Sri Lanka’s balance of payments, a record of receipts from and payments to the rest of the world, swing to a surplus in the first half of the year. In a statement, the Central Bank said that the balance of payments rose from a deficit of US$233 million dollars in the same period last year to a surplus of US$174 million dollars. The bank says that aside from benefiting from donor aid and debt relief following the disaster, the balance of payments also benefited from remittances from Sri Lankans working abroad. Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports that Sri Lankan officials say that Sri Lanka saved some US$300 million to US$500 million in debt repayment after international lenders cancelled or rescheduled loans. (Aug-25, AFP)

 

Sector Status
Affected Population	Sri Lanka has combined the figures for its dead and missing into one figure for dead and presumed dead and missing. The combined total stands at 38,940. (Jun-22, Reuters) Of the total, approximately 5,000 have been declared missing. (May-3, DPA) The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that some 518,698 people remain displaced with most living with relatives and friends, some in “collective accommodation centers” or in camps. UNICEF says that according to the GoSL, 800,000 people were initially displaced.
Coordination	Joint mechanism deal, officially known as the Post-Tsunami Operations Management Structure (P-TOMS) to allow committees from the LTTE, the government and Muslims to discuss and monitor tsunami aid projects. Sri Lankan Supreme Court temporarily blocked the deal and is expected to decide on a ruling in September.   The Task Force for Relief (TAFOR) will collate and analyze data, coordinate and facilitate relief measures connected to healthcare, education, foreign donor assistance and food relief. TAFOR will be based and managed from the Ministry of Defense. Another task force, Task Force for the Reconstruction of the Nation (TAFREN), has been given responsibility of spearheading reconstruction, assessing the damages, and coming up with a master plan to rebuild infrastructure. Food relief will be channeled through the Ministry for Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation (RRR) together with Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES). Responsibilities connected to IDPs, Transit Camps, and liaison with the District Secretaries will be the task of the CGES. (Feb-9, UNJLC)   For further information, check the TAFREN website at http://www.tafren.gov.lk/ or the CNO website at http://www.cnosrilanka.org/ The Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation’s website, www.mrrr.lk contains additional information.   Information on many NGO activities can be obtained from the following link: http://www.humanitarian-srilanka.org/ (under Tsunami 2004 Information Center)
Logistics	For logistical information see: http://www.unjlc.org.
Food	WFP reports that under its school feeding program, 111,476 children in 550 schools received mid-morning meals in July. In the WFP Mother and Child Nutrition program, 200,000 pregnant and nursing mothers and children under five received fortified corn soya blend. (Aug-26, UNOCHA)   UNOCHA reports a total of 600 WFP Food-for-Work rehabilitation activities/projects requiring 5,252 MT of food were approved in July. Projects will be implemented from July to December and will benefit some 138,000 people. (Aug-26, UNOCHA)   WFP says it is feeding some 915,000 people.
Water and Sanitation	Xinhua reports that The Daily News said that a large-scale Red Cross assisted program on construction, rehabilitation and improvement of water supply and sanitation facilities in affected areas would be launched soon. The project will be implemented in Hambantota, Galle, Matara, Ampara and Jaffna districts at a cost of some US$100 million. (Aug-24, Xinhua)   IFRC says it is producing and distributing over 3 million liters of water a week, which benefits up to 50,000 people.
Public Health and Medical
Shelter	At a ceremony at her official residence on August 22, President Chandrika Kumaratunga commended the Transitional Accommodation Project (TAP) of the Task Force for Relief (TAFOR) from completing around 50,000 temporary houses for tsunami victims. She also thanked the UN, NGOs and others for their assistance. (Aug-26, UNOCHA)   The TAP, in collaboration with UNICEF, UNHCR, IOM and other agencies, is working to improve shelter units and improve water and sanitation in transitional sites. (Aug-26, UNOCHA)   IOM says it has constructed over 3,000 transitional houses, which are designed to last between two to four years. In the first two weeks of August, IOM finished 403 transitional houses and an additional 512 are currently under construction. So far, land has been allocated for IOM to build a total of 3,910 transitional homes in 7 districts. (Aug-19, UNOCHA)   IFRC says it has pledged to build up to 15,000 houses. IFRC currently has sites confirmed for over 2,800 houses. (Aug-11, IFRC)   World Bank in Sri Lanka found about 90,000 homes fully or partially destroyed. The Bank has allocated initial US$40 million for permanent housing cash grants. (June-2, World Bank)   TAFREN chair Mano Tittawela said that 80 percent of the required permanent housing for the displaced will be completed before the end of this year. (July-7, GoSL)
Infrastructure	The Ministry of Housing and Construction Industry, Eastern Province Education and Irrigation Development, has launched a program to reconstruct school buildings in the Eastern Province. UNOCHA says that almost 50 percent of the school buildings were destroyed or partially damaged due to the tsunami. (Aug-19, UNOCHA)   The Ministry of Tourism and the Sri Lanka Tourist Board have reportedly developed short- to long-term recovery plans for 15 coastal towns in Galle district. The resort towns will reportedly be master-planned. UNOCHA reports the return of local and foreign tourists in Galle town and nearby popular local beaches. (Aug-11, UNOCHA)   SP Thamilselvan, chief of the political wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said that more than US$1 billion was needed to rebuild Tamil areas   A total of 77,561 houses have been damaged or destroyed by the tsunami, including 41,393 houses that were completely washed away, according to the Census and Statistics Department. (Apr-29, Daily News)   The Minister of Agriculture says that direct damage to the farmers of the tsunami was some US$3.5 million.
Security	Violence continues in the east.   IOM held workshops in Kalutara to help young survivors find employment and to avoid trafficking and other dangers. (Aug-31, IOM)
International Financial Assistance	Officials say that international donations and debt relief have reached some US$3 billion over a period of three to five years, nearly twice as much as what the government has estimated it will cost to rebuild.  (May-20, Reuters)   The government has estimated that it will cost up to US$1.6 billion to rebuild infrastructure destroyed or damaged.  The so-called Paris Club of rich creditor nations in March offered to freeze Sri Lanka’s $300 million in debt payments until the end of 2005.  The government has said it wishes to see that extended for three years.  (May-11, AFP) The Paris Club has agreed to allow the deferred payments to be repaid over five years, with a one-year grace period.  Sri Lanka owes the Paris Club some US$4.6 billion.

Thailand

 

 

 

Overview. ………………………………………………. page 16

 

Sectors……………………………………………………page 16

 

Overview:

 

Reuters reports that hotel and business operators in Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi complain that too many agencies are overseeing reconstruction without proper coordination. Tourism Council Chair, Vichit Na Ranong told the Bangkok Post that “One minister should be assigned to take care of the rehabilitation program, working with local governors.” They also said that tourism sites are unlikely to be ready by the start of the high season in November. (Aug-26, Reuters)

 

A UN Population Fund (UNFPA) supported study finds that migrants affected by the tsunami need better access to child and maternal health services, family planning, and HIV prevention. The study was conducted in June by Mahidol University’s Institute for Population and Social Research with funding from UNOCHA and UNFPA. Some 700 migrants from Myanmar in Phang Nga and Ranong provinces were surveyed for the study. (Aug-30, UNFPA)

 

Labor Minister Somsak Thepsuthin says that around 8,000 workers from Laos will arrive soon in the southern provinces of Songkhla, Satun and Phattalung because of a labor shortage. Somsak said that the initial group of workers was being recruited under an inter-governmental deal to avoid corruption. Yesterday (August 31) an amnesty for illegal migrant workers in the country expired. Under the amnesty, employers had been allowed to register their illegal migrant workers. The ministries of Interior and Labour have threatened a crackdown after the deadline. More than 1 million illegal workers face the threat of deportation, while employers may face criminal penalties. (Aug-31, TNA)