David Masango
24 July 2006
South Africa has donated R1-million to support the Indonesian government's relief efforts following a devastating tsunami that claimed the lives of more than 500 people there last week.
Handing the money over to Indonesian ambassador to SA Sugeng Rahardjo in Pretoria on Friday, Deputy Foreign Minister Sue van der Merwe expressed South Africa's condolences to Indonesia.
Accepting the donation, Rahardjo said South Africa's assistance was a symbol of the warm relations the two countries shared.
"We will ensure that the assistance will be disbursed to the victims appropriately and be dedicated to the reconstruction and rehabilitation [of Yogyakarta]," Rahardjo said.
"Rest assured of the Indonesian government's accountability on the disbursement process, something the international community have acclaimed in the reconstruction of Aceh post-tsunami."
Rahardjo added that Indonesia was working with other countries to implement a tsunami early warning system in the Indian Ocean. Such a system already exists in the Pacific Ocean.
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia on 27 May, followed last Monday by a tsunami that was triggered by a 6.8 magnitude undersea earthquake. The earthquake claimed in the region of 4 700 lives, while the tsunami caused the deaths of well over 500 people.
The two disasters left many more injured and caused billions of dollars' worth of damage to buildings, houses and businesses. More than 50 000 people had fled their homes either because the structures were damaged or destroyed or because they feared another tsunami.
The tsunami that hit Aceh on 26 December 2004 killed an estimated 168 000 people.
Source: BuaNews
