Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JAKARTA6653
2006-05-28 06:38:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:  

JAKARTA MAY 28 EMBASSY MEETING RE EARTHQUAKE

Tags:  AEMR ASEC CASC SOCI PREF PGOV SENV ID 
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OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
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ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 280638Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4829
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0288
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 9511
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0712
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0866
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 9815
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0846
RUHPSAA/SOCPAC HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 006653 

SIPDIS

AIDAC
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/28/2016
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC SOCI PREF PGOV SENV ID
SUBJECT: JAKARTA MAY 28 EMBASSY MEETING RE EARTHQUAKE

Classified By: Ambassador B. Lynn Pascoe, Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 006653

SIPDIS

AIDAC
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/28/2016
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC SOCI PREF PGOV SENV ID
SUBJECT: JAKARTA MAY 28 EMBASSY MEETING RE EARTHQUAKE

Classified By: Ambassador B. Lynn Pascoe, Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador chaired a Sunday, May 28
meeting to discuss the Embassy's posture and reaction to the
May 27 earthquake in Central Java, southwest of the city of
Yogyakarta. Participants (DCM, POL, ECON, AID, CONS, DAO,
ODC, PAS) examined the initial situation reporting, the
safety of American citizens, and humanitarian assistance that
Indonesia might need to respond to the disaster. They
reviewed USG humanitarian assistance commitments totaling
$2.5 million and determined that there is an urgent need for
medical assistance and shelter. USAID representatives from
Embassy Jakarta are co-located with Australian AID (AUSAID)
in Yogyakarta to work directly with Indonesian authorities
and other foreign assistance agencies. Consular personnel
from CG Surabaya are on the scene, have visited local
hospitals and morgues but not located any American citizens
injured or killed in the quake. Activity has increased on
the Mt. Merapi volcano, located 30 miles north of the
earthquake's epicenter. Vulcanologists say the increased
activity has not changed the threat level. Ambassador spoke
with PACOM Commander Admiral Fallon. The Mission is working
with PACOM to identify possible additional assistance.
Embassy requests (SEE PARA 4) that State ask DSCA to release
OHDACA funds in anticipation of possible US military relief
operations. End Summary.


2. (C) Embassy personnel reviewed the current situation in
the wake of the 6.2 earthquake on May 27, approximately 15
miles southwest of the Central Java city of Yogyakarta.
USAID personnel lead USG assistance efforts from the
Environmental Support Program (ESP) offices in Yogyakarta,
and are co-located with Australian AID (AUSAID) personnel.
They confirmed press reports that deaths number in excess of
3,000 and that thousands were injured, many of whom still
await medical treatment. An estimated 200,000 persons have

been left homeless. USAID reported that medical assistance
and shelter are the most urgent needs:

- USAID personnel visited the village of Bantul, closest to
the quake's epicenter, and reported that the hospital there
was unable to cope with the number of dead and injured; other
hospitals in the area already face limited medical supplies
and resources.

- USAID reported that two local water supply utility
companies were damaged in the quake, meaning that water could
become a serious issue.

- The airport in Yogyakarta, damaged by yesterday's quake,
has reopened a section of its airfield to receive GOI C-130
assistance flights. USAID personnel say the roads from
Yogyakarta to Bantul were passable.


3. (C) As of 28 May, the Embassy has not seen any detailed
requests for assistance from the GOI, but following up the
conversation between Presidents Bush and Yudhoyono,
Presidential Advisor Dino Djalal told us the morning of May
28 that the GOI was in urgent need of medical doctors, but
explicitly said that it did not desire U.S. military troops
on the ground. In a subsequent conversation with the
Ambassador, he repeated the need for doctors and expressed a
preference that any military personnel not be in uniform.
The Mission is in discussions to determine the most
appropriate method of providing immediate medical assistance,
including through the U.S. military. Ambassador Pascoe spoke
with PACOM Commander Admiral Fallon on what might be offered
to the GOI. We intend to revisit the question of U.S.
military uniforms when there is a specific aid proposal ready
to be made.


4. (SBU) USAID requested a U.S. military liaison officer be
sent to Yogyakarta to assist in working with the Indonesian
military, who has a large presence in the disaster area. DAO
Jakarta and NAMRU are sending appropriate personnel on May

28. So far, the Mission has or plans to provide the
following assistance to Indonesia in response to the quake:

- USAID reported that they will transport a mobile field
hospital stored in Medan for post-tsunami disaster relief to

JAKARTA 00006653 002 OF 003


Yogyakarta on 29 or 30 May. The mobile unit has
approximately 75 medical personnel supporting it, staffed by
USAID partner International Medical Corps.

- USAID helped mobilize ambulances, some of which are already
deployed in Yogyakarta due to the recent threat of an
eruption from the nearby Merapi volcano.

- USAID provided financial assistance to the Red Cross to
mobilize medical units from Aceh, Medan, and Jakarta to
provide on-site medical assistance. Red Cross assistance has
also provided 150,000 rolls of plastic, 10,000 jerry cans,
and 5,000 hygiene kits.

- USAID provided financial assistance to the World Health
Organization to provide medical kits for approximately 20,000
people for three months.

--$1 Million of the $2.5 million already approved is being
provided to the local Indonesian Red Cross.


5. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Embassy Jakarta requests that the
the Department ask the Defense Security Cooperation Agency
(DSCA) to release OHDACA funds for possible assistance
operations by the U.S. military.


6. (SBU) A Consular officer from CG Surabaya is on the scene,
has visited all hospitals and morgues, and reported no known
injuries or deaths of American citizens. Since the quake,
activity has increased on the Mt. Merapi volcano, located
approximately 30 miles north of the earthquake's epicenter.
Vulcanologists report approximately 20 avalanches and several
aftershocks at the 3-5 level, but say the increased activity
has not changed the threat level. We decided to issue a
message using the warden system discouraging non-relief
mission related travel to the Yogyakarta area. The
Ambassador directed PAS to prepare a May 28 press release to
affirm the U.S. commitment to provide assistance to Indonesia
and identify the assistance already provided and/or committed.


7. (U) We have issued the following warden message:

---BEGIN TEXT---

U.S. Embassy Jakarta
U.S. Consulate General Surabaya
Warden Message
May 28, 2006

The U.S. Embassy informs Americans in Indonesia that an
earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter Scale struck near
Yogyakarta on Saturday, May 27, 2006, at 5:54 am. The center
of the earthquake was located 15 miles SSW from Yogyakarta.
As of May 28, Indonesian authorities report more than 3,000
dead and thousands injured from the earthquake.

The Embassy urges Americans to defer all non-essential travel
to Yogyakarta and the surrounding area. The Yogyakarta
Airport runway was damaged in the earthquake and airline
service remains limited until further notice. The Embassy
has reports that bus and train service from Yogyakarta to
Solo and Jakarta are still available. Taxi service from
Yogyakarta to Solo, the nearest operating airport, is
available but limited.

Americans in the city of Yogyakarta should consider leaving.
Although the city center was not heavily damaged, health
facilities are overwhelmed with casualties from the
earthquake. Water and electricity services have been
interrupted. Cellular telephone networks are operating but
may experience periods of overload or outage. Americans who
decide to remain in Yogyakarta are encouraged to contact
their families in the U.S. by e-mail or cell phone.

Mt. Merapi volcano, located 15 miles from Yogyakarta, remains
at the highest alert status. Indonesian vulcanology experts
have not yet determined what the effect of the earthquake
will be on the likelihood of additional lava flows and
eruptions from Mt. Merapi, though Merapi has shown increased
activity since the earthquake. The Embassy strongly urges

JAKARTA 00006653 003 OF 003


all American citizens to avoid the area around Mt. Merapi and
to obey all instructions from Indonesian police and civil
authorities.

The Embassy reminds all Americans of the need to avoid
crowds, to maintain a low profile, and to be vigilant about
security at all times. The information in the November 18,
2005 Travel Warning for Indonesia remains valid. All
security-related Travel Warnings and Public Announcements,
recent Embassy warden messages, and registration information
are posted on the Embassy,s website at
http://jakarta.usembassy.gov.

The Embassy is located at Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, No.
4-5, Jakarta; the 24-hour telephone number is 021-3435-9000.
The telephone number of the Consulate General in Surabaya is
031-295-6400; the telephone number of the U.S. Consular
Agency in Bali is 0361-233-605.

---END TEXT---
PASCOE