INDONESIA: JUNE 2 EARTHQUAKE SITREP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 007010

SIPDIS

AIDAC
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC ECON EAID PREF PREL PGOV SENV
SOCI, ID
SUBJECT: INDONESIA: JUNE 2 EARTHQUAKE SITREP

REF: A. JAKARTA 6910 (SIREP 4)

B. JAKARTA 6813 (SITREP 3)

C. JAKARTA 6772 (SITREP 2)

D. JAKARTA 6658 (SITREP 1)

E. JAKARTA 6653 (EMBASSY MEETING ON EARTHQUAKE)

JAKARTA 00007010 001.2 OF 002


SUMMARY
--------------


1. (U) As of June 2, the GOI continued to report 6,234 dead
and 46,148 injured, with no Americans among the dead or
injured. NGOs appear primarily concerned about the lack of
potable water. As of June 1, USAID's Office of Foreign
Disaster Assistance has provided 1,660,682 USD in assistance
for the earthquake victims, out of a total pledge of 5
million USD. The U.S. military field hospital continues to
treat patients, while U.S. military doctors also assist local
medical facilities. End Summary.

CASUALTIES
--------------


2. (U) The GOI Department of Social Affairs, on June 1,
revised its official count of earthquake victims to 6,234
dead, 33,231 seriously injured, and 12,917 lightly injured.
The Department of Social Affairs estimated 233,237 homes
destroyed by the earthquake. We have seen no June 2 update
to those figures. We have no reports of Amcits dead or
injured or of unidentified foreigners at any medical
facility. We have resolved all w/w inquires concerning
Americans reportedly in the Yogyakarta area.

CIVILIAN RELIEF EFFORT
--------------


3. (U) The full nine-member USAID Disaster Assistance
Response Team (DART) has arrived in the earthquake area. The
DART has noted an absence of large concentrations of
internally displaced persons (IDPs). Families remain in the
vicinity of their damaged homes or reside elsewhere with
relatives and acquaintances.


4. (U) The DART notes that NGOs have concerns about the lack
of potable water. Affected populations lack kerosene and
cooking stoves to boil poor quality water.


5. (U) USAID attends donor coordination meetings in
Yogyakarta. The meetings will now occur every other day.


6. (U) As of June 1, USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster
Assistance has provided 1,660,682 USD in assistance for the
earthquake victims, out of a total pledge of 5 million USD.


7. (U) Many U.S. firms in Indonesia developed close ties with
the donor community after the 2004 tsunami and have
capitalized on those, moving supplies and aid quickly and
efficiently in Central Java. (Additionally, ref A described
an Amcham donation to quake victims.) The business
community, currently looking at short-term relief efforts,
will soon focus on supporting long-term reconstruction
efforts.


8. (U) The European Commission has committed to providing 3
million Euros through the Commission's aid agency, ECHO, and
has dispatched four technical experts to work with the UN and
IFRC. Several EU member states have provided material
support including tents, blankets, and medical supplies
(Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Malta, Poland, Slovakia,
Spain). Four EU member states have offered financial
support, including 5.5 million USD from the UK, 1.3 million
USD from the Netherlands, and smaller commitments from
Germany and Ireland.

U.S. MILITARY ACTIVITY IN EARTHQUAKE AREA
--------------

JAKARTA 00007010 002.2 OF 002




9. (U) We have approximately 110 U.S. military personnel on
the ground in the earthquake area, under the command of USMC
BGEN Panter. Several KC-130 flights landed on June 1, along
with a C-17, which brought 16 pallets of support equipment,
including generators and security surveillance equipment.
KC-130 flights to date total over a dozen. We have begun
receiving additional capabilities, such as x-ray, dental, and
lab type equipment as well as bulk water purification and
showers (primarily for patients).


10. (U) Medical personnel at our treatment facility treated
over 100 patients on June 1. They have continued to treat a
continuous flow of patients. U.S. military doctors do basic
clinic work on an ongoing basis, and perform significant
outpatient procedures and surgeries.


11. (U) U.S. military doctors have gone to local medical
facilities, assisting with treatment at those sites or
routing/transporting some patients to our treatment facility.


12. (U) The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) estimate that TNI
will run the rescue and relief operations for 10-14 days and
then turn it over to civilian organizations.


13. (U) U.S. military personnel at the airport assisted the
Japanese in offloading their equipment; the Japanese will
establish a field hospital and deploy mobile primary care
medical teams. The Malaysians also will start operations in
the affected area.

MEDIA COVERAGE
--------------


14. (U) Indonesian papers expressed concern that the
"distribution of assistance and supplies is still
disorganized" (Koran Tempo) and claim that "survivors go
hungry with food scarce" (Jakarta Post). International media
continue to hunt for the bad news, with the New York Times
reporting "400 quake victims dying each day in overcrowded
hospitals." (Given the injury estimates above, this would
indicate a fatality rate among the seriously injured of below
two percent.) Despite the media's apparent thirst for the
bad news, papers also provided positive coverage, including
of U.S. assistance. The press widely covered the
Ambassador's visit, which helped focus attention on the U.S.
A private sector contribution of 2 million USD cooperatively
organized by "the Church of Jesus Christ" (sic - we assume
this is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) and
the U.S. Islamic Relief (Council) received front page
coverage in one major paper as well as the national
television news station with the following comment: "This
assistance shows that the U.S. is concerned about
humanitarian issues without distinction of religion,
nationality, race or ethnicity. This contribution was made
jointly by Muslims and Christians in the U.S. It is a
message for us in Indonesian to rethink our sense of
solidarity."

PASCOE