SINGAPORE OFFERS DISASTER RELIEF TO INDONESIA AND

UNCLAS SINGAPORE 000977 SIPDIS EAP/MTS - M. COPPOLA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ID MOPS PREL SENV SN SUBJECT: SINGAPORE OFFERS DISASTER RELIEF TO INDONESIA AND VIETNAM ¶1. (U) Summary: GOS has offered humanitarian assistance and disaster relief aid to Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, and Laos in the wake of the Padang Earthquake and Typhoon Ketsana. Assistance offers range from military aircraft assistance and deployment of elite Singapore Civil Defence Force search and rescue and medical personnel,to government donations to the Singapore Red Cross to kickstart private giving. End Summary. SINGAPORE'S OFFER OF DISASTER RELIEF TO INDONESIA ¶2. (U) Singapore is providing US$50K worth of emergency relief supplies, including temporary shelters, blankets, and medicines, to Indonesia. On Oct 2, Singapore dispatched two Singapore Air Force (SAF) C-130 with supplies and a 42-member Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) rescue contingent from SCDF's elite Disaster Assistance & Rescue Team (DART),to assist the Indonesians in their search and rescue operations. On Oct 3, the SAF sent four C-130's with 54 SAF and Ministry of Health medical personnel. Personnel proceeded to Pariaman, 50 km north of Pandang and close to the epicenter, to set up a medical facility. SINGAPORE OFFERS DISASTER RELIEF TO PHILIPPINES, VIETNAM, CAMBODIA, AND LAOS ¶3. (U) GOS announced a US$20K donation to the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) to kickstart its appeal for donations for those affected by Typhoon Ketsana in the Philippines. Singapore dispatched US$30K worth of humanitarian relief supplies to the Philippines. GOS announced it will contriute another US$50K as seed money to kickstart the SRC joint appeal drive for donations for those countries in the region affected by Typhoon Ketsana, including Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm SHIELDS