JAKARTA, Dec. 29 --Antara-AsiaNet/InfoQuest
President of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
has referred as a national disaster the earthquake and tsunami tidal wave which
took place yesterday morning in the provinces of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD)
and North Sumatra.
In light of the said national disaster, President Yudhoyono has announced a
nation-wide mourning period for 3 days, and asked Indonesian nationals to
hoist a half-mast flag and to provide material and moral supports to the
victims of the natural disaster in the two provinces.
The Government of the Republic of Indonesia takes this opportunity to
sincerely express its appreciation and gratitude to all friendly countries and
various international organizations/entities which have indicated their
readiness and commitments to extend humanitarian aids in the wake of the
natural disaster.In this respect, the Department of Foreign Affairs has set up
a special working group — called as “Pokja Deplu bagi Penanganan Bencana Alam”
—to coordinate international relief assistance and aids forwarded to the
disaster areas in the two provinces.
In its operation, the special working group will serve as a unit which
coordinates its activities with the National Coordinating Agency for Natural
Disaster and Refugees Relief (Bakornas PBP) which, as stipulated by the
Presidential Decree no. 3/2001, has been appointed as the main coordinating
agency at the national level.T
The Director General for Information, Public Diplomacy, and International
Treaties and the Director General for Protocol and Consular Affairs have been
appointed as chairmen of the special working group, while the Head of Legal
Bureau at the Department of Foreign Affairs serves as the secretary.Among the
functions to be carried out by the special working group are to coordinate
international aids with the Bakornas PBP; provide information to local and
foreign media regarding activities by the Department of Foreign Affairs in
facilitating disaster relief operation; help in facilitating consular matters;
coordinate with relevant government agencies/departments; coordinate with
provincial governments of NAD and North Sumatra; as well as coordinate with
foreign embassies and missions in Indonesia.
For further inquiries and relevant information please contact the Secretary
of the special working group:
Head of Legal Bureau,
Department of Foreign Affairs,
7th Fl., Jl. Taman Pejambon no. 6,
Phone. 62-21-3846633, Fax. 62-21-3858044.
Other important contacts are as follows:
? Directorate of Diplomatic Facilities,
Jl. Taman Pejambon no. 6, Consular Building,
Phone. 62-21-3456365,
Fax. 62-21-3862754
- Chief of Staff, +62 8159810320, Fax. 62-21-3858047
- Director of Information and Media,
+62-08159672037, + 62-21-3857316
- Director of Public Diplomacy,
+62-8158104831,
Fax. 62-21-21-3858035
Source: Department of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia
--Distributed by AsiaNet (www.asianetnews.net)--