Many countries have pledged and sent hundreds of millions of dollars, relief
supplies and medical teams to help survivors in the Indonesian provinces of Aceh
and North Sumatra in recent days.
Around 40 countries and regions have so far pledged some 2 billion US dollars
to meet the needs of 5 million survivors in 11 countries, including the
worst-affected Indonesia, the daily Jakarta Post said Monday.
The Chinese Embassy in Jakarta has donated goods worth 600,000 US dollars to
Indonesia, the embassy said in a press release. Chinese companies in Indonesia
have donated 200,000 US dollars to Indonesian tsunami victims.
The Japanese government will provide assistance in three ways: financial
resources, knowledge and expertise, and human resources,the Japanese Embassy
said.
"Japan will extend to affected countries and international organizations
concerned up to 500 million US dollars in grant money as emergency assistance to
cope with the damage," the embassy said, adding that the Japanese emergency
medical team has already commenced operations in Aceh.
The US government has pledged 15 million US dollars in direct humanitarian
assistance to Indonesia in response to the disaster, in addition to military
assistance and support.
The US Abraham Lincoln war ship has already docked near Banda Aceh and begun
its relief efforts through its helicopters.
A 29-ton shipment of emergency humanitarian supplies arrived inJakarta on
Sunday and will be handed over to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) for
distribution in Aceh and North Sumatra.
According to Jakarta Post, other assistance for the tsunami-hitregion has
come from Canada valued at 650,000 Canadian dollars, the European Union at 13
million US dollar, the African Union at 100,000 US dollars, Britain at 96
million US dollars, Australia at10 million Australian dollars, India at 1
million US dollars, Norway at 16 million US dollars, Saudi Arabia at 2 million
US dollars. Pakistan, Russia, Singapore and Morocco have also given their
assistance.