LAKSAMANA.Net, January 5, 2005 23:50:00
Aceh Devastation Worse than War: Powell
US State Secretary Colin Powell toured areas of disaster-ravaged Aceh province on
Wednesday (5/1/05) and vowed that his government would do its utmost to help
Indonesia following the earthquake and tsunamis that killed about 100,000 people.
Powell flew over scenes of devastation aboard a US military helicopter, accompanied
by US President George W. Bush's brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
"I've been in war and I've been through a number of hurricanes, tornadoes and other
relief operations, but I have never seen anything like this," he said.
"Flying over Banda Aceh and seeing how the wave came ashore, pushing everything
in its path, cars, ships, freighters overturned, all the way up to the foothills, and then
starting up the foothills until finally the waves came to a stop. I cannot begin to
imagine the horror that went through the families and all of the people who heard this
noise coming and then had their lives snuffed out by this wave," he added.
Powell will attend a disaster relief summit at the Jakarta Convention Center on
Thursday. Representatives of at least 26 countries and international organizations will
be attending the event.
Fourteen countries are to be represented by their heads of state at the summit. They
are: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia,
Maldives, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.
Countries being represented by ministers are: India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the US and
Canada.
The participating international organizations are: the Asian Development Bank,
European Union, United Nations, World Health Organization, World Bank.
Ministers from the UK, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and East Timor will attend
the summit as observers.
Transcripts & Releases
Following is the US State Department's transcript of Powell's remarks in Aceh with
Jeb Bush and Indonesian Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab.
Also included are the US Embassy's press releases on Powell's visit, followed by a
State Department transcript of Powell's comments last week at the Indonesian
Embassy in Washington.
US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Secretary Colin L. Powell's Remarks With Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Indonesian
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Abdurrahman Shihab
Airport
Banda Aceh, Indonesia
January 5, 2005
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This'll be a very
brief press conference so that we can be on our way and make it easier for the relief
operation to continue. Governor Bush and I are here to express condolences to people
of Indonesia, but especially of Banda Aceh for the terrible losses that they have
suffered. The American people, the American government will do everything we can to
help the Indonesian government in relieving human suffering and in also beginning the
reconstruction process.
We've all seen pictures on our television sets and in our newspapers of the damage
that occurred here, but only by seeing it in person from a helicopter flying low over the
city can you get a real appreciation of what it must have been like when the tsunami
came through and caused so much death and destruction. I have a better
understanding of what the needs of Banda Aceh are and what the challenges the
Indonesian government will be facing in the weeks and months ahead. And this will
allow me and Governor Bush and Administrator Natsios, who is here with us from the
U.S. Agency for International Development, to go back and speak to President Bush
about, as well as members of Congress and other members of the United States
Government to make sure that we are well coordinated and well coordinated with the
international community to provide all the assistance we can to the Indonesian
authorities.
I would ask Governor Bush to say a word, then we'll only take one or two questions.
Governor?
GOVERNOR BUSH: Mr. Secretary, I just think our hearts…I'm not going to say
much…our hearts go out to the people, the families that have lost loved ones, to this
beautiful area, to our friends from Indonesia. Our hearts are with you and we will be
with you in the long haul. The American people and our government will continue to
provide relief, but we will be part of the recovery efforts as well. And it is with a heavy
heart that we're here, but we're friends, forever. God bless.
MINISTER ALWI: I would like to take this opportunity to express on behalf of the
Indonesia government and Indonesian people, our gratitude, our thanks for the
generosity of the United States. The United States indeed demonstrates that a friend
in need is a friend indeed. Thank you.
MR. BOUCHER: Quickly, two questions. We'll go to John King.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, first I would like to just hear your description…you have
seen a lot in your military career and now as a diplomat…what you saw from the
helicopter, if you could just explain what you saw. Also, there is the concern back in
the States about whittling down that list of Americans. Can you give us an update on
that?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, with respect to the second question, whittling down
the list of Americans, there is still several thousand names that we are running to
ground. That does not mean that they are casualties or they are lost. They reflect
inquiries that have been made to us by family members and we are working as hard
as we can to get that list down. With each passing day we are removing hundreds of
names from the list and we'll try to get an accurate count out later in the day. We
expect that there will be some additional American casualties--it's up to 16 now. But
I'm not of the view that the numbers will be anything like what some of our fellow
nations have suffered over the last week.
With respect to what I've seen in the course of my career, I've been in war and I've
been through a number of hurricanes, tornadoes and other relief operations, but I have
never seen anything like this.
Flying over Banda Aceh and seeing how the wave came ashore, pushing everything in
its path, cars, ships, freighters overturned, all the way up to the foothills, and then
starting up the foothills until finally the waves came to a stop. I cannot begin to
imagine the horror that went through the families and all of the people who heard this
noise coming and then had their lives snuffed out by this wave. The power of the wave
to destroy bridges, to destroy factories, to destroy homes, to destroy crops, to
destroy everything in its path is amazing. And to consider that we only did a brief tour
around Banda Aceh, but to know that you will see the same thing if you flew 100
miles along the coastline going south, or if you went to the east side and flew along
the coastline you would see the same things, same thing. And the damage was
caused not just by the wave but also by the earthquake that caused the tsunami in
the first place.
I have never seen anything like it in my experience and I have a much better
understanding now of what it will take to complete the recovery effort and to help
these people rebuild their homes and their lives and their businesses.
MR. BOUCHER: I think we have time for one more.
SECRETARY POWELL: One more, yeah...
QUESTION: A local journalist from Media Indonesia. One thing is very, very important
that the U.S. government can do to have the best knowledge that more than 300,000
people now has been take refugees in Aceh. So, how can you be look in they're
refugees because the condition now the people are getting sick and what can your
government can do?
SECRETARY POWELL: One, well as you know we have a number of ships off the
coast now and we have our relief workers, especially from the United States Agency
for International Development here. We will be increasing the number of helicopters
that will be available to support TNI and Indonesian authorities. And we will respond to
requests we get from the Indonesian authorities for shelter materials, food.
One of the concerns that we discussed is to make sure that we have an adequate
number of flights coming in to this airfield: C-130 cargo planes bringing in food, shelter
material. And I think we can increase the throughput, as it's called, the rate of arrival
of planes and supplies. And that's what we'll be working on.
It's fundamentally a responsibility of the Indonesian government and we are in a
supporting role to the Indonesian government and to the TNI.
Thank you. In the interest of time and for a variety of reasons we have to go now.
Thank you.
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Powell in Indonesia, Vows US Help With Post-Tsunami Recovery
US Embassy Press Release
January 4
At the second stop on his tour of countries stricken by the Indian Ocean tsunami
disaster, Secretary of State Colin Powell vowed "the American people stand in
solidarity with our Indonesian friends. We will do everything we can to help you."
Powell's remarks in Jakarta, Indonesia, January 4, came after he and Florida Governor
Jeb Bush held talks with Indonesian Foreign Minister Noer Hassan Wirajuda. The
secretary called the tsunami's effects "a calamity which will have far-reaching
implications… you can count on the United States being with you for this longer
rebuilding period."
Proclaiming that the presence of Powell and Governor Bush in his country "reflects
the magnitude that the United States Government has attached to the monstrous
calamity," Wirajuda welcomed their visit.
In his remarks after their talks, the foreign minister said he and the secretary "touched
upon some bilateral issues of concern to our two governments…in the spirit of
cooperation and dialogue." He added that "…close cooperation between our two
countries in providing assistance to the victims and survivors is strengthening and
enlarging this reflex that we both share: that humanity is one and compassion is a
key concept."
Powell arrived in Indonesia after surveying tsunami damage in Thailand. He is also
expected to visit Sri Lanka before returning to Jakarta to attend a special meeting of
the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on the disaster on January
6.
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Powell Says US Effort on Tsunami Relief Reflects US Values
Washington -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says the sight of U.S. troops
delivering emergency supplies to countries stricken by a tsunami should reinforce the
U.S. value of putting people first regardless of religion.
Powell made the remarks in a January 4 interview in Jakarta on his stop in Indonesia
during a tour of countries still struggling desperately following the December 26
disaster.
"It does give the Muslim world and the rest of the world an opportunity to see
American generosity, American values in action, where we care about the dignity of
every individual and the worth of every individual, and our need to respond to the needs
of every individual of whatever faith," Powell said. "America is not an anti-Islam,
anti-Muslim nation."
The secretary said he was aware of difficulties Indonesia faced in securing relief for
tsunami survivors because of lack of helicopters and other equipment. He said he
would consider Indonesia's request to lift the U.S. embargo on sales of military
equipment imposed after the 1999 violence in East Timor.
"I'm well aware of the transport difficulties that the government has with some of their
aircraft, and some of the laws that I am bound by, and the Minister did raise it with me
and I told him I would look into it immediately and see what could be done," Powell
said. "That's all I will say now."
In Jakarta Secretary Powell was looking ahead to a January 6 international meeting
the Indonesians are organizing to get a better grasp of the different needs of each
country in the region.
"I am sure that some nations will come with additional pledges," Powell said, "but I
think what we really want to do is to make sure that the money that has been pledged
and the resources that are on the way are properly and appropriately distributed to
deal with the need."
Earlier January 4 in Bangkok Powell talked about cooperating with Thailand and other
countries in the region by providing technical expertise on installing an early warning
system in the Indian Ocean to alert people of a future tsunami.
More immediately, he said, the United States can help Thailand with reconnaissance
support to look for bodies, forensic support to identify bodies and support to restore
damage to the land.
Powell also said that the amount of U.S. government spending in disaster relief would
be much higher than the $350 million pledged by the Bush administration because of
the additional money being spent by the Defense Department delivering emergency
supplies.
According to the Defense Department, approximately 13,000 U.S. Navy, Marine
Corps, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard personnel are involved in the relief efforts.
Since relief operations began the military has flown 404 missions delivering 316,664
pounds of water, 135,102 pounds of food, and 8,246 pounds of medical supplies.
At a January 4 Defense Department briefing at the Pentagon, the U.S. commander of
forces in the Pacific said the United States intends to double the number of
helicopters available for delivering emergency supplies in the stricken region.
Meanwhile, at the United Nations Jan Egeland, U.N. emergency relief coordinator,
rebutted criticism that member states responded with offers of help to little or too late.
"I respectfully disagree with those who say that the U.S. was slow in this," Egeland
said. "The U.S. could not have been more pro-active or active, from the U.N. point of
view, in this disaster."
By some estimates 150,000 people in 12 countries around the Indian Ocean died in
the tsunami and millions were left homeless.
In another development, the United Kingdom finance minister has said that he will be
pressing wealthy countries, with U.S. support, to impose a moratorium on official
foreign debt repayments by the countries hit by the tsunami.
According to published reports, U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown said
that, after getting support from U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow, he would work to
arrange the deal by a January 12 meeting of the Paris Club group of creditor
countries.
The U.S. Treasury Department had not yet issued a statement at press time.
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US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Remarks by Powell Outside of Indonesian Embassy after Signing Condolence Book
December 30, 2004
Washington, D.C.
QUESTION: Good morning, Mr. Secretary.
SECRETARY POWELL: Good morning.
QUESTION: What is the United States doing and what is the world going to do to help
in this crisis?
SECRETARY POWELL: We are mobilizing all our assets to help. As you know, we
made an initial infusion of money, some $35 million, but we know that this is just the
beginning of a much greater need and much more significant commitment from the
United States. We have airplanes arriving with aid now. Some six airplanes are
landing or in the process of landing and more will follow. U.S. Naval Forces are on the
way to the region and will begin arriving next week, and they should be able to provide
some additional assistance. Search and rescue teams have left from Los Angeles and
from Fairfax County, Virginia, to assist in rescue efforts. We're beefing up our disaster
relief teams in the region to make an assessment.
We're also reaching out to all Americans to make a contribution. Americans are a
very generous people and we hope that they will go to our websites, state.gov or
usaid.gov, and from there they can learn about agencies that are collecting money
that will be used for the relief effort. And I encourage all Americans to participate in
this relief effort.
The President has made it clear that the United States will do everything we can to
assist those nations that have been affected. Sri Lanka and Indonesia are the two
nations that are in greatest need. We're also, of course, working with Thailand and
other nations that were affected.
The whole international community has to come together on this and, as you know,
we formed a core group of nations the other day, as the President announced
yesterday. That core group is working. We'll be in a television conference with Kofi
Annan at 11 o'clock this morning to make sure that our efforts are coordinated with
the United Nations.
This is an unprecedented tragedy. In my many years of government, I've never come
across one this large. But these things tend to have a cycle to them. You get the
initial reports coming in, you make some preliminary assessments, you start the aid
flowing, you start the money flowing, you then send out response teams and
assessment teams. And when you get a better understanding of what the needs are
and how the countries affected can absorb the relief effort that's heading their way,
then you start to fill the pipeline. And that's what we're doing now, with money, with
food, with assets. And as the need becomes clearer, you can expect the United
States to make more significant contributions in the days, weeks and months ahead.
And it is not just an immediate humanitarian relief effort. It's a rebuilding effort. You
saw the destruction that has taken place. Homes have to be rebuilt. Businesses have
to be rebuilt. This is the principal responsibility of the governments concerned, but
they will need help, and they can be sure that the international community is
responding to that need and you can be sure that the United States, at President
Bush's direction, will be in the forefront of that response.
QUESTION: Can you tell us how much --
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, you wrote a very heart -- it looks like half a page, almost a
page, of heartfelt note, and this is your second embassy. What are you writing on
behalf of the United States?
SECRETARY POWELL: On behalf of President and Mrs. Bush and the American
people, extending sympathy and condolences to the nations involved and the people
involved. This is a terrible tragedy. The reports from Indonesia suggest that as many
as 45,000 now have been lost. It's rather unprecedented. And so this is the time for us
to all join together in solidarity to express our condolences to the families of those
who were lost, but also let the people who are in need know that we are coming to
assist their governments in helping them and to make sure that we have a coordinated
effort with the international community. And so I just wanted to leave a message of
sympathy and a message of solidarity.
QUESTION: Can you tell us -- Voice of America Indonesia Service. Can you tell us
how much of relief is going to Indonesia?
SECRETARY POWELL: Right now I cannot give you a breakdown because so many
relief organizations are on the move. And what we have to do is make sure that there's
a good assessment from the country. We need the countries to tell us what they
need and where they want the resources applied. And so that's why we have
dispatched our disaster assistance relief teams to make those assessments, working
with the country. There's nothing worse than sending resources to the wrong place. It
costs money to move equipment, to move supplies. We want to make sure we're
moving these things to the right place, and it takes a little bit of time.
But this disaster struck last Saturday night. The very next morning, the United States
had task forces established and set up, and by Monday morning we were beginning to
allocate money to the relief effort, and by Tuesday afternoon we had allocated for the
separate $35 million and we had set up a core group to work on relief. And as the
President said when he spoke to the world yesterday, we would do more to make
sure that everybody understands that America is a compassionate nation, a generous
nation that can always be counted on during this time of crisis and tragedy.
And so we are hard at work with my colleagues in the Pentagon, my colleagues in the
U.S. Agency for International Development. Everyone else in the United States
Government who has a role to play, is being pulled together in the task force under
Under Secretary of State Marc Grossman. We're working very well together and you
will see a significant step-up in the flow of aid.
And I also will be in touch with members of Congress over the next several days to
alert them to what the needs may be as we move further down the road, not just for
humanitarian relief but for the rebuilding and reconstruction effort that has to follow.
QUESTION: Congress will have to appropriate funds?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, that's what we have to look at. There are just so many
funds that are immediately available to me or to the Administrator of AID. When
something like this comes along, we very often have to take the money from other
accounts in order to deal with the immediate problem, and then we have to determine
how to replenish those accounts. And so this is part of the process of determining
where the resources are coming from. And if more resources are needed, then we
work with the Office of Management and Budget, and ultimately it's something that
the Congress has to be involved in.
In this case, because I think the need will be so great, obviously I think the Congress
will have a role to play. But that remains to be determined. Right now, get the aid
flowing, get the assistance teams in, make a good assessment, work with the
countries, work with the international community, and come up with a good statement
of the need so that we can apply the resources to that need and not waste resources.
And once again, I'm so pleased that the response we see from the American people
with respect to private donations. Just to single out one, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals,
recognizing it's a pharmaceutical company, they decided to give money because
money is fungible and money can be used, money can be sent to one of the
humanitarian organizations that knows exactly what is needed and purchase the right
response to that need, purchase the right equipment or food or whatever might be
needed. As opposed to shipping commodities over, ship the money to the agencies
and let them spend the money in the best possible way and apply the money where
the need is greatest.
Thank you.
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