Brazilian donation: Brazilian Ambassador to Indonesia Manuel Innocencio De Lacerda Santos Jr. (right) explains to International Organization for Migration (IOM) chief of mission Denis Nihill (center) and Indonesian Foreign Ministry deputy director for South American and Carribean Affairs Adriana Hermini Mala about Brazil’s financial assistance to earthquake victims in West Sumatra at his office in Jakarta, on Friday. Brazil donated US$100,000 cash through IOM to Indonesia’s quake victims.JP/Veeramalla Anjaiah
Indonesia’s close friends Brazil and Italy last week donated money and relief materials to victims of Sept. 30 earthquake, which killed more than 1,000 people and destroyed thousands of houses.
In a simple ceremony at the Brazilian Embassy in Jakarta on Friday, Brazilian Ambassador to Indonesia Manuel Innocencio De Lacerda Santos Jr. handed over US$100,000 to International Organization for Migration (IOM) chief of mission Denis Nihill.
“This is the first time we have given donations to IOM to channel this money to earthquake victims in West Sumatra. It is more efficient to give cash than send relief materials all the way from Brazil, as it is much faster,” Ambassador Santos Jr. told the reporters.
While thanking Brazil for the donation, Nihill said the IOM is already helping quake victims on
the field.
“We have already deployed 30 people and 80 trucks in West Sumatra. We have been focusing mainly on providing shelter, food, medicines and other basic amenities,” Nihill said.
Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s deputy director for South America and Carribbean Affairs Adriana Hermin Mala also attended the handing-over ceremony.
In a separate development, Italy has decided to send four planeloads of relief material to Padang this week. The first plane arrived on Friday and the rest would arrive before Tuesday.
“In order to help the victims of the earthquake in West Sumatra, the Italian government is sending four airplanes to Indonesia. The items of the cargo will be distributed to the population in area affected by the earthquake,” the Italian Embassy in Jakarta said in a press release sent to The Jakarta Post on Friday.
The embassy said the cargo includes blankets, tents, kitchen sets, plastic rolls, water tanks, generators, energy biscuits and other items.
“The total value of the Italian assistance to Padang victims is 324,445 euros [$470,000],” the embassy said.
