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EU embassies staffers chip in for victims

Here you go: European Union (EU) Ambassador Olof Skoog (left) hands over on Tuesday symbolic checks worth Rp 100 million to three communities from Kapuk Muara, Pejagalan and Kapuk subdistricts in a small ceremony also attended by Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in Pluit, North Jakarta

Corry Elyda (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Wed, February 12, 2014

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EU embassies staffers chip in for victims Here you go: European Union (EU) Ambassador Olof Skoog (left) hands over on Tuesday symbolic checks worth Rp 100 million to three communities from Kapuk Muara, Pejagalan and Kapuk subdistricts in a small ceremony also attended by Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in Pluit, North Jakarta. The funds were pooled by staff members of the Delegation of European Union to Indonesia as well as the embassies of the 20 EU member states. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira) (EU) Ambassador Olof Skoog (left) hands over on Tuesday symbolic checks worth Rp 100 million to three communities from Kapuk Muara, Pejagalan and Kapuk subdistricts in a small ceremony also attended by Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in Pluit, North Jakarta. The funds were pooled by staff members of the Delegation of European Union to Indonesia as well as the embassies of the 20 EU member states. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

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span class="inline inline-none">Here you go: European Union (EU) Ambassador Olof Skoog (left) hands over on Tuesday symbolic checks worth Rp 100 million to three communities from Kapuk Muara, Pejagalan and Kapuk subdistricts in a small ceremony also attended by Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama in Pluit, North Jakarta. The funds were pooled by staff members of the Delegation of European Union to Indonesia as well as the embassies of the 20 EU member states. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

Officials and staffers of the Delegation of the European Union to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam and embassies of 20 EU country members have donated a total of Rp 100 million (US$8,231) for flood victims in three subdistricts '€” Kapuk Muara, Pejagalan and Kapuk '€” in North Jakarta.

EU ambassador Olof Skoog said during the donation handover ceremony in Pluit on Tuesday that the EU had been cooperating for many years with the government to tackle problems related to flooding like climate change.

Skoog said they, however, realized there were things that needed to be done immediately for the flood victims.

'€œAll of us who work in EU embassies and EU delegations in Jakarta have been kindly welcomed by Jakartans. We wanted to pay back a little bit of that hospitality,'€ he said.

Ambassadors to Indonesia from 10 EU countries, including Ewa Polano of Sweden, Georgios Veis of Greece, Kai Sauer of Finland, Corinne Breuze of France and Martin Bille Hermann of Denmark; and Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama also attended the ceremony.

Skoog said he hoped the aid would reach those who suffered the most, especially children and the elderly.

'€œThe money could be used to buy tents, staple foods and hygiene products. The basic idea is to help those who are in the most urgent need of help,'€ he said.

Skoog added that although the embassies were not directly effected by the flooding, it had, however, disrupted the embassies indirectly.

'€œMany of our employees were struggling to get to work and we are all the victims of the traffic situation,'€ he said.

Ahok said he was glad that not only ambassadors and other officials but also regular staffers like drivers who worked at the embassies contributed donations.

'€œI am moved by this. There is an Indonesian principle known as gotong royong [mutual cooperation]. This certainly falls under that category,'€ he said.

Ahok said that in order to reduce the flooding in North Jakarta, the city administration had planned to construct a sluice gate in the Angke River.

'€œWe have allocated around Rp 800 billion to build a sluice gate in the Angke River. We expect construction to be completed in two-and-a-half years,'€ he said.

He added that while waiting for the sluice gate, the Public Works Agency would install 300-meters of temporary sheet piling long the river.

'€œWe are also thinking of making a giant reservoir here. We are trying to figure out how to buy the 30 hectares of land plot. It can cost around Rp 60 trillion,'€ he said.

North Jakarta is one of the most flood-prone areas in the capital for many reasons, particularly land subsidence.

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