OFFICE FOR JUSTICE, PEACE AND INTEGRITY OF CREATION
ORDO FRATRUM MINORUM
Jl. Letjend Suprapto 80, Galur/Tanah Tinggi, Jakarta Pusat – 10420
Ph/fax: +62 21 428 03 546, e-mail: jpic_ofm@yahoo.com, saverinus_adir@yahoo.com
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Medan, 3 January 2005
No : 076/JPIC-OFM-E/XII/04
Subject : Urgent Request for Helping the Victims of Tsunami in Indonesia

Dear Rodrigo (JPIC General Curia Office),

I am now in Medan, North Sumatra, to visit the victims of the Tsunami and to see how we can help and serve them. Today, January 3rd 2005, we had a meeting of North Sumatra Franciscans Family of the region and we have decided to establish a Crisis Center in Medan and from there we will help the victims in Ache, Leuksomaweh, Meulaboh and Nias. The Crisis Center will be a collaborative work among OFM, OFM CAP and different Congregations of Franciscan Sisters.

Herewith, I inform you some urgent needs for the victims: food and water, medicines, volunteers and financial support.

Franciscan Sisters of Elisabeth are serving the victims in their Hospital but for the cure and surgeries they need financial help. The Crisis Center at the Capuchins House, in Medan, will be a base for the Volunteers and will the material we are collecting in other places in Indonesia and abroad. Financial help is needed specially for transportation and logistic.

The Crisis Center in Jakarta, at the JPIC Office, organized a volunteer team of physicians to fly to Medan. These doctors have experience in crisis situations. They have worked with the Franciscans, helping the refugees during East Timor crisis (1999-2002). Actually we have a lot of aid material collected in Jakarta but we don’t have the means to send them to Medan because of the high cost of transportation.

The access to Aceh and some other places in North Sumatra are not good well because the Tsunami has destroyed streets and bridges. But in few days the access to Aceh will be better. Many refugees are leaving Aceh and going to Medan. Most of them are still shocked and traumatized by the disaster.

The results of the Tsunami disaster is enormous. It means we need to have a short, medium and long period Program. We are already thinking on it but right now we need help to begin our emergency service here in Medan and Aceh.

Program for helping:

• a. Short-period and urgent: Cash-money; Main-food, water to drink; Medicines; Clothes, mattres (sleeping-bags)
• b. Medium-period: cash-money, technical man for building and electricity.
• c. Long-period: after knowing the update situation, we will arrange it.

The Crisis Center in Medan is in close contact and collaboration with the Diocese of Medan efforts to help the victims. We are working in terms of aid distribution.

Our request at the moment:

Program for helping at this initial moment:

Short-period and urgent:

• Cash-money.
• Volunteers Doctors Team - transportation from Jakarta to Medan and transportation in the region (Aceh, Leuksomaweh, Meulaboh and Nias), lodging and food.
• Logistics:
  • Medicines
  • Main-food, water to drink.
  • Clothes, mattress (sleeping-bags)
• Transportation and Distribution of the logistics

Yours Sincerely,

Fr. Saverinus Adir, OFM
Director JPIC