HUMANITARIAN AID THAT CROSSES ALL BOUNDARIES

A baby with a cracked skull was in critical condition and had to be rushed from a Meulaboh hospital to Medan two days ago. A Chinook from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) sprang into action and facilitated the transportation.

This incident was recounted by the Joint Humanitarian Assistance Task Force (JHATF) Commander, Colonel (COL) Tan Chuan-Jin, to show how the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are ready to provide assistance in whatever way they can to Indonesians who are affected by the tsunami that swept through coastal areas on 26 Dec 04.

"I know that the aid given is limited but I hope that the little effort we make can benefit Indonesia and help alleviate the suffering of the people," he said when Indonesian Social Affairs Minister, Mr Bachtiar Chamsyah, was onboard RSS Endurance for a visit on 3 Jan.

COL Tan spoke in fluent Bahasa Indonesia and conveyed his condolences to victims and their families.

This disaster struck close to his heart, he revealed, as Indonesia was like a second home to him. COL Tan was the Army Attach to Jakarta from July 2003 to October 2004.

The Indonesian Minister expressed his gratitude to the Singapore government and the armed forces for the swift offer of humanitarian assistance.

"When it comes to disasters, the offering of aid crosses all boundaries," Mr Bachtiar said.

"When I heard that the Singapore vessel was in the waters off Meulaboh, I was very happy and I immediately informed the Cabinet Secretary, Major-General Sudi Silalahi, who in turn, informed President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The president was delighted."

The Landing Ship Tank (LST) reached the waters off Meulaboh on 2 Jan, and formed part of the JHATF to provide humanitarian aid. This joint task force involves about 500 personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Heavy equipment such as bulldozers, excavators, shovels and forklifts - vital in paving the way to reach remote areas in the ravaged town - arrived on the LST together with about 350 crates and pallets of relief supplies.

Before the arrival of the LST, a Hercules C-130 transport plane carrying relief supplies flew to Medan.

A medical team was also sent to Banda Aceh, together with two Chinooks and two Super Pumas.

Mr Bachtiar, who had flown into Meulaboh from Medan onboard one of the Chinooks, was grateful for all the assistance rendered.

"Our navy doesn't have the equipment you have on your ships. But the equipment from Singapore is good equipment. It will help us solve the disaster in Meulaboh," he said, after viewing the vehicles and supplies that were crammed onboard the ship decks.

Accompanying him on the visit him were Singapore's Ambassador to Indonesia Edward Lee; North Sumatra Governor Tengku Rizal Nurdin, other senior Indonesian officials and members of the foreign media.

COL Tan said when the vehicles are all deployed and when flight deck on the LST is cleared, he hopes to operate the Super Pumas from the LST so they can be "more responsive and be able to be deployed, to even Chalang and everywhere else".

The JHATF is also in contact with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to see what else is needed on the ground, with the possibility of bringing in additional assets.

COL Tan also hopes to establish Civil Military Relation (CMR) coordination centres in Meulaboh and Medan to help facilitate NGOs' relief work.

He said the task force can provide liaison officers who can help in translation and also provide logistical aid to transport supplies that the NGOs may have brought in.