Mission Updates

MFA PRESS RELEASE

12/01/2005

STATEMENT BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS IN GENEVA AT THE MINISTERIAL MEETING ON HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO TSUNAMI AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, GENEVA ON 11 JANUARY 2005

Mr Chairman

I join others in extending my condolences to the families of all those countries who were affected by the tsunami.

So far, the world has responded most admirably to this tragedy. We commend OCHA and the various UN bodies that have quickly assessed the situation and launched the flash appeal on 6 January 2005. UN officials and other emergency relief personnel are carrying out vital work on the ground. Over the past two weeks, countries and individuals have also generously pledged and donated large amounts of aid. We applaud these efforts.

Mr Chairman

Over US$5 billion have been pledged to relief efforts in just two weeks. But given the magnitude of the disaster, the amounts pledged are not excessive. While the property damage can be counted and infrastructure repaired, the lives lost and lives to be re-built simply cannot be quantified. I join others who had urged that we each honour what we have pledged. Let us sustain and act concretely on our global compassion.

OCHA has done a commendable job in identifying the near-term needs of the affected areas in the flash appeal. We look forward to updates from the UN in future on the long-term reconstruction needs. There would be urgent need for rebuilding of houses, schools and clinics, and re-starting the local economy, all massive tasks. Given their various areas of expertise, there will be different roles for different specialised agencies and international financial institutions. But the common denominator is that we all need to pay sustained attention to the reconstruction programmes. We thus fully support the call made at the Special ASEAN Summit last week for the UN Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative, who can mobilise the world's support for the national reconstruction programmes, and ensure the world's sustained focus on rebuilding the lives of the communities that have been affected.

Mr Chairman

We are all in this for the long-haul, and Singapore stands ready to support the UN and the affected countries. We are a small country and what we can do is but a drop in the ocean, but we will continue to render our fullest support. Our air and naval bases are open for use by the UN, relief agencies and interested countries. Our military and civil defence personnel in Thailand and Indonesia are continuing to work with local authorities and relief agencies in their relief operations. We have also sent equipment and personnel to Sri Lanka and Maldives. [At Annex is a more detailed factsheet on Singapore's contributions.] In addition to all this, at the Special ASEAN Summit last Thursday, my Prime Minister announced that the Singapore Government will pledge US$10 million. We will be working with the affected governments and international organisations on how best to disburse these funds for the benefit of those who need them most.

Mr Chairman

We have responded by pledging enormous amounts of resources, and rightly so, given the scale of the disaster. Let us seize the moment and remain united in our efforts to support those communities that need our help now, and in the long term.


Thank you.
________________________________________________________

ANNEX

FACT SHEET (11 JAN 05 0800HRS)

SINGAPORE'S INTERNATIONAL DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS
TO TSUNAMI-HIT COUNTRIES

The following is a summary of our relief efforts:

Indonesia

Relief and Medical Supplies

• 4 C-130 loads of medical and relief supplies have been delivered to Medan and Banda Aceh since 28 Dec 04.
• 210 10-litre water bags were delivered to Aceh on 3 Jan 05.
• SAF has deployed a reverse osmosis unit in Meulaboh that can produce roughly 8 tonnes of water daily.

Relief Logistical Support

• 1 C-130 is based in Singapore for ferrying supplies in Indonesia. Since 1 Jan 05, it has assisted WHO and Indonesian MOH in transporting:
  • 2 Singapore Red Cross ambulances
  • 1 vehicle (Toyota Kijang)
  • 2,500 pounds of relief supplies
  • 8 tonnes of medical supplies
  • office supplies
  • personnel and passengers (from CDC, Indonesia, and WHO)
• 6 Chinooks and 2 Super Pumas have been deployed since 29 Dec 04 to assist with airlift and rescue operations.
• 1 Helicopter Landing Ship, RSS Endurance, has been stationed off the coast of Meulaboh since 3 Jan 05 to operate as a staging area to augment ground operations. A second Helicopter Landing Ship, RSS Persistence, reached Meulaboh on 6 Jan 2005 to provide a second staging area.
• 4 Super Pumas are on stand-by for deployment.
• 1 Mobile Air Traffic Control Tower was delivered on 8 Jan 05 to Banda Aceh Airport to replace damaged equipment, giving Banda Aceh Airport all-weather air traffic control capability.
• Heavy equipment for reconstruction including:
  • 1 5-tonner with crane
  • 3 generators
  • 2 UNIMOG multi-purpose vehicles

Personnel

• There are more than 900 personnel on the ground, including:
  • 55-member SAF medical team in Meulaboh
  • 25-member SAF medical team in Banda Aceh (has been expanded into a field hospital with surgical capability)
  • 18-member Composite Team comprising Surgical, Paediatric and Public Healthcare personnel from MOH and SAF
  • 6-member and 5-member Air Traffic Control Teams in Medan and Banda Aceh respectively
  • 25-member and 30-member Civil Military Relations teams in Medan and Meulaboh respectively
  • 5-member SAF Combat Engineer Team
  • 2-member SAF Liaison Team
  • 9-member SAF communications team in Meulaboh
  • 23-member SCDF Disaster Assistance and Relief Team (DART)
  • Doctors and nurses from Raffles Medical Group
• A 15-member Alexandra Hospital team is assisting partner BIDA Hospital in Batam. A second team arrived on 9 Jan 05 for Luang Bapa Health Centre, Aceh.

Relief Missions by Singapore Non-Profit Organisations

• The following organisations have sent or will be sending relief missions to assist in the relief efforts of the tsunami-hit countries: Singapore Red Cross, YMCA, Mercy Relief, City Harvest, Touch Community Services, Singapore Buddhist Federation, Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre.

Thailand

Relief Supplies

• 13 tonnes of relief aid and of medical supplies have been delivered in 2 tranches.
• 2 Chinooks and 2 Super Pumas were deployed on 30 Dec 04 to assist with airlift and rescue operations. The 2 Chinooks were re-deployed to Singapore on 3 Jan 05; the 2 Super Pumas will be re-deployed to Singapore on 11 Jan 05.
• 2 SCDF lorries (3-tonne and 5-tonne) arrived on 6 Jan 05.

Personnel

• There are currently 117 personnel on the ground, including:
  • 12 SCDF personnel
  • 1 Forensic Experts Team
  • 1 Inter-Ministry Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Team
  • 5 SPF officers to assist with the victim identification process in Phuket
  • 1 Consular Team
  • A 2-man Emergency Behaviour Officer (EBO) team from MOH replaced the first 6-man team, which returned to Singapore on 6 Jan 05.
    
    (68 members of the SCDF teams assisting with search and rescue operations returned to Singapore on 10 Jan 05. The SAF team is returning on 11 Jan 05.)

Relief Missions by Singapore Non-Profit Organisations

• The following organisations have sent or will be sending relief missions to assist in the relief efforts of the tsunami-hit countries: Thailand Land Rover Convoys and Raleigh Society.

Sri Lanka

Supplies and Support

• 8 tonnes of relief aid and medical supplies were sent by Singapore Government to Sri Lanka on 29 Dec 04. A second tranche of relief package of medical items is scheduled to be sent to Sri Lanka on 10 Jan 2005.
• PUB and Deutsche Bank have jointly sent 1,300 water bags (10 litres per bag) to Sri Lanka as humanitarian relief.
• Four 40-ft containers from the Singapore Buddhist Association and three 40-ft containers of relief supplies collected by the Sri Lankan High Commission from Singaporean donors are being shipped by APL (subsidiary company of Neptune Orient Lines) to Sri Lanka.
• Chairman of Temasek Holdings, Mr S Dhanabalan, has written to Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga to offer US$1 million towards the tsunami relief efforts in Sri Lanka.
• Hyflux Ltd is contributing 20 units of the dragonfly water generators to Sri Lanka.

Personnel

• 3 MFA Consular Officers have been sent to help trace uncontactable Singaporeans in Sri Lanka.

Relief Missions by Singapore Non-Profit Private Organisations

• The following non-profit organisations have sent relief missions to assist in the relief efforts in Sri Lanka: YMCA, Parkway Medical Group, and Singapore Red Cross Society (comprising 11 Health Care Workers from National Healthcare Group and Singhealth and 8 Red Cross members).

Maldives

Relief Supplies

• One desalination unit with a capacity of 240 m3/day arrived at the Maldives, on 7 Jan 05, and will be set up in Gan, Addu Atolls. This capacity can provide enough drinking water for 1/3 of the population of 340,000 people in the Maldives per day. The plant is expected to be operational within two weeks.
• 600 water bags (10 litres per bag) were sent to Maldives on 31 Dec 2004 and 1 Jan 2005. To date, a total of 6,000 litres of water (sufficient for 3,000 persons, assuming 2litres/person) has been sent.
• Arrangements are being made for 2 desalination plants from GrahamTek Singapore Pte Ltd (with capacities of 200 m3/day and 300 m3/day) to be delivered to Maldives.
• Hyflux Ltd has contributed 10 units of the its "Dragonfly" water generators to Maldives. These items were sent to Male on 8 Jan 05.

Personnel

• To date, 3 engineers and technical staff from Keppel Engineering have been sent to set up the desalination plant in Maldives. Keppel Engineering is bearing the cost of sending the team to Maldives for over one month.

General

• The Government of Singapore has pledged S$5 million, out of which S$1 million has been donated the Singapore Red Cross Society to help it launch public donations appeal in response to the earthquake/tsunami disaster. The remaining S$4 million is earmarked for relief and medical supplies and to help reconstruction efforts in stricken countries.
• PM Lee Hsien Loong announced on 6 Jan 05 at the Special ASEAN Leaders' Meeting on the aftermath of the Earthquake and Tsunamis in Jakarta that the Government of Singapore would pledge US$10 million at the International Pledging Conference to be held in Geneva on 11 Jan 05.
• Temasek Holdings has announced that it will set aside US$10million for relief, recovery, and reconstruction support, especially in the worst-hit area of Aceh in Indonesia.
• Singapore is offering its air and naval bases for use as a staging area for relief and reconstruction efforts in tsunami-hit countries, including Indonesia. We have facilitated over 50 foreign fixed wing aircraft and helicopter missions, including assets from the US, Spain and Norway.
• The Civil and Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has been handling ad-hoc non-scheduled cargo flights carrying relief aid at Changi since 26 Dec 04.
• CAAS is waiving charges, including:
  • Passenger Service Charge and Passenger Security Service Charge
  • Warehouse rental for storage of relief aid for freight forwarders
  • Franchise fee for handling of relief aid
  • Landing and parking fees for non-revenue flights involved in carrying relief aid/equipment or humanitarian efforts
  • Dangerous Goods Permit Fees
  • Office/storage space at terminal building for relief aid/equipment
• The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) is also waiving port handling charges for ships sending relief to affected countries.
• Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been offering carriage of relief supplies to all affected countries since 27 Dec 04.
• The Singapore Red Cross Society (SRCS) has raised S$27 million as at 8 Jan 05 (not including the cash contributions from the Singapore Government) for humanitarian assistance to the victims of the earthquake and tsunamis in the Bay of Bengal. The society has contributed S$100,000 to the Indonesian Red Cross and a further sum of $2 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to assist all disaster-stricken countries. In addition, it has also sent a 21-member medical team to Sri Lanka (Trincomalee).
• The following organisations are also raising funds for the relief and reconstruction of tsunami-hit countries: The Salvation Army (Singapore), YMCA (Singapore), Touch Community Services, Mercy Relief, Bright Hill Monastery, City Harvest Community Services, World Vision (Singapore), Habitat for Humanity (Singapore) and the Singapore Scout Association.