Indonesia: Six-Month Review of the Cluster Response to the Central Java and Yogyakarta Earthquake

Yogyakarta, 20th November 2006 - Government officials, national and internal NGOs and donors joined United Nations representatives to review key achievements during the six months since the 27 May earthquake caused wide-scale destruction in the Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces. Speaking on behalf of the United Nations System, Mr. Gianfranco Rotigliano, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Representative for Indonesia stressed that 'Today marks a transition for the United Nations. We have moved from a mainly humanitarian focus into a clear period of recovery and rehabilitation'.

Donors from 22 countries have provided more than US$ 38 million to the Emergency Response Plan (ERP) to support a host of emergency and early recovery programmes implemented by the United Nations and its partners. Additional funding through the multi-donor Java Reconstruction Fund (JRF) will soon be added for additional shelter and livelihood programmes.

Assistance for emergency and transitional shelter to address the wide-scale housing destruction figured prominently in the event. Over 330,000 emergency shelters and 30,000 roof structures - with another 57,000 in the pipeline - have been provided to families whose houses were destroyed. A push is now underway to get as many roofs out to vulnerable households before the heavy rains start. The United Nations is also working closely with provincial and district governments to ensure permanent housing is built to resist any future shocks.

Moving on from emergency water provision that supplied clean water for 126,000 people during the first months after the earthquake, work is continuing on cleaning wells and repairing damaged latrines. With widespread remaining needs in this area, the United Nations has committed to continue activities through government and NGO until at least July 2007.

During the initial stages of the emergency medical assistance supported the national health system cope with some 30,000 people who were injured, including 400 with spinal cord injuries. A key health accomplishment has been the establishment of disease surveillance in the seven most affected districts. Information gathering through these sites is now supporting vulnerability targeting for shelter implementation as well as longer-term disaster prevention and risk reduction activities.

Protection, education and psycho-social programmes for the hundreds of thousands of children affected by the earthquake were also highlighted in Monday's event. Provision of more than 800 learning spaces and distribution of school equipment and material ensured that children returned to school without delay. Psycho-social training for 1,100 teachers, mobile outreach teams and dozens of child-safe spaces have assisted at-risk children cope with the traumas they experienced. A significant contribution is also being made in constructing durable temporary schools, with 44 of the planned 163 schools completed.

During the first 3 months of the emergency, food assistance was provided for the 120,000 most vulnerable households. Resumption of disrupted agricultural activities has since become a priority, with rice seed and fertilizers distributed to 9,700 farmers in the two most heavily impacted districts of Klaten and Bantul. Additional livelihood support has been provided through grants, loans, technical assistance and market access to over 6,700 households, and some 50 enterprises.

Mr. Rotigliano emphasised that 'the United Nations remains committed to continuing its work in support of the Government programmes'. He added; 'there is a lot of hard work ahead but we look forward to being a partner in the rebuilding of homes, schools and health facilities as well as in supporting communities to resume meaningful economic and social activities'.

For further information, please contact:

Laksmita Noviera: 3141308 Ext. 126 or 0811 840820, noviera@un.org
Takako Izumi: 0811 987615, izumi@un.org
Martha Andriana: 0813 27664 134, marthaandriana@yahoo.com