[Scotia] Fwd: Aceh Emergency - TAPOL Urgent Appeal

[Rob Unwin]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Celia Mather <c.mather at webmail.phonecoop.coop>
> Date: Fri Dec 31, 2004  11:24:49  am Europe/London
>
> Subject: Fwd: Aceh Emergency - TAPOL Urgent Appeal
>
> Dear Friends
>
> Happy New Year to you all. I am sure that most of you will probably  
> already have made a donation to support the aid effort for the victims  
> of the Asian tsunami. However, there is also political work that you  
> can do to help specifically the victims in Aceh, Indonesia, the area  
> closest to the earthquake and the most badly hit.
>
> Below TAPOL, the Indonesian human rights organisation based in London,  
> outlines the political background in Aceh and why pressure is needed  
> on the Indonesian government to allow freer access to the humanitarian  
> agencies. A website: www.tsunamiaceh.org is being set up tomorrow with  
> more information, particularly the questions to ask if you contact the  
> Indonesian Embassy. (Indonesian Embassy in London: Tel: 020 7499 7661)
>
> I understand too that the Indonesian government has not even formally  
> asked the international community for assistance and this is holding  
> up official aid to Indonesia, unlike the other countries affected.  
> This is why a donation through the TAPOL fund is a good idea, because  
> it will go direct to civil society organisations on the ground in > Aceh.
>
> If you can find a moment to take action, this will assist the hundreds  
> of thousands of Acehnese victims. Thank you, and all good wishes, > Celia
>
>
>> Envelope-to: c.mather at mcr1.poptel.org.uk
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>> Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 09:44:02 +0000
>> To: jenbarber24 at hotmail.com, ColinBarberHome at aol.com,
>>         jonathanmark at rutherfordriddell.freeserve.co.uk
>> From: Paul Barber <plovers at gn.apc.org>
>> Subject: Aceh Emergency - TAPOL Urgent Appeal
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>>
>> [Please circulate to your friends, colleagues and networks.   
>> Apologies for
>> double postings.]
>>
>> ACEH EMERGENCY - URGENT APPEAL
>>
>> TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
>>
>> The people of Aceh are suffering the gravest catastrophe in their  
>> history
>> in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, which struck on 26  
>> December
>> 2004.
>>
>> The devastation and humanitarian crisis are unprecedented. The  
>> official
>> death toll is currently 52,000. The final figure could be as high as
>> 100,000. Tens of thousands are homeless and facing the prospect of  
>> killer
>> diseases.
>>
>> The disaster has been compounded by chaotic mismanagement by the  
>> Indonesian
>> authorities and the legacy of decades of violent conflict. A war has  
>> been
>> raging in the territory since the 1970s between the Indonesian  
>> military and
>> the separatist Free Aceh Movement, GAM.
>>
>> The Indonesian government's response to the crisis has been slow,  
>> lacked
>> coherence and demonstrated a reluctance, for political reasons  
>> associated
>> with the conflict, to involve the international community. Currently  
>> just
>> two helicopters have been deployed to assist with the immense relief  
>> and
>> rehabilitation operation.
>>
>> The government has severely restricted access to Aceh by international
>> humanitarian organisations since the imposition of martial law in May  
>> 2003.
>> Even now it is sending out mixed messages about the lifting of
>> restrictions. Desperately-needed aid is being held up in Medan, North
>> Sumatra.
>>
>> Intimidation and violence against local NGOs by the security forces  
>> have
>> incapacitated civil society and severely curtailed their ability to  
>> respond
>> to the crisis.
>>
>> It is essential that local and foreign organisations are allowed to  
>> operate
>> freely in Aceh for an unlimited length of time. The role of the  
>> military
>> must be restricted to humanitarian and reconstruction tasks. There  
>> must be
>> no return to the oppressive military conditions which have caused so  
>> much
>> suffering to the Acehnese and exacerbated the current crisis.
>>
>> Rigorous steps must also be taken to ensure that corruption, which is  
>> an
>> acknowledged problem in Aceh, is not allowed to dissipate the aid  
>> effort.
>>
>> The needs of the Acehnese are now acute. Please do all you can to  
>> help them
>> cope with this terrible tragedy.
>>
>> TAPOL works with a number of grassroots humanitarian and human rights
>> organisations in Aceh and is launching this appeal so that funds can  
>> be
>> used by them to optimum effect where it is most needed by local  
>> people.
>>
>> SUGGESTED ACTION
>>
>> Make a donation, however small, by one of the methods below:
>>
>> Ask your government, through your member of parliament (preferably by  
>> phone
>> with a follow-up letter or email), to press the Indonesian government:
>>
>> ·       To lift all restrictions on access to Aceh by international  
>> humanitarian
>> organisations, aid workers and journalists;
>>
>> ·       To seek as much assistance as is necessary from the  
>> international
>> community and allow aid to be delivered directly by international
>> organisations;
>>
>> ·       To limit the military's role to humanitarian and  
>> reconstruction tasks and
>> permanently halt all other military activities in the province.
>>
>>
>> Details of UK MPs can be found at
>>
>> http://www.parliament.uk/directories/directories.cfm or by  
>> telephoning the
>> House of Commons switchboard on 020 7219 3000
>> PAYMENT METHODS
>>
>> ·       Send a cheque payable to "TAPOL - Aceh Appeal" to TAPOL, the  
>> Indonesia
>> Human Rights Campaign, 111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7  
>> 8HW,
>> UK.
>>
>> ·       Make a deposit in the following bank account: "Tapol - Aceh  
>> Appeal";
>> Account no. 65157529; The Co-operative Bank; sort code 08-92-99
>>
>> ·       Make an online donation at
>>
>> http://www.etan.org/action/action2/ 
>> 23alert.htm#Donate%20to%20Aceh%20relief.
>>
>> For more information, email tapol at gn.apc.org or phone + 44 208 771  
>> 2904 or
>> + 44 794 756 7449.
>>
>> Thank you.
>>
>> 30 December 2004
>>
>> **************************************************
>> Paul Barber
>> TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
>> 25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
>> Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
>> Email: plovers at gn.apc.org
>> Internet: http://tapol.gn.apc.org
>> Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia,
>> 1973-2004
>> **************************************************
>
>

My direct line: 0114 241 2754