INDONESIA: WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (WFP) REGIONAL DIRECTOR SAYS THERE ARE SECURITY PROBLEMS IN THE ACEH PROVINCE

Record ID: 645118

  • Title: INDONESIA: WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (WFP) REGIONAL DIRECTOR SAYS THERE ARE SECURITY PROBLEMS IN THE ACEH PROVINCE
  • Date: 18th January 2005
  • Summary: (W2) BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA (JANUARY 18, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV FAMILIES WALKING TO CHILD WEIGHING STATION 0.05 2. WIDE OF EXTERIOR OF BUILDING WHERE THE BABIES ARE BEING WEIGHED AND MEASURED 0.08 3. WIDE OF FAMILIES INSIDE THE STATION 0.14 4. VARIOUS OF LITTLE BOY BEING PUT ONTO SCALES 0.27 5. SLV UNICEF (UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND) OFFICIAL FILLING OUT FORM 0.31 (W2) JAKARTA, INDONESIA (JANUARY 18, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE BY ANTHONY BANBURY, UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME'S (WFP) REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR ASIA 0.40 7. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANTHONY BANBURY, UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME'S (WFP) REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR ASIA, SAYING: "WFP, together with Unicef and the World Health Organisation, is now carrying out a joint assessment on health, nutrition and food security. We are obtaining information from remote communities on nutritional status and nutritional needs of people. We will take steps to ensure that our food meets those nutritional needs" 1.01 (W2) BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA (JANUARY 18, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 8. SLV PEOPLE IN CHILD WEIGHING STATION 1.06 9. SMV MOTHER HOLDING CHILD IN ARMS 1.10 (W2) JAKARTA, INDONESIA (JANUARY 18, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) BANBURY SAYING: "The security situation in Aceh, of course, is an issue that we pay close attention to. It is what we call in the UN a phase 4 security environment, that is out of 5 phases, 5 being the most dangerous. Banda Aceh itself is phase 3, but the rest of the area is phase 4. So this is of course a priority for us, as it would be anywhere else in the world where we operate. The security of our own staff is our topmost priority, together with the priority to reach people who need assistance and sometimes it is difficult to balance. But this is a sovereign country. We are here as the guest of the Indonesian government. We are under their protection, we take guidance from them on security matters. If they tell us, we cannot go to certain areas because of security reasons, we of course will respect their advise, their decision" 2.04 11. WIDE OF JOURNALISTS 2.09 12. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) BANBURY SAYING: "We are, of course, aware of the statement from the Danish foreign ministry. We are inquiring about its origin and seeking to learn more about the statement. WFP itself has not seen any indication of a heightened security environment" 2.27 13. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE 2.30 14. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) BANBURY: "The Indonesian government, the United Nations, NGOs within a very short period will have our own sufficient capacity to do all the work. And the foreign militaries will then be able to return to their bases, where they come from, without any negative impact on the operation. I think that's the hope of all of us. The World Food Programme is working very hard to put in place our own aircraft, helicopters and ships, so that we will not need to rely on the foreign military. We hope to do that in even less than three months time is our objective" 3.07 BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA (JANUARY 18, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 15. VARIOUS OF BABY GIRL BEING MEASURED 3.17 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd February 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BANDA ACEH AND JAKARTA, INDONESIA
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Reuters ID: LVA99HYHK0JVVQ7J3VYB04P392BQ
  • Story Text: WFP regional director talks of problems and
    priorities in Aceh.




    Hundreds of families lined up outside the UNICEF
    booth in Banda Aceh on Tuesday (January 18) to get their
    children weighed and examined by medical officials.

    UNICEF is trying to get a clear idea of the health of
    the children of the tsunami-battered area so that they can
    better serve their needs.

    Children have been the worst affected in this natural
    catastrophe with thousands left homeless and orphaned.

    The Indonesian island of Sumatra was closest to the
    epicentre of the December 26 earthquake and is where most
    of Indonesia's 115,000 dead perished.

    The World Food Programme (WFP) said it had shipped
    4,000 tonnes of food to 300,000 people affected by the
    tsunami and opened road corridors from Banda Aceh to Medan
    in eastern Sumatra and from Medan to Meulaboh on the
    island's west coast.

    WFP regional director Anthony Banbury told a news
    conference in Jakarta on Tuesday: "WFP, together with
    Unicef and the World Health Organisation, is now carrying
    out a joint assessment on health, nutrition and food
    security. We are obtaining information from remote
    communities on nutritional status and nutritional needs of
    people. We will take steps to ensure that our food meets
    those nutritional needs."
    Banbury also said security was top priority.

    "The security situation in Aceh, of course, is an issue
    that we pay close attention to. It is what we call in the
    UN a
    phase 4 security environment, that is out of 5 phases, 5
    being the most dangerous. Banda Aceh itself is phase 3, but
    the rest of the area is phase 4. So this is of course a
    priority for us, as it would be anywhere else in the world
    where we operate.

    "The security of our own staff is our top most
    priority, together with the priority to reach people who
    need assistance and sometimes it is difficult to balance.

    But this is a sovereign country. We are here as the guest
    of the Indonesian government. We are under their
    protection, we take guidance from them on security matters.

    If they tell us we cannot go to certain areas because of
    security reasons, we of course will respect their advise,
    their decision," said Banbury.

    The Danish government said on Monday (January 17) it
    had received information that international aid workers
    faced possible terror attacks in Aceh.

    U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said relief workers
    had had no problems working in Aceh despite its simmering
    separatist rebellion, but they needed to be cautious.

    Banbury told the Jakarta news conference: "We are, of
    course, aware of the statement from the Danish foreign
    ministry. We are inquiring about its origin and seeking to
    learn more about the statement. WFP itself has not seen any
    indication of a heightened security environment."
    Indonesia said the government would try to ensure the
    safety and security of all humanitarian workers, foreign or
    Indonesian, but it urged all aid workers to register their
    presence and report their movements in Aceh.

    Commenting on Indonesia's three-month deadline to
    reduce the involvement of foreign militaries in relief
    efforts,
    Banbury said that is also the hope of many humanitarian
    agencies working in Aceh.

    "The Indonesian government, the United Nations, NGOs
    within a very short period will have our own sufficient
    capacity to do all the work. And the foreign militaries
    will then be able to return to their bases, where they come
    from, without any negative impact on the operation. I think
    that's the hope of all of us. The World Food Programme is
    working very hard to put in place our own aircraft,
    helicopters and ships, so that we will not need to rely on
    the foreign military. We hope to do that in even less than
    three months time is our objective," Banbury said.



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