Asia-Pacific Countries Step Up Relief Efforts for Tsunami Victims

Asia-Pacific countries on Thursday stepped up their relief efforts for the areas hit hard bythe massive earthquake and the tsunamis that followed last Sunday. China will dramatically increase its emergency assistance to the tsunami-hit countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Thursday. China has already donated 21.63 million yuan (about US$2.615 million) worth of relief goods to the disaster-hit countries. In response to the heavy casualties and property losses some south and southeast Asian countries have suffered, Chinese ForeignMinister Li Zhaoxing held an emergency meeting with other relevantgovernment departments Wednesday and decided to greatly increase the amount of aid. Liu said China will send a 100-odd-member medical team to tsunami-ravaged Indonesia. Besides, and a 35-member rescue team headed by Zhao Heping, deputy director general of the State Seismological Bureau, will leave for Indonesia. The Chinese Ministry of Health will organize many other expertsto fly to the disaster-hit regions Thursday, including 15 experts in epidemiology and infection who are leaving for Phuket via Bangkok. Twelve surgeons from south China's Guangdong Province will head for Thailand Friday. Five DNA experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences will help the Thai government for victims' identification, said Liu. China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government willstage a fundraising activity to garner money for tsunamis victims.It has already received a total of 10 million HK dollars (US$1.28 million) in donation from different walks of life in Hong Kong. Some 100 relief officials left Hong Kong for Phuket, Thailand, Thursday morning to expedite the search for missing Hong Kong residents as well as provide assistance to stranded Hong Kong residents in areas affected by Sunday's earthquake-powered tsunamis. Altogether, the SAR government will be sending 120 officers to Phuket, comprising police, immigration and medical officers. In South Korea, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday that Vice Foreign Minister Choi Young-jin will fly to Thailand's southern resort island of Phuket later in the day to head the South Korean anti-disaster office there. The South Korean government decided to commit an additional US$3 million in emergency relief funds for the tsunami-hit countries. Previously, it had promised US$2 million donation. South Korea will send a military cargo plane to Sri Lanka on Friday, carrying medical supplies and relief workers, Ban said. Australia is to send a navy ship and helicopters to tsunami-hitIndonesia and has offered to set up a field hospital in Aceh area,Prime Minister John Howard said on Thursday. An Antonov aircraft along with three Iriquoi helicopters will be sent to Aceh and more air crew will be sent to Sumatra, Indonesia, to ensure the around-the-clock operation of Australia'sfour Hercules aircraft already in that country, said Howard. The aircraft, HMAS Kanimbla, will leave Sydney on Friday, carrying helicopters and engineers to help with relief efforts, hesaid. "We will offer a light field hospital which has about 90 beds to the Indonesian Government for use in the affected area," he said. Two medical teams are on their way to the Maldives and Sri Lanka, he said. Howard said Australia's assistance may be increased further as the recovery and rehabilitation of the region would take some time. Australia has offered a total of 35 million dollars (US$27 million) of relief aid to those Asian countries that were hit by the tsunami disaster last Sunday. In New Zealand, a RNZAF 757 departed for Phuket, Thailand, Thursday afternoon. On board is a 10-member Disaster Victim Identification Team, comprising eight police personnel, a dentist and a pathologist. The team will make a contribution to the international efforts to identify the bodies that have been recovered, including any potential New Zealand victims. Also on board is an 11-strong Emergency Response Team comprising personnel from police, defense, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who will replace and strengthen the team of police and Embassy officials working in Phuket. Japan will consider additional aid to areas in Asia devastated by Sunday's powerful quake off Indonesia's Sumatra Island and subsequent tsunamis, Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura indicated Thursday. He said additional aid to other Asian countries affected by thequake and tsunamis will be discussed next Tuesday at a meeting of relevant Cabinet ministers. Japan has pledged US$30 million, or 3.1 billion yen, to Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The foreign minister said Japan supported US President George W.Bush's initiative involving Japan, Australia and India aimed at helping victims of the massive earthquake and tsunamis in Asia. Machimura told reporters he expected the four countries to start the envisaged joint military operation to gather informationabout damage from the disaster and what the affected people need. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that the government will raise its relief contribution from 2 million Singapore dollars (about US$1.2 million) to 5 million Singapore dollars (about US$3 million). Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam urged schools and students to take part in the national efforts by raising funds andcollecting or packing relief items when the new semester begins next week. So far, Singapore has deployed altogether 700 personnel, eight helicopters, a C-130 in the region as part of the international relief efforts and a landing ship tank with a team of engineers will depart for Indonesia on Friday. Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai decided on Thursday that Vietnam will provide humanitarian aid for the four countries which were hardest hit by the earthquake and tsunamis. Indonesia will be provided with US$150,000, and Thailand, India and Sri Lanka will be granted US$100,000 each, according to the report of Vietnam News Agency. The prime minister ordered the Ministry of Public Health to prepare health workers and medicine and diarrhea vaccines to send to the calamity-stricken countries if requested. The Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committeelaunched a campaign to raise money and goods for the tsunami victims on Thursday. They appealed to people in the country and overseas Vietnamese for contributions.

From Xinhua News Agency 12/30/2004

TOP↑

ASEAN Chief Calls for Sustained Effort to Deal with Tsunami Disaster

SINGAPORE (AFP) - ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong on Thursday called for a sustained global effort to help Asia rebuild from the devastation caused by last week's tsunami disaster as a one-day summit of world leaders got underway in Jakarta. "We hope this particular summit will be different and everybody involved will commit themselves to sustain the effort," Ong said at a regional forum organised by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. "So today the key idea at the summit in Jakarta is to get the political leadership of the people who are participating, the countries participating to focus, to sustain and we hope that this will not become another event which will quickly fade away from our memories," he said. World leaders led by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan are meeting at a specially convened summit in Jakarta to plan and coordinate Asia's recovery from the December 26 tsunami tragedy. According to Annan, billions of dollars in relief and long-term reconstruction aid for the Indian Ocean region would be required and 977 million US dollars were needed immediately to help five million survivors. "For the United Nations, it is the largest natural disaster the organisation has had to respond to on behalf of the world community, in the 60 years of our existence," Annan said in Jakarta. The giant waves destroyed virtually everything along vast coastal stretches of Indonesia's Sumatra island, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indian islands, wiping out whole communities in some areas and leaving others to cope with huge numbers of orphans and the loss of doctors, teachers and local leaders. More than 30 governments as well as corporations and private individuals have already pledged several billion dollars in assistance for the nations worst hit by the December 26 earthquake and tsunamis that killed at least 146,000 people. Apart from helping Asia deal immediately with the aftermath of the tragedy, Yong also pressed on the need for the establishment of a "special relief funding mechanism" preferably to be manage by the United Nations. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. bh/sdm

From http://www.aseansec.org/ 01/06/2005

TOP↑

Disaster Information System Rolled Out to Assist Consolidation of Damage and Loss Data in Asia

A number of countries in Asia have been devastated by earthquakes and tsunamis over the last week with a death toll now climbing over 150,000. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting national governments in consolidating information on losses and damages in the affected countries, at the local, national and regional level. This information is the key baseline for the planning and programming of short-term recovery actions. UNDP is taking advantage of its experience in buildng inventories of disaster loss and occurence in Asia, where it has deployed since 2003 the DesInventar database methodology, so far in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Vietnam, originally developed in Latin America by members of LA RED (The Network of Social Studies on Disaster Prevention in Latin America). To support damage and loss assessment efforts in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand BCPR is deploying an expert in disaster information systems, Mr. Julio Serje de la Ossa. Mr. Serje's mission to the region, together with associated software and hardware support is fully sponsored by COGNOS, a major software company in Canada.

From UNDP/BCPR - Disaster Reduction Unit 01/06/2005

TOP↑

Int'l Emergency Meeting on Post-tsunami Relief Ends

World leaders, special envoys and heads of regional as well as international organizations here on Thursday agreed to establish a regional early warning system such as Regional Tsunami Early Warning Center on the Indian Ocean and the Southeast Asia region. As the international community is still struggling to comprehend what happened on Dec. 26, 2004, the rising death toll daily has drawn them to this worst-hit country to discuss the way forward to prevent the reoccurrence of such "an unprecedented, global catastrophe." The consensus was reached at the end of the Special ASEAN Leaders' Meeting on Aftermath of Earthquake and Tsunami in heavily-guarded Jakarta. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. After almost around-the-clock shuttle diplomacy and intensive discussions before and during the one-day international emergency summit, they issued the Declaration on Action to Strengthen Emergency Relief, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Prevention on the Aftermath of Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster. Before wrapping up the 11th day since the tidal waves hit Asia and Africa, they agreed to support ASEAN's decision to establish regional mechanisms on disaster prevention and mitigation. They threw their support to promote public education and awareness as well as community participation in disaster prevention and mitigation through inter alia a community based disaster preparedness and early response. They also agreed to develop and promote national and regional human and institutional capacity, transfer of know-how, technology, and scientific knowledge in building and managing a regional early warning system and disaster management through international cooperation and partnership. The gigantic tidal waves, which swept across the coastlines of Indian Ocean rim countries, followed a great underwater earthquake off Indonesia's Sumatra island. The natural disaster has claimed some 145,000 lives in a dozen countries in Asia and Africa. And Kofi Annan said in speech delivered at the opening session that the exact magnitude of how many men, women and children perished on Dec. 26 may never be known and the real figure is likely to exceed 150,000. Some experts have said that the death toll could have been lower if there had been an tsunami early warning system, such as the one established among Pacific nations. In the meeting, the affected countries including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and India made their presentations to donor countries to give them a clearer picture of what kind of aid is needed to match their needs. The UN chief said at least half a million people were injured, more than one million people are displaced, nearly 2 million people need food aid, and many more need water, sanitation and health care. He said millions in Asia, Africa, and even in far away countries are suffering unimaginable trauma and psychological wounds that will take a long time to heal.

From Xinhua News Agency 01/06/2005

TOP↑

UN Secretary-General Launches Tsunami Emergency Appeal

Spearheading the international effort to bring relief to the victims of last week's devastating Indian Ocean tsunami, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday launched a $977 million flash appeal for emergency aid – by far the largest ever for a natural disaster and almost three times the previous record. “As we grieve for the dead and pray for those still searching for loved ones, we have a duty to the survivors,” Mr. Annan told a meeting of world leaders in Jakarta, Indonesia, calling for a concerted effort to prevent a second wave of death from preventable causes due to polluted water, and a third wave of despair where people cannot recover their livelihoods, homes or communities. “Although we were powerless to stop the tsunami, together we do have the power to stop those next waves,” he declared of the disaster that killed more than 150,000 people in a dozen countries, injured 500,000 more and left up to 5 million lacking basic services. The appeal covers a six-month period for the humanitarian emergency needs of an estimated 5 million people in Indonesia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, the Seychelles and Somalia. The previous highest flash appeal for a natural disaster was $350 million for the earthquake in Bam, Iran, a year ago, although the largest ever was $1.6 billion for Iraq following the 2003 war. The sum is much less than the overall pledges of aid to both the UN and other organizations, for both immediate and longer-term operations such as reconstruction, which have already reached between $3 billion and $4 billion, and Mr. Annan noted that the appeal provides for a focused set of programmes that can start now. “They must set the stage for efforts in the longer term, as we move from saving lives to recovery and reconstruction,” he said. Sectors covered for the next six months include $229 million for food and agriculture, $172 million for health care, $61 million for water and sanitation, $222 million for shelter and other urgent non-food items, and $110 million for the early restoration of livelihoods. Mr. Annan stressed that this is the largest natural disaster the UN has had to respond in its 60 years of existence. He noted the daunting logistical constraints but said they were not insurmountable. “It is a race against time, but together with the host Governments, we are overcoming them,” he added. “Every hour, we are seeing more goods reaching those in need.” He praised cases of individual generosity. “Consider the six-year-old boy in Shenyang, China, who donated his life savings of $22,” he said. “The past eleven days have been among the darkest in our lifetime,” he declared. “But they have also allowed us to see a new kind of light. We have seen the world coming together. We have seen a response based not on our differences, but on what unites us. We have seen an opportunity to heal old wounds and long-running conflicts. “We have seen everyone pull together – North and South, East and West, Governments and citizens, the media and the military, business and religious leaders, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international institutions. “Let us now show that we are committed for as long as it takes,” he said.

From http://www.un.org/ 01/06/2005

TOP↑

ADB Tsunami Response: Helping Rebuild Lives and Communities in the Tsunami Aftermath

ADB is offering up to $675 million to help finance priority reconstruction and rehabilitation work in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Maldives after the tsunami disaster last December. Teams of experts will begin to assess the extent of damage brought about by the tsunami, and determine the costs of reconstruction. "An enormous task lies ahead," ADB President Tadao Chino told regional leaders at a special Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit on the tsunami in Jakarta on 6 January. "Clearly the most immediate need is emergency relief and humanitarian assistance. I am gratified to see the urgent actions taken and the generous level of funding offered, to arrest the tremendous human toll of the disaster. These early responses must be followed quickly by a massive, closely coordinated international effort to rebuild the lives and livelihoods of all those affected." "ADB was also prepared to fund and lead a $1 million feasibility study to examine options for an effective early warning system in the Indian Ocean," Mr Chino said. A needs assessment team to determine the costs of reconstruction began its work today in Maldives, where about 100,000 people, or 35% of the population, have been severely affected by the tsunami. The mission is expected to work with local leaders in the coming two to four weeks. In Indonesia, ADB is closely involved in the joint Government-development partners damage and needs assessment, which began earlier this week. On 10 January, another joint team is scheduled to survey Sri Lanka.

From http://www.adb.org/ 01/07/2005

TOP↑

ASEAN Declaration on Action to Strengthen Emergency Relief, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Prevention

A special ASEAN Leaders’ meeting on the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami of 26 December 2004 that affected 8 Asian and 3 Eastern African countries was held in Jakarta on 6 January 2005. The ASEAN Leaders, who were joined by the heads of state/government of Australia, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and special envoys of other donor countries and heads of international organizations, adopted a Declaration of Action to Strengthen Emergency Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction.

From http://www.aseansec.org/ 01/07/2005

TOP↑

IMF and World Bank Support Debt Relief for Tsunami-Ravaged Nations

This summary is prepared by the External Affairs Department of the World Bank. All material is taken directly from published and copyright wire service stories and newspaper articles. The daily summary and other news can be found on the World Bank’s external website at http://www.worldbank.org/news. For inquiries call (202) 473-7660 or send a written request to the News Bureau. The International Monetary Fund and World Bank yesterday came out in favor of a debt moratorium for the countries worst hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami, The Financial Times reports. James Wolfensohn, World Bank President, said debt write-offs for the tsunami-hit states would be a "better idea" than just halting payments. But it was up to creditor nations to decide what course best suited them. At a one-day donors' meeting in Jakarta, total aid pledged for disaster relief doubled to nearly $5 billion, while rich countries and multilateral institutions offered debt relief and soft loans to the worst-hit countries. World leaders gave guarded support to the idea of delaying debt payments. Germany and the UK, now chairing the G8 group of industrialized nations, have proposed the Paris Club of creditor nations suspend debt repayments by tsunami-hit countries. Canada has announced a unilateral moratorium. Some critics of the moratorium, including John Howard, Australia's Prime Minister, fear such a scheme will not necessarily help individual victims of the disaster and may be unfair to poorer countries elsewhere. Financial analysts say a moratorium could undermine a country's creditworthiness and lead to an uncomfortable bunching of debt repayments when the suspension is lifted. The US held back from backing a moratorium - it will consult affected countries before deciding what action to take. AFX Asia also reports that the President of the Council of the European Union, Jean Claude Juncker, has called on EU members to offer debt reduction for countries affected by the tsunami and expressed confidence his call will find support at the Paris Club meeting next week. "It (the debt) should be dropped, rescheduling to my view is not sufficient, cutting is the direct answer," Juncker said at the summit in Jakarta. European Commission Chief, Jose Manuel Barroso, said that although personally he agrees to debt cuts, it will be up to the individual member countries to decide on the issue. Reuters further notes that the UK Treasury will issue a statement on Friday as president of the G7 group of industrialized nations backing a moratorium on debt repayments by countries hit by the tsunami disaster. The relief will be pending on a full needs assessment by the IMF and the World Bank. The statement will call on the IMF and the World Bank to complete long-term financing by the end of January. The BBC meanwhile writes that there is often a difference between aid promised to victims of disasters and aid actually delivered - but the reasons for this are more complex than broken promises. The problem is not so much evident in the early aftermath when the task is to get the resources and get them to the right places and quickly. It mainly concerns long-term reconstruction aid. Malcolm Rodgers, a senior officer for emergencies at Christian Aid in London, says there are three main reasons for the discrepancy between money pledged and money received. "The first is the lack of absorptive capacity in the receiving countries. The ability of local administrations to function in some places might have been wiped out. The second is that donor countries can set conditions. For example, they say that a project has to be carried out by their own consultants or companies and within a set time. The third is that the attention of the governments is distracted by other disasters and events and money gets shuffled around to meet those needs." The discrepancy is evident in many major disasters. After Hurricane Mitch in Central America in 1998, a donor's conference in Stockholm the following year promised $9 billion in aid. According to Rodgers, who wrote a report on the aftermath of Mitch, only about 30 to 50 percent of that money has been spent.

From http://web.worldbank.org/ 01/07/2005

TOP↑

The Asia Foundation Responds to Tsunami Disaster

The Asia Foundation and its affiliate Give2Asia are working to help meet both the short and longer-term needs of the millions affected by the tsunami in South Asia. The Asia Foundation is an international development organization that for the past 50 years has been working to expand public participation in governance and decision-making, broaden the benefits of economic and social development, and provide citizens with the tools they need to advance their interests and expand opportunities in their countries. Give2Asia’s partnership with The Asia Foundation provides a flexible vehicle through which to provide its partners with the resources they need for immediate relief and recovery efforts today. Following these urgent relief needs, long-term rebuilding of Asia will be crucial. Programming in areas to help with the region’s economic recovery as well as facilitating improved NGO and governmental collaboration for disaster-effected areas will continue to be part of The Asia Foundation’s focus. Efforts will be coordinated through the Foundation’s resident offices in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other affected countries.

From http://www.asiafoundation.org/ 01/02/2005

TOP↑

G7 Backs Debt Freeze for Tsunami-Hit Nations

Finance ministers from the Group of Seven industrialized nations have agreed to support the suspension of debt payments by countries affected by the tsunami disaster, the British treasury announced Friday, Agence France Presse (01/07) reports. The proposals will be put forward at a meeting of the Paris Club of 19 creditor nations in the French capital on Wednesday. The G7 also called on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to complete an assessment of the reconstruction and financing requirements of the countries affected by the tsunami disaster, and to provide financial assistance to the tsunami-affected countries. They also called for urgent consideration of an early-warning system for tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. "We must ensure that those countries are not prevented from paying for essential reconstruction because they are having to fund the servicing of their debts," said British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown. Xinhua specifies the G7 has agreed to freeze for one year payments of debt owed by the tsunami affected countries. Brown said that the deal would only freeze repayments, rather than cancel the debt itself. But some analysts worried that debt relief for tsunami-hit Asian economies may offer them short-term gain but bring pain in the long run as the cost of servicing debt payments may rise in the future. Agence France Presse (01/09) meanwhile reports that the current EU president, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, said Sunday that he favored "full debt relief" for countries hit by the tsunami disaster in south Asia. Juncker also stressed that European Union aid to the tsunami-hit countries would be "revised upwards" in the coming weeks. The Wall Street Journal (01/10) further writes that the offer by major industrial nations to briefly stop collecting debt payments from tsunami-devastated Asian countries is expected to give a short-term boost to reconstruction efforts in the region. But much more debt relief probably would be needed to help some countries, such as hard-hit Indonesia, get back on their feet. Indonesia is the largest debtor among the affected countries, with foreign obligations of $131.8 billion at the end of September, according to its central bank. As a result, Jakarta spends about a quarter of its budget every year on debt service. That means repayments will continue to prevent the country from devoting its full resources to rebuilding efforts if debt relief isn't extended perhaps several years. Meanwhile, less-indebted countries such as Thailand say they need aid other than debt relief. The Financial Times (01/10) adds that Indonesia is to ratchet up its demands for international aid to help fund the reconstruction of its tsunami-stricken Aceh province by seeking additional relief from its debts. The request would go significantly beyond the moratorium on repayments announced last week by members of the G7 group of rich countries. A senior Indonesian official said yesterday the country planned to discuss either a "refinancing" or "restructuring" of its public sector debts with Paris Club creditors on Wednesday. But the official said the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono wanted to ensure that such an arrangement was not accompanied by a fresh International Monetary Fund reform program that would impose strictures on how it ran the economy. The Jakarta Post (012/10) finally reports that the devastating quake and tsunami in Aceh and parts of North Sumatra, apparently did not deter global investors from examining prospects in the country. Organizers of next week's Infrastructure Summit say they are trying to accommodate the requests for participation in the event. There are at least 700 potential investors, foreign and domestic, requesting a seat in the by-invitation-only 500-seat event, according to the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin). We have now 312 global investors, leaving very limited place for domestic players," the event organizing co-chairman John A. Prasetio said. He added that foreign investors became more enthusiastic after the disaster and would dominate the event.

From http://web.worldbank.org/ 01/10/2005

TOP↑

Public Urged to Hold Leaders Accountable for Tsunami Promises

MELBOURNE /MediaNet International-AsiaNet/ - International agency Oxfam today urged the people of the world to hold their leaders accountable for the Tsunami Summit promises of nearly $4 billion in aid as well as action on debt relief to assist those countries devastated by the Tsunami. Global leaders have rightly come to the table in Jakarta pledging substantial long-term aid. The real test will be to ensure that these promises are kept when the media spotlight turns away from the Tsunami disaster said Oxfam Policy Director James Ensor, currently in Jakarta for the Emergency Summit. Ordinary people around the world have donated hundreds of millions of dollars to assist the Tsunami survivors. They have every right to be outraged if their Governments promises made today in Jakarta do not materialise said Ensor. Money pledged must be new money, not diverted from existing development programs or humanitarian crises such as in Sudan Oxfam is calling for world leaders to fulfil Kofi Annans immediate demand for $1 billion in cash to fund emergency relief over the next six months and welcomes confirmation of the leadership role of the United Nations in coordinating aid and reconstruction. Oxfam supports some world leaders rhetoric for a debt moratorium for Tsunami affected countries which collectively owe the rich world in excess of $300 billion. It would be immoral for rich countries to continue to reap billions of dollars in debt payments from these already poor countries now suffering such devastation said Ensor. Talk of debt moratoriums is not enough we need action. Other countries must now follow the lead of Canada in implementing a debt moratorium at next weeks meeting of the Paris Club of creditor countries. A taskforce involving the World Bank and Asian Development Bank must also be established to develop a plan to substantially reduce the debts of the worst affected countries. World leaders now have an obligation to tackle world poverty and reduce peoples vulnerability to future disasters during the remainder of 2005. This unprecedented disaster has thrown millions of already poor people across Asia into even deeper poverty. Meanwhile, unnecessary suffering and death continues around the world from the Congo to Sudan and elsewhere. This disaster increases the imperative for rich nations to commit to ending poverty by doubling their aid, cancelling the debts of the worlds poorest countries and making trade fair for the developing world said Ensor. Oxfam will redouble its efforts to achieve these outcomes in 2005. The G8 leaders summit in Scotland in July, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals summit in September and the World Trade Organisation Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December are three critical events where world leaders can begin to make poverty history.

From http://au.news.yahoo.com/ 01/10/2005

TOP↑

Tsunami Rebuilding Should Not Overlook Nature -WWF

BASEL, Switzerland (Reuters) - Poorly planned coastal development compounded the impact of Asia's tsunami and rebuilding efforts should use natural protection provided by reefs and forests, conservation group WWF said Monday. In a report ahead of a U.N. meeting on the plight of small-island states, the Worldwide Fund for Nature warned against over-logging and urged protection for tsunami-hit fishermen who could be pushed aside by opportunistic outside fleets. "It is also vital that coastal ecosystems, such as coral reefs, mangroves, marshes and forests that buffer the impact of tsunamis are rehabilitated and restored," the Swiss-based WWF said in a statement. U.N. disaster prevention experts last week said natural barriers to the sea's fury had in some areas mitigated the impact of the tsunami, which claimed over 150,000 lives in the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26. In areas where reefs and coastal forests had been damaged by economic development or prawn farming, the wave spent its rage on villages and tourist hotels unhindered. Almost 40 nations plan to attend a United Nations conference on small island developing states this week in Mauritius. The states face threats including AIDS, poverty and global warming, as well as natural disasters like cyclones and tsunamis. The WWF warned that opportunistic fishing fleets from outside the damaged region could compound the plight of fishermen whose livelihoods were devastated by the tsunami by moving into the affected area as locals struggle to rebuild. The group also warned against indiscriminate logging for lumber to reconstruct the devastated region. It said though some trees would be needed for emergency housing, forest resources had to be managed sustainably to avoid other natural disasters. "Indiscriminate logging could create other calamities in the future such as landslides and flooding," the group said.

From http://news.yahoo.com/ 01/10/2005

TOP↑

UN Moves to Guard Against Tsunami Aid Corruption

The United Nations is adopting new steps in its global tsunami-relief campaign to guard against improprieties like those alleged in the oil-for-food program for Iraq, U.N. officials said Monday. Among the measures in the works are a way to let the public to track every aid dollar via a Web site and the drafting of new rules to protect U.N. staff whistle-blowers. The world body is applying lessons learned from the now-defunct humanitarian aid program for Iraq by adopting measures to ensure "greater accountability and transparency" in the effort it is coordinating to provide relief for victims of last month's Indian Ocean tsunami, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The United Nations has accepted a no-fee offer from the PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting and consulting firm to help track aid to victims of the giant wave that smashed into Southeast Asian and East African coastlines on Dec. 26, said Kevin Kennedy, a senior official in the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The firm may also be asked to help promptly investigate any allegations of fraud, waste or abuse that might surface in connection with the tsunami relief drive. Internal audits released over the weekend by an independent commission identified many management lapses during the seven-year life of the $64 billion oil-for-food program. But Kennedy dismissed concerns that donors might be worried about possible corruption in the tsunami aid program, noting that more than $2 billion in donations poured into U.N. coffers last year in response to various humanitarian appeals. "If there were real concerns on the humanitarian side about how monies were received and expended, I don't think we would have received over $2 billion," he told reporters. "We are reasonably confident with the procedures we have in place. However this will certainly enhance our ability to track money and make sure it is used wisely" Some $4 billion has been pledged to date for tsunami aid by governments, international agencies and private relief groups. But not all that money is tracked by the United Nations, Kennedy said. Donors, for example, funnel some funds directly to affected countries. While the relief effort continued to make "great strides," he acknowledged it had not yet met the urgent needs of many victims. The death toll from the disaster had already surpassed, 156,000 and eventually could go as high as 200,000, "but this will be seen in the coming days," he said.

From http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/ 01/11/2005

TOP↑

Tsunami Could Throw 2 Mn People into Poverty: ADB

MANILA - Nearly two million people could fall into poverty as a result of the tsunami that killed more than 150,000 people around the Indian Ocean, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Thursday. While the overall effect on most economies would be minimal, and in some cases even beneficial, the Manila-based institution said its initial study had showed the weakest in society would bear the economic brunt of the disaster. "The poverty impact of the tsunami will be enormous," ADB Chief Economist Ifzal Ali said in a statement. "Poverty is potentially the most important effect of this natural disaster." The bank's report said that one million people could fall below the poverty line in Indonesia alone, most in the northern province of Aceh where more than 100,000 died. The number of poor in India could rise by 645,000 and by 250,000 in Sri Lanka, the ADB report found. In the Maldives, where about half the island nation's houses were affected, more than 50 per cent of the population could fall into poverty, it said. Economies of Sri Lanka and the Maldives would likely be the worst affected by the tsunami, but other countries should be able to absorb the impact and even get a boost from reconstruction in rural areas that were hit hardest by the giant waves. "Reconstruction from natural disasters requires new investment that should have a positive impact. And investment should translate into jobs," the report said. "Therefore, it is possible that the overall economic impact could well end up being somewhat positive." Private economists have also said that the impact of the tsunami on bigger economies such as Thailand and Indonesia would be minimal and probably less than the damage from the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), bird flu and terrorism.

From http://www.financialexpress.com/ 01/13/2005

TOP↑

UN Official Eyes Wide Disaster Alert System-Report

TOKYO (Reuters) - U.N. emergency relief coordinator Jan Egeland said he wants to aim for a global early warning system that covers not just tsunamis but a wide range of natural disasters, a Japanese newspaper reported on Saturday. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has championed a worldwide tsunami warning system and donors have been willing to fund it since the Dec. 26 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed more than 162,000 people. Setting up an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system will be a major topic at a U.N.-sponsored conference on reducing the toll from disasters to be held in the western Japanese city of Kobe next week. "An early warning system should be able to deal with natural disasters that occur almost every year and not just tsunamis that only occur very rarely," the Mainichi Shimbun daily quoted Egeland -- who is to attend the Kobe conference -- as saying in an interview at the U.N. headquarters in New York. In addition to tsunamis, an alert system should be equipped to deal with disasters such as droughts, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes, the Mainichi quoted Egeland as saying. Egeland said he wanted to launch a network of U.N. and other agencies at the Kobe meeting that would aim at building the warning system, Mainichi said. The U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Food Programme and other agencies have already agreed to set up a scheme for purposes such as exchanging information, he said. Separately, Kyodo news agency quoted Egeland as saying he expects the world's attention on the Indian Ocean tsunami to lead to concrete action in strengthening efforts to prevent damage caused by natural disasters. "Some are afraid that this tsunami will overshadow the more frequent natural disasters" during the Kobe conference, Kyodo quoted Egeland as saying in a telephone interview on Saturday. "However, on the contrary, I think the tsunami will make world leaders understand the importance of dealing more decisively with natural disaster prevention," Kyodo quoted Egeland as saying in an English-language report.

From http://www.alertnet.org/ 01/15/2005

TOP↑

How Red Tape and Poverty Prevented Warnings Going out to Battered Shores

Red tape stopped scientists from alerting countries around the Indian Ocean to the devastating Boxing Day tsunami racing towards their shores, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. Scientists at the Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii - who have complained about being unable to find telephone numbers to alert the countries in peril - did not use an existing rapid telecommunications system set up to get warnings around the world almost instantly because the bureaucratic arrangements were not in place. Senior UN officials attending a conference here of small island countries - some of them badly hit by the tsunami, now recognised to have been the deadliest in history - revealed that the scientists did not use the World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) Global Telecommunication System to contact Indian Ocean countries because the "protocols were not in place". The system, which links all the world's national meteorological services, is designed to get warnings from anywhere in the world to all other nations within 30 minutes. It was used to alert Pacific countries to the tsunami, even though it affected hardly any of them, and could have been used in the Indian Ocean if the threat had been from a typhoon, officials said, but it could not be used to warn about a tsunami. Dr Laura Kong, the director of the International Tsunami Information Centre which monitors the warning system in Hawaii, told the IoS: "The WMO's system has been set up but the protocols are not available for tsunami warnings except in the Pacific. So it was used on 26 December but only in the Pacific." A senior official at Unesco, which runs the information centre and the warning system, explained that this meant that "we do not have an agreement for passing the information on" for tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. She added that they had got "approved communication channels" for giving out warnings about tropical cyclones in the area but that "these would necessarily be different in the case of a tsunami" and were not available. Michel Jarraud, secretary general of the WMO, said that the system had "proved to be highly effective for providing timely early warnings for a variety of weather, climate and water-related hazards in many countries". He said it had proved particularly valuable during last year's hurricanes in the Caribbean and Pacific, and added: "The system provides tremendous potential for timely and reliable exchange of tsunami warning messages and related information." But the governments around the Indian Ocean rejected repeated pressure from Unesco and other UN bodies for a tsunami early-warning system in their area because it was expensive, they had many calls on their resources and there had been no tsunamis in the ocean for more than 100 years. The UN now says that the Boxing Day tsunami was the deadliest ever. The only one that even begins to rival it smashed through the Mediterranean around 1400BC after the destruction of the island of Santorini. On that occasion 100,000 people are estimated to have died. Tomorrow a flurry of international UN meetings begins in order to establish tsunami warning systems both in the Indian Ocean and worldwide over the next two and a half years. They start with a long-planned UN conference on disasters in Kobe, Japan. Further meetings are scheduled in India, China and Thailand during the rest of the month, followed by a major conference in Bangkok in March. Unesco wants to have an Indian Ocean warning system up and running by June 2006 and a global one covering all the world's oceans a year later. It points out that the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Caribbean are all vulnerable, as well as the Pacific. Considerable amounts of money for the Indian Ocean system - expected to cost $30m (￡16m) - have been pledged by Japan, the US, Australia and other countries. Deep-sea sensors - at $250,000 each - would be scattered all over the Indian Ocean. But Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General, who was also attending the conference on Small Island Developing States here, wants to extend the global system to cover all types of natural disaster. Salvano Briceno, director of the UN's International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, said this would also cover earthquakes, landslides, floods, droughts and hurricanes. But experts stressed that putting up a technical warning system does not in itself solve the problem because the messages have to reach the people living on - or the tourists visiting - the shores, and evacuations have to be arranged. This is a hugely demanding task. In the Pacific it works relatively well as the shores are not generally heavily populated. But the Indian Ocean has some of the world's most heavily populated shores and some of its poorest countries. Besides, the deep-ocean sensors are prone to giving off false alarms and experts warn that just one of these could damage tourist industries and destroy public confidence. "This is a political as well as a scientific issue," said a senior Unesco official. "There are very high stakes involved: tourism is very important to some of these countries. Imagine the effect if a warning went out, the shores were evacuated, and then nothing happened." (by Geoffrey Lean)

From http://news.independent.co.uk/ 01/16/2005

TOP↑

ASEAN to Set Up Hotline to Facilitate Mutual Aid in Emergencies

KUALA LUMPUR (CAN) - In a show of solidarity, ASEAN defence chiefs have agreed to set up a hotline to facilitate mutual aid in times of major disasters. At their meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia also clarified it is not imposing any withdrawal deadline for neighbouring troops rendering aid in tsunami-hit Aceh. Mr Najib Razak, Malaysian Deputy Premier and Defence Minister, said: "Defence chiefs of ASEAN have agreed that we should collaborate more closely together, using hotlines to communicate with one another in times of really major disasters." The defence chiefs - including those from the tsunami-hit countries of Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia - reached this agreement at their two-day informal meeting. The ongoing relief efforts in the Indonesian province of Aceh was another major topic discussed. Mr Najib said Indonesia had clarified that there is no deadline for the withdrawal of troops from friendly ASEAN countries now rendering aid in the country. "They can continue to be there until further notice. The 26 March deadline is only for their own planning purposes. The important thing is that there's no such imposition as to specific timetables for our withdrawal from Aceh," he said. As for troops from other countries like the United States and Japan, Indonesia will discuss with them the best time frame for withdrawal. Indonesia had raised concerns earlier when its vice president and several officials expressed concern over the large number of foreign troops in Aceh, indicating their desire to see them leave by March 26. Security appeared to be a big part of the concern as Aceh is home to separatist rebels who have been fighting the central government for years. Malaysia now plans to centralise its relief operations in the province, including sending an additional 100 army officers to set up a field hospital for as many as 10,000 victims. Mr Najib said the Malaysian contingent now totalling more than 400 is fulling committed to remain in Aceh for as long as necessary to assist in the reconstruction of the troubled Sumatran province.

From http://www.channelnewsasia.com/ 01/17/2005

TOP↑

Tsunami Provides an Opportunity to Rethink Disaster Management: World Bank

KOBE, Japan - The December 26 tsunami provides an opportunity to rethink the world’s approaches to natural disasters and development, a World Bank expert on hazard risk management said today as the UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction opened. Margaret Arnold, the head of the World Bank’s Hazard Management Unit, said while tsunamis and hurricanes cannot be stopped, preparing for them by properly involving communities, developing better building codes, designing better coastal structures and improving management of coral reefs and mangroves could go a long way towards limiting their impact. “We know that prevention pays when it comes to hazard risk management,” Ms Arnold said. “For example, Samoa in the South Pacific invested time and money on hazard reduction efforts after it was hit by two severe cyclones in the early 1990s. When another serious cyclone hit in 2004, the country was better prepared and no one died. The storm was not without cost, however, as there was $US30 million in physical damage. Had the risk management measures not been in place, the damage would have been 5-8 times worse.” Developing countries suffer the most when natural disasters hit: more than 95 percent of all deaths caused by disasters occur in developing countries and losses due to natural disasters can be 20 times greater (as a percent of GDP) in developing countries than in industrial countries. Since 1980, the World Bank has financed more than 150 post-catastrophe reconstruction projects worth about $US14 billion. World Bank President James Wolfensohn said last week on his return from a tour of tsunami-affected countries, that the Bank could provide more than $1 billion and perhaps as much as $1.5 billion for longer-term reconstruction efforts in the affected countries. “Donor agencies and governments are slowly starting to recognise that disaster preparedness and adaptation to climate change need a far higher level of priority in development assistance – especially in vulnerable and low-lying regions like the Pacific islands,” Ms. Arnold said. “Not only does development assistance need to better address disaster prevention, we also need better incentives for countries to invest in it.” “Poorly planned development can turn a recurring natural phenomenon into a human and economic disaster,” she said. “Allowing dense populations on a floodplain or permitting poor building codes in earthquake zones is as likely as a natural event to cause casualties and losses. Allowing the degradation of natural resources also increases the risk of disaster.” The World Bank is working to help countries to reduce human suffering and economic losses caused by natural and technological disasters by helping poor countries to respond more effectively and to integrate of disaster prevention and mitigation in development.

From http://web.worldbank.org/ 01/17/2005

TOP↑

Tsunami Deaths Soar Past 212,000

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Indonesia is reporting a staggering new death toll from the tsunami disaster as recovery efforts slowly resolve the fates of tens of thousands of missing people. The Indonesian Health Ministry says the December 26 earthquake and tsunamis killed 166,320 people in Indonesia, double the previous official figure. The latest figures out of Indonesia now put the regional death toll for the Indian Ocean disaster at 212,611. The new death numbers reflected the latest reports from the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, both in the path of the killer tsunamis spawned by a magnitude 9 earthquake the day after Christmas, Dodi Indrasanto, a director at the Health Ministry, told Reuters. Authorities say 6,245 people are listed as missing in Indonesia. But Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, speaking before the latest figures were released, told a donor conference in Jakarta the true extent of the catastrophe defied description. "Perhaps we will never know the exact scale of the human casualties," he said. Officials have warned that compiling accurate figures for those killed or missing from the tsunami is almost impossible as many people were swept away by the waves into sea, while others were buried under rubble and mud. Three weeks after the tsunami struck, relief workers and militaries are trying to help the survivors and rebuild communities. Indonesia's defense minister said the military is sending 5,000 more soldiers to the region to help with reconstruction efforts. So far aid workers have been able to prevent outbreaks of measles, malaria, diarrhea in massive refugee camps set up around the region after experts warned that hundreds of thousands of people remain at risk of disease. But survivors, living in makeshift accommodation around water lying in stagnant pools and swamps left by the tsunami, are still at risk. They are "straining to stay ahead of a wide range of threats to a severely weakened, still disoriented and beleaguered population," said Bob Dietz, the World Health Organization spokesman in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh. "I still sense a precarious situation." Most survivors have been getting food aid, and workers are now trying to make sure they get a healthy diet, including canned fish, cooking oil with added vitamin A and fortified biscuits, The Associated Press reported. Indonesian authorities are taking steps to assure international donors that money pouring in for relief efforts won't go to corrupt officials, and they have appointed the accounting firm Ernst & Young to track relief donations. So far, governments and agencies have pledged some $4 billion. Meanwhile, a group of experts is meeting in Kobe, Japan to talk about lessons learnt from last month's quake and tsunamis. Key to the meeting is laying the foundation for an Indian Ocean tsunami early warning system, similar to one set up in the Pacific. The U.N. has proposed a system in the Indian Ocean -- including offshore detection buoys and a communications center -- that would cost $30 million and go into operation by mid-2006. Experts say well-placed breakwaters, quake-proof seawalls, detailed hazard maps showing danger areas and well-defined evacuation routes and shelters are also needed, according to the AP. In Tamil Nadu, the Indian state where more than 8,000 people died, state officials have come up with an alternative solution. They are planning to plant 3 billion casuarina, coconut and cashew saplings along the coast after discovering that villages that survived were protected by forest cover. Sri Lanka is launching an extremely ambitious plan to rebuild parts of the country wiped out in the tsunami disaster. By some estimates, almost two-thirds of Sri Lanka's coastal region was destroyed, including hundreds of thousands of homes. The so-called "Rebuilding Nation" program is expected to cost $3.5 billion. It includes plans for constructing new townships, replanning transportation networks, and improving telecommunications infrastructure. The U.N. head of emergency relief has warned that a natural disaster in any of the world's largest cities could set off a catastrophe that could be 100 times worse than the Indian Ocean tsunamis. "Perhaps the most frightening prospect would be to have a truly megadisaster in a megacity," Jan Egeland, the U.N. Director of Disaster Relief, told delegates from 150 nations at the Kobe summit. "Then we could have not only a tsunami-style casualty rate as we have seen late last year, but we could see one hundred times that in a worst case." Megacities are densely concentrated cities, with a population of 10 million or more, and Egeland said time is running short for some of the largest cities in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The five most populated cities in the world are the greater Tokyo area with 35.3 million people, Mexico City with 19 million, New York-Newark with 18.5 million and Bombay and Sao Paulo both with a population of 18.3 million, U.N. figures show. The United Nations is also calling for the world's children to be educated in disaster reduction and prevention in the next 10 years.

From http://edition.cnn.com/ 01/19/2005

TOP↑

Experts Discuss Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning Systems

KOBE - Experts on tsunami warning systems proposed Wednesday that a tsunami watch plan be implemented in the Indian Ocean in six months as a provisional measure before putting in place a full-fledged tsunami warning system in several years. At a special expert-level session of the World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe, participants emphasized the need for extensive cooperation and coordination among relevant parties, support by the international community and commitments from countries at risk to come up with tsunami mitigation plans.

From Kyodo News 01/20/2005

TOP↑

Tsunami System in 12-18 Months

KOBE - With memories of the killer Asian tsunami fresh in their minds, officials from around the world pledged on Thursday to establish a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean within 12 to 18 months. The Dec. 26 tsunami that killed more than 226,000 people and left millions homeless made the warning system a top priority for a United Nations-sponsored conference on disaster prevention. “In the matter of a year, at latest 18 months, there should be a basic regional capacity on tsunami early warning,” Salvano Briceno, director of the UN’s disaster reduction body, told a news conference after a session on the Indian Ocean disaster. He said that available technologies would be used at first and gradually added on to, or upgraded, with time. Educating people to the dangers of a tsunami, and what to do in case one strikes - seen as a crucial part of the tsunami warning process - may take slightly longer. “We have to respond to the dangers of tsunami as soon as possible so we have to use what we have to hand,” Briceno said in the western Japanese city of Kobe that was devastated by a strong earthquake a decade ago. UN experts will visit Asian nations, including India and Thailand, over the next week to see what their needs are and what they can offer in terms of technology. A ministerial meeting on the warning system is set for Jan. 28 and 29 in Phuket, Thailand. The system is likely to be modelled on the Hawaii-based Pacific warning system - set up in 1960 after an earthquake in Chile triggered tidal waves that killed more than 100 people in Japan and other Pacific nations - with modifications as needed for local conditions. Funding remains incomplete, but Japan has pledged some $4 million and Sweden $1.5 million, Briceno said. Numerous proposals have been made for the system by countries attending the conference, and critics say integrating these competing ideas, and coordinating efforts to help, could make it hard to get the system off the ground, which UN officials deny. “It’s a great thing that (there) is so much vitality and so much happening at the same time,” said Jan Egeland, the director of UN Emergency Relief. Japan is the site of some 20 percent of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or over, which have also left a history of devastating tsunamis - experience it has put to good use in setting up a tsunami warning system that aims to issue a warning within three minutes.

From http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/ 01/21/2005

TOP↑

UN Conference Mobilizes Financial, Political Backing for Tsunami Warning System

Nations rallied behind plans for a network to detect tsunamis in the Indian Ocean and warn coastal residents of the danger, and pledged millions of dollars Thursday for the United Nations to lead the effort to build one, reports The Associated Press (01/20).

On the third day of a five-day UN conference in Kobe, delegates gave the go-ahead to start examining various proposals. Salvano Briceno, who heads the UN action plan for preventing disasters, said several donors had agreed to help pay for startup costs. Japan had offered $4 million, Sweden $1.5 million and the European Commission EUR2 million ($2.6 million). "In a matter of a year to 18 months, there should be a basic regional capacity on tsunami early warning system," Briceno told a news conference. "There are enough resources to start working."

Reuters (01/20) adds Briceno said available technologies would be used at first and gradually added on to, or upgraded, with time. Educating people to the dangers of a tsunami, and what to do in case one strikes - seen as a crucial part of the tsunami warning process - may take slightly longer. UN experts will visit Asian nations, including India and Thailand, over the next week to see what their needs are and what they can offer in terms of technology. A ministerial meeting on the warning system is set for Jan. 28 and 29 in Phuket, Thailand.

The Financial Times (01/21) adds that the UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, which helps run the Pacific tsunami early warning system from Hawaii, and the World Meteorological Organization would lead the technical process, as well as determining what additional infrastructure would be required. Other agencies and donor countries would contribute, including training staff in vulnerable countries on how to interpret and relay tsunami warnings. Briceno said an Indian Ocean system would cost $8 million - $12 million in the first two years, though more would be needed to extend and maintain the system.

Kyodo (Japan, 01/19) meanwhile notes that the United Nations' action plan on disaster reduction for the next 10 years will include references to climate change as the cause of potential natural disasters despite the reluctance of the United States, the director of the secretariat of the UN agency on disaster reduction said Wednesday. ''There is full agreement that climate change has to be there'' in the action framework, expected to be adopted when the ongoing UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction ends Saturday.

In related news, Agence France Presse (01/21) writes that relief operations after natural disasters need to pay close attention to women victims, who are particularly vulnerable to exploitation such as the sex trade, officials and activists say. Asia's tsunami catastrophe has shown the dangers facing female survivors with reports that some women had been molested or even gang-raped at displacement shelters in Sri Lanka. Even if the abuse does not go to such an extreme, distress awaits nearly all female disaster victims with relief in patriarchal societies run by men who often fail to understand women's needs, said Nimalka Fernando, a Sri Lankan lawyer, at the UN conference in Kobe.

Reuters further reports the International Labor Organization (ILO) said on Wednesday that Asia's tsunami left over one million people without the means to make a living, but effective aid could see more than half of them back at work within a year. In Indonesia and Sri Lanka, which took the brunt of the disaster, the cost in jobs was around 1 million, it said. But the giant waves, which killed more than 220,000 around the Indian Ocean, also slammed into 10 other countries, causing huge damage. Unemployment in Aceh province, the most affected part of Indonesia, had probably soared to 30 percent or more from a little under 7 percent before the tragedy, while in Sri Lanka it would have more than doubled to 20 percent. Fast and effective international assistance, including repairing infrastructure and replacing equipment needed for work, could see 50-60 percent of jobs restored or new ones created by the end of 2005, the UN agency said. That figure could reach 85 percent in 24 months.

The New York Times (01/19) finally reports the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution Wednesday urging the international community to maintain its overwhelming support for tsunami victims beyond emergency relief so the dozen affected countries can rebuild the lives and homes of millions of survivors. The assembly also called on the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, in collaboration with other financial institutions and the United Nations, to address the reconstruction needs of the affected countries.

From http://web.worldbank.org/ 01/21/2005

TOP↑

Kobe Conference Ends with Plan for Tsunami Alert

KOBE, Japan - The world's nations, united in shock over the Indian Ocean catastrophe, agreed Saturday to work together to better guard their people against natural disasters, by taking steps ranging from strengthening building codes to expanding the monitoring of nature's upheavals. In a first concrete step four weeks after an earthquake-tsunami killed between 157,000 and 221,000 people, according to varying government tallies, the World Conference on Disaster Reduction laid groundwork for the first tsunami early warning system in the Indian Ocean, expected to be in place next year. The five-day, 168-nation U.N. conference concluded after dozens of workshops and a final night of closed-door negotiation by adopting a "framework for action," resolving to pursue "substantial reduction" of disaster losses in the next 10 years. This is "one of the most critical challenges" facing the world, a final declaration. Some were disappointed that the conference documents were nonbinding, committed no new money to risk reduction and set no hard targets for assessing progress. Japan, for example, had proposed setting a goal of cutting water-related disaster deaths in half by 2015, but the U.S. delegation and others opposed such ideas. The international Red Cross said it would continue to advocate for firm targets and more aid for disaster preparedness in poor countries. "The international community has 2005 to make concrete its promises," said the relief agency's Eva von Oelreich. The chief U.N. official here, Jan Egeland, said he believed the 10-year action plan could halve disaster casualties by 2015. But "we must not fail in the implementation challenge." The Kobe conference, in a Japanese port city that suffered a crippling earthquake 10 years ago, brought together 4,000 diplomats, development specialists, scientists, economists, aid workers and others in an effort to channel experience and resources into building better human defenses against the worst of nature. Each day delegates could see the need in the latest news video from coastlines ravaged by the giant waves spawned Dec. 26 by the great Sumatra earthquake. "It heightened our awareness of the importance of stepping up our joint efforts," said Marco Ferrari of Switzerland, drafting committee chairman for the conference, which was planned months before the Indian Ocean tsunami. In sideline meetings, richer nations pledged at least $8 million toward the estimated $30 million cost of a tsunami early warning network for the Indian Ocean, like the one long in place for the Pacific. With U.N. coordination, they hope to deploy the alert system by mid-2006. In the past 10 years, natural disasters have killed almost 700,000 people, affected more than 2.5 billion and cost an estimated $690 billion in economic losses, according to Belgium's university-based Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. The 24-page overall action plan calls on states and international organizations to "take into consideration" and "implement as appropriate" a lengthy series of steps to reduce vulnerability and guard against natural hazards. They range from establishing national disaster agencies, developing risk maps, and collecting better statistics on disaster impact, to building disaster-resistant hospitals, schools and other critical facilities, to teaching schoolchildren about disaster risks, and establishing alert systems easily understood by large, poor populations. The framework also cites "a need to enhance international and regional cooperation and assistance in the field of disaster risk reduction." Although the world has pledged some $4 billion in relief aid for the Indian Ocean victims, the Kobe conference did not commit richer nations to boosting financial aid long-term for disaster prevention. Some aid organizations sharply criticized the lack of concrete commitments. "Disaster prevention is not an optional extra. It's an urgent necessity," said Marcus Oxley, of Britain's Tearfund group. The drafting committee needed lengthy negotiations to reach a compromise in another area climate change. The United States, oil-producing countries and some others resisted mentions in the final documents of the fact that a scientific consensus warns that global warming, believed largely caused by emissions of such "greenhouse gases" as carbon dioxide, a byproduct of fossil-fuel burning, is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. In the end, some references were retained and others were deleted, including a sentence reading, "The increased disaster risks are an important motivation towards mitigating greenhouse gas emissions." The Kyoto Protocol, effective Feb. 16, mandates reductions in such emissions by industrial nations, but the United States, the biggest emitter, rejects the pact, saying it would hurt the U.S. economy.

From http://abcnews.go.com/ 01/22/2005

TOP↑

AFGHANISTAN: Afghanistan to Send Tsunami Aid

Afghans donated blood Wednesday for the victims of last week's devastating tsunami, and the government asked the US military to help it send war-hardened doctors to the disaster zone. About a dozen medics and a planeload of medicine and equipment would leave for India and Sri Lanka as soon as possible, the Defense Ministry said. "We have our own problems, but we are part of the family of nations," said ministry spokesman Gen. Zaher Mohammed Azimi. "The people of Afghanistan are saddened by this disaster." He said the supplies would be enough for about 5,000 people. A relief organization said it also planned to send dozens of Afghan volunteer medics and on Wednesday began collecting blood to help injured survivors. The government's own medical relief team is to be led by former Health Minister Gen. Suhaila Siddiq, a military surgeon whose skills were so valued that the former ruling Taliban allowed her to continue to work despite their opposition to women working. "President Karzai and the defense minister have ordered the military doctors to go. They have much experience from Afghanistan's wars," Siddiq said.

From http://light.afgha.com/ 01/05/2005

TOP↑

AUSTRALIA: State 'Blind Eye' to Unlicensed Fund-Raisers

Generous Victorians raising money for tsunami victims with cake sales and car washes are probably breaking the law. But the State Government is likely to turn a blind eye. According to state legislation, organisers raising funds through unlicensed events could face fines of up to $12,000. People must apply to be registered with the Government at least 28 days before they propose to start collecting money. They must submit personal details and consent to a police check, are required to wear photographic identification and use sealed donation containers. But Consumer Affairs Minister John Lenders said yesterday that people raising money in good faith would not be prosecuted for unwittingly breaking the law. "We're not going to be rigorously chasing people and prosecuting them for breaches," he told radio station 3AW. "What we want to make sure is (to) stop rogues, not people who are doing the right thing but haven't met the technical requirements." Consumer Affairs Victoria, the government body that covers consumer issues, said it was an offence to conduct an appeal unless a person or organisation was registered or exempt from the need to be registered. Exemptions exist for organisations such as schools, hospitals and some religious groups. The penalty is up to $24,000 for a corporation. TAKE CARE WITH CASH - Only give cash to a person wearing proper identification. - Always ask for a receipt. - Ensure the collection tin or container is sealed and labelled with the fund-raiser's logo. - If you are still unsure, ask if you can donate at a bank. You also can check with the charity.

From http://theage.com.au/ 01/06/2005

TOP↑

Prime Minister's Address to the Nation

Good evening. Tonight I want to report to you about Australia’s response to the Asian tsunami disaster which has decimated the lives of so many people across the nations of our region. More than 150,000 people have been killed, while millions more are injured or homeless. Whole communities have been washed away. And we are in a race against time to prevent further deaths from water-borne diseases such as cholera. This has been one of the greatest natural disasters in modern history. At this stage the final number of Australians who tragically, have been killed or injured remains unclear. We are working as fast as possible with the identification of victims and to ascertain the whereabouts of those Australians originally reported as missing. I know that the thoughts and prayers of you all are with those who have lost loved ones or endure the terrible agony of waiting for further news. The response of the world community–and not least Australia–to this heartbreaking tragedy has been swift and generous. Along with other governments, international agencies and non-government bodies, Australians are now playing a leading role in one of the biggest humanitarian aid operations since World War II. I express the thanks of the nation to the many Australians working night and day to provide relief to victims. I especially thank the men and women of the Australian Defence Force, officers of the Australian Federal Police and their State colleagues, medical workers, staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and many other Australian Government departments and agencies who have come together in a great national effort. This crisis has seen the Australian Public Service working at its dedicated and professional best. Thanks also are due to the large number of Australians working for non-government relief organisations, often as volunteers. The Government’s initial response was to provide emergency aid of $60 million and to send medical relief teams and defence personnel into badly affected areas, particularly Indonesia but also the Maldives and Sri Lanka. A tragedy of this magnitude, however, requires a long-term commitment of resources if shattered communities are to be rebuilt and survivors provided with some hope for the future. The loss of life and destruction in Indonesia, our nearest neighbour, has been truly staggering. At least 110,000 people have lost their lives in Aceh alone. The recovery challenge facing this developing country is immense. The Government has therefore decided to commit $1 billion over five years in both grants and highly-concessional loans to assist the Government and people of Indonesia in the mammoth task of recovery and rebuilding. This will be the largest individual aid package in Australia's history. Under a plan to be called the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development, this $1 billion amount will go directly to areas of need through programs that must be approved by the Australian Government, in conjunction with the Government of Indonesia. This process will ensure that resources go where they are most needed. As well as being the right response to an immediate humanitarian crisis, this Partnership is an historic step in Australian-Indonesian relations. Australians were the first foreigners on the ground in Indonesia after the disaster – a fact gratefully acknowledged by President Yudhoyono during our recent meeting in Jakarta. We will stay as long as we are needed. Our nation will continue to help other affected countries. For example, Australian police officers are playing a leading role in identifying victims in Thailand and arrangements are in hand to send school teachers to the Maldives and scientific experts to help in repairing the damage to that country’s coral reef system. The spontaneous outpouring of generosity from individual Australians in the last two weeks should be a source of pride to us all. Well in excess of $100 million has been pledged by individuals and companies in a great expression of the decency and good heart of the people of our nation. Good night.

From http://theage.com.au/ 01/10/2005

TOP↑

Letter From Australia: A Reminder to Help the World’s Poor

IN the surf, in the streets, in places of worship, Australians last Sunday remembered victims of the tsunami in a national day of mourning "in their own chosen ways", as Prime Minister John Howard suggested. Howard read the lesson at Sunday service in church before going to a temple to reflect in Hindu observances. He had joined Muslims in prayer the previous Friday. As the emergency relief phase recedes and the rebuilding gathers pace, the focus extends to deeper contemplation. As one letter to the editor put it, "in many ways, we're all rebuilding". The letter suggests more than the rebuilding of homes, townships and broken economies. It questions the very basis of Australian society, drawing attention to global disadvantage and other moral issues." The trouble is, we of the West consume more than our share of the world's resources," the correspondent writes. In the weeks since the outpouring of public generosity and government commitment to tsunami aid, public empathy has extended to scrutiny of regular giving and overseas development assistance, crisis in other regions, and broader issues. Spending on defence — and attitudes to war — have come under question. So too the incarceration of asylum seekers, unfair trade practices disadvantaging poor countries, greed in Australia's sharing of oil revenue with Timor Leste and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. One letter to the editor looks at the giving thus: "Our capacity for working together to give to those in dire need has now been revealed. This tragedy proves that we can afford to make sacrifices to help those in crisis, and challenges us to increase ongoing levels of aid." Much as the impact of the tsunami was cataclysmic, and deserving of support, the sentiment questions philanthropy that is crisis-based. Over the week, aid agencies reminded Australians to remember Sudan. At issue is global disparity between rich and poor, which the UN more than 30 years ago sought to bring into better balance by setting a target for rich countries to give 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product to the poor. Yet globally, net per capita aid to the world's poorest countries has dropped by close to half in the past decade. In 2002, net official development assistance (ODA) for Australia at 0.26 per cent of gross national income was a marginal improvement on the 0.25 per cent of the previous year — less than half the level that it was in the 1970s.Individual Australians, on the other hand, are giving more, according to a report of the aid agency World Vision, Island Nation or Global Citizen? "National interest", for one, and policy positions such as "trade not aid". In the words of a spokesman for Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, Australia's development aid is "generous and well targeted". Professor Andrew Macintyre, director of the Asia Pacific School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University, accepts that on a global scale, Australia is a modest player. It needs to be more targeted. Canberra is mindful of public scepticism about leakage of taxpayer funds through corruption in recipient countries, and dissipation of funds through the bureaucracies of multilateral agencies. Oxfam Community Aid Abroad, nevertheless, has long held concerns about Australia's aid performance, which executive director Andrew Hewett laments is at near-record low levels, in "sad contrast" to the record growth in public giving. Hewett accepts that the onus is on agencies such as his to mobilise the public voice in representations to the Government. He is "much more optimistic" now of Australia's contribution to longer-term development goals. Says ACFID's Richards: "We're confident that this (tsunami) outpouring of support will be the start of a greater appreciation of issues of poverty and development needs." Historically, Australian aid agencies have taken a broad and activist view of aid. From the time ACFID's predecessor, the Australian Council for Overseas Aid, was formed in 1965, aid agencies have embraced issues of global debt, development, education, the environment, health, human rights and global governance long before the world in 2000 set the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

From http://www.nst.com.my 01/23/2005

TOP↑

CHINA: US$12.7m Raised from Civilian Donations

The Red Cross Society of China and China Charity Federation have raised roughly 105 million yuan (US$12.7 million) from donations by Chinese for tsunami victims, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. A child donates for tsunami-hit countries in Laiwu, Shangdong on January 7, 2005. The totals were as of 4 pm on Friday. The ministry has promised to report the latest donation information from Chinese civilians regularly. The ministry has enhanced supervision of the donations to the two charity groups to ensure the relief funds go straight to the tsunami victims, said Zou Ming, deputy director of Disaster and Social Relief Department under the ministry. The money collected by the China Charity Federation will be distributed via the Foreign Ministry, responding to the calls of foreign embassies to China. In answer to the call of the Indonesian Embassy to China, for example, the China Charity Federation has earmarked more than 3 million yuan (US$360,000) to disaster areas in that country, Shao Jiayan, an official with the federation said on Friday. The Red Cross Society of China has co-ordinated its donations with the International Red Cross to make certain the relief fund and materials reach the disaster victims as soon as possible. The two organizations announced in Beijing on Friday that a batch of recently donated medicine worth US$5.3 million is ready for immediate shipment to Indonesia. The medicines are to be delivered to children in Indonesia, said Wang Xingzui, deputy executive director with China Foundation For Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) on Friday. Jointly donated by CFPA and the US-based Mercy Corps, a leading global charity NGO, the medicines and vitamins are packaged up now at a Tianjin port and awaiting customs approval. "Children are the most vulnerable groups in the population and they have suffered a great deal from this calamity," Wang said. According to statistics by United Nations Children's Fund, children are among the worst stricken, with the casualties taking up 39 per cent of the total. Physically weak, it was hard for them to escape from flood waters, or to stand up against the battering of the floating debris and torrents. Also, about 900,000 children have been torn away from their families, and are isolated, some with wounds or diseases, according to the same source. Furthermore, the affected children are from the poorest countries of the world. Even before the tsunamis, many of the children in these areas were malnourished, under-weight, with poor immunity against childhood diseases. The medicine is to be distributed to local medical teams in Indonesia via Mercy Corps' branches there. Danto Ntoma, minister with Indonesian Embassy, expressed his appreciation on behalf of the Indonesian people for all the efforts the Chinese people and the international institutes have done. While in Shanghai, local government is to distribute 5.7 million manuals free citywide this month to enhance people's awareness of preventing and countering against disasters. "The tsunami was a disaster to the human being, but many lives were killed by their ignorance of how to escape," said Liu Nanshan, director of the Municipal Civil Defence Office. The manual covers 11 of the 25 kinds of accidents and disasters that are likely to occur in cities, such as fire, fog, heat, poisoning, rain storms, earthquakes, epidemics, tornadoes and so on. (by Wang Yi, Liu Weifeng & Tian Xiuzhen)

From http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/ 01/07/2005

TOP↑

RMB 105 Million Raised from Civilian Donations

The Red Cross Society of China and China Charity Federation have raised roughly 105 million yuan (US$12.7 million) from donations by Chinese for tsunami victims, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The totals were as of 4 PM on Friday. The ministry has promised to report the latest donation information from Chinese civilians regularly. The ministry has enhanced supervision of the donations to the two charity groups to ensure the relief funds go straight to the tsunami victims, said Zou Ming, deputy director of Disaster and Social Relief Department under the ministry. The money collected by the China Charity Federation will be distributed via the Foreign Ministry, responding to the calls of foreign embassies to China. In answer to the call of the Indonesian Embassy to China, for example, the China Charity Federation has earmarked more than 3 million yuan (US$360,000) to disaster areas in that country, Shao Jiayan, an official with the federation said on Friday. The Red Cross Society of China has coordinated its donations with the International Red Cross to make certain the relief fund and materials reach the disaster victims as soon as possible. The two organizations announced in Beijing on Friday that a batch of recently donated medicine worth US$5.3 million is ready for immediate shipment to Indonesia. The medicines are to be delivered to children in Indonesia, said Wang Xingzui, deputy executive director with China Foundation For Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) on Friday. Jointly donated by CFPA and the US-based Mercy Corps, a leading global charity NGO, the medicines and vitamins are packaged up now at a Tianjin port and awaiting customs approval. "Children are the most vulnerable groups in the population and they have suffered a great deal from this calamity," Wang said. According to statistics by United Nations Children's Fund, children are among the worst stricken, with the casualties taking up 39 percent of the total. Physically weak, it was hard for them to escape from flood waters, or to stand up against the battering of the floating debris and torrents. Also, about 900,000 children have been torn away from their families, and are isolated, some with wounds or diseases, according to the same source. Furthermore, the affected children are from the poorest countries of the world. Even before the tsunamis, many of the children in these areas were malnourished, under-weight, with poor immunity against childhood diseases. The medicine is to be distributed to local medical teams in Indonesia via Mercy Corps' branches there. Danto Ntoma, minister with Indonesian Embassy, expressed his appreciation on behalf of the Indonesian people for all the efforts the Chinese people and the international institutes have done. While in Shanghai, local government is to distribute 5.7 million manuals free citywide this month to enhance people's awareness of preventing and countering against disasters. "The tsunami was a disaster to the human being, but many lives were killed by their ignorance of how to escape," said Liu Nanshan, director of the Municipal Civil Defense Office. The manual covers 11 of the 25 kinds of accidents and disasters that are likely to occur in cities, such as fire, fog, heat, poisoning, rain storms, earthquakes, epidemics, tornadoes and so on.

From China Daily 01/08/2005

TOP↑

Relief Supplies from Chinese Red Cross Society Leaves for Indonesia

A cargo plane carrying relief supplies worth 10.77 million yuan (about US$1.3 million) left in Beijing for Indonesia's Batam Island Wednesday morning, the first from the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC). The shipment includes food, woolen blankets, drinking water, generators, water purifiers and electronic home appliances donated by Chinese people, said the RCSC. The RCSC pledged to manage the relief material and report on its website how the donations are used and how relief efforts are going on. By Jan. 15, Chinese citizens had donated about 280 million yuan (approximately US$34 million) to the tsunami-hit countries, said the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The RCSC has received 150 million yuan (US$18.14 million) and has delivered the first US$2.66 million worth to the tsunami-hit countries. The China Charity Federation also handed out its first donation of US$6.65 million on Jan. 15. Galanz, a Chinese electrical home appliance maker, sent 200 optical-wave ovens and 90 optical-wave air-conditioners to the countries Tuesday.

From Xinhuanet 01/19/2005

TOP↑

INDONESIA: Spatial Plan for Coastal Cities Proposed

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and the National Institute of Sciences (LIPI) have proposed a new spatial plan for coastal cities following the 9-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit Aceh and North Sumatra on Dec. 26.The proposal, to be used for the rebuilding of the ruined cities, suggests that the government move the cities away from shoreline by between three-and-a-half and five kilometers. The area between the coastline and the main cities should be filled with mangrove forests, fish farms and plantations. The mangroves as well as the plantations will serve as a wave breaker, thus slowing down the speed of tidal waves. Buildings in the residential areas should be constructed behind the "walls" of plantation trees and they should be specially placed, with their corners facing the shore to break incoming waves. However, it was not clear how much it would cost the government to rebuild the cities under the plan. Minister Freddy Numberi said the damage to infrastructure suffered by the province's fisheries industry may reach as high as Rp 10 trillion (US$1.1 billion). "The losses include ruined ports, fishing boats, freezer depots, auction markets and fishermen's homes," he told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar on Evaluating Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Development in 2004 and Activity Plans for 2005. He further said that rebuilding fishing villages and coastal cities in Aceh would need intensive coordination with the Ministry of Public Housing and the Office of State Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises, as well as with other ministries. "We are assessing the situation, whether we are to rebuild the coastal cities or relocate the surviving fishermen to other provinces," he added. Nevertheless, the ministry has submitted the proposal to the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), which requested the spatial plan last week. A staff member at the ministry's directorate general for coastal areas and small islands, Permana Yudiarso, said in a presentation to reporters that the ministry and LIPI only made the technical proposal, while Bappenas and other related institutions would calculate the needed budget. He said that if the government approved the proposal, the concept could also be used to rebuild other cities along the coastline of Sumatra island, which were prone to tsunamis. Most coastal cities in the country are located near the shoreline, like Banda Aceh and Meulaboh, where the tsunamis killed more than 94,200 people.

From http://www.thejakartapost.com 01/06/2005

TOP↑

Warning System Works Governor

Sutiyoso ordered on Friday that all relevant officials in his administration to make final checks on early warning flood systems to ensure they work well. He stressed that an efficient early warning system was important to minimize residents' financial losses. In the early warning system, the Public Works Agency is tasked with monitoring water levels in major rivers. Meanwhile, the Crisis Center is tasked with informing relevant officials about the water levels, including subdistrict heads. The subdistrict heads play a key role in the system because it is their job to inform residents if their areas will be inundated. "Early warnings must reach residents. All officials must be ready to carry out their respective work. We must learn from the 2002 floods," said Sutiyoso, referring to the floods in which more than 30 people died and 300,000 people were displaced. He threatened to punish officials who neglect their jobs. According to the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG), the peak of the rainy season is between January and February. But there has been no significant downpours to date. Sutiyono said there was no reason for Jakartans to experience floods that cause huge material losses. "We have anticipated the rainy season for a long time. There is no reason not to be ready to minimize losses," said Sutiyoso when inspecting preparations for floods in Semanan subdistrict, West Jakarta, on Friday. Semanan is one of Jakarta's 78 flood-prone areas. During early 2002 flood, thousands of houses were inundated in Semanan, with floodwater two meters deep in some parts. Sutiyoso reiterated that the city administration would not be able to eliminate annual flooding until it had completed the East Flood Canal, which is expected to accommodate runoff from rivers in eastern Jakarta. The East Flood Canal is expected to be finished in 2007. The city currently has only one flood canal -- the West Flood Canal -- but its capacity to accommodate water is continually declining due to sedimentation in the upper areas. Huge floods in the city like in 1996 and 2002 were caused by heavy rain both in Jakarta and its upper areas -- Bogor and Depok -- as well as a high tide in the northern sea. Given ample warning, Jakartans should be able to rescue their belongings to avoid financial losses because floodwater from Bogor, for example, takes around eight hours to reach Jakarta.

From http://www.thejakartapost.com 01/15/2005

TOP↑

INDIA: Govt Turns Down Intl Aid in Andaman Islands

PORT BLAIR: The govt turned down offers of help from international aid organisations in the tsunami-hit Andaman and Nicobar islands on Monday. Minister of State for Home Prakash Jaiswal said that the government believed it could handle the catastrophe on the badly hit southern islands, which are home to military airbases and considered a strategic zone by New Delhi. "We are very grateful to foreign governments, agencies, and all others who have offered to help at this moment. But the government of India has enough assets at its disposal. We believe we can handle this calamity," Jaiswal told reporters. He said domestic volunteer groups were already operating in the tsunami-hit areas, where bodies of hundreds of people lie and harbour jetties and roads have been washed away. Thousands of people remain cut off in the remote chain of islands, many living off coconuts in thick jungles since the deadly tsunami, triggered by a massive undersea quake off Sumatra, tore ashore and swept away all in its path. Aid workers from foreign relief groups Medicins Sans Frontieres and Oxfam have been unable to reach the chain of more than 500 islands, which are off limits to foreigners and mainland Indians alike. "One of the reasons is that this area is restricted," an interior ministry official said. Although most of the islands are uninhabited, some are home to hundreds of stone age tribespeople. The islands lie 1,200 km east of the Indian mainland and near one of the world's busiest shipping routes.

From http://www.financialexpress.com/ 01/04/2005

TOP↑

India to Install Tsunami Warning System

NEW DELHI (AFP) - India's government said it will set up an early warning system and disaster management authority amid criticism it is not doing enough for people orphaned or made homeless by the tsunami disaster. The decisions were taken at an all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, a day after his whistle-stop tour of two of India's worst hit regions -- southern Tamil Nadu and the Andamans archipelago. India's official toll in the December 26 tsunami disaster inched higher Saturday with at least 10,022 people confirmed killed and 5,617 missing, most feared dead. Home Minister Shivraj Patil told reporters after the three-hour meeting that a bill formally proposing the setting up of the disaster management authority would be introduced in the next session of parliament. Patil said India would be "part and parcel" of all international efforts aimed at setting up a tsunami alert system. Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who was also present at the briefing said leaders demanded "an early warning system should be evolved" to prevent further catastrophes like the tsunamis. "The prime minister readily agreed... a committee has been constituted to look for the best technology available," Mukherjee told reporters. Sushma Swaraj, a leader of India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) told reporters the government had accepted the suggestion "that India should be part of the international warning system." The meeting comes in the wake of criticism from the BJP that rehabilitation efforts were unsatisfactory. Swaraj said many political parties "found it difficult to send relief directly to their activists for distribution." The home ministry meanwhile said almost 4,000 tonnes of relief supplies -- including food, water, medicines, clothing and tents -- had been despatched to the battered states by Saturday. Some of the suggestions put forth included the construction of houses at a "distance from the actual sea shore, special care for orphans and widows... a massive operation for adopting the orphan children... and the adequate arrangement for counselling," Mukherjee said. The government has estimated the tsunamis caused 1.6 billion dollars' worth of damage. While there is no bill for the battered Andamans, preliminary reports put the tally at nearly 600 million dollars. Compensation for relatives of the dead is put at more than one billion rupees (23 million dollars). In the Andamans archipelago Saturday, Singh pledged to rebuild the islands and announced a two billion-rupee (45.7 million dollars) relief package. About 1,205 people have been confirmed dead and 5,531 still missing and feared dead on the Andamans which lies close to the epicentre of the undersea earthquake off Indonesia that triggered the giant waves. Some members of the fishing community gingerly set out to sea Sunday for the first time since the tsunamis shattered their homes but stayed near an Indian naval ship which kept a watchful eye on them, officials said. More than 377,000 people were still housed Sunday in 612 relief camps, down from the more than 500,000 last week. About 2.72 million Indians were affected by the tsunamis along 2,260 kilometres (1,400 miles) of mainland coast. The figure includes more than 288,000 people on the Andamans, which had a pre-tsunami population of 356,000, according to government statistics. Officials in Tamil Nadu Sunday said the government would build temporary homes to move tens of thousands of tsunami-affected families out of crowded shelters at marriage halls and schools. The state would spend 400 million rupees (8.6 million dollars) to build thatched-roof homes for 50,000 families near the site of fishing villages wrecked by the December 26 tsunamis, he said. Both the government and opposition Sunday agreed unanimously to not scale down Republic Day celebrations -- a showcase of India's military might and cultural diversity -- on January 26 in view of the destruction caused by the tsunami. "It demonstrates the nation's strength and capacity. It would only serve to boost the morale of the people," the BJP's Sushma Swaraj said.

From http://news.yahoo.com/ 01/09/2005

TOP↑

Disaster Management Authority to Be Set Up

The 12th Finance Commission was going into the issue of mobilising finances for managing the catastrophes unleashed by natural calamities. A fortnight after the devastating December-26 tsunami, the government has agreed to set up a National Disaster Management Authority for effectively tackling natural calamities besides setting up warning systems for alerting the country on any upcoming tsunami. A bill would be brought in the Budget session of Parliament beginning in February to establish the proposed authority, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil told reporters after an over three-hour-long all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in the capital on Sunday. Former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi attended the meeting in which the Prime Minister shared his experience after visiting tsunami-affected areas in southern coast as well as in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. The Union Home Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary made detailed presentations to the political leaders in the meeting. The death toll officially so far stands at 10,012 and 5,624 are still officially missing. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands accounted for almost all the missing persons as 5,531 people from the islands are not traceable. Mr Patil said India would be part of all international efforts towards putting in place an early warning system and the government has already appointed a committee to suggest the best technology for such a system. A two-day international conference of scientists has also been convened at the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) in the capital on January 21 to take the experts’ views the proposed alarm systems.

From http://www.deccanherald.com/ 01/10/2005

TOP↑

Indian Government Begins Drafting Bill on Disaster Management

New Delhi: The home ministry Monday began drafting a bill envisaging creation of a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), to be introduced in the budget session of parliament next month. Home ministry joint secretary R.K. Singh told reporters here that the bill, being drafted in consultation with the law ministry, would provide for an automatic and coordinated mechanism that would be activated in the event of a disaster. "The bill will lay down the guidelines to deal with emergencies," he said. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday agreed to the demand of political parties for a law on disaster management and setting up of an early disaster warning system. The bill would be introduced in the budget session in February. The latest move follows the tsunami disaster that has killed over 10,000 people in India.

From Indo-Asian News Service 01/10/2005

TOP↑

JAPAN: $500 Million Earmarked for Tsunami Relief Effort

Japan plans to offer up to $500 million (51.5 billion yen) in grants and other kinds of aid to countries devastated by the massive Dec. 26 tsunami in the Indian Ocean and to international organizations. The money will be a key pillar in the package of government relief measures that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will announce Thursday at an emergency summit meeting in Jakarta of the affected nations and neighboring countries. Koizumi will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura. Announcing the outline of the package over the weekend, Koizumi said, ``As Japan is a country in the same Asian region, I decided to attend the summit meeting to express Japan's solidarity and determination to offer maximum support in concrete measures in keeping with the country's responsibility.'' Koizumi said Japan will offer help in three areas: funding, expertise and human resources. In another key support measure, the government plans to send additional Self-Defense Forces vessels, aircraft and personnel to assist in relief and other emergency activities. Fire-department helicopters and personnel are being dispatched to locate survivors and victims of the tsunami. In addition, the government will offer technological assistance to establish an early tsunami warning system in countries bordering the Indian Ocean. Koizumi said Japan will do its utmost to help reconstruct the devastated regions. In a related move, Japan will also propose organizing a special session at the United Nations-sponsored World Conference on Disaster Reduction, to be held in Kobe from Jan. 18 to 22, the prime minister said. Participants in the session would discuss the damage caused by the quake off Indonesia's Sumatra Island and its subsequent tsunami. Thursday's emergency summit meeting will be hosted by Indonesia, which suffered the most casualties from the tsunami. Koizumi leaves Wednesday for the summit and will return immediately after it.

From The Asahi Shimbun 01/03/2005

TOP↑

Japan’s Tsunami Assistance Pledged to International Organizations

In response to the Tsunami disaster, Japan has been making its utmost efforts in the field of financial resources. Japan had announced that it would provide $250 million in assistance through international organizations. On January 11, Japan decided on the details of the contribution (see the following table). Mr. Shuzen Tanigawa, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, officially announced the details at the Meeting of Ministerial Level on Humanitarian Assistance to Tsunami Affected Communities, which was held in Geneva on the same day.

From http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/ 01/13/2005

TOP↑

Japan, U.S. to Provide Tsunami Warnings

TOKYO - Japan and the United States will provide tsunami warnings to countries in the Indian Ocean as a provisional measure until the region establishes its own alert system, a Japanese official said Friday. The plan will be discussed at a U.N.-sponsored international conference on disaster reduction next week that will focus heavily on the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 157,000 people in 11 countries. Experts say those casualties could have been substantially reduced if there had been forewarning. "It will take time to obtain agreement among the tsunami-hit countries before a tsunami early warning system can be established," said Meteorological Agency official Takayuki Kawazu. In the meantime, officials at the conference will discuss how Japan and the United States, which have the world's most advanced warning systems, can distribute information to countries in the Indian Ocean, Kawazu said. More than 300 meteorological experts, including from countries worst-hit by the tsunami like Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Maldives, will attend the U.N. World Conference on Disaster Reduction in the western port city of Kobe starting Tuesday. (by Kozo Mizoguchi)

From http://news.yahoo.com/ 01/14/2005

TOP↑

KAZAKHSTAN: Kazakhstan Sends Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka

Kazakhstan has sent a plane with humanitarian aid to the disaster stricken Sri Lanka. The press service of the Ministry of Emergencies has advised KZ-today that a government decree "On humanitarian aid to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka" was passed on 31 December, 2004. The plane with the humanitarian aid departed from Karaganda airport Sunday, January 2, at 12 AM of local time. The plane delivered foods, medicines, and hygienic means to that country. The press service has observed that the cargo allowed to provide food for 10 days for more than 4 thousand persons, first medical aid - to more than 1 thousand persons, hygienic means - to more than 12 thousand persons. The press service notes that the number of persons killed by the quake and the tsunami in South East Asia reached 150 thousand. 24 citizens of Kazakhstan are still missing.

From http://eng.gazeta.kz/ 01/05/2005

TOP↑

SRI LANKA: Sri Lankan CMCs Become Information Lifelines in Tsunami Aftermath

The Matara Community Multimedia Centre, in the heart of Sri Lanka’s disaster zone, is broadcasting over 250 missing persons messages a day on its station, the Southern Regional Station of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, while its telecentre has been mobilised by those handling the crisis. “The students who normally use the computers were all affected by the tsunami, none have been back, but last week Information Ministry staff made use of the CMC’s six computers as local government office equipment had been destroyed”, explained editor Neil Weeratunga. “We do not yet have our planned Internet connection at the CMC; if we did, we could do so much more”, he continued. But the local radio is already doing a lot – acting as a vital channel for information on disaster aid for the tens of thousands left without water, electricity, telephones, food or shelter and giving out information on missing persons, which is then collated by university researchers. UNESCO is currently supporting the development of six CMCs in Sri Lanka. The centres combine local radio and public telecentre facilities offering computer training, email and Internet access. Radio’s outreach is particularly important in crisis situations, but Internet also offers a vital channel for contact and information. During Mozambique’s floods in 2000, the UNESCO-supported telecentres played a key role, allowing people separated or cut off by the huge floods to send and access information. The scale of the tsunami disaster means that local radio stations have become an information lifeline for survivors. A second CMC in Bandarawella is also fully mobilised. Its radio station, Uva Community Radio, reaches communities along the affected Eastern coast. The radios’ reporters attend daily progress meetings and broadcast vital information from government officials and NGOs. They also relay information back to those managing the crisis from members of the community on their problems and needs. “Last night a father came to the station; he wanted to go on air to thank us for reuniting him with his son. Every day, many people phone or come here to seek help with a range of problems. The station is a trusted and familiar institution that people turn to”, noted Mr Weeratunga at the Matara CMC. Just minutes before the waves struck Matara, near Galle, there were no signs of the impending disaster and people were preparing for a ceremony at the Buddhist temple out in the bay, which was due to be attended that evening by the Prime Minister. Now, people are trying to pick up the pieces of shattered lives and next Monday, the Matara CMC club will reopen its doors, while the radio continues its task of contributing to the disaster response.

From http://portal.unesco.org/ 01/06/2005

TOP↑

Lankan Govt Did Good Job in Tsunami Aftermath - US Congressman Frank Pallone Jr

The Sri Lankan government did a good job, very efficiently coordinating relief and rescue operations, in the aftermath of the tsunami national disaster, said visiting US Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. at a press briefing last Tuesday at Colombo Plaza. He also said that given the magnitude of the devastation it is a difficult job which needs long term assistance in coordination with the UN. The US congressman was on a visit to the island with six other US Congressmen and two members of the US Senate. On arrival in Colombo they were flown in helicopters to Galle and from there they went on land to the Boosa camp where refugees are housed. They also visited tsunami affected areas and Buddhist temples in Hikkaduwa where refugees are housed. Congressman Pallone has been the Chairman of the Sri Lankan Caucus in Congress, a Sri Lankan support group, for the last over five years. He has also been Chairman of the India Caucus for the past 6 years. Anoma Akmeemana, a Sri Lankan settled in the US, who organised the Sri Lankan Caucus in early 1998 was also present together with the US delegation. Anoma is a political activist holding several positions including Vice-Chair of the National Advisory Council (South Asian Affairs). She is also Sri Lanka representative for the Democratic State Committee Asia Caucus. Former parliamentarian and Minister Harindra Corea, who had met Pallone in US in 2001 during his tenure as Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister was also present at the press briefing. Pallone said that they saw at first hand the damages caused by the tsunami and also listened to heart-rending tales of unfortunate victims, both children and elders, who were housed in refugee camps in Boosa. Their visit here is part of their South East Asian itinerary which also includes a trip to Chennai. They have already visited the tsunami affected Banda Ache province in Indonesia and Phuquet area in Thailand, Pallone said. They were briefed by the Sri Lankan Ambassador in Washington DC on the natural disaster prior to their South East Asian tour, he said. They would be making an assessment of the damages and would consider providing technical and other assistance as may be deemed necessary on return to the US. They were heartened to see the USAID, other US humanitrian organisations and the US military, including the US marines, engaged here in relief operations. They saw for themselves the extensive damage to the fishing and tourist industries in the island's coastal areas and they would consider extending assistance to the two sectors as well, Pallone said. He said that peace in island is of paramount importance and the people want to live in peace and amity after the natural disaster. He would also welcome resumption of peace process started sometime ago, he said.

From http://www.dailynews.lk/ 01/13/2005

TOP↑

Rebuilding Nation Action Plan Already Launched Three Days After Disaster

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga notes that her Government began its action plan for the reconstruction of the nation on 29th December three days after the tsunami disaster and have already set definite targets to complete the work. Responding to a letter addressed to her by Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe dated 11.01. 2005 the President states that all information of the reconstruction plan was regularly given to the representatives of the UNP as well as other members of the National Committee for Disaster Management, in addition to the media coverage of the Government's action plan. The President notes that UNP representative Karu Jayasuriya was present on Monday January 10, when she informed the National Committee that detailed plans would be presented to the Committee for their views of Monday January 17. While thanking the UNP leader for his concern and suggestions towards the Government's rebuilding the nation drive the President observed that all necessary action has been taken since December 29, for the implementation of almost all the suggestions contained in the resolution adapted by the UNP for "Mobilizing the Nation" viz.to support people who have lost their family members,houses, livelihood and business enterprises........ by putting resources into the hands of the affected people, to stabilizing the economy for the next 12 months etc. The President says that the only action plan that has not yet been undertaken is the suggestion for the setting up of a Community Action Committee which could be considered at the point when the Government starts implementing the Action Plan for reconstruction on the targeted dates. As to the UNP's suggestion inter alia for the Government to involve civil society including religious organisations in the relief exercise, the need to prevent the spread of disease and collecting information on persons who died disappeared or lost their property, income sources and ensuring temporary shelter clothing provision of food rations to those affected until they are able to earn a livelihood etc. the President notes that all these matters have been already been looked after and the Government had kept the Committee informed of most these actions and the rest of the information will be given on the 17th. The President also observes that Wickeremsinghe's letter as well as the UNP proposals does not in any way indicate whether the UNP is willing to participate in the Reconstruction process noting that it would be useful if the party could indicated this to the Government. The President also stressed that her Government was willing to work with the UNP and the entire opposition , positively and constructively in the process of reconstruction of the nation without any expectation of narrow political gain on the part of her Government.

From http://www.dailynews.lk/ 01/13/2005

TOP↑

Relief Website Launched

Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation has launched its new website www.mrrr.lk with a special focus on Tsunami relief operations. The site will supplement the Centre for National Operations (CNO) website www.cnosrilanka.org which coordinates all relief activities related to the Tsunami rehabilitation. Ministry's main focus lies in providing relief to the North and East and rehabilitation of the victims of the war and rehabilitation of tsunami victims in the affected areas. The site will carry dynamic updates of the death toll; maps of affected areas and relief assistance provided by the ministry and will carry information on the principal projects carried out in the North East, states a press release from the Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation.

From http://www.dailynews.lk/ 01/13/2005

TOP↑

President Launches US$3.5 Billion Recovery Drive in Hambantota

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in a historic ceremony yesterday launching the US$3.5 billion recovery drive from Siribopura in Hambantota said the tsunami tragedy should be a new beginning to rebuild our nation by joining hands irrespective of caste, creed or political affiliation in a massive united effort in overcoming this unprecedented catastrophe, the worst in our history. She made it a point to thank all foreign governments, NGOs, political parties including the Opposition UNP in making a joint united effort to restore not only Hambantota but the entire country not only to normality but also to improve it. President Kumaratunga said that people should make a determined effort to make new Sri Lanka a better and developed country joining hands to work in unison keeping and strengthening the unity which has emerged in the country following the tsunami catastrophe. Launching the rebuilding programme from Siribopura, just 24 days after Sri Lanka faced its biggest ever catastrophe, President Kumaratunga said she was proud of the people of the country for their commitment towards rebuilding the country. President Kumaratunga along with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and representatives from all political parties in the South launched this massive reconstruction project to rebuild the tsunami affected nation with the inauguration of a housing construction project for the displaced people in the Hambantota district. "To strengthen the country, the people should get together keeping country before self to face this massive reconstruction process," the President added. "We should not allow the unity of the country and also the strength of the people to be shattered over petty differences," President Kumaratunga added. "We should work in unity and unison so that we could achieve the task of rebuilding the nation more effective." President Kumaratunga said the Government alone cannot accomplish the task of reconstructing the country and added that people and political parties should work together to reach that goal. "We do not want to draw political advantage over this disaster. People should work together for at least five years and then they can work on their political agendas," the President added. She added that the government will launch reconstruction programmes in other tsunami affected areas by the end of this month. President Kumaratunga said a special chapter should be added about the unity of the people following the tsunami disaster when it is written in the history books. She expressed her gratitude to the private sector, local and international NGOs and foreign countries for the support extended to Sri Lanka to rebuild the country. Prime Minister Rajapakse said the duty and the responsibility of the citizens of the country is to set aside all political differences and to work together to rebuild the nation. "The respect we can pay for the souls of the dead in the tsunami catastrophe is to provide better living conditions for those affected by the disaster," he added. Hambantota District UNP MP Sajith Premadasa said he was committed not only by words but also by deed to work in unison with the government to work for the betterment of the tsunami affected people. Urban Development and Water Supply Minister Dinesh Gunawardana, Colombo MP and JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa also spoke.

From http://www.dailynews.lk/ 01/20/2005

TOP↑

MALDIVES: Commonwealth Sends a Disaster Relief Co-ordinator to the Maldives

The Commonwealth Secretariat has sent a Disaster Relief Co-ordinator to the Maldives, to assess the needs of the country and to co-ordinate relief and rehabilitation work, following the tsunami disaster. Colonel Linton Graham of Jamaica will assist in co-ordinating relief efforts to meet the urgent needs of the country, as it comes to terms with the consequences of the tsunami, in which over 80 people lost their lives. His key tasks will be to facilitate an assessment of the immediate and long-term needs of the Maldives, and to support the establishment of the necessary infrastructure and logistical mechanism for delivering humanitarian aid to the country. Colonel Graham will report to the National Disaster Management Centre. Colonel Graham has co-ordinated relief efforts in Jamaica after extensive floods in 1979 and 1997, and the destruction caused by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. He also assisted in hurricane relief work in Haiti. He also has formal training in disaster management and considerable practical experience. Colonel Graham was appointed to the Maldives by the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Mr. Don McKinnon. On his appointment, Secretary General McKinnon expressed his confidence that Colonel Graham would make a valuable contribution in assisting an island nation particularly vulnerable to natural disasters with his substantial experience in managing disasters in small island states.

From http://www.haveeru.com.mv/ 01/08/2005

TOP↑

Protected Islands to Be Developed Under “Safe Island Program”

MALE -- Planning and National Development Minister Hamdoon Hameed on Thursday said that a protected island will be developed in each of the 20 atolls under the “Safe Island Program.” These islands will have seawalls, a vegetation enclosure surrounding the island, and drains to clear away floods should there be high waves. At the moment, plans are implemented to develop Laamu atoll Gan island to house 3,000 people. Some 15,000 people were left homeless when a tsunami struck Maldives last month. The government has said that in addition to a tsunami early warning system, Maldives’ needed to develop key islands across the archipelago that would be better protected by tetrapod seawalls which can blunt the power of strong waves. The seawall around the capital Male, built by Japan, protected the economic hub from fatalities or any major damages to property.

From http://www.haveeru.com.mv/ 01/15/2005

TOP↑

Raising Healthcare Provision Standards Above Pre-tsunami Levels Matter of Utmost Priority: Gayoom

MALE -- President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Thursday said that restoring disruptions to national healthcare services and raising healthcare provision standards above pre-tsunami levels were matters of the utmost importance for the government. He made the statement in a meeting with the South East Asia Regional Director of the WHO, Dr. Samlee Plianbangchang. Gayoom pointed out that the government was taking all necessary steps to ensure that the urgent medical needs of the people were being met to a high standard, in the aftermath of the tsunami. He thanked WHO for the support and assistance in maintaining these standards. Plianbangchang extended his sincere condolences following the loss of many lives in the Maldives as a result of the catastrophe. He highlighted that the Maldives had controlled the outbreak of epidemics after the disaster. He also assured Gayoom of the continued commitment of WHO in ensuring that the health of the people of the Maldives was carefully assessed in the time ahead.

From http://www.haveeru.com.mv/ 01/15/2005

TOP↑

MALAYSIA: New Tsunami Response System for Indian Ocean

A new information service to help countries around the Indian Ocean cope with the current tsunami tragedy and for the future was launched on New Year’s Eve.? The Pacific Disaster Centre in Maui, Hawaii, said the Indian Ocean Tsunami Geospatial Information Service would support emergency managers responding to the tsunami disaster in South and South-East Asia.? Allen Clark, senior research fellow and executive director of the Pacific Disaster Centre, said the centre takes scientific information and creates a disaster notification alert to all emergency managers in Hawaii and elsewhere.? “The real tragedy of all this is that the system is there, the technology is there, the capability is there, it just wasn’t in place in the Indian Ocean when the thing hit,” he added.? Charles E. Morrison, president of Hawaii's East-West Centre, which is also the managing partner of the Maui centre, said both organisations “stand prepared” to do what they can to enhance tsunami warning systems. ? Morrison said the two centres might organise an international workshop for South and South-East Asian countries to discuss regional tsunami warning systems. ? The Indian Ocean Tsunami Geospatial Information Service can be accessed at www.pdc.org.

From http://thestar.com.my 01/05/2005

TOP↑

ICT Plays Important Role in Getting Aid to Tsunami Victims

Modern communications networks are being used extensively to help victims of the earthquake-generated tsunami that hit the coasts of several countries in the Indian Ocean region, causing more than 150,000 deaths and untold destruction.? Both cellular technology and the Internet have become important platforms for humanitarian organisations and groups seeking assistance in cash and in kind, and for those offering it.? Donation drives via SMS (short message service) that have been initiated in Malaysia have seen hundreds of thousands of ringgit pour in from local cellphone users.? A campaign by Airtime Management and Programming Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Astro All Asia Networks Plc, brought in more than RM500,000 in the 24 hours that it ran on Dec 31 last year.? SMS donation drives conducted by Maxis Communications, DiGi Telecommunications and Celcom Malaysia are still running. The cellular services providers have seen SMS donations coming in at “a phenomenal rate,” according to one official.? The Internet is being used extensively to provide an alternative channel for public donations.? From concerned individuals who have started donation drives to those facilitated by online giants like eBay and Amazon.com, the World Wide Web has become a staging area for a wide variety of aid appeals.? Another benefit is that humanitarian organisations do not have to waste time and effort in having to sort out between contributions in-kind that were immediately useful from those that are of no use to the survivors of the disaster at all, he added.? More than 180,000 donations have been made via the website, with the collection totalling nearly US$14.8mil (RM56.24mil) as at Jan 7.? The proceeds are being channelled to the American Red Cross using the Amazon Honour System, which lets online businesses and non-profit organisations collect small payments without having to install costly computer systems to do so.? Internet users can also donate directly via credit card at the websites of many humanitarian organisations like Unicef.? Closer to home, online banking users can donate money to The Star/ Maybank Tsunami Relief Fund and Tabung Kemanusiaan Aceh Utusan-Maybank by transferring funds to dedicated accounts that have been set up for the purpose by Maybank.? Internet users can also donate online via credit card to Malaysian Red Crescent Society, Mercy Malaysia and National Disaster Relief Fund at The Star Online's Earthquake/ Tsunami Relief Fund page.?Besides being used to reach out to donors, the Internet is also being used to seek volunteers for relief efforts, and by individuals and groups offering help and assistance.? The Southeast Asia Earthquake and Tsunami blog has quickly become one of the most comprehensive sources of such information.? The blog also contains a Help Needed section, through which contributors have posted appeals from some humanitarian organisations looking for volunteers. There is also a Help Offered section, in which people from all over have posted offers of assistance.?

Adapted From http://star-techcentral.com/ 01/10/2005

TOP↑

Malaysia to Set Up Early Warning Centre to Detect Tsunamis

Malaysia announced Monday it would set up an early warning centre to prevent a repeat of the December 26 tsunami disaster which killed 68 people in Malaysia and more than 156,000 around Asia. Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak told a news conference that a satellite-linked system, using buoys and sensors, was expected to be operating by the end of the year. "Not all earthquakes cause tsunamis. We are unable to detect tsunamis unless we have this system," he said. Several countries have expressed interest in establishing warning systems, and Thailand announced on Sunday that it would host a regional ministerial meeting to discuss the issue later this month. Information and technology ministers from all nations affected by the tsunamis would be invited, along with countries such as Japan and the United States which have offered technical expertise, the foreign ministry said. A visiting US envoy said in Malaysia Sunday that Washington was keen to help set up an international early warning system for the Indian Ocean, which would be more effective than individual national systems. "It has to be international in the Indian Ocean. If each country tries to do it, it is a help but it will be much better if this is worked on internationally," US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James A. Kelly was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency. "We're open to international cooperation," Najib said when asked to comment on Kelly's remarks. "We can work together." Najib also announced that the government would grant families 20,000 ringgit (5,263 dollars) for each victim killed by the tsunami. Local fishermen on average earn about 30 to 50 ringgit a day.

From http://www.channelnewsasia.com 01/10/2005

TOP↑

High Capacity Early Warning Center

The early warning centre to be set up in the country will have a high capacity in detecting impending disasters in the region that may have an impact on Malaysia, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.? The Prime Minister said the setting up of the centre was decided by the Cabinet two weeks ago.? He said that while the centre would not be set up as a regional one, the Government would ensure that it would have connectivity with other centres in the region so that Malaysia would also benefit from information gathered by other countries on impending disasters.? “We must ensure our centre has high capacity to provide early warnings on aftershocks because although we are not in an area that is exposed to earthquakes, we can be affected by the effects, such as tsunamis. ? “So we must be ready,” he said after launching the Courtesy and Noble Values campaign at Istana Budaya yesterday.? Abdullah said that early preparation would help prevent loss of lives and property.? Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had earlier said that the National Disaster Management and Relief Committee had agreed on the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry’s initial proposal to set up a national early warning system with buoys and sensors linked to a satellite. ? He said the ministry had been asked to table the proposal to the Cabinet as soon as possible and once approval was given, it could be done by the end of the year.? The setting up of an early warning system in the Indian Ocean and South-East Asian region to prevent a recurrence of the Dec 26 tsunami catastrophe had been endorsed by world leaders at a meeting in Jakarta on Jan 7.? In their declaration at the Special Asean Leaders Meeting on the Aftermath of the Earthquake and Tsunami, they declared support for Asean’s decision to set up regional mechanisms on disaster prevention and mitigation through the deployment of personnel, information sharing, disaster management and emergency response.

From http://thestar.com.my 01/12/2005

TOP↑

NEW ZEALAND: Clark Warns of NZ's Tsunami Danger

Prime Minister Helen Clark gave New Zealand its own tsunami warning yesterday as she increased the amount of aid going to stricken Asia. She said New Zealand’s tsunami warning coverage was inadequate and needed upgrading. Back from a ski holiday in Norway, Helen Clark announced a doubling in aid to $10 million. Cash contributions were just the "tip of the iceberg" in the biggest relief operation since World War II, she said. She leaves today for an Asean summit of world leaders in Jakarta tomorrow to discuss ways to co-ordinate the international relief effortShe had been advised that New Zealand could be better covered from the south if the proposed Indian Ocean tsunami warning system - being discussed by Asian countries after last week’s catastrophe - was linked to the Pacific system. An earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale occurred near Macquarie Island in the south Tasman Sea days before the Boxing Day force 9 earthquake off Indonesia that sparked the tsunamis. "In that area, undoubtedly we and Australia could have better systems," she said. Tsunami readiness will be a key subject of the Jakarta meeting which Helen Clark and Foreign Minister Phill Goff will attend. Plans will be made to link Asia into an early-warning system in the hope of preventing disasters of the scale of the Boxing Day deaths which have claimed at least 150,000 lives. The disaster has touched all corners of the world. People from about 40 nations were lost in the monster waves which smashed into 13 countries around the Indian Ocean. Two New Zealanders are among those declared dead. A third person with dual New Zealand-Canadian citizenship, June Kander, 74, has also been confirmed dead in Sri Lanka. And serious fears are held for a West Auckland man still missing in Sri Lanka. Aid distribution is also on the agenda for the Jakarta summit as donations - so far US$2 billion ($2.8 billion) - continue to come in. Leaders including Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will attend. Mr Goff will first visit Phuket in Thailand to meet New Zealand relief workers and see the damage. Helen Clark said she expected New Zealand would find out at the summit what further aid should be forthcoming. Indonesia has been worst hit with nearly 400,000 refugees and a death toll of 94,000, which is expected to grow as relief agencies reach remote regions of Aceh province. The aid programme in Aceh was hindered yesterday when a Boeing 737 plane carrying relief supplies hit a buffalo and crashed, closing the area’s only airport for fixed-wing aircraft. The airport was reopened late last night (NZ time). The accident delayed a flight by a New Zealand Air Force Hercules. Te Tai Tokerau MP Dover Samuels said the tsunami served as a lesson for New Zealand and the Government needed to consider better warning measures. Our extra cash NZ Government tsunami aid boost: $5 million for dollar-for-dollar match with public donations. $3 million to programmes co-ordinated by the UN. $2 million for other New Zealand aid, such as helicopter support. This money is in addition to support from agencies such as the Defence Force, which is being paid for from existing budgets.?(by Kevin Taylor)

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz 01/05/2005

TOP↑

Ethnic Communities Work Hard to Fundraise

The Government decision to make more money available to match public donations for the tsunami appeal was welcomed yesterday by Auckland's ethnic groups, who are raising funds to help stricken families in their former homelands. The new amount of $19 million for dollar-for-dollar matching of public donations includes $5 million already allocated. More than $14 million has already been raised. In Auckland, the United Sri Lanka Association has raised $45,000 to support that country's state child-protection agency in rebuilding orphanages.?Sri Lanka Buddhist Trust secretary Manjula Walgampola said $53,000 had been collected so far in its appeal through the ANZ Bank. In South Auckland, Tamil members of the Elim Church have raised about $24,000. They sent two containers of donated water along with food and kitchen items brought to the church. But a donated fridge and beds are too bulky to send to Sri Lanka and will be offered at a garage sale at 1 Waipuna Rd, at 7 am on Saturday. It is hoped the garage sale will raise $3000 needed for babies' bottles and school books. Auckland Indian Association appeal organiser Dharmesh Parikh said collection boxes would be brought in and counted on January 28 - the day of Vande Mataram, Indian Independence Day celebrations. Proceeds of a concert being held at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Newton that night will be added. Two volunteer doctors have left Auckland for Sri Lanka to receive a container-load of medical supplies arranged by Harish Bajaj of the Rotary Club of Auckland City Sunrise. The Indonesian community in New Zealand has raised $25,000 for relief in the Aceh area of the island of Sumatra. Bermia, the Auckland Indonesian community group, will hold an Indonesia Food Bazaar on February 12 at the Wesley Community centre, Sandringham Rd, Mt Roskill. Appeal organiser Dadang Nugraha said a sponsorship programme was being arranged for Aceh orphans. He said Bermia's efforts were ineligible for the Government grant because it was not a registered charity. * Meanwhile, many of New Zealand's former soccer greats and a number of celebrities will play a charity match in Auckland tomorrow night. An All Whites invitation XI, including many of the 1982 World Cup squad and to be led out by their coach John Adshead (just back from Oman), will play an Auckland City All Stars team including just-retired Black Cap Mark Richardson, former All Blacks Frank Bunce and Robin Brooke at Kiwitea St, Sandringham, at 7pm. Organiser Brian Turner hoped around $15,000 would be raised from donations, raffles and an auction of sporting memorabilia. (by Wayne Thompson)

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ 01/19/2005

TOP↑

New Zealand Gives $68m in Tsunami Aid

New Zealand's biggest-ever international aid package will give $68 million to countries devastated by the Asian tsunami. Prime Minister Helen Clark announced the package will give $52 million upfront and the remaining $16 million over the next five years. This includes the $10 million the Government has already pledged. Helen Clark said the contribution reflected the unprecedented scale of the catastrophe, which killed 175,000 and left one million homeless. "Our judgment is that as a good neighbour, New Zealand should step forward in times of crisis, as it has from the outset of the relief effort." Included in the package is $19 million to match dollar-for-dollar the donations by the public. New Zealanders have already donated around $10 million and Helen Clark said $19 million was a realistic figure. The Government has been criticised for the length of time it has taken to announce the final package. Helen Clark said, with the exception of Indonesia, New Zealand did not have bilateral aid programmes with any of the countries affected and the Government had been reluctant to announce a package when they did not know where the money would go. "I think people realise that the first priority is to get on the ground for immediate relief and then to responsibly work through a package that will make a difference." The Government has also been reproached for the size of the initial aid when compared to Australia's A$1 billion ($1.09 billion) package. Helen Clark said Australia's response was generous, but half of it was in loans and New Zealand's package was upfront money. "I think it is also fair to say that Australia has particular geo-political considerations in mind with the relationship with Indonesia. "We are looking at the region more broadly. In terms of contributions announced by other Governments so far, I think per capita New Zealand is coming in about ninth, which is a very big thing for us." Oxfam New Zealand said it welcomed increased aid commitment. "This aid will assist in longer-term reconstruction, long after the tsunami has gone from the headlines. The humanitarian crisis is not over yet. The 'poverty crisis' of the tsunami may have just begun." Oxfam also called for the Government to use the relief package as a first step to increasing its overseas aid towards the UN agreed level of 0.7 per cent of gross national income. Prior to the tsunami, New Zealand was spending about 0.23 per cent of gross national income on aid. Helen Clark said: "There are other western nations below that but ideally we would like to give more. It's something we are endeavouring to address." Green MP Keith Locke welcomed the Prime Minister's indication of a move toward the UN target. "I challenge the Prime Minister to make a commitment that it will reach 0.5 per cent by the time Labour finishes its third term." National Party foreign affairs spokesman Lockwood Smith congratulated the Government on the package, but said with such a significant programme he would like it to consult political parties. "This aid effort should be something all New Zealanders can feel involved in and proud of in a personal way." Helen Clark said the Cabinet also agreed that the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management should contract specialists to review existing information about the risk of tsunamis to New Zealand and report on issues that needed to be addressed. The report is expected in September and is estimated to cost $200,000.?The package$20m for the UN's relief work, $17m up on the original commitment of $3 million. $20m for the bilateral aid programme for Indonesia, with $4m a year for the next five years. $19m to match dollar-for-dollar the donations by the public. $4m to meet specific requests, such as those from the Commonwealth and Red Cross.
$5m for departments such as the police. (by Ainsley Thomson)

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ 01/19/2005

TOP↑

PHILIPPINES: Disaster Management Upgrade Pushed

Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes on Friday urged governors and city and municipal mayors to upgrade their disaster preparedness plans to mitigate damages of natural and manmade disasters to lives and properties. Reyes made the call at the command conference with regional directors of DILG, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and officials of the National Police Commission and the Philippine Public Safety College at the latter’s multipurpose hall in Fort Bonifacio Friday. “Our governors and mayors are the chairmen of the Local Disaster Coordinating Councils, and these councils have their disaster preparedness plans using the barangay organizations as the basic unit. But it is important that their plans be upgraded to cope with any kind of disaster,” Reyes said. He also ordered other local government units particularly the coastal cities, towns and barangays to formulate their own disaster preparedness plans and carry out them. Reyes directed DILG regional directors to assist local officials in coming out with disaster preparedness and mitigating plans to get ready for any kind of disaster. In 2004 a series of landslides and flash floods hit Aurora, Quezon and Nueva Ecija owing to four storms, killing hundreds of people and displaced thousands of others. Several countries in south Asia and Africa were hit by tsunamis after a strong earthquake in Indonesian Island of Sumatra on December 26, 2004. The Philippines is also prone to tsunamis because of the presence of a number of trenches or long cracks in the ocean floor. DILG Undersecretary Melchor Rosales briefed DILG regional directors on the framework of the community-based disaster management plan. Coordination with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the National Disaster Coordinating Council, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the PNP should be made in formulating the disaster preparedness plans.

From http://www.manilatimes.net/ 01/08/2005

TOP↑

THAILAND: US, Thailand Agree on Warning System?

The United States and Thailand have agreed to cooperate in developing an early-warning system to avert future tsunami disasters like the one that devastated parts of Asia last week, the chief diplomats from both countries said on Tuesday. Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said the system and technological aid for environmental preservation topped the agenda of his talks with Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is heading a US delegation touring ravaged areas. Powell, flanked by President George W. Bush’s brother, Jeb, who governs the hurricane-probe state of Florida, said they could build on communications systems set up for typhoons. The challenge was “how do you use and augment existing broadcast systems . . . so the information can get out in an actionable manner,” Powell said. Powell and Bush met Surakiart and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at the start of a tour of three of the nations ravaged by the tsunamis that left more than 145,000 people dead. Amid an early barrage of media criticism of the Bush administration for its perceived slow response to the crisis, Powell heard some welcome praise from the Thai foreign minister for Washington’s “prompt and very effective assistance.” The delegation from Washington, which has pledged some $350 million in relief, again stressed the need for long-term recovery efforts. But Powell was cool to the notion of a region-wide program on the lines of the Marshall Plan mounted in Europe after World War 2. Powell earlier met Lt. Gen. Robert Blackman, commander of the US military relief effort, which includes two aircraft carrier groups, 20 patrol and supply ships, helicopters and some 12,000 military personnel.?He was to tour Thailand’s Phuket Island before flying on later Tuesday to Jakarta to confer with officials and visit the devastated province of Aceh, where some 94,000 people are estimated to have died.

Adapted From http://www.manilatimes.net 01/05/2005

TOP↑

Ministry Seeks Bandwidth

The Information and Communications Technology Ministry is seeking a special bandwidth from the National Telecommunications Commission for emergency communications to cope with natural disasters. ICT Minister Dr Surapong Suebwonglee said telecom infrastructure in the six tsunami-hit provinces in the South had been knocked out and communications crippled, thus making emergency contact for immediate rescue difficult. He said the Meteorological Department has been assigned to seek cooperation from mobile phone operators to send out alerts to all mobile phone users in case of major disasters.

From http://www.bangkokpost.com 01/07/2005

TOP↑

Phuket's IT City Plans Put on Hold

The government will delay some IT projects as part of its Phuket ICT City plan until the island recovers from the damage caused by the tsunami disaster. The Software Industry Promotion Agency (Sipa), which has a branch office in Phuket, said some projects to promote Phuket as an ICT city would be delayed because human resources and budget would be allocated to repairing the damage to the island's infrastructure, said Sipa president Manoo Ordeedolchest. "Some projects might be delayed for three to six months but we will continue our work, including implementing one-stop services for local government agencies," he said. But a plan to promote Internet wireless services among Phuket's major hotels under the banner of "You are Connected Everywhere" will be put on hold. "We planned to work with TOT Corp to link cable lines to hotels in Phuket so that they can provide fast Internet connection through their wireless Internet hot spots," he explained, adding that the project aimed to help business visitors stay connected anytime and anywhere. However, the project would be delayed until the situation is back to normal. In addition, the disaster will also impact the government's aim to promote Phuket as a destination for foreigner companies to set up software houses. Although tax exemptions and other benefits from the Board of Investment are already provided, it will take time to re-build confidence. The situation would improve when the government can return the island's image back to normal, he said. "Even though we realise that a Tsunami will not often occur, building up confidence will take time," he added. He said Sipa would continue its progress in implementing e-government services _ the e-Phuket One Stop Service project. It aims to integrate information and services from different government departments to provide a one-stop service to the public, such as driving licence applications, licence renewals, car registration and bill payments for utilities. Agencies involved include the Department of Land Transport, the Police Department, the Immigration Department, utilities and banks. Meanwhile Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Minister Dr Surapong Suebwonglee said the impact from the disaster would be short term. However, because big businesses were hit, small software companies working for them would also be impacted. "Infrastructure development is still in progress. We believe that the impact will be only for a short period," he said. Sipa's Phuket office has also been using its web site at http://www.phuketitcity.com to list victims, survivors and missing people. The database is supported by various government agencies. Another site people can use to make announcements concerning missing people is at missingperson.or.th, which was established by the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec) on December 29. It contains a listing of some 5,000 missing people, pictures and their current status. For those who want to make donations or get information on the current situation, the official site of the ICT Ministry is ThaiTsunami.com.

From http://www.bangkokpost.com 01/12/2005

TOP↑

TURKEY: Campaign to Send Aid to Tsunami Child Survivors Under Way

Ekmeleddin ?hsano?lu, the Turkish head of the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), yesterday initiated an aid campaign for the child victims of last month's devastating tsunami in Southern Asia. The campaign, entitled “The OIC Alliance to Save the Child Survivors of the Tsunami,” is planning to provide urgent medicine, shelter and food to some 40,000 children in the devastated area, ?hsano?lu announced at a press conference in an Istanbul palace. In the longer-term, the OIC will engage in efforts to establish schools and permanent accommodation facilities. ?hsano?lu said non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and charity foundations were invited to join the OIC efforts to meet the urgent food, medicine and shelter needs of the children. For this long-term effort, member states plan to make financial contributions to cover expenses. [HH] Staving off abuse: The OIC campaign aims to protect child victims of the tsunami from abuse and human trafficking. ?hsano?lu said children were vulnerable to such attempts while they were battling against lack of shelter and food. He said Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, in a recent telephone conversation, asked the OIC to care for the children. Children were hardest hit by the tsunami which killed 175,000 people around the Indian Ocean, with one-third of the dead estimated to be children. A proportion of the orphaned survivors face the danger of trafficking and abuse. Asked to comment upon reports of missionary activities in the tsunami-affected area, ?hsano?lu said protecting children from outside influences was a major goal of the OIC campaign. [HH] Aid consciousness: ?hsano?lu, who took over the post of secretary-general of the OIC early this month, has appealed to member states to increase aid to the tsunami-stricken area. Asked to comment if Turkish aid was sufficient, ?hsano?lu expressed hope that the Turkish nation, which suffered a devastating earthquake in 1999, would contribute with a big donation to help in the relief effort. “Turkish people received significant aid from Muslim countries after the 1999 earthquake which leveled western Anatolia … but the Turkish public is uninformed about the extent of the tsunami disaster,” he said. Saudi Arabia and Qatar took the lead amongst OIC states by providing $30 million and $25 million respectively. Turkey has recently increased its aid from $1.2 million to $5 million, ranking it third in the list of OIC donators. Saudi Arabia-based Islamic Development Bank has pledged $500 million in aid to contribute to the relief effort.

From http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/ 01/19/2005

TOP↑

ASEAN Declaration on Action to Strengthen Emergency Relief, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Prevention

A special ASEAN Leaders’ meeting on the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami of 26 December 2004 that affected 8 Asian and 3 Eastern African countries was held in Jakarta on 6 January 2005. The ASEAN Leaders, who were joined by the heads of state/government of Australia, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and special envoys of other donor countries and heads of international organizations, adopted a Declaration of Action to Strengthen Emergency Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction.

From http://www.aseansec.org/ 01/07/2005

TOP↑

Boao Forum Sees Asia's Role Changing

State leaders and entrepreneurs as well as experts will discuss Asia's new role on the changing global economic stage at the annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia scheduled for April 22 to 24. According to the forum's secretary-general Long Yongtu, the event will discuss issues of common interest in Asia and the world, such as energy, monetary policies and the innovation of the information technology sector. The forum will incorporate dialogues for participants to communicate with each other, Long said yesterday in Beijing at a news conference for the forum. The forum will also sponsor an international seminar on post-tsunami economic situation analysis and world co-operation next Thursday in Beijing. Since the forum was launched in 2001 at Boao, South China's Hainan Province, it has been playing a more and more noticeable role in pushing forward regional co-operation in Asia, Long said. One of the highlights of the event will be a specialized session about Australia and energy co-operation, during which the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, is expected to be present, Long said. At yesterday's meeting, the Secretariat of the forum signed sponsorship agreements with Dutch express company TNT, Merrill Lynch, BMW, Shenyang's Brilliance Auto that is based in Northeast China's Liaoning Province, and German oil and gas producer Woodside.

From China Daily 01/20/2005

TOP↑

CHINA: White Paper on National Defense Issued

China published on Monday a white paper on national defense, reaffirming its determination to crush any "Taiwan independence" attempt at all costs and reassure the world of its pursuit of peaceful development that will pose "no obstacle or threat to any one." The 85-page white paper, the fifth of its kind since 1995, was titled "China's National Defense in 2004" and released by the Information Office of the State Council, China's cabinet. The publication of the white paper was intended to "illustrate China's national defense policies and the progress made in national defense and army building over the past two years," said the information office. Observing that "peace and development remain the dominating themes of the times," the white paper says that "factors of uncertainty, instability and insecurity are on the increase" in the global security situation. "The separatist activities of the 'Taiwan independence' forces have increasingly become the biggest immediate threat to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as peace and stability on both sides of the Taiwan Straits and the Asia-Pacific region as a whole," the white paper says. "The Taiwan authorities under Chen Shui-bian have recklessly challenged the status quo that both sides of the Straits belong to one and the same China, and markedly escalated the 'Taiwan independence' activities designed to split China." "The situation in the relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits is grim," it says. The paper also criticizes the United States for its continuous arms sales to Taiwan which, it says, increases both "quantitatively and qualitatively," despite Washington's repeated commitment to adhere to the one-China policy and oppose "Taiwan independence." The US action is "sending a wrong signal to the Taiwan authorities" and "does not serve a stable situation across the Taiwan Straits." "It is the sacred responsibility of the Chinese armed forces to stop the 'Taiwan independence' forces from splitting the country," says the paper. "We will never allow anyone to split Taiwan from China through whatever means," the paper says. "Should the Taiwan authorities go so far as to make a reckless attempt that constitutes a major incident of 'Taiwan independence', the Chinese people and armed forces will resolutely and thoroughly crush it at any cost." The paper also points out that the Chinese government will continue to adhere to the basic principles of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems" while handling the Taiwan issue. "So long as the Taiwan authorities accept the one-China principle and stop their separatist activities aimed at 'Taiwan independence', cross-Straits talks can be held at any time on officially ending the state of hostility between the two sides, including on the establishment of a confidence-building mechanism in the military field," it says. The white paper pledges that China will persist in taking the road of peaceful development and unswervingly pursue a national defense policy "defensive in nature."

From http://english.people.com.cn/ 12/27/2004

TOP↑

New Law to Rein in Senior Officials

The National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee began its deliberations Monday on a proposed law that is intended to rein in senior government officials. The law states that civil servants in management positions should "take the blame and quit" if their mistakes or negligence cause major losses or negative social repercussions, or if major accidents occur on their watch. "By regulating civil service properly, the new law will be a step forward in the country's pursuit of a legal system that can effectively oversee administrative power," Mo Yuchuan, a law professor at Beijing's Renmin University, told China Daily on Sunday. When China introduced its civil servant system in 1993, the central government issued a provisional decree to regulate civil servants' performance. The new proposed law, with more precise rules, would be the first statute to rule the 5 million or so civil servants nationwide. Among the punishable activities listed in the draft are: committing fraud; involvement in pornography, drug abuse, gambling or superstition; and opening businesses or conducting other income-generating work outside the job. Civil servants are also required to avoid involvement in projects or situations in which they or their close relatives have a vested interest. "With the new law, civil servants will likely feel more pressure rather than take for granted that they have an iron rice bowl," Mo said. "This is good for building an administration in line with the rule of law." The draft sets out procedures for civil service recruitment and performance evaluation, as well as for civil servants to appeal unfavorable decisions. The law would also create more grades within civil service to offer more chances for promotion. Current rules only provide 15 grades with relatively few leadership positions, which means that in some cases civil servants may get stuck in a position without promotion for more than a decade. The draft also provides for training and competitive salaries. The government is working on compensation reform schemes to complement the law, according to Vice Minister of Personnel Hou Jianliang. The proposed law will have far-reaching implications for China's administrative reforms, Hou said at a media briefing last Friday. The personnel ministry was responsible for writing the draft. It usually takes half a year and three rounds of review for the NPC Standing Committee to pass a law. The session of the 158-member committee currently under way opened on December 25 and will continue through the 29. During the session, the Standing Committee will also review a draft law on renewable sources of energy, a revision of the law on prevention and control of solid waste pollution, and reports by the State Council on the restoration of market order and the protection of water resources.

From China Daily 12/27/2004

TOP↑

Taiwan Issue Listed as Top Security Concern in China

China's latest white paper on national defense lists "the vicious rise of the 'Taiwan independence' forces" as one of the factors having major impact on China's security, which experts said is an objective assessment of China's current security situation. The 85-page white paper, the fifth of its kind since 1995, was titled "China's National Defense in 2004" and released last Monday by the Information Office of the State Council, China's cabinet. The paper says, "The separatist activities of the 'Taiwan independence' forces have increasingly become the biggest immediate threat to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as peace and stability on both sides of the Taiwan Straitsand the Asia-Pacific region as a whole." Referring to the above statement, Chen Zhou, a military expert involved in drafting four defense white papers, said it reflected the current "grim" situation as "'Taiwan independence' forces have gone too far on their way." The variance, slight or significant, in the statements about Taiwan issue in earlier defense white papers mirrors what the situation is like, Chen said. Recalling the defense white paper issued in 1998, Chen said that the Taiwan issue constituted a small part of China's security situation outlined in the paper, adding that year's defense policy didn't touch upon Taiwan at all, but said "China must have the capability to safeguard sovereignty, unity and safety." Against the background that Lee Teng-hui, then Taiwan's leader, came up with a "two states" theory in 1999 in an attempt to split the country, China's defense white paper the following year devoted much more space to the Taiwan issue, Chen said. "The paper correspondingly described the Taiwan Straits situation as 'complicated and grim' and for the first time laid down the specific defense policy about Taiwan and affirmed determination and responsibility of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)," Chen noted. The term "PLA" is replaced by "China's armed forces" in the latest defense white paper, Chen said. "This is because 'China' sarmed forces' refers to a larger defense force, including PLA in both active and reserve services, armed police and militia." Chen lauded the adoption of this term, as it "specifies in a precise way China's defense forces' responsibility in fighting 'Taiwan independence' forces." The white paper also offers the possibility of cross-Straits talk, including the establishment of a confidence-building mechanism (CBM) in the military field, Chen stated. According to Chen, "CBM in the military field" refers to the measures aiming at improved security environment, including cross-Straits military exchanges, transparency-building, restriction and check measures, setting up hotlines and information notification system between militaries cross the straits. "This is the first time for a white paper to include a cross-Straits military CBM," Chen added. Shen Jiru, an expert with Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said, "China builds up its image as an open and responsible big nation by making public its evaluation of security situation and defense policy, which also work as a deterrent to forces that are hostile or attempt to pose threats to China's security.

From http://english.people.com.cn/ 01/03/2005

TOP↑

New Laws, Regulations Effective from Jan. 1

On New Year’s Day 2005, 88 judicial interpretations, laws and regulations came into effect. Forty-seven of them are applied nationwide, and 41 at local levels. The newly implemented rules apply to a wide range of areas, touching on nearly every aspect of life. The seven regulations related to China’s World Trade Organization commitments are grabbing a great deal of attention. These apply to the insurance, automobile, petroleum and auction sectors. The General Administration of Customs is opening new channels for invoking the right of relief with an interim rule concerning the appellate process. It is also implementing three other new regulations. The Supreme People’s Court is now applying five new judicial interpretations, primarily concerning contracts, property ownership and workers' rights. Four regulations involving food, including the Pesticide Production Management Rules, will help to ensure product safety from field to dining table. Another three rules apply to the rational and safe use of water resources. The People’s Bank of China, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) and State Administration for Industry and Commerce are each promulgating regulations to improve oversight of the securities industry, state-owned enterprises and the advertising sector. The Ministry of Communications, which is also responsible for managing the nation's roads and highways, now has four regulations geared toward strengthening its authority over subordinate and local units to address quality and corruption problems. The hairdressing industry is seeing major changes, with operator certifications and price lists now mandated.

From http://www.china.org.cn 01/04/2005

TOP↑

Bank Risk Management Regulation Released

China's banking authorities issued two new risk management and internal control regulations for commercial banks in order to urge them to operate more efficiently and securely. The regulation on the assessment of the internal control system in the commercial banks, effective from February 1 this year, builds up a new framework to assess the efficiency of the internal control scheme of the commercial banks with updated standards and models that comply with international conventions. They are based on the Framework for Internal Control Systems in Banking Organization designed by the Basel Committee, according to a press release issued on Friday by the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC). The CBRC will thoroughly check on all the business activities, management and supporting systems of the domestic banks, including their headquarters and local branches, and give an assessment according to the new models. Regulators will adopt relevant measures to deal with the problems discovered in the internal control system of the banks, such as suspension of certain businesses and even the dismissal of the responsible executives. Compared with advanced international banks, domestic banks still have a lot of catching up to do in terms of risk management, said a CBRC spokesman. The occurrence of a series of major financial crimes in domestic banks in recent years shows that there is still major flaws in the internal control system of these banks and that supervision is insufficient, the spokesman said. Hopefully the new regulations will lay a basis for the formation of sound internal control and risk management schemes in domestic banks and ensure their healthy and steady development, he said. The other regulation issued on Friday is a guideline on commercial banks' market risk management. Also based on relevant risk management guidelines designed by the Basel Committee, the new rule clarifies that domestic commercial banks have to guarantee efficient monitoring on the board and top management behaviour, scientific procedures for risk management as well as independent external audit and effective internal controls. This is to minimize the market risks for commercial banks and maximize their yield, the CBRC spokesman said.

From China Daily 01/05/2005

TOP↑

Regulations Revised to Protect Petitioners' Rights

A draft amendment to the regulations concerning grass roots petitions was deliberated and passed in principle by the executive meeting of the State Council, chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao Wednesday. The regulation issued in October 1995 has played an important role in closing the gap between the government and the people and safeguarding petitioners' legal rights and interests, the meeting participants said. In recent years, new problems have surfaced when the government tried to soothe the complaints of petitioners, which required the government to improve the existing petition regulations, they said. According to a decision made at the meeting, the amendment will be released by the State Council after further improvement. The meeting required local governments and relevant departments to implement the new regulations, clear the channels for petitioning and guarantee the right to make proposals and complaints. The meeting also urged them to receive the public's supervision and enhance efficiency to timely and rationally handle the complaints made by the public. The amendment also requires local governments and related departments to speed up the publicizing of the new petition regulation and guide the mass to make complaints abiding by law aiming to maintain social stability. An official survey revealed that 40 percent of these complaints are about police, courts and prosecutors' offices, 33 percent about government, 13 percent about corruption and 11 percent about injustice. Following the principle of putting the people first, the new Chinese new leadership works very hard to solve the problems raised by complaint letters and visits.

From Xinhua News Agency 01/05/2005

TOP↑

Draft Law Encourages More Use of Renewable Energy

A law has been drafted to boost environmental protection by helping out projects that use renewable energy. If implemented, the draft code, submitted to the Standing Committee of National People's Congress (NPC) for a first reading, could also make money. It will offer discount loans to renewable energy projects, value-added tax waivers to energy exploration equipment and products that consume this kind of energy, and other tax preferences for projects. The draft is clear that renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power are "priorities" of China's energy strategy. "There is a pragmatic approach in the draft, because without proper incentives you cannot expect many enterprises to have strong motivation to develop renewable energy," said Chang Jiwen, professor of environmental law with the Institute of Law of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). But it is necessary to have detailed government decrees to execute the law's promise to the letter and punish local authorities should they fail to back new energy businesses financially, he added. The new statute is proposed amid growing worries of the country's worsening pollution and chronic energy shortages. China's per capita possession of oil reserves is only 10 per cent of the world's average. "Fostering renewable energy sources to replace coal, oil and natural gas is a strategic mission that matters to our future generations," said NPC standing committee member Jiang Shusheng, at a recent group discussion. The proposed law provides a host of practices to ensure renewable energy can be not only produced but also marketed and used successfully. It orders power grid operators to purchase "in full amount" from the registered renewable energy producers within their domains. It also encourages oil distribution companies to sell biological liquid fuel on the sidelines. The government will calculate prices of the power generated from renewable sources, and power grid operators should buy at directed prices. The extra costs of using renewable-source-generated power will be shared out in the power network's overall price. This, however, should not raise consumer' power spending too far, said Mao Rubai, director of the NPC Environmental and Resources Protection Committee, at a recent media briefing. Renewable energy accounts for only a tiny proportion of the country's power consumption -- about 3 per cent last year, and the constant technological progress has been driving costs of renewable energy production lower, Mao said. The draft also requires real property developers to facilitate the use of a solar power system -- be it for heating or light-generation -- in the design and construction of their projects. Millions of Chinese families use solar water heaters. But some cities forbid solar panels to be fixed on new buildings for aesthetic reasons.

From China Daily 01/11/2005

TOP↑

More Farmers Enjoy Zero Farming Taxes

China's agriculture enters a new zero-tax era as 18 of its 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions has so far announced the exemption of all agricultural taxes, releasing millions of peasants from their centuries-old tax burden in the world's most populous nation. China plans to scrap all farming taxes in five years, according to the Ministry of Finance. Apart from the Tibet Autonomous Region where no farming and stockbreeding taxes have ever been imposed, China tried out the tax-free policies in two major northeastern agriculture provinces, Heilongjiang and Jilin in 2004, and the other 15 provinces and municipalities announced their own zero-tax policies for farmers. Also in 2004, the central government cut agricultural taxes by 3 percent in 11 provincial-level regions and by 1 percent in the rest areas, the ministry said. To better support agriculture and the rural economy, the Chinese government has implemented a series of policies including directly subsidizing grain growers. Nearly 600 million peasants have benefited from direct subsidies given by local governments which totaled 11.6 billion yuan (US$1.4 billion), and the central government last year allocated 34.2 percent of the treasury bond proceeds, 37.6 billion yuan (US$4.5 billion), for agricultural products, mainly in grain production regions. The zero-tax policies are implemented in both major agriculture provinces like Henan, Shanxi, Heilongjiang and Jilin, and relatively developed provinces and municipalities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. About 400 million peasants nationwide are expected to benefit from the exemption.

From Xinhua News Agency 01/16/2005

TOP↑

Hong Kong SAR - Buildings Maintenance Bill Slated for '06

The Government plans to submit a draft bill to the Legislative Council enforcing property owners to ensure their buildings are properly managed and maintained next year should a clear consensus be reached in the community, Deputy Secretary for Housing, Planning & Lands Olivia Nip says. Speaking on a radio talk show today, Ms Nip said although the community feels that owners are responsible for the proper upkeep of their buildings, the public has diverse views on the ways to enforce this. She said, as a long-term measure to solve the problem, the Government is working towards a second-stage consultation to be launched this year, focusing on the feasibility of introducing mandatory building inspection and other support measures. She said building maintenance and management is a complex issue which needs thorough discussions in the community before coming up with any concrete measures to tackle the problem. However, priority will be given to those buildings which pose an immediate danger, she said. Attending the same programme, Hong Kong Housing Society Executive Director Wong Lai-chun said the Building Management & Maintenance Scheme the society recently introduced aims to help more owners improve building maintenance. She said the Housing Society will adopt an integrated "one-stop" strategy to help owners handle building maintenance and management matters. In addition to actively assisting owners in building management such as formation of owners' corporations, technical support, financial incentives and interest-free loans will also be made available to eligible owners, she added.

From http://www.news.gov.hk/ 01/22/2005

TOP↑

Japan Drafts Remote Island Defense Plan Out of China Concern

TOKYO - Japan has prepared a plan to defend the southern remote islands off Kyushu and Okinawa from possible invasion amid rising security concerns about China, according to papers obtained Sunday by Kyodo News. The Defense Agency compiled the plan last November on the assumption of a foreign invasion of the islands located in a 1,000-kilometer zone between the southern end of Kyushu and Taiwan. The plan calls for a dispatch of 55,000 members of the Ground Self-Defense Force as well as warplanes, destroyers and submarines in case the islands are attacked.

From Kyodo News 01/17/2005

TOP↑

Japan PM to Push Ahead with UN Security Seat Bid

TOKYO (AFP ) - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi vowed to push ahead with Japan's bid to win a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, saying Tokyo's contributions in the past merited joining. "The Security Council is still based on the framework set immediately after World War II" although the United Nations marks its 60th anniversary this year, Koizumi said in a speech at the start of a 150-day parliamentary session. "Our country's international contributions in the past deserve a permanent membership," he said, kicking off a 150-day parliamentary session with a major policy speech. "I will step up diplomatic efforts." Japan is the world's second-largest contributor to the UN budget, shouldering 19.5 percent after the United States with a 22 percent share. Tokyo has also spent hundreds of millions of dollars supporting UN humanitarian and peacekeeping operations. It has offered 500 million dollars in grants to the nations hard hit by the December 26 killer tsunami waves. Koizumi also promised to mend fences with China. Political rows with China should not hurt close bilateral trade, Koizumi said. "Even if we have different opinions, I will enhance cooperation in wide-ranging fields from a broader viewpoint," he said without elaborating or mentioning any specific proposals. Beijing has been angered by his repeated pilgrimages to Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine which honours Japanese war dead, including wartime leaders during Japan's occupation of China. The bilateral ties sank to a new low when a Chinese submarine intruded into Japanese waters in November and Tokyo revised its defense guidelines to list Beijing as a potential threat. Koizumi vowed to guide the world's second-largest economy on to a steady recovery track and repeated the phrase, "no reforms, no growth", several times during his speech. Koizumi is expected to face stiff opposition during this session on extending the deployment of troops in Iraq and privatizing the postal services, which critics say would not benefit the public. Koizumi, in power since April 2001, did not refer to the swearing in for a second term as US president of his close ally, George W. Bush, but simply said Tokyo would enhance its ties with Washington via close dialogue. He also said Japan would seek to normalize ties with North Korea by resolving the issues of the kidnapping of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents in the Cold-War era and Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. Regarding an impasse over a territorial row with Russia, Koizumi reaffirmed "the basic policy of signing a (bilateral) peace treaty after clarifying who owns the four Northern Territories." Tokyo has claimed four southern Kuril Islands, a tiny windswept chain of isles off northern Japan, occupied by Soviet troops in the closing days of World War II. The dispute has prevented the two sides from signing a peace treaty.

From http://www.channelnewsasia.com/ 01/21/2005

TOP↑

Japan to End China Retraining Program

BAOTOU, China (Kyodo) - After a bankrupt state-run steel factory laid him off in 1995, Zhou Peng set up an auto repair shop, attracting customers he knew from his old job of eight years. But the business didn't run right because he didn't know how to formulate a long-term equipment upgrade budget or stop workers from being exposed to poisons. And he would use roadsides as his workshop. "At that time, I could do only that to live," said Zhou, 35. "To survive, you have to rely on your skills." But Zhou's business has taken an uphill turn since then, and the Japanese government claims some responsibility -- about 873.5 million yen worth of responsibility to train people, including Zhou, to build small businesses in regions of China burdened by layoffs. But from March, Japan wants no further part in it. The re-employment funding for China is just a morsel in the aid money Japan donates to causes in developing countries every year. But even as Sino-Japanese political hostilities simmer among the Chinese public, people who know about the training program say the contribution has helped northern China, where unemployment following factory layoffs caused demonstrations and other social unrest. "We know it is Japanese money. People think of this program and think of the Japanese government," said Zhang Xiangguo, one of Zhou's teachers. Despite the common misgivings about Japan among many Chinese over the war, he said that in Baotou, "there's no animosity." In 2001, the International Labor Organization and the local labor department decided the city of 2 million people in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region needed help because its factories had been hard hit by layoffs following open-market reforms in the 1990s. The ILO selected Baotou and five other northern Chinese cities with the same unemployment issues to open their "Start Your own Business" training sessions. And Japan's Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry agreed to fund the whole program from 1999 through next March. Students pay only for textbooks. Japan supports the training most likely because it sees China's job stability as a way to discourage illegal immigration, and cooperation as a way to increase chances of Sino-Japanese technical cooperation later, said ILO chief technical adviser and coordinator Yoshiyuki Fukuzawa. From $50,000 to $100,000 in Japanese program money went to each city. Local governments were expected to put up money as well. Zhou, because he had already started a business, made the recruitment cut along with about 60 percent of the applicant pool and took the 15-day class last April. Some of the 28 teachers, all locals with business or managerial experience, taught Zhou and his 30-plus classmates to build up a small business in the market economy. They used ILO-published textbooks and workbooks geared specifically toward China and visited successful businesses in Baotou. Their final assignment was to write a business plan, including a balanced budget and strategy to beat competitors. About 90 percent of the 1,400 students have started businesses, usually stores or trading companies. Consequently, the program has gained fame around Baotou. "The impact of this program is really big," said Zhang, the teacher. "The effects on the economy are very obvious." Because of Chinese people's basic education, including strong literacy, the program has worked well in China compared with other nations, Fukuzawa said. Today, Zhou has a 260-sq.-meter repair shop with six employees and a storefront office that sells automotive oil and antifreeze. He said that despite competition from six larger auto repair shops, he makes money offering a 24-hour roadside service and retaining customers with work quality guarantees. But Japan is pulling out of "Start Your own Business" because the scheduled period has ended, said a Japanese Embassy spokesman in Beijing. (by Ralph Jennings)

From The Japan Times 01/22/2005

TOP↑

1st Panel Meeting on Female Succession to Throne Scheduled for Jan 25

TOKYO - A newly established government panel that is expected to consider the feasibility of allowing female members of the imperial family to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne will hold its first meeting on Jan 25, government sources said Saturday. The private advisory panel to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will choose its chairperson from its 10 members, including former U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata and former Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Teijiro Furukawa, and then work out how to proceed with the discussions.

From Kyodo News 01/09/2005

TOP↑

JAPAN: 2005 Monetary Policy: Expect More of the Same

Numerous analysts expect no change in the Bank of Japan's ultra-loose monetary policy this year, what with the economic recovery recently showing signs of losing steam. The policy has its roots in March 2001, when the BOJ abandoned its traditional interest rate target. The central bank wanted to beat back deflation by flooding the financial market with liquidity. So it tried to boost the outstanding balance of current account deposits held by private financial institutions. Nearly four years passed since then and expectations rose in the market, in line with the rapid economic growth in the first half of 2004, that the BOJ might end the quantitative credit-easing policy by the end of 2005. However, the subsequent slowdown that became evident in the fall prompted most private-sector economists to modify their views by resetting the timing of a possible end to the ultra-loose policy to 2006 at the earliest. The economy will pick up around the middle of this year and year-on-year changes in the nationwide consumer price index will stabilize above zero during fiscal 2005, said Masaaki Kanno, chief economist at J.P. Morgan Securities Asia. He expects the BOJ to scrap the current policy between March 2006 and June 2006. The movement of the core nationwide CPI, which excludes perishable prices, is a key factor in foreseeing a monetary policy shift. This is because BOJ Gov. Toshihiko Fukui has pledged to maintain the current policy until year-on-year changes in the CPI stabilize above zero. Kanno said crude oil prices have already peaked, thanks mainly to weakening global demand, and that is a positive sign for the economy. "The surge in crude oil prices slowed the U.S. economy and indirectly negatively affected the Japanese economy in 2004," he said. "An opposite trend will begin from now." (by Yasushi Azuma)

From http://www.japantimes.co.jp/ 01/06/2005

TOP↑

SOUTH KOREA: Revised Securities Law to Fend Off Corporate Raiders

The government is poised to implement a set of measures to help local companies defend their managerial right against corporate raiders this year as the National Assembly passed the revised securities law on Dec. 31, 2004. According to the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MOFE) on Monday (Jan. 3), the government is expected to enforce the revised law in March in a bid to stabilize the management of domestic companies by restricting dubious activities of corporate raiders. The move was prompted by that foreign investors launched several high profile hostile takeover bids last year. The revised securities law will require equity investors with over five percent share holdings to clarify their investment purpose to the Korea Stock Exchange (KSE) as those who intend to influence the management will be subject to more extensive regulatory scrutiny. However, equity investors with no intention of influencing the management will be subject to a less strict regulatory filing procedure. The revised law will also empower the state regulators to punish not only stock investors who did not file a mandatory regulatory report regarding their equity investment, but also those with false and incomplete reports, as government attempts to close the loophole in the current law that investors who filed false and incomplete reports are not subject to any punishment. The so-called “cooling-off period” will be adopted to restrict the voting rights of equity investors for five days when the investors change the purpose of their stockholdings to influence the management rights. The system is designed to prevent dubious shareholders from exercising their voting rights in the shareholders meeting and thus negatively influencing the management. The revised law will also allow local companies to issue new securities when foreign investors are publicly purchasing shares in the stock market, which is banned by the current law, to help domestic firms better prepare for the potential hostile takeover attempts. Local business circles have long been frustrated over the lack of appropriate regulatory mechanism for local companies to rely on, to fend off corporate raiders and protect their management rights. The growing number of foreign investors have recently snatched up a large amount of stocks in local companies, increasing their voting rights and thus making a wide range of excessive demands to the management. To defend the management rights, the local companies had to spend the great amount of corporate resources to raise the share prices through various measures, including the stock buyback program, while being cautious about new corporate investment. In addition, local companies complained about the new Fair Trade Law, which, they claim, erodes the protection of management rights as it bans the nation's big businesses with more than five trillion won in total assets from investing in affiliated companies and other firms beyond 25 percent of assets. Also, financial services companies affiliated with chaebol are not be able to exercise voting rights in non-financial sister companies beyond 15 percent of their equity holding by 2008, down from the current 30 percent, making them more vulnerable to hostile takeover bids.

From http://www.korea.net/ 01/04/2005

TOP↑

Business Arena in Korea Called Too Restrictive

Because South Korea is losing its attraction as a manufacturing base, the government has to redefine the country's role within the Northeast Asia region, Jean-Jacques Grauhar, secretary general of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea said in an interview yesterday. Mr. Grauher said the Korean government's various plans to attract foreign investment were "not enough," adding that regulations were overly rigid. The Korean government says that it has changed by loosening restrictions on foreign companies, but European businessmen themselves aren't saying that circumstances have changed for the better, he said. "The entire country of Korea has to be a free economic trade zone, not just certain regions," he said. Mr. Grauhar said that he was not aware of any European companies that would begin new businesses in Korea this year. He declined to comment on UK-based Standard Chartered's Monday announcement of its 3.4 trillion won ($3.2 billion) takeover of Korea First Bank, saying he was unaware of the details. He added that most European investment is in production and services, rather than financial services. "The first wave of European investment 20 years ago was made in Korea because it was a production base; then Korea became richer and is now market-based," he said. He noted that many factories are going to China and even Korean firms are moving production facilities there. "A few sectors are doing extremely well, such as mobile phones and semiconductors ― which make up the bulk of exports ― but even these sectors face threats," Mr. Grauhar said, adding that while successful at present, they have to take into account the development of China. Citing the example of automobiles, Mr. Grauhar said that although Korea produces better quality cars than China, China will soon be able to develop decent cars at lower prices. "What will be Korea's main assets in regard to China and Japan? Will it continue to be a cluster for high-tech manufacturing?" he asked. Mr. Grauher warned that the technological gap between China and Korea will close unless Korea takes forceful measures. "Maybe Korea should decide to wage war against intellectual property rights-related issues to become a 100-percent safe country," he said. "That would attract research and development offices from overseas since there is high mistrust of intellectual property protection in China." (by Wohn Dong-hee, Kwon Hyuk-joo)

From http://joongangdaily.joins.com/ 01/11/2005

TOP↑

N. Korea Revises Legal Code to Promote Human Rights

North Korea has made it mandatory to issue arrest warrants in criminal proceedings to enhance human rights conditions, according to Pyongyang's code of laws newly issued in August 2004. The North's efforts to adopt international legal standards is worthy of note, North Korea experts in Seoul, who analyzed the set of 112 laws, said Sunday. It is the first time for Pyongyang to release all of its code of laws at a time, giving North Korea watchers precious chances to have a close look at the reclusive society. ``North Korea is trying to deliver a message to the world that it also is trying to adjust itself to international standards,'' Paik Hak-soon, director of North Korean studies at the Sejong Institute in Seoul, told The Korea Times. ``We are not in a war time, so they are trying to abide by the rule and process in punishing criminals.'' Revamped in May last year and opened to the South Korean media for the first time, the criminal procedure law created chapters on the processes for arrest, detention and pardon of suspects. It also bans practices of interrogating suspects through the night and reduced the custody period in pretrial. The North's innovation in legal codes is an attempt to dump its old practice of violating the established legal procedure, said Professor Chang Myung-bong of Kookmin University in Seoul. ``It is trying to practice law based on legalism, rather than arbitrary rulings based on a leader's instructions,'' Chang said. ``The North's recent legislation activities show that it is pursuing pragmatism in opening up its closed society.'' More than half of the 112 North Korean laws, including 13 new legislations such as those regarding inheritance and the software industry, are related with its economy. Chang said the North's laws on economy are still vague with many loopholes found in dispute settlement system, but the creation of inheritance law is one of examples that the North is slowly adopting the capitalism. The inheritance law, enacted in March 2002, enables North Koreans to succeed their parents' house lease, automobile, bank saving and household appliances. In the North, most of people only have the rights to live in houses owned by the state. Following Pyongyang's decision to enhance its information and technology (IT) industry, the software industry law was enacted in July 2004 to stipulate the state's role in setting up computer networks, training an IT workforce and securing technology infrastructure. The North revised its socialist commerce law in June last year, specifying conditions on market operations and allowing people to run service businesses such as stores and restaurants. In case of the agricultural law, revised in June 2002, the North changed its collective farm system by deleting clauses on the fatigue party _ a profit sharing system allowing a group of workers to have more gains if they achieved more than 90 percent of their work assignment. South Korea's semi-official Yonhap News Agency recently obtained the set of legal codes. (by Park Song-wu)

From The Korea Times 01/16/2005

TOP↑

Survey Cites Inconsistent Policy as Major Problem for Economy

A survey of 135 journalists and businessmen belonging to a joint program at Sogang University found that more than half of the respondents cited the government's lack of leadership and inconsistent policy as the biggest threat to the Korean economy. The 135 are members of the "Opinions Leaders Program" at the university. Asked what is slowing the economic recovery, 66 percent said inconsistent government policy and lack of leadership. About 25 percent said the contraction of private-sector consumption was a factor. Asked whether they believe the government upholds market principles and entrepreneurial autonomy, respondents gave an average 3.73 points out of a total 10. A figure closer to zero means that the respondents thought the government was more anti-business. A majority, or 59 percent, forecast economic growth for 2005 at around 3 percent; one-third expect the economy to start picking up in the fourth quarter.

From http://joongangdaily.joins.com/ 01/17/2005

TOP↑

Korea Moves Toward OECD Labor Standards

South Korea has made progress in complying with international labor standards by allowing public servants to form trade unions, an official of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Tuesday. ``I think the establishment of public workers' trade unions will certainly be recognized as a step closer to reaching international standards in terms of freedom of association and collective bargaining,'' said John P. Martin, OECD's director for employment, labor and social affairs. ``I am sure this would be welcomed when the OECD committee discusses this matter in May,'' he added. Martin and three other OECD labor officials came to Korea Monday on a three-day visit to prepare for the follow-up review, which will evaluate any improvement in Korea's labor environment in May. When the nation joined the OECD in 1996, the organization put Korea on its watch list of labor conditions as the country failed to meet international labor standards. In 2002, the OECD highly assessed the country's labor market and social security. But it concluded more improvement is needed for its labor relations and decided to hold a follow-up review this year. ``With regard to the issue of restricting the right to strike, my interpretation of the ILO standard is, they do not insist that civil servants be given to right to strike,'' Martin said, referring to a legislation allowing the public workers' trade union which was passed in the National Assembly in December. It allows civil servants the right to organize and undertake collective bargaining, but not the right to collective action. ``In many OECD countries, civil servants do not have the right to strike, in that sense, I think it is clear it's not very unique and cannot be regarded as very 01/18/2005different from the situation of other OECD countries,'' he said. He said South Korea's jobless rate is not very serious compared to other OECD members, but warned that the employment rate here is below average. ``If the unemployment rate here is to be measured by the OECD standard, it would be higher than its official rate of 3.5 percent this year. But it would still be less than 4 percent. Compared to most OECD countries, the unemployment rate is very low in Korea, it's one of the lowest among all members,'' he said. He said all OECD countries and Korea in particular are going to face a the problem of a rapidly ageing population and one of the best ways to deal with its consequences is to increase employment. ``So under these circumstances, I think it is very sensible for the Korean government to have a medium-term vision of where its economy is seeking to go and start to think about wide-ranging policies that it would need in order to increase employment,'' Martin said. Meanwhile, asked about another survey conducted by local network SBS, which said this year's jobless rate of Korea is 8.5 percent, he said it is not the real rate of unemployment. ``It is not a real unemployment rate in the sense that international statisticians measure unemployment as the number of people who are looking for work within the past four weeks, and who say they want to take a job if it is available,'' he said. ``SBS took into account other categories of people, who might work if they were given the chance, but who are not currently looking for work. This certainly makes the figure inflated and that is true of all countries,'' he said. Martin added the OECD will stick to its unemployment survey as a suitable measure of accessing labor supply across the countries. As another challenge for the Korean labor environment, he talked about the working condition of migrant workers here. ``In fact, Korea has relatively few migrant workers among OECD members. But because of the ageing population and possible labor shortage in the future, the nation might need them more,'' he said, warning that migrant labor is a major challenge to labor market authority and to social policy in this country. ``So it is important to worry about their working conditions and treat them in a decent manner, not exploiting them by putting them under pressure or putting them in unsafe working conditions,'' he said. (by Moon Gwang-lip)

From The Korea Times 01/18/2005

TOP↑

Regulations to Be Eased to Boost Investment

The government plans to ease some 1,000 regulations mainly related to investment and business activities within the year to help create a more business-friendly environment, the Regulatory Reform Committee reported in a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The regulations will be reviewed after being grouped by related fields, said a spokesman for the committee affiliated under the Office for Policy Coordination. For example, regulations related to construction, air transport and culture will be reviewed in the first quarter of the year, while those related to e-commerce, medical services and financial information will be tackled in the second quarter. The third quarter will see the relaxing of regulations on tourism, the leisure industry, information technology, broadcasting services and services for the aged and the fourth will concern those entering financial industries and running communication companies. If the planned measures are implemented as initiated, for example, eligible security companies will be able to run the trust business in addition to their normal business. Insurance companies will be able to invest up to 30 percent of their total assets overseas, up 10 percent from the current limitation of 20 percent. The committee's plan seems to reflect the government's commitment to promoting investment and business. It stipulates that successive measures should follow within six months after the revisions are provided. The performance of each government agency will also be assessed according to a suggested evaluation measures. Ruling party leader Rep. Lim Chae-jung also reiterated the party's will to back up the government's plan in Tuesday's news conference, saying the party will step up efforts to relax regulations regarding the business activities of small- and medium-sized companies. (by Seo Dong-shin)

From The Korea Times 01/18/2005

TOP↑

INDONESIA: Govt Empowers Small Businesses Through Bill on Microfinancing

To accelerate and better coordinate the distribution of credit for small businesses here, the government is drafting a bill on microfinancing for non-bank microfinancing institutions, a senior official said. Dipo Alam, the chairman the National Committee for Microcredit Year 2005 who is also the deputy minister to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, said in a recent press conference that the committee had designed several programs to enhance the performance of non-bank microfinancing institutions. "(One of our programs) is to pass a law on such institutions," Dipo told reporters. He did not elaborate on the details as the bill had not yet been completed. However, the bill is expected to serve as a legal basis for the institutions and to coordinate thousands of non-bank financing agencies currently serving micro businesses. Microcredit is defined by the central bank as a loan below Rp 50 million (US$5,373). The committee's deputy chairman Kusmulyono said there were at present some 50,000 non-bank financing bodies in the country, such as cooperatives and credit banks, in addition to hundreds of banks including Bank Rakyat Indonesia's village units and regional development banks. "This is the right time to strengthen them," said Kusmulyono, also president of government's investment firm PT Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM). The bill however, would not regulate non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are providing saving and lending facilities for micro businesses using funds from donors, he added. Such NGOs, many of which operate in remote areas where there are no formal financing bodies, have repeatedly asked the government to recognize their efforts and draft a law to protect their activities. "PNM will encourage those NGOs to become formal bodies (into financing bodies), so that they can be audited and regulated under the bill," said Kusmulyono further. The bill is expected to be passed later this year, he added. The move is in conjunction with the implementation of the International Microcredit Year 2005, which was launched by the United Nations in November last year as an effort to help fight poverty. The national committee was established in August last year, grouping together representatives of the coordinating minister for the economy, coordinating minister for people's welfare, ministry of trade, state minister of cooperatives and small and medium enterprises, BRI, Bank Mandiri, and the University of Indonesia. Noted Indonesian singer Anggun also attended the press conference and has been appointed as a spokeswoman in Indonesia and other Asian countries for the UN program.

From http://www.thejakartapost.com/ 01/05/2005

TOP↑

Govt to Issue New Antigraft Decree

Justice and Human Rights Minister Hamid Awaluddin said on Tuesday that his ministry has finished drafting a new antigraft decree, which requires suspected corruptors to be put in jail from the beginning of the investigation. "We want them to be imprisoned from the start of the investigation," he told reporters, referring to many cases where corruptors had managed to flee justice, despite their conviction by courts. Hamid said his ministry will conduct a discussion with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the National Police, the Attorney General's Office and the Supreme Court regarding the draft of the government regulation in lieu of law. The new government plans to enforce the law in a bid to accelerate its anti-corruption campaign within its first 100 days in power.

From http://www.thejakartapost.com 01/05/2005

TOP↑

Govt Prepares Debt Management Bill to Prevent of Loans

With the amount of debt currently at an alarming level, a bill is being drafted by the government on debt management in a bid to prevent loans from being abused, such as for political purposes, an official has said. Bank Indonesia's head of foreign debt, Dian Ediana Rae, said the bill would include clear-cut procedures in securing, channeling and monitoring loans, and the need for setting up a semi-independent agency to concentrate on dealing with loans. "It will be designed to manage the country's loans with a high level of prudence, effectiveness and accountability. With the bill, we expect there will no longer be political reasons in seeking new loans," said Dian at a seminar on Wednesday, adding that financial concerns should be the only reason to request a loan. The bill is being drafted jointly by representatives from the central bank, the Ministry of Finance and the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) and will be delivered to the House of Representatives for deliberation soon. According to Dian, the bill should immediately be endorsed as it was deemed necessary by the law on international relations, and in view of the huge debts -- both foreign and domestic -- the country owes at the moment. "The management of loans from upstream to downstream should all be meticulously regulated since the implications are huge for the public. Failure to provide a legal frame for managing loans would place the country in a debt trap," he said. As of September last year, the government's foreign debt totaled some US$78 million as well as some $60 billion in domestic debt -- according to central bank data -- with some Rp 46 trillion ($5.11 billion) due to mature this year. Many reports by research agencies and non-governmental organizations have alleged that debt embezzlement reached up to 30 percent of total loans, mostly due to lack of supervision and transparency by the government. The massive debt is partly a result of the government's incompetency to effectively manage its loan resources, since the decision for obtaining loans are mostly based on political considerations rather than on long-term financial calculations. "A government often seeks loans as the easiest way to secure its five-year term, which then burdens its successor, causing not only skyrocketing debt but also poor management," said Dian. A lack of coordination between government ministries and agencies in managing debt also renders the disbursement of some loans ineffective and often cannot be translated into productive results. Therefore, a special agency should be established to better coordinate and manage loans. The agency, Dian went on to say, should also be tasked with negotiating the interest rates of loans, setting up an efficient channeling mechanism, supervising loan disbursement and ensuring transparency reqarding loans.

From http://www.thejakartapost.com 01/13/2005

TOP↑

Govt Prepares Incentives for Infrastructure Investors

The government will soon issue a number of regulations that will provide incentives and legal certainty for investors in the infrastructure sector, according to senior officials. The proposed regulations cover, among others, incentives to lure billions of dollars of investment into toll roads, water sanitation facilities and seaports. The central bank, meanwhile, plans to relax certain rulings to boost the role of the local banking industry in financing infrastructure projects. Minister for Public Works Djoko Kirmanto said his ministry had prepared a number of government regulations which would provide legal protection and incentives for toll road investors. The regulations were expected to be issued this week. "The regulations are expected to protect the operation and interests of (toll road) investors. We will try to accommodate their demands in a bid to facilitate the construction of the projects," said Djoko after the opening of a two-day Infrastructure Summit on Monday. Djoko said the planned regulations would allow investors to negotiate toll rates and concession periods with the government. "Unlike in the past, in which toll rates were solely decided by the government, now investors can negotiate (with the government), which is an important condition for investors in calculating the feasibility of projects," said Joko. With the new regulation, investors can also automatically raise toll rates every two years without having to renegotiate the process with the government, he added. Additionally, the government will also issue a regulation that will help investors in acquiring land for toll road projects, including the avoidance of lengthy negotiation periods and disputes with land owners over land price. The regulation will also require local administrations to protect land allocated for toll roads by maintaining the land price in the areas, in order to prevent brokers from inflating prices. Separately, Minister for Transportation Hatta Radjasa pledged to protect the interests of seaport investors from possible disputes with local administrations over the management of certain ports run by state-owned port operator PT Pelindo. At present, there are some 150 ports under the management of PT Pelindo, and 400 ports run by the Ministry of Transportation. "The government plans to settle all disputes over the management of ports with local administrations as soon as possible. We want to show to investors that we are committed to ensure legal certainty," said Hatta. Currently, a number of local administrations, empowered by the autonomy law, are in dispute with the central government over who has the authority to manage local ports, despite existing laws that clearly stipulate that the authority lies in the hands of the central government. Meanwhile, central bank governor Burhanuddin Abdullah said Bank Indonesia would issue a package of new banking regulations aimed at boosting bank financing for infrastructure development. The regulations will include an increase in the legal lending limit requirement from the current 20 percent to 30 percent, an increase still deemed in line with international banking practice. The central bank would also push smaller banks to merge by increasing the minimum capital adequacy ratio, a move that is aimed to boost the capacity of banks to carry out their lending role. "Last year, the central bank decided to let the consolidation process of banks occur based on market forces, but it turned out to be ineffective. This year, we will issue a regulation obliging them to merge," said Burhanuddin. The central bank is expected to issue a list of "anchor banks", which are tasked with consolidating with smaller banks. Burhanuddin refused to disclose the name of the banks, but it was fairly certain that the five largest banks by assets would be included in the policy. "With the new package, we expect local banks to have a greater ability to finance the planned infrastructure projects," said Burhanuddin.

From http://www.thejakartapost.com 01/18/2005

TOP↑

Government Pledges Annulment of Bothersome Local Regulations

The central government pledged on Tuesday to immediately revoke inappropriate regulations issued by local administrations that have increased the cost of doing business in the country and created a lack of legal certainty for investors. The pledge was conveyed following criticism from a number of business lobby groups and investors that the central government has been largely powerless in preventing regional governments from issuing inappropriate regulations. "My ministry is currently working together with the Ministry of Home Affairs to review a number of regional regulations that have undermined our business climate," said Minister for Justice and Human Rights, Hamid Awaluddin, in front of foreign and local investors during the Infrastructure Summit, held to lure billions of dollars in new investment to finance badly needed economic infrastructure. Hamid said that the ministry would review local regional rulings that went against the interests of the public by creating a high-cost economy. In addition, regulations that contradicted higher rulings or laws would also be revoked. Hamid refused to disclose the number of these inappropriate regional regulations, but according to the Ministry of Home Affairs there are at least 100 such regulations. Under existing laws, the Ministry of Home Affairs is the only institution authorized to revoke local rulings, after a joint review with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. However, critics have said that these regulations have been untouched due mainly to bureaucratic constraints and alleged corrupt practices, particularly on the part of bureaucrats within the Ministry of Home Affairs. The regional autonomy drive launched a few years ago provided greater power for local administrations in managing their economic and social affairs, prompting many of them to issue rulings to generate more income for their administrations, but often at the expense of the business sector. According to the autonomy law, local regulations are automatically put into effect if there is no rejection from the Ministry of Home Affairs within three months of the regulation being issued. Recently issued local regulations deemed inappropriate by the business community include those affecting the management of seaports and airports, and the acquisition of land for infrastructure projects. One such example is the lingering dispute between the Cilegon municipality and state-owned port operator PT Pelindo that has the authority over local seaports. The East Java provincial government is also currently in dispute with the Madura and Lamongan regents over the construction of seaports in East Java. Local administrations have been blamed for the sharp increase in the price of land dedicated for infrastructure projects, by issuing rulings that have led to price rises. Hamid said that Minister for Home Affairs Muhammad Ma'ruf had pledged to jointly review all inappropriate policies. "I can assure you that the government is serious in resolving legal problems experienced by investors," Hamid said. During the investment forum, most investors also raised concerns over the country's poor court system due to rampant corruption, as well as the lack of legal and economic knowledge of judges dealing with investment and business disputes. Investors have proposed the possibility of obtaining legal protection and guarantees directly from the government in developing infrastructure projects. Hamid said the government could not interfere in court processes as courts are independent institutions. "There is currently ongoing reform of the legal system by the Supreme Court. We are optimistic that the court will be more professional in coming years," said Hamid.

From http://www.thejakartapost.com/ 01/19/2005

TOP↑

PHILIPPINES: Malaca?ang Scales Down Tax-Measure Expectations

Malaca?ang has stopped insisting on passing all eight revenue-generating measures needed to raise more than P100 billion to remedy the country’s fiscal problems. Press Secretary and President Arroyo’s spokesman, Ignacio Bunye, said whether the eight measures would be passed or not is no longer the President’s concern. Only two of the bills have been enacted—the additional excise tax on alcohol and tobacco products is expected to raise an additional P17 billion in its first year of implementation, and the lateral attrition, or accountability reform, law is expected to bring in at least P10 billion. What matters most to the President, Bunye said, is to raise the P80 billion. “The general idea was not to concentrate on specific legislative measures but on the targets. So, whatever measures will be needed to meet the P80 billion would be the priority of both houses,” Bunye said. What the lawmakers will be looking at is a combination of any of the remaining six revenue measures to fill the P53-billion balance in additional revenues for 2005. The remaining six revenue measures endorsed by the Palace deal with the rationalization of fiscal incentives, general tax amnesty, additional value-added tax, excise tax on telecommunication firms, gross income tax system and higher excise tax on oil products. Bunye said once the nee-ded laws that would generate the P80 billion are passed, the President would no longer push the passage of the other six. “There will no longer be prioritization. What is important is that we achieve the target of P80 billion,” he said. The agreement to raise the P80 billion through new tax measures without necessarily passing all the eight bills was made at the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting on Tuesday. Malaca?ang had wanted Congress to pass at least six of the eight revenue measures before the end of 2004. But as the year-end drew near and the measures were proceeding slowly in Congress, the Palace said it would be satisfied if half of the eight were passed. At the meeting the executive and the legislative agreed to pass the needed revenue measures to raise P80 billion by April. Bunye dispelled speculations that Malaca?ang’s change of heart had something to do with President Arroyo’s lack of control at the House. Although Bunye admits that it is difficult to orchestrate the work of two independent bodies, he said the fact that the Ledac meeting went well shows strong coordination between the executive and the legislative. Last year senators from the administration and opposition opposed the passage of all the eight tax bills. The senators believed that the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs must first improve their revenue collection before new taxes are approved. The majority of Filipinos are also against new taxes, as opinion surveys bear out. A Pulse Asia survey conducted last year showed that 78 percent out of 1,200 respondents see no need for new taxes so long as the government strengthens its tax collection. The House senior deputy minority leader, Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig-Pateros, warned the Arroyo administration that pushing for legislation to instantly raise revenues would slow down economic growth. Cayetano was alluding to the bill increasing the value-added tax from 10 percent to 12 percent. He assailed the government for sticking to the traditional “cure-all” remedy of the World Bank-International Monetary Fund for debt-ridden countries like the Philippines. The government should improve first its tax collection instead of crafting new tax laws that could be detrimental to the people in the long run, he said. Cayetano, a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, cited figures from the National Tax Research Center indicating that from 1998 to 2002, the average estimated tax gap, or “uncollected tax” from VAT, amounted to P41.6 billion, or a total of P208.1 billion for the five-year period.? Party-list Rep. Teodoro Casi?o of Bayan Muna said the prices of basic commodities such as pan de sal and instant noodles are expected to soar if the VAT is raised again.

From http://www.manilatimes.net 01/12/2005

TOP↑

House Stays the Course on Revenue Measures

The House of Representatives sees no need for any changes as far as Malaca?ang-sponsored revenue measures are concerned since it is on track with priority tax measures that will raise P65 billion of the P80 billion revenues Malaca?ang is targeting. Majority Leader Prospero Nograles of Davao City and Rep. Jesli Lapus of Tarlac, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, issued the statement in separate interviews after Malaca?ang’s softening stance about passing all the eight revenue measures needed to raise P80 billion to solve the country’s fiscal problems. Nograles assailed critics of the Arroyo administration who said Congress was under threat into passing the tax bills to prevent a downgrade from foreign-credit rating agencies. Even if only half of the eight revenue measures are passed, Nograles said the target amount to be raised is still the same. The President’s spokesman, Ignacio Bunye, said whether the eight measures would be passed or not was no longer the President’s concern. But as far as Lapus is concerned, House is sticking to its P80-billion revenue target, which is an attainable target since more or less P65 billion in new revenues are projected from the four tax bills passed by the chamber earlier, apart from the 12-percent value-added tax proposal recently passed by his committee. The sin tax bill has been enacted into law and was signed by President Arroyo last year; the other tax bills are awaiting Senate approval, except for the VAT bill, which is now for interpellation in the House plenary. House deputy speaker for Mindanao, Rep. Gerry Salapuddin of Basilan, called on the Senate to match House urgency with its own efforts in approving the revenue measures being pushed by Malaca?ang. Robert Ace Barbers of Sugigao del Norte, a staunch ally of President Arroyo in the House, welcomed Malaca?ang’s move to let the legislators decide on the fate of the tax bills with it keeping its hands off the matter.

Adapted From http://www.manilatimes.net 01/13/2005

TOP↑

Lawmakers Approves Fiscal Incentives Bill on 2nd Reading

The House of Representatives approved on second reading Thursday another Palace-backed revenue measure aimed at generating an estimated P5.3 billion in savings for the government. House Speaker Jose de Venecia said the measure, the “Consolidated Investments and Incentives Code of the Philippines, if enacted will “establish a clear, simple, timebound and performance-based incentives system in the country.” “This is part of President Arroyo’s economic program to maximize the in-flow of investments to the country by creating the best possible investment climate that is globally competitive,” de Venecia said. He praised the Committee on Ways and Means, including its chair, Rep. Jesli Lapus of Tarlac, and Rep. Junie Cua of Quirino, who sponsored and defended the Palace-certified bill during plenary debates. Cua said the proposed code aims to enhance the quality of service of the Board of Investments and other investment promotion agencies of the government. Lapus disputed claims of some party-list lawmakers that the bill seeking to increase the current value-added tax was railroaded and that interest groups were not consulted at public hearings. Lapus told The Times that his committee held 33 meetings for House Bill 3555, which seeks to impose a 20-percent increase in the VAT. He added that at least seven industry and consumer groups had been given the opportunity to air their views about the bill.? Party-list Rep. Liza Maza of Gabriela had resigned as a member of the committee and Party-list Rep. Teodoro Casi?o of Bayan Muna threatened to take battle against the VAT to the streets as they claimed that Congress practically disregarded industry and consumer groups at its hearings. Casi?o said if the proposed VAT is enacted, this could lead to price increases of basic commodities including milk, rice, instant noodles and canned goods. The two sectoral representatives, who are staunch critics of the VAT bill, have demanded that the bill, which is being debated in the House plenary session—be returned to the committee for a full-blown public hearing and further deliberations. However, a check with the Committee on Ways and Means’ minutes of the meeting showed that Maza attended only two hearings and Casi?o 12 out of 33 committee hearings on the VAT bill

.
Adapted From http://www.manilatimes.net 01/14/2005

TOP↑

Senators Agree to Rush Budget Approval?

Senators on Monday ag-reed on a timetable to rush the approval of the 2005 national budget. In an all-senators’ caucus the lawmakers agreed to approve the P907.6-billion bud-get on second and third reading on February 4. They hope to enact the budget in time for Valentine’s Day. “We are confident we will finish the bicameral conference before the end of February and hopeful that there will be a budget before March 1. We are also optimistic that if we move fast, we might finish the bicameral conference by Valentine’s Day,” Senate President Franklin Drilon said at a press conference. “We have a chance and we will do our best to pass the budget before February 14,” he said. Drilon said Sen. Manny Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, would submit the committee report on January 24, and that on the next day a caucus would be held setting the timetable and the order of interpellation on several departments of government. “The sponsorship of the budget will start on Wednesday, January 26, at 10 a.m. Thereafter interpellation will immediately begin and continue. Thereafter every working day Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. up to the evening,” Drilon said. After the budget goes on second and third hearing, Drilon estimated that it would need two weeks for the bicameral conference, but anything is possible and the senators hope to pass the budget before Valentine’s Day. “It will be good. If you look at the schedule, that’s 10 days before February 14, so that is enough time for the two committees,” Drilon said. One of the major topics that was also discussed at the caucus was the use of intelligence funds. Drilon said the Senate decided to activate the Senate Oversight Committee on the Use of Intelligence Funds. ?“We agreed to adopt a resolution that would constitute the Senate Oversight Committee on Intelligence Funds so that we can monitor through executive session, so as not to prejudice national interest, the use of the intelligence funds,” he said. Drilon thought it is important to monitor intelligence funds because these are audited on the basis of a closed envelope system—those in charge of the funds simply jot down how much they spent and place the note in the envelope, sealed and submit it to the Commission on Audit without supporting documents. ?“Therefore, you can say that there is necessity. There are no receipts for using the intelligence funds, but this practice could be open to abuse,” Drilon said. With the creation of? the? Senate Intelligence Oversight? Committee, intelligence funds will be monitored to determine if they have been used properly or abused. Villar said there would be no basic changes in the basic services and in the departments, except the internal revenue allotment and debt service, where P46 billion is allocated.

From http://www.manilatimes.net/ 01/18/2005

TOP↑

SINGAPORE: Singapore Courts Plan Changes to Cut Litigation Time, Costs

It is going to get easier to take legal action in civil courts, while the higher courts are planning to go high-tech in a move expected to cut costs and hearing time. The legal year started with the traditional photo taking on the City Hall steps. But the ceremony had added significance, because this is the last time it will be held in these premises, with the new Supreme Court building due for completion by the second half of this year. And with new premises, will come changes. Technology will feature big in the litigation process - how it can do this was detailed in a paper put up for public consultation. One change is digital audio recordings - which means judges do not have to write proceedings by hand - to speed up matters and lower costs. Recent judgements will also be available online. Procedures are also being streamlined, with the courts looking at simplifying the process for starting civil action. The report should be ready by mid-year. But while procedures are streamlined, it is the quality of lawyers that will make the difference, says the Chief Justice. Chief Justice Yong Pung How said, "I find it disappointing that although law students have been graduating with better grades in recent years, the standard of punctuality and courtroom behaviour among some younger lawyers has declined. I hope this is not a sign of falling standards of professional integrity." And while the Law Society agreed with the Chief Justice on this, it also asked for some tolerance. Philip Jeyaretnam, President, Law Society, said, "The simple point that I was making is that as a young man or young woman starting out, it's not always so easy. And sometimes when you know things, the temptation is how come you haven't prepared yourself before coming here, and yes sometimes the criticism is warranted, but it is just a plea for a little tolerance and understanding." Two lawyers - Lok Vi Ming and Vinodh Coomaraswamy - were also appointed Senior Counsel.

From http://www.channelnewsasia.com 01/08/2005

TOP↑

Re-employment Assistance Programme to Be Aimed at 12 Sectors

The new Re-employment Assistance Programme, or REAP, will be targeted at 12 sectors, NTUC Deputy Secretary General Lim Swee Say has told Channel NewsAsia in an exclusive interview. He said that a key objective of REAP is to arrest structural unemployment before it becomes worse. The cleaning industry has already undergone a revolution, and now it is time to make sure other "old economy" jobs keep up with the times. So the labour movement is targeting jobs in sectors such as healthcare, construction, garments and textiles, hotels, and horticulture and landscaping. Others are precision engineering, marine, public transport, security, building maintenance, schools and community agencies. It wants to change the image and salaries for these jobs, and says there will be enough jobs for Singaporeans. A key challenge now is structural unemployment, where there is a mismatch between jobs and skills. Several NTUC sub-committees have already been looking at job redesign over the past two years. The work of these sub-committees will form the foundation to further expand the scope of the re-employment assistance programme. This can help reduce Singapore's dependence on foreign workers. Mr Lim said, "Whenever an employer cannot find suitable workers, the first reaction is to go to the Ministry of Manpower and explain to them they are not able to get Singaporeans to do the job and as a result, they appeal to MOM to ask for more foreign workers. "A greater challenge for us is not so much to raise the retirement age on paper but rather in reality, because reality is what will make a difference to the working life of the rank and file workers. We would rather be in the position of Japan and Korea, where the official retirement age may be 60, 62 or 65 but the effective retirement age is higher," Mr Lim said.

Adapted From http://www.channelnewsasia.com/ 01/20/2005

TOP↑

THAILAND: Resort Renewal Plan Pushes Ahead

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday pushed ahead with the effort to rehabilitate communities along the tsunami-ravaged Andaman coast. Representatives of the Interior Ministry, the Provincial Administration Department, Phuket Governor Udomsak Assawarangkul and concerned agencies met to begin working on a rehabilitation plan for affected areas and beaches in the six affected southern provinces. The plan will also call for regulations governing future beach development. Beaches were developed without restraint in the past. The prime minister also instructed agencies not to let mafia figures extort money from vendors and shops along the beaches. Mr Thaksin said the government may consider issuing land-rights documents to occupants of beach plots so they can use the land as collateral under the government's assets conversion scheme. He promised to set aside money to regulate beaches and the businesses on them. ''Those who used to trade here will be allowed to continue trading. We just want to regulate the beaches and activities here. Provincial authorities should be responsible for that task,'' said the prime minister. Mr Thaksin yesterday inspected Patong beach and other affected areas on Phuket. Regulating development of beaches in Phuket and Phi Phi island would be done in a special way to quickly restore the natural beauty of affected areas since the conventional bidding process would take too much time, Mr Thaksin said. Moreover, he said, he would call a meeting of badly affected business operators to discuss government assistance and would discuss the issue at tomorrow's cabinet meeting. Mr Thaksin and his team also inspected badly damaged Ban Kamala school in Kathu district, and later went to Surin beach. He greeted tourists at the beach before travelling to Narathiwat where he stayed overnight. Krissada Tansakul, chairman of an association of Patong hoteliers, said 3,000 beachfront hotel rooms at the resort were damaged. He planned to hold a meeting with affected hoteliers to discuss renovation. He called on the government to urgently repair roads and public utilities in Patong. After utilities were repaired, Mr Krissada said, hotel operators would start repairing damaged sections of their hotels. Pamuk Atchariyachai, chairman of Phuket provincial commerce, said debris had already been removed from Kata and Karon beaches. Some 40% of hotel bookings had been cancelled. However, he predicted more tourists would arrive in Phuket within two weeks. Sources said there were 30,000 hotel rooms in Patong and debris along Patong beach was being quickly removed. Several beachfront hotels had reopened. Patthanapong Ekwanit, chairman of the association of tourist operators in Phuket, said damage to tourism-related businesses in Phuket was at least 10 billion baht since the tidal waves came during the peak tourist season. He expected it would take at least one month for the tourism industry in Phuket to revive. Pongpao Ketthong, deputy director of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, said Patong beach had already been revived and visitors can now swim there. Other beaches such as Rawai, Kata, Karon and Nai Yang were being rehabilitated and would return to normal soon. Finance Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said the financial aid centres had been set up at all branches of state-owned banks to help affected business operators, farmers and residents in the affected provinces. Niran Kalayanamit, deputy Phuket governor, said foreign donations have poured in to the province to help residents. Education Minister Adisai Bodharamik yesterday inspected affected areas and schools in Phangnga's Takua Pa district. Mr Adisai visited Bang Sak school, which was destroyed by the waves, and ordered relevant agencies to speed up reconstruction of the school. The ministry has received cooperation from Italian and Thai engineers to build temporary buildings at the school which would be completed within two weeks, he said.

From http://www.bangkokpost.com 01/03/2005

TOP↑

Activists Issue Policy Guide

Activists have launched a pre-election guidebook, “People Politics 2005'', which lists policy recommendations on issues ranging from community forests to anti-privatisation. Saree Aungsomwang, a member of the task force on people politics campaign, said the 64-page guidebook, published by the NGO Coordinating Committee on Development (Ngo-Cod), would be distributed at public events, including seminars and forums. In the book, activists urge parties to adopt their policy recommendations, such as the community forest bill and setting up an independent consumer organisation, a review of free trade agreements (FTA), GMOs and privatisation of state enterprises. Ravadee Prasertcharoensuk, Ngo-Cod chairwoman, said the government's populist approach fostered cronyism among villagers. She said the government just distributed money without empowering grassroots people or ensuring they participated in decision-making. At the same time, the Campaign for Popular Democracy said it would kick off a “voting caravan'' campaign, to break the government's political monopoly.

From http://www.bangkokpost.com/ 01/17/2005

TOP↑

VIETNAM: NA Outlines 2005 Supervisory Tasks

The National Assembly (NA) will focus its supervisory work on the execution of laws and other assembly-adopted resolutions, according to the NA Deputy Chairman Nguyen Phuc Thanh. In a conference yesterday to outline the NA’s supervision programme in 2005, Thanh said the assembly will scrutinise the issuance of sub-law documents in terms of their content and timing. Besides reducing the number of working trips to localities, the legislature will this year continue to renovate the supervisory procedures as well as work on a mechanism for the post-supervision settlements, Thanh said. While hailing the positive impacts of the supervisory work towards the Government agencies and the population’s faith in the State apparatus, NA Chairman Nguyen Van An admitted that the work still contained many shortcomings. He cited a lack of awareness about the assembly supervisory duty, the reluctant attitude, and the lack of time, effort and brain power reserved for the job, as the major setbacks. Some relevant agencies have been lukewarm to the assembly’s findings or suggestions concerning their business, Chairman An said adding that the work has also been hindered by the difficulties in human resources and organisation. Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem told the conference that the legislature supervisory work was very important towards strengthening the State apparatus, boosting the people’s confidence, and improving the NA system. To increase the quality of the assembly work, the Deputy PM said there should be clearer laws on the accountability and authority of both the National Assembly and the Government agencies as well as public involvement. He also emphasised the post-supervision process and called for the Government agencies to update the implementation of the NA’s suggestions.

From http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn 01/15/2005

TOP↑

INDIA: PM Announces Easier Guidelines for Foreign Joint Venture Partners

KOLKATA: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday announced the scrapping of Press Note 18 of 1998 for all future joint ventures (JVs). A new Press Note 1 (of 2005), replacing PN18 was subsequently notified. In terms of the new guidelines, in case of existing ventures, the consent of the local partner would be required only for floating a separate venture in the “same field.” New ventures by foreign investors in “similar or allied fields” will not require the consent of local partners. Further, both the local and foreign partners in existing JVs would now be required to provide justification on the applicability of the no-objection clause. Till now, the onus of proof was only on the foreign partner. Among the old JVs, three categories will not attract the restrictive clauses of the earlier PN18. These include sick or defunct ventures, JVs in which either of the partners has less than 3% stake and those where investments have been made by Sebi-registered venture capital funds. For existing JVs, which do not come under these categories, modified, though less restrictive, guidelines will apply. Addressing the inaugural session of the three-day Partnership Summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Kolkata, Dr Singh called the provisions of the note “a source of some discomfort to investors” that have “outlived their purpose”. For future ventures, a conflict of interest clause will have to be included in the JV agreement. The government, however, clarified that this will be “based on free will of partners without government interference”. Later, commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath gave a less critical comment on the note. He said, “A perception has grown that PN18 is standing in the way of foreign direct investment (FDI). I do not entirely agree with the view. However, since the government wished to make crystal clear its intention of facilitating FDI, particularly to increase economic activities and generate more employment opportunities, we wish to remove even the perceived obstacles.”

From http://www.financialexpress.com/ 01/12/2005

TOP↑

Govt Drums Up Support for VAT

NEW DELHI: The government pulled out all the stops on Monday to drum up support for value added tax (VAT) ahead of the April 1 launch of the country's most ambitious tax reform in half a century. The Finance Minister unveiled a white paper with details on the VAT system, which lies at the heart of a drive to reform a tax structure under which states are chronically short of money and only 3 per cent of the billion-plus people pay income tax. The government, aware of the many previous failure to levy the tax, also put advertisements in almost every newspaper on Monday saying 'Welcome VAT, VAT benefits everyone.' The implementation of VAT, which will replace a web of state-level sales taxes, is expected to stabilise the huge public debt of Indian economy. "This is the most important tax reform in independent India," Finance Minister P Chidambaram said while releasing the so-called white paper. "VAT deserves our support and it deserves to succeed." But murmurs of protest were audible from trade lobbies. "The 12.5 per cent rate will lead to an increase in prices," said Praveen Khandelwal, secretary-general of the Confederation of All India Traders. Traders from across the country will meet on Jan 19 to draw up their future action plan, he said. "If we find the white paper is against the principles of VAT, we will oppose it." Economists say Asia's fourth-largest economy is undertaxed, despite a rise in the number of taxpayers to 35 million from nearly 8 million in 1990.

From http://financialexpress.com/ 01/18/2005

TOP↑

SRI LANKA: CNO Finalises Intermediate IDP Resettlement Plan

The Centre for National Operations (CNO) has finalised an intermediate Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) resettlement plan, where displaced persons will be temporarily housed in family-sized tents, as per the prescribed formula of international experts. The specifications of the community resettlement compound which include toilets, kitchen and details of tents are posted on the CNO website: www.cnosrilanka.org., Dr. Tara de Mel, Director CNO states in a press release. The CNO has received pledges from 29,000 family tents from several UN Agencies and NGOs. They will be used to relocate IDPs placed in 204 schools as soon as they arrive. Additional assistance is being sought by CNO for tents for the resettlement of balance IDPs, in other places, according to the plans formulated. Once permanent houses are constructed, these persons will be settled in new homes. Those from the private sector, interested in constructing houses are requested to write to Director, Centre for National Operations, Presidential Secretariat, Colombo 1.

From http://www.dailynews.lk/ 01/20/2005

TOP↑

Prabhakaran in First Post Tsunami Public Appearance Says: Willing to Join Govt's N-E Relief Programme

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has expressed its willingness to be included in a common programme with the Government for providing relief to the stricken victims of the tsunami disaster in the North-East, before any recommencement of Peace Talks. The LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham told the media on Saturday that LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran at a meeting with the visiting Norwegian Peace facilitators, had expressed his willingness to co-operate with the Government to work out a mechanism to coordinate post tsunami relief assistance in the North-East. The meeting, the LTTE chief attended and held at the LTTE political office in Kilinochchi lasted for about two hours. Participating at this discussion with the Norwegian team Prabhakaran had pointed out that it was not the time to talk about "peace talks" and had pointed out that the LTTE alone was unable to carry out development work in the North-East, although his organisation had taken the initiative to provide relief to the people in the region, at the initial stages immediately after the tsunami disaster. The LTTE leader had further said that he would like to see a member from the LTTE is included in the specially formed International Trust Fund initiated by the World Bank to provide relief to the people hit by the disaster, working in collaboration with the Government. He also told the Norwegian delegation that the LTTE's Peace Secretariat and the Government Peace Secretariat worked with a good understanding. "The Government and the LTTE are engaged in preliminary discussions to formulate a mechanism to co-operate in relief work in the North-East. The discussions will be confined to humanitarian work and no political issues will be taken up," Balasingham told a press conference. When the Norwegian delegation underlined the necessity of a mechanism acceptable to both the Government and the LTTE to co-operate in relief work, Prabhakaran had responded that he was willing to cooperate to set up a mechanism, with a view to distribute aid freely and equitably without bureaucratic hindrance. Balasingham said. Prabhakaran has also said that what the Government should do at present was to act in such a way to win the confidence of the LTTE and the Tamil people. If the Government could do that and once the development work of the area destroyed by tsunami is completed, the peace process would also be a success. While praising the Government for carrying out projects to provide relief to people without political considerations, he had said that he trusted the same policy would be applied in providing relief to all without ethnicity considerations. Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen, his Deputy Vidar Helgesen, special envoy Eric Solheim, International Relations and Development Minister Ms. Hilda Johnson and Norway Ambassador for Sri Lanka Hans Brattsker met LTTE leader with LTTE Theoretician Anton Balasingham, Political Wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan, Sea Tiger leader Soosai.

From http://www.dailynews.lk/ 01/24/2005

TOP↑

NEPAL: Govt. to Make Its View Public on Maoists Before Deadline

KATHMANDU - State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that the government will make its view public on Maoists before the deadline given to them comes to an end. Mahat, who is also a member of the Advisory and Support Committee (ASC) of High Level Peace Committee, revealed that the government is doing serious homework to respond to the Maoists and how to move ahead. The government's ultimatum to the Maoists to sit for talks is coming to an end on January 13. Claiming that the government was ready to hold talks on every agenda of the Maoists, Mahat accused the latter of not being sincere and committed to restore peace through dialogue. "The government will go for election to give continuity to democratic process," Mahat said. He further opined that dialogues between the government and the Maoists could be held even after the announcement of the election.

From http://www.kantipuronline.com/ 01/08/2005

TOP↑

PAKISTAN: No ‘India-made’ Solution for Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday said that Pakistan would not accept any ‘‘India-made’’ solution to the Kashmir issue. ‘‘We will not accept any solution of kashmir with the stamp of ‘Made in India’ because this dispute cannot be resolved without the involvement of Kashmiris and Pakistan,’’ he told Geo TV. Amidst reports that Pakistan may approach the World Bank for resolution of the Baglihar Hydro-Power dam issue with India, Musharraf said he was hopeful of a peaceful settlement. The outcome of the secretary-level talks held in Delhi, was discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday night, Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said. ‘‘Important decisions were taken. We will see now how we proceed. Our firm decision on the World Bank intercession will be made public soon,’’ Khan said.

From http://www.indianexpress.com/ 01/12/2005

TOP↑

Gov't Plans Legal Reforms, Drafts Bill to Establish Federal Courts

ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday introduced multiple legal reforms to drastically amend the existing criminal and civil statutes and also finalised the draft of a bill under which federal courts would be established throughout the country. The proposed amendments have been forwarded to the National Assembly (NA) Secretariat in the form of Law Reforms Act, 2005 and Federal Courts Act, 2004. The two acts would be discussed at the next session of the NA, Law Minister Wasi Zafar told reporters while announcing the new reforms. Under the proposed amendments, the police’s to arrest people have been curtailed. If a policeman arrests a person on suspicion, he will immediately have to get the arrest verified by the police station chief. If a person is illegally detained, the arresting officer will be liable to 7 years’ imprisonment under the proposed Section 344A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Similarly if a police officer refuses to register a First Information Report (FIR), a case can be registered against him under Police Order, 2002. Earlier there was no punishment for false investigation by a police officer. Now this will be a penal crime and the investigator will be sentenced to 3 years in jail. Similarly if a person claims that a false FIR has been registered against him, the court will decide the issue instead of the police, and pronounce a sentence of up to 5 years to the officer who filed the false FIR. Convicts on death row will not be kept in death cells unless the high court confirms the conviction. Earlier convicts sentenced to capital punishment by a district court were sent to death cells after the pronouncement of the verdict whereas such a convict could not be hanged without confirmation from the high court. According to an amendment in the Civil Procedure Code (CPC), district courts have been empowered to issue directives on a complaint against even minor negligence on part of district government officials. Now in such cases there will be no need to file a suit or a writ petition in the high court. The old-fashioned mode of dispatching court summons is being replaced under Rule 10A of the CrPC by modern electronic method so that the accused cannot make excuses of non-receipt.

From http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/ 01/14/2005

TOP↑

AZERBAIJAN: State Program “On Fighting Against Corruption” Signed into a Law

President Ilham Aliyev signed the law "On fighting against corruption" on January 1, 2005, Turan reported today. The law is based on the "State Program for fighting against corruption in 2004-2006", approved by the President in September, 2004. According to the state program, a commission comprised of senior officials in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches is established and will perform duties set in the state program. The commission, subordinate to the managerial board of the state service, is led by Head of the Office of the President, Mr. Ramiz Mehdiyev. According to the state program, corruption related criminal persecution will be carried out by the newly created department for the fight against corruption in the General Prosecutor's Office. Additionally, structures of internal control for the fight against corruption in the executive power and in the law enforcement bodies are being created. The state program requires providing free access to information about activities of state bodies. According to the law, senior officials cannot have relatives on their staff. The law prohibits senior officials from receiving gifts with a value above 50 conditional financial units (AZM 275,000 or about $55). The state program also calls for adoption of the anti-monopoly code and measures for the regulation of correction and transparency in the privatization process.

From http://www.bakutoday.net/ 01/04/2005

TOP↑

Azeri Internet Users Not to Pay for Telephone Fees

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies has issued a decision stipulating that Internet users will no longer be required to pay 3,500 manats (about $0.70) for the use of telephone lines for their connection to world wide web, Minister Ali Abbasov told journalists. Payments made by Internet service providers to create channels for internwt will be also reduced. Therefore, these costs will not depend on the speed of the Internet traffic. Abbasov said that since a number of Internet service providers (ISPs) blamed the Ministry for maintaining a monopoly, two state-run ISPs - Bakinternet and Aztelecomnet - will merge into a single company soon. He said that the reduction in payments will be applied to all providers, which will ensure suitable conditions for free competition among them. This is a partner post from Azernews.

From http://www.bakutoday.net/ 01/06/2005

TOP↑

IRAN: Legislature Approves Price Controls

On 11 January the legislature approved a bill on stabilization of prices during the year starting in March, Mehr News Agency reported. This measure is intended to stem inflation and will affect the price of gasoline and other petroleum products, gas, electricity, water, telephone, and postal services. Reformist parliamentarian Iraj Nadimi said this is not a new plan and it is not even a very good one, "Farhang-i Ashti" reported on 10 January. He went on to describe the discussions on the plan's formulation as more political than economic. BS

From http://www.rferl.org/ 01/14/2005

TOP↑

Iranian Legislature Approves Bill to Investigate Judiciary

One hundred sixty-five out of 233 parliamentarians approved a bill authorizing legislative investigations of the judiciary on 18 January, Radio Farda reported. If the bill becomes law, the legislature can look into the judiciary's anticorruption campaign, moral and ethical issues, budgetary matters, and implementation of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's orders, Radio Farda reported. The previous legislature, which was dominated by reformists, failed to secure these investigative powers, Radio Farda reported. The current conservative-dominated legislature may get more cooperation from the judiciary, Radio Farda reported, but so far judiciary officials have not looked favorably on the matter. The judiciary and the legislature now are considered to be in the hands of conservatives, but there are age-cohort divisions among the conservatives that have resulted in the emergence of competing factions. The legislature's push to investigate the judiciary may relate to these divisions. BS

From http://www.rferl.org/ 01/19/2005

TOP↑

AUSTRALIA: Govt Considers Youth Volunteer Army

A youth corps made up of young Australians could soon be set up to help out in international humanitarian crisis, under a proposal before the federal government. World Vision CEO Tim Costello put forward the plan for a Youth Corps made up of Australians aged 18 to 30, to help provide aid and work on projects in developing countries. A spokesman for Foreign Minister Alexander Downer confirmed the government was considering the idea. "Tim Costello has put forward a proposal and we will have a look at it," he told the Sunday Herald Sun. The spokesman said the Youth Corps might operate alongside the expanded Youth Ambassador program. Mr Costello said a Youth Corps would be a positive way for young Australians to help when disasters struck. "When the tsunami struck we were all left numb with shock, but we all wanted to know what we could do to help," he said.

From http://theage.com.au/ 01/16/2005

TOP↑

Tax Cuts 'in Australia's Best Interests'

A GROUP of Coalition backbenchers will continue to agitate for substantial tax cuts despite a lukewarm response from senior government members. About 20 coalition MPs plan to present Treasurer Peter Costello with a blueprint that advocates cutting income tax rates to 30 per cent when the Government gains a majority in the Senate on July 1. Finance Minister Nick Minchin poured cold water on the plan at the weekend, questioning how the Government could continue to deliver its commitments if it lost billions of dollars in tax revenue. But Queensland backbencher Steven Ciobo today told ABC radio the group was realistic enough to know that tax cuts would have to be offset with some savings. "We're certainly more than happy to meet any realistic proposition that there needs to be a balance between expenditure constraints and tax cuts," he said. "At the same time we would reassert there are significant economic benefits that flow from tax cuts that of themselves provide opportunities for those tax cuts." Mr Ciobo said modelling showed the flow-on impact from tax cuts would be increased economic activity resulting from higher revenue. "There is certainly a lot of modelling that show tax cuts do promote economic activity," he said. "When coupled with welfare reform and with a low unemployment rate we are very confident that tax cuts are not only popular but, more importantly than that - and this is point I would stress - in the long term best interests of the Australian people." Mr Ciobo said the Coalition group would push for some tax reform before the next election. "We're certainly motivated on making sure that in this parliament that we do achieve and have success with respect to tax cuts and welfare reform," he said.

From http://www.news.com.au/ 01/24/2004

TOP↑

Public Housing Head Defends ACT Record

The executive director of ACT Housing Martin Hahir says the Territory has a good record of placing people in public housing, despite figures showing almost 4,000 people current on waiting lists. The figures have prompted the Opposition to call for an overhaul of the public housing system. But Mr Hahir says the Government has responded well to the issue, allocating tens of millions of dollars to public housing. And he says waiting lists are not a problem unique to Canberra. "Public housing jurisdictions throughout Australia are experiencing growing waiting lists and problems placing people," Mr Hahir said. "In actual fact the ACT does very well in placing those most in need quickly."

From http://www.abc.net.au 01/24/2004

TOP↑

NEW ZEALAND: Squeezed First-Home Buyers to Get Help

Tens of millions in Government aid will be targeted at young low to middle-income families with children to help them buy their first homes. But there is concern it will not be enough to avert the emerging housing crisis. Nearly three-quarters of households owned their own homes a decade ago - a world high. But now the figure has plummeted below two-thirds, trailing other English-speaking nations and threatening the economy. Housing Minister Steve Maharey told the Herald on Sunday this year's Budget package would enable Housing New Zealand Corporation to help with mortgages for those starting their families. Up to 10,000 families stand to benefit from what Mr Maharey described as "seriously expanded" new aid, beyond the tiny Kiwibank mortgage insurance scheme. But David Skilling, executive director of the privately-funded New Zealand Institute, said the country was facing a "first-order problem" extending into middle New Zealand. "Especially in Auckland and the big centres, you can be earning way above the median household income and it's still difficult to get into your first home," he said. "The response the Government is considering isn't going to do a lot to assist those people." Auckland median house prices, which are worst affected, have skyrocketed by 67 per cent in the past 10 years, pushing them to $375,000 at the end of last year. But Auckland salaries have increased by only 25 per cent in the same period, and still less for the younger workers who are desperate to get their first home. Mr Maharey and Finance Minister Michael Cullen are to begin meeting officials as soon as they return to Wellington next month, making it their priority to hammer out the programme's details. "One important caveat is that the work done shows it's not possible to return to mass assistance into home ownership," Mr Maharey said. That ruled out an across-the-board low-interest mortgage product, or a cash grant to all first-home buyers as introduced across the Tasman. "It won't be an Australian-style programme where we dump lots of money in and everybody gets a chunk," he said. "In Australia they effectively inflated the whole property market." But the ministers have taken advice from the British Government about subsidising interest payments on mortgages, where home-buyers meet income limits and family criteria. Mr Maharey ruled out a blanket law change allowing families to capitalise their family assistance payments, as was allowed in the 1970s, but he would not rule out targeted use of capitalisation. He wanted to avoid the problems of the 1970s, and more recently of the 1990s Homestart programme, where low-income families had been helped into homes but were then unable to afford the repayments. While young New Zealanders in the other big cities were borrowing an average $150,000 towards their first homes, in Auckland they had to borrow more than $200,000. (by Jonathan Milne)

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ 01/09/2005

TOP↑

Corporate Tax Cut on Table

Hints that the corporate tax rate will be cut this year have gained weight with Treasury papers revealing the idea was being discussed even before the 2004 Budget. Act leader Rodney Hide, who got the papers under the Official Information Act, said yesterday he believed the Government would announce tax cuts in this year's Budget and the only question was what sort of cuts would be made. Mr Hide said Progressive leader Jim Anderton had tested the waters in November when he astonished everyone by announcing the left-wing party favoured cutting the corporate rate. But Government duty minister Rick Barker said tax rates were a Budget matter and "if there are to be any changes they will be announced then". The Finance Minister received various reports and suggestions from Treasury on different subjects and not all were taken up, he said. "Mr Hide is getting his usual summer exercise of leaping to conclusions willy-nilly." However, some political commentators have also suggested the Government may cut the corporate rate this year as it would take one of National's key policies and remove some of the tension from Labour's relationship with business. One of the Treasury papers dates from April and shows consideration was being given to corporate tax cuts before the last Budget. "This note responds to your request for information on a policy proposal around company tax rates," the paper to Finance Minister Michael Cullen said. "Should you wish to proceed further with this proposal, Treasury [and IRD] would value the opportunity to provide you with advice on it." It discussed the lower company tax rate of 20 per cent but the introduction of a payroll tax which would contribute to superannuation costs. The other paper dated in October was to Treasury head John Whitehead and outlines some of the benefits and downsides of reducing the company rate from 33 to 30 per cent. It would have a "positive signalling effect" showing New Zealand was keeping its policies competitive with neighbours such as Australia and would increase investment in New Zealand, the paper said. However, cutting the rate to 30 per cent would cost about $525 million in lost revenue. Dr Cullen has been under growing pressure to spend the multi-billion-dollar surplus on tax cuts. In the December Economic and Fiscal Update the forecast surplus had grown from the Budget night prediction of $5.7 billion for the year to $6.5 billion. But Dr Cullen said at the update presentation there were huge risks in embarking on any large structural spending or tax changes that would have an ongoing cost. Mr Hide said the Government's plan to cut the corporate rate would be supported by Act, but personal rates also needed cutting. National finance spokesman John Key said the Treasury papers suggested the Government was getting advice on cutting the corporate rate or else restructuring it. Tax rates* Current corporate rate: 33c* Top personal rate (above $60,000): 39c* Middle personal rate ($38,000-$60,000): 33c* Bottom personal rate (up to $38,000): 19.5c (by Kevin Taylor)

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ 01/10/2005

TOP↑

Controversial Seabed and Foreshore Law in Force

A controversial law placing New Zealand's foreshore and seabed in Crown ownership comes into effect today. The foreshore legislation was the end of a long-running row that began in 2003 when the Court of Appeal said the Maori Land Court had jurisdiction to hear claims to territory below the high tide mark. The judges ruled that crown ownership was not completely certain and it was possible that a claim to a customary title could in some cases convert to a private title. The Government legislated for crown ownership and said it had put into written law all that Maori could have achieved under common law through the courts. Many Maori saw the law as land confiscation and there were protests, peaking in May when a hikoi of thousands of protesters -- some who had walked the length of the North Island -- reached Parliament. The Government argued the law guaranteed access to everyone and would be enforced. The NZ First party backed the bill and helped the Government get it through Parliament. Community group Te Mangoroa was to hold a protest march in Christchurch this morning to mark the day. The group planned to march through the city from 11am, spokesman Malcolm Mulholland told Radio New Zealand. For a weekend in December the group held a peaceful occupation of New Brighton Pier.

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ 01/17/2004

TOP↑

Hide Pushes Tougher Law and Order Stance

Act leader Rodney Hide used his first state of the nation speech yesterday to highlight the party's push for tougher law and order policies and tax cuts for all New Zealanders. He continued to stress that Act was the ideal coalition partner for a Don Brash-led Government, taking a dig at National at the same time for "increasingly moving to the centre and signing up to Labour policy". And he dismissed suggestions that Act - typically rating between 1 and 3 per cent in polls - might not survive the next election. Mr Hide took over the party leadership last year but has since failed to significantly raise its ratings. But he said Act usually slumped in the polls between elections, like other smaller political parties. Act would be back, but had work to do and "in these crowded party-political times, Act will need to be bolder - not Brash - than it has ever been before". Prime Minister Helen Clark was a good political manager of her Government's policies, but the country had no clear direction and was drifting, Mr Hide said. "It is getting tougher and harder to work and to get ahead as New Zealanders." About 100 party supporters attended the address at the Crowne Plaza in central Auckland. After his speech, Mr Hide said taxes and crime were the burning issues for the people he had met round the country. People wanted to see action on crime, which seemed to become more brutal every year, he said. "I have got right around New Zealand and I have met as many New Zealanders as I can, and I am reflecting their views." "If people expect it to be as good and as powerful as last year they are going to be disappointed." Political parties such as National then need to outline how each of them would do that in government. WYATT CREECH Former National Party deputy leader After last year expectations will be high. This creates a challenge, but also a great opportunity to command attention. Welfare and education are important, but he hopes Dr Brash will also talk about the economy, including the need for tax cuts. "I think people will start to question whether the Government needs to collect this much money when it's in an absolutely huge surplus situation." ANDREW LITTLE Engineers union secretary "What last year showed was that it's all very well making a large, provocative speech, but you've got to have a plan of action to follow through on and he didn't have that." Mr Little predicts a speech following the moral right line of the Bush Administration on erosion of values and loss of freedoms. PETER DUNNE United Future Party leader "I have got no interest in what Don Brash is going to say at Orewa. I'm not even interested in commenting on it." FRANS GEURTS Orewa Rotary Club president Members believe Dr Brash has "done his dash on race issues" and should focus on issues such as welfare benefits or the economy. There is "a hell of a lot of interest in the speech" and the club could have sold four times the 155 tickets available. (by Ruth Berry and David Eames)

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ 01/21/2005

TOP↑

Brash Plans Welfare Crackdown

Solo mums will lose benefit entitlements if they keep having children under National's aggressive new welfare crackdown policy. Workers on the dole would be pushed to sit literacy and numeracy tests, while those on invalid and sickness benefits would have to be examined by designated doctors, in an attempt to stop benefit numbers spiralling upwards. These are among the policies to be unveiled in National leader Don Brash's Orewa Mark II speech on Tuesday, as he argues that "Kiwi battlers" have been picking up the tab for beneficiaries for too long. National is back trailing behind Labour in the polls, after a freak 17 per cent jump in the polls on the back of last year's Orewa Rotary Club speech. That speech, attacking preferential funding for Maori and demanding "one law for all", seemed to catch a mood - but this year the Government is forewarned and forearmed, making Dr Brash's task more difficult. As speculation mounted that Dr Brash would focus his attack on welfare, the Government sought to head him off at the pass by announcing greater scrutiny of rising invalid and sickness benefit numbers, which have risen steadily from 83,000 to 115,000 in the past five years. But his aggressive time-limited benefits policy could strike a chord with some voters, judging by the reaction of people spoken to by the Herald on Sunday in the opening election year battlegrounds of Ratana and Orewa. "I think there should be a time limit on benefits, because that would automatically encourage people to search for work," said Ratana Church official William Meremere, a Labour voter. "You have another child, instead of getting an increase, you get a decrease. You wouldn't be there for long. You'd fix your problem," said Orewa Rotary Club member Andy Dunn. Dr Brash has been bolstered by MP Georgina te Heuheu's decision to stick with the National Party, a year after he sacked her as Maori Affairs spokeswoman for refusing to sign up to his controversial "one law" Orewa speech. The list MP had "seriously considered" approaches to resign and run for the Maori Party, she told the Herald on Sunday yesterday. But tomorrow she and a large Maori group from Papakura will accompany him on to Ratana Marae, where last year he sat with no Maori supporters with him in the front row. "I was thinking seriously about going, but there's a big picture to look at, a nation to be built, and strong leadership is required to build a strong, diverse and united nation. And I believe I have a role to play," Mrs te Heuheu said. Twenty-four members of the Kotahitanga Community Trust in Papakura will travel today to Ratana, south of Wanganui, to accompany Dr Brash onto the marae tomorrow. Member Peter Caccioppoli said Maori opposition to Don Brash last year was because most Maori had not actually read the speech: "All this welfare dependency seems to be an easy answer. There should be a time limit on benefits, then after that those on welfare should educate themselves or do work experience." (by Jonathan Milne)

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ 01/23/2005

TOP↑

New Food Rules May Hurt Small Businesses

Finding a pie in an out-of-the-way dairy could become problematic if tough new food hygiene regulations become law. The Food Safety Authority is seeking submissions on its proposals to completely rewrite the country's 30-year-old food hygiene regulations. Long-hallowed rules such as keeping milk at temperatures below 7C would be swept away. Instead, every food business, from Fonterra down to roadside food stalls, would have to adopt a food control plan specifying staff training, "good operational practice" and hazard control procedures. The New Zealand Institute of Environmental Health, representing food inspectors, says there are wide concerns about the proposals. Its president, Isobel Stout, says the authority is getting the message that its plan would be "overkill". The ideas will mean little more than extra costs for some food outlets, says Waihi Beach Superette owner Ruby Dauphin, who yesterday slammed the proposed food laws as "bullshit". "Basically, at the end of the day, it is more work for us. People today are really aware of the way we handle food, why make it harder when we are already aware?" The proposals have prompted the country's smallest district council, Clutha, south of Dunedin, to ask Prime Minister Helen Clark and other MPs to modify the proposals, which would force all of the country's 30,000 food businesses to adopt the food-control plans. The plans would be audited regularly. Clutha says the authority's "heavy-handed" proposals would drive many small outlets out of business and force people in rural areas to drive to bigger centres for their basic food needs. In a submission to the authority, the council argued: "Social costs to small communities of failing food businesses can be significant. "Travel to larger towns and cities to purchase basic food needs, or that lack of availability of catered foods at social venues or convenience food outlets, will encourage the loss of population within the areas that are no longer adequately serviced." But the Restaurant Association, representing restaurants and some takeaway outlets, says the proposals are "a step in the right direction". "I believe diners and takeaway customers have a right to be reassured that their food is being prepared under some good control systems, and that is not going to come cheap," said association chief executive Neville Waldren. New Zealand leads the developed world in instances of food poisoning, mainly due to the way foodstuffs are stored and prepared. The Food Safety Authority will take submissions on the proposed changes until the end of next month. Chief executive Dr Andrew McKenzie said simple "off-the-peg" model plans would be available so small cafes, dairies and takeaway bars could "more or less just fill in the spaces for that business". Some would be private-sector verifiers who would have an incentive to find faults so they could charge for a second inspection. In a recent case, a pet food manufacturer was charged $675 for a single visit by a food-control verifier. In contrast, Clutha District Council charged just $127 a year for premises visited every nine months. "The costs this could add to small businesses working on narrow profit margins could make all the difference between them being able to cope and going under," Mr Draper said. However, Dr McKenzie said the authority would make sure costs stayed "under the fiscal lid of what it costs today overall". "If it's any more expensive we are going to be in trouble because we are going to get guys like him yipping and yapping - and worse than that, voters," he said. But he said the authority would insist on basic training for all staff in food outlets. "Someone should be responsible for saying, 'Here are the rules, you have to wash your hands', and so on. (by Simon Collins and David Eames)

From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ 01/24/2005

TOP↑

TONGA: Participation Aimed at Improving Aid-Seeking Policies

Tonga’s participation at the United Nations Conference on Small Islands Developing States?conference in Mauritius is to ensure a fight for its geographical location in the world and subsequent inability to secure more funding for development policies and programmes. A government statement on Prime Minister, Prince Blukalala Lavaka Ata’s attendance in Mauritius would ensure Tonga of its agreement with the conference’s objectives on sustainable development for smaller island nations of the world. Faced with challenges ranging from tropical cyclones and climate change to trade losses and threats to fragile ecosystems, small island nations have depended on meetings of this nature to present their cases to the international community, to seek partnerships and innovative ways in improving their situation. In view of Tonga’s smallness and remoteness, Tonga like other SIDS continues to pose serious problems in attracting international aid and enhancing foreign investment,?the government statement says. Tonga stands to support the meeting objectives in regard to sustainable development in SIDS, with particular focus on the pacific islands and to align appropriate overseas aids and assistance inline with national priorities of respective SIDS.? The Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization will also be in attendance and will meet with the Tongan delegation to discuss further enhancement of the Tongan Meteorological Services.? A key objective at the UN Conference is to seek and renew political commitment from all countries by focusing on practical and pragmatic actions for the further implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) through, amongst others, the mobilisation of resources and assistance for SIDS. Prince Ulukalala is being accompanied by Tfa Fa nunu, Chief Meteorological Officer of Ministry of Civil Aviation and Viliami Lolohea, Senior Immigration Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

From http://www.pacificislands.cc/ 01/13/2005

TOP↑

New APEC Secretariat Deputy Executive Director from Viet Nam - Preparations Underway for Viet Nam to Host APEC in 2006

Korea is now the official host of the APEC process for the next twelve months and preparations for Viet Nam to host APEC in 2006 have moved a step closer with new directors appointed to lead the APEC Secretariat in Singapore. The new Executive Director is Ambassador Choi Seok Young from the Republic of Korea and the Deputy Executive Director is Ambassador Tran Trong Toan from Viet Nam. Ambassador Toan will be the Executive Director when Viet Nam takes over as Chair of the APEC host in 2006. Ambassador Choi said the post of Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat is an honour and a challenge that each member economy undertakes during their APEC year. "As the Chair of the APEC process in 2005 Korea will serve all APEC Members with pride and best intentions," Ambassador Choi said. "In 2005 Korea will have the opportunity to showcase our experience in making the transition from developing to developed economy in a short period of time. "As APEC Host Economy in 2005 Korea also has the responsibility of preparing for the handover of responsibilities at the end of the year to Viet Nam. "Like Korea, Viet Nam will receive Leaders, Ministers and their representatives as well as thousands of delegates and international media when they host APEC in 2006. This exposure will increase knowledge about Viet Nam's culture, economic development and investment opportunities. "We will ensure that as we progress through the Korea APEC Year, what we learn will be passed to our friends in Viet Nam to ensure the success of APEC 2006. "I look forward to working with my counterparts from Viet Nam throughout the year. In particular I will have the opportunity to work with Ambassador Toan who will be the 2005 Deputy Executive Director. "Ambassador Toan is a very experienced diplomat and a fountain of knowledge on multilateral trade issues." Ambassador Toan, who will arrive in Singapore in early January, said that he looks forward to working with Ambassador Choi to ensure the ongoing success of the APEC process. "Viet Nam and Korea have pledged to work together with Korea offering to provide advice and cooperation in preparing for APEC 2006 in Viet Nam," Ambassador Toan said from his Hanoi office. "We look forward to productive APEC years in Korea this year and Viet Nam in 2006. "As host of APEC 2006 Viet Nam is ready to do whatever it can to be a bridge linking Viet Nam with the rest of the APEC Region." Ambassador Toan said that for Viet Nam, APEC Membership has delivered tangible benefits relating to increasing trade and building domestic skill levels. "Viet Nam joined APEC in 1998 and this membership has enhanced Viet Nam's position in the region and paved the way for early accession to the World Trade Organization," Ambassador Toan said. "Hosting APEC 2006 is another important opportunity for Viet Nam to highlight its ongoing success in opening its foreign policy by stressing multilateralisation and diversification. "There have also been numerous APEC sponsored economic and technical cooperation programs initiated in Viet Nam that have given us wider access to new technologies and human resource development. "As well as participation in economic and trade initiatives, Viet Nam has actively participated in social activities sponsored by APEC that are intended to assist women, youth and the disabled." Ambassador Toan said that Viet Nam has the benefit of experience in hosting past major international events including Francophone Summit in 1997, the sixth Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 1998 and the Summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting in 2004.

From http://www.apecsec.org.sg/ 01/05/2005

TOP↑

How Red Tape and Poverty Prevented Warnings Going out to Battered Shores

Red tape stopped scientists from alerting countries around the Indian Ocean to the devastating Boxing Day tsunami racing towards their shores, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. Scientists at the Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii - who have complained about being unable to find telephone numbers to alert the countries in peril - did not use an existing rapid telecommunications system set up to get warnings around the world almost instantly because the bureaucratic arrangements were not in place. Senior UN officials attending a conference here of small island countries - some of them badly hit by the tsunami, now recognised to have been the deadliest in history - revealed that the scientists did not use the World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) Global Telecommunication System to contact Indian Ocean countries because the "protocols were not in place". The system, which links all the world's national meteorological services, is designed to get warnings from anywhere in the world to all other nations within 30 minutes. It was used to alert Pacific countries to the tsunami, even though it affected hardly any of them, and could have been used in the Indian Ocean if the threat had been from a typhoon, officials said, but it could not be used to warn about a tsunami. Dr Laura Kong, the director of the International Tsunami Information Centre which monitors the warning system in Hawaii, told the IoS: "The WMO's system has been set up but the protocols are not available for tsunami warnings except in the Pacific. So it was used on 26 December but only in the Pacific." A senior official at Unesco, which runs the information centre and the warning system, explained that this meant that "we do not have an agreement for passing the information on" for tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. She added that they had got "approved communication channels" for giving out warnings about tropical cyclones in the area but that "these would necessarily be different in the case of a tsunami" and were not available. Michel Jarraud, secretary general of the WMO, said that the system had "proved to be highly effective for providing timely early warnings for a variety of weather, climate and water-related hazards in many countries". He said it had proved particularly valuable during last year's hurricanes in the Caribbean and Pacific, and added: "The system provides tremendous potential for timely and reliable exchange of tsunami warning messages and related information." But the governments around the Indian Ocean rejected repeated pressure from Unesco and other UN bodies for a tsunami early-warning system in their area because it was expensive, they had many calls on their resources and there had been no tsunamis in the ocean for more than 100 years. The UN now says that the Boxing Day tsunami was the deadliest ever. The only one that even begins to rival it smashed through the Mediterranean around 1400BC after the destruction of the island of Santorini. On that occasion 100,000 people are estimated to have died. Tomorrow a flurry of international UN meetings begins in order to establish tsunami warning systems both in the Indian Ocean and worldwide over the next two and a half years. They start with a long-planned UN conference on disasters in Kobe, Japan. Further meetings are scheduled in India, China and Thailand during the rest of the month, followed by a major conference in Bangkok in March. Unesco wants to have an Indian Ocean warning system up and running by June 2006 and a global one covering all the world's oceans a year later. It points out that the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Caribbean are all vulnerable, as well as the Pacific. Considerable amounts of money for the Indian Ocean system - expected to cost $30m (￡16m) - have been pledged by Japan, the US, Australia and other countries. Deep-sea sensors - at $250,000 each - would be scattered all over the Indian Ocean. But Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General, who was also attending the conference on Small Island Developing States here, wants to extend the global system to cover all types of natural disaster. Salvano Briceno, director of the UN's International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, said this would also cover earthquakes, landslides, floods, droughts and hurricanes. But experts stressed that putting up a technical warning system does not in itself solve the problem because the messages have to reach the people living on - or the tourists visiting - the shores, and evacuations have to be arranged. This is a hugely demanding task. In the Pacific it works relatively well as the shores are not generally heavily populated. But the Indian Ocean has some of the world's most heavily populated shores and some of its poorest countries. Besides, the deep-ocean sensors are prone to giving off false alarms and experts warn that just one of these could damage tourist industries and destroy public confidence. "This is a political as well as a scientific issue," said a senior Unesco official. "There are very high stakes involved: tourism is very important to some of these countries. Imagine the effect if a warning went out, the shores were evacuated, and then nothing happened." (by Geoffrey Lean)

From http://news.independent.co.uk/ 01/16/2005

TOP↑

CHINA: CSRC Pledges to Improve Transparency

China's securities watchdog has vowed to improve the transparency of its work and the overall capital market in 2005 to ensure efficiency of reforms and to curb corruption. Investors are expecting greater public scrutiny at the listing approval committee, more disclosure on the policy-making process of regulators and stronger supervision on the transparency of the operation of the listed firms, top officials of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said last Thursday. "The year 2005 will be a crucial year for capital market reform and development," said Shang Fulin, chairman of CSRC. The CSRC will further implement reform plans mapped out by the State Council regarding the capital market in 2004 and steadily open up the market, he said. Strong protection of the interests of public investors will be a priority for the reforms. "It needs the delivery of truthful, objective and accurate information to the market and a more developed credit culture," said Shang at a media briefing on Thursday in Beijing. Tu Guangshao, a CSRC vice-chairman, said that the commission would increase interaction with the media and the public this year, such as offering more detailed introductions to the new policies to investors and taking more interviews from the media. The stock and futures exchanges and relevant associations should also give more disclosure of their work and listed companies are urged to improve the quality of their information disclosure. CSRC, the watchdog for one of the world's fastest growing capital markets, has always attracted intense public attention, especially since China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) at the end of 2001 and gradually opened up its capital market. But the commission officials have remained very low-profile, though the reforms they design may trigger drastic movements in the bourses. Last year, the CSRC introduced more than 20 major policies about the stock issue system, trading, supervision on listed firms, disposal of the risky securities houses and financial innovation. More reforms are expected this year to improve the efficiency of fund-raising activities and the overall capital market and to better protect investors' interests, said Shang. The transparency enhancement program has already had an effect on the listing approval committee of the CSRC. The committee, which reviews and approves the listing applications of domestic companies, was reshaped last Thursday in Beijing. It now has 16 new members made up of lawyers, accountants, fund managers and scholars. The committee is scheduled to be reshaped at the end of each year, and to be formed by 25 members each time. Apart from CSRC officials, there are also representatives from other government departments, securities businesses, including among qualified foreign institutional investors, and scholars.

From China Daily 01/04/2005

TOP↑

Auditing Office Reveals 2005 Targets

The National Audit Office will focus this year on government budget implementation, the fiscal status of financial institutions and a number of key State-owned enterprise, according to sources at a national-level work conference held on Wednesday in Xiamen, Fujian Province. The auditors will also monitor the handling of funds at some welfare and aid foundations as well as some important road construction projects, continuing to identify major irregularities and economic crimes with regard to the implementation of the budget and the use of funds in these sectors. This year, the audit office will check the expenses and income of the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) and the liabilities of the Agricultural Bank of China, as well as the fiscal status of 11 key state enterprises and their top management. An "audit storm" swept over China last March, when Auditor-General Li Jinhua revealed the misuse of huge amounts of funds at some government departments to top legislators. Li's findings have led to growing public concern over and scrutiny of government efficiency and the discipline of public employees. The state auditors examined 95,000 domestic institutions from January to November last year, discovering evidence of 1,165 economic crimes. When misappropriated funds are returned and false financial information is corrected, the government stands to recoup some 24.5 billion yuan (US$3.0 billion).

From China Daily 01/07/2005

TOP↑

Some Civil Servants Get Late Start in 2005

On January 4, the first workday of 2005, reporters from Xinhua News Agency visited provincial government office buildings across the nation to determine whether civil servants were starting off the year on the right foot -- and on time. In Shaanxi, Anhui, Liaoning and Guangdong provinces, employees were scheduled to begin work at 8:00. In Hebei and Sichuan, starting time is 8:30.

Shaanxi
7:40 Several lights were on in the provincial government office building, but doors of some offices remained closed. 7:55 The parking lot was almost full and employees were entering, well dressed and apparently in good spirits. 8:15 All doors on the 10th floor had been opened and people were in offices. 8:25 Car parking lot full and attendants indicated that the number of bicycles seemed to be nearly normal. Of the 20 directorates and bureaux in the Shaanxi provincial government building, the number of early arrivals was approximately equal to those who were late. Most civil servants reached their offices between 7:55 and 8:10.

Anhui
7:45 The first employee arrived at the building. 7:50-8:00 Eighty employees arrived, plus a busload of commuters. 8:00-8:30 A total of 367 civil servants arrived, far exceeding the number of early or on-time arrivals.

Liaoning
7:50 Temperature was -19 degrees C but many employees arrived. 8:00-8:10 One hundred forty people arrived. 8:10-8:30 Another 60 arrived. Although the receptionist arrived at precisely 8:00, a visitor to the office complained that no one had answered the phone when she called.

Guangdong
7:50 People began to arrive in cars and commuter buses. After brief greetings, employees headed for their own offices. 8:20 Few cars or employees appeared after this time. 8:30 In the Office for Letters and Complaints, dozens of petitioners had gathered and employees began to process their materials.

Hebei
8:10 Civil servants began to arrive about 20 minutes before office hours. 8:25 The last group of employees arrived. 8:30 One man holding a blue civil servant's pass entered the building in a rush. No holders of blue passes arrived in the next 20 minutes.

Sichuan
8:20-8:30 Civil servants arrived in small groups of two and three, apparently unrushed. 8:37-8:50 Eight individuals and two cars arrived. 8:50 Of more than 50 offices in the building, only 7 had their lights on and the remainder were locked. Of the 14 offices and one conference room on the second floor, the conference room was open but there were no people in the offices.

From Xinhua News Agency 01/07/2005

TOP↑

Hu Offers Systematic Cure to Corruption

Top leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Hu Jintao Tuesday stressed the importance of anti-corruption and urged to prevent corruption by introducing both a temporary solution and a permanent cure. Hu, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks at the fifth plenary session of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Hu stressed the vital importance of fighting against corruption for keeping CPC's ruling status and vowed to take the anti-corruption work as one of CPC's major tasks for ever. The CPC's ruling status and governance capability come from the people, the support from the people is the political basis and power source of the party, said Hu. Hu said corruption is the most dangerous factor to weaken the CPC's ruling basis, lower its governance capability and shake its ruling status. While pledging to continue cracking down on corrupt officials, Hu called for a system to regulate the use of power to "gradually remove the soil that generates corruption." The system should punish and prevent corruption through promoting education, in strict compliance with regulations and supervision. The establishment of such a system is a major strategic decision based on conclusion of historical experience and scientific analysis on current situation. "It is also the only way to prevent corruption under a socialist market economy," Hu said. The leader urged that the anti-corruption work should continue focusing on leading officials who gained illegal individual interests by misusing their power and vowed to punish any officials involved in corruption cases. He also called that the discipline inspection departments should improve their capability of fighting against corruption and the institutional construction on anti-corruption work should be strengthened. All nine members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee attended the meeting, which opened on January 10.

From Xinhua News Agency 01/12/ 2005

TOP↑

CPC Issues Anti-corruption Outline

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has outlined a mechanism that will aim to punish and prevent corruption among Party members through education and supervision. "It's the CPC Central Committee, with Hu Jintao as general secretary, that has proposed to establish a mechanism to punish and prevent corruption," said the outline, proclaiming that anti-corruption measures are crucial for the Party. According to a schedule set by the outline, the basic mechanism should be in place by 2010 and ready to develop further. "We should pay closer attention to the prevention and elimination of corruption at source," the outline says. "Anti-corruption education should be oriented towards the whole Party and the whole of society, but with leading cadres as focus." It adds that the mechanism is a pressing but long-term initiative given that anti-corruption remains a serious problem. "Practices indicate that lack of sufficient education, shortage of mechanisms curbing graft and weak supervision are the key causes for corrupt activities," it says. In the meantime, officials from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic planning body, have started a training program on how to detect and combat corruption. Over 110 officials, NDRC's special inspectors of major projects, are learning from Hong Kong consultants. Their eight-day training program started on January 11, the Beijing Legal Evening News reported. "Most of the lecturers are senior anti-corruption officials from Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and the Department of Justice, as well as professors from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)," Kwok Man-wai, ex-deputy commissioner of ICAC and one of the teachers, was quoted as saying. Ren Jianming, an expert on clean governance from Beijing?ˉs Tsinghua University, also lectured for the class. He outlined types and reasons of corruption in the Chinese mainland. The training is the first of its kind sponsored by CUHK and NDRC. In September 2003, CUHK launched the world's first full-time course on fighting corruption.

From Xinhua News Agency 01/16/2005

TOP↑

China Orders Nationwide Audit of Brokerages

China’s securities market regulator on Friday ordered an audit of all the country’s 130-odd brokerages, the latest step in its efforts to clean up the heavily loss-making and scandal-prone sector. The China Securities Regulatory Commission instructed brokerages in an e-mail to submit a report on their financial situation by the end of April, in an effort to discover the true extent of the industry’s problems. Analysts said the move was also intended as a signal to brokerages that the authorities planned to be much tougher in the future over allegations of malpractice. Chinese newspapers also reported Friday that the regulator had dispatched its own auditors to investigate eight brokerages which are suspected of falsifying financial statements and misusing clients’ funds. The new stance from the regulator follows the continued slump in the Shanghai stock market, which fell 14 per cent in 2004 and dropped to a five-year low Friday morning. The Shanghai composite index later recovered some ground to close 2.5 per cent higher on the day. The CSRC has come under attack for not doing enough to repair the credibility of the domestic brokerage sector, which has long been dogged by scandals over misappropriation of funds and insider trading. More than half the country’s brokerages are estimated by analysts to have recorded losses last year, partly as a result of the guaranteed returns that some offer investors, but also after the fall in the market cut the value of their own equity holdings. Friday’s probe follows a series of announcements in recent months from the CSRC aimed at cleaning up the industry. Regulators also signalled a tougher stance last January when they seized control of China Southern Securities, then the fifth largest in the industry, because of alleged corruption and mismanagement. Mounting losses and greater regulatory scrutiny are also expected to lead to more mergers in the sector. Industry officials said last week that Citic Securities, China’s largest listed brokerage, was close to gaining control of rival Huaxia. “Consolidation of the industry is inevitable,” said Tian Wenbing, chief economist in Shanghai at H.K. Macau Information Industrial, a brokerage. “The government knows it has to promote this because without mergers, more brokerages will go bankrupt.” (by Jeoff Dyer)

From http://news.ft.com/ 01/21/2005

TOP↑

JAPAN: Another Step in Bureaucratic Reform

Bureaucratic reform is part and parcel of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's structural reform agenda. As he puts it aptly, the basic idea is to "let the private sector do what it can do." Bureaucratic reform is also about decentralization: "letting local governments do what they can do." A bloated and inefficient bureaucracy makes it difficult to reflect the voice of the people in public policy. Therefore, constant efforts must be made to build a slim and efficient bureaucracy that is more responsive to the needs and wishes of the public. A leaner bureaucracy is also needed to establish higher levels of administrative transparency. The government's latest plan for administrative reform, approved by the Cabinet Friday, marks another milestone on the road to small government. The new "Administrative Reform Outline" -- the first in four years -- rightly emphasizes the continued need to improve the ways of implementing administrative and fiscal policy, and to promote transparency in government. First, the new outline calls for a review of the changes that have been made since the major reorganization of the central bureaucracy in 2001. Among the items up for scrutiny are administrative structures and systems governing the central and local governments, the vast network of public corporations, and the policy-evaluation program. On that basis, the guidelines give priority to staff reductions and reassignments, and to the streamlining of public-interest organizations. Along with the administrative reform guidelines, the Cabinet approved the government budget plan for fiscal 2005. The budget includes austerity measures that will directly hit the pocketbooks, such as the halving of the flat-rate tax cuts for national and local incomes. Further down the road, an increase in the consumption tax rate is considered a near certainty. The government, however, should cut its own running costs before imposing a higher burden on the people. How does the outline measure up from this point of view? First, it says the number of national civil servants should be cut by more than 10 percent (about 33,000) in the five years from fiscal 2005. Over the past several years, the government payroll has diminished considerably, thanks largely to the creation of Japan Post, a public corporation, and the incorporation of national universities. A further reduction should be made by other means, including the expansion of the network of online administrative services. The central bureaucracy, which is "vertically integrated," is said to lack "horizontal" coordination. This makes a strong case for staff reassignments across ministerial lines. In reality, though, such horizontal transfers are rare. As the outline points out, it is necessary to assign more personnel to the law-enforcement and tax-collecting departments where staff shortages are evident. As for reform of the civil service, the government plans to introduce a merit-oriented evaluation system in fiscal 2005 on an experimental basis. This system represents a compromise with labor unions, which are opposed to drastic changes to the traditional seniority-based personnel system. The planned system is a setback to the original plan that linked promotions directly to ability and performance. The unions, concerned that promotions might be decided on the basis of "unilateral" evaluations by ministries, are demanding a right to conclude collective contracts aimed at preventing such discretionary promotions.

From The Japan Times 12/28/2004

TOP↑

Koizumi Facing Uphill Reform Fight in '05: Pundits

When a group of Liberal Democratic Party members put on a traditional story-telling show using picture cards on a chilly Tokyo street in late December to drum up support for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's postal privatization drive, many of their colleagues scoffed. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi fields questions Tuesday at his last news conference of the year. The performance attracted some 100 passersby in the busy Yurakucho commercial district. It was also attended by LDP Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe and postal privatization minister Heizo Takenaka, both supporters of Koizumi's postal reform push. The LDP group plans to take its show around the country as part of efforts to promote Koizumi's key reform initiative. But the issue, along with other topics on Koizumi's 2005 policy agenda, could easily turn into a destabilizing factor, shaking the very foundations of his power, even though there are no major elections on the horizon, political analysts reckon. Possible hot-button issues include the government's nod in favor of raising taxes, lingering controversy over Iraq and the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan. The stalemates over the abduction issue with North Korea, the long-standing territorial row with Russia and the soured political ties with China are also casting their own shadows. And with most of these issues getting bogged down recently, Koizumi's public support -- his main power base -- will probably dwindle next year, possibly to levels that could threaten his grip on power, political analyst Minoru Morita said. "The Cabinet could be toppled if Koizumi loses his temper or handles things the wrong way in the course of backing down on the standoffs both on the domestic and diplomatic fronts," according to Morita. As for postal privatization, the government plans to begin full-fledged talks with the LDP in mid-January so that bills to split up the state-backed Japan Post into four units in April 2007 can be submitted to the Diet by March. But the talks are expected to face rough going. Many LDP lawmakers staunchly oppose plans to privatize the postal organizations, which have traditionally served the lawmakers as a solid vote-gathering machine. And if Koizumi threatens to dissolve the House of Representatives and call a snap election, this could turn into a double-edged sword as it could sharpen the confrontation between him and disgruntled LDP lawmakers, according to Morita. The LDP is concerned about its own prospects if a general election were to be held anytime soon because it saw its support eroded in last July's House of Councilors election, when it was edged by the Democratic Party of Japan in terms of the number of seats won, according to analysts. Analysts believe the LDP will probably seek to replace Koizumi as its president instead of allowing a snap election. But Koizumi voiced confidence Tuesday that he will be able to win the LDP's backing of his planned bills. "I'm not considering a (Diet) dissolution," he said. "I believe the situation will not require that." But there are also questions about the economic effects of the privatization plans. Companies set to be privatized could end up getting larger instead of the huge postal funds being funneled into the private sector, said Susumu Takahashi, a counselor at the Japan Research Institute Ltd. "Redirecting the flow of postal funds into the private sector should be the main goal of postal reforms, but it is not clear if the government's plan would realize that," according to Takahashi. Many Japanese have already begun to cast a wary eye at Koizumi's policy measures. A Kyodo News poll in December showed that the Cabinet's support rating of 42.0 percent was eclipsed by the disapproval rating, at 48.1 percent, for the first time in two months. (by Natsumi Mizumoto)

From The Japan Times 12/30/2004

TOP↑

Probe Finds Social Insurance Agency Corruption Widespread

The health ministry, which earlier claimed that only a few divisions of the Social Insurance Agency had frittered away taxpayer money on parties, now says the scam involved the entire agency, sources said Thursday. Fresh investigations have found that even the agency's accounting division played a role in the scheme that saw agency officials accept ``supervision'' fees for work that in many cases was not even done. According to the sources, several health ministry executives in charge of overseeing the scandal-plagued agency now face disciplinary measures, some as early as today. Those to be castigated include Tetsuo Tsuji, a councilor who headed the initial probe. He will be given a ``strict warning,'' the sources said. The ministry has also found that as many as 100 agency employees were wined and dined by information processing equipment company Kawaguchi Giken Co. That company's president has already been indicted on charges of offering bribes to agency employees. At least three of those employees will be dismissed, the sources said. In an interim report released in October, the ministry admitted that some agency officials had been accepting dubious ``supervision'' fees from publishers and other companies. In some cases, those fees were for work that was already part of the officials' original duties. In others, there was hardly any work required. On top of that, some fees were part of ministry- or agency-subsidized projects, meaning that taxpayers' money returned to the agency officials for their personal use. The ministry's report in October said, however, that the practice was carried out independently by a few divisions and that the money was held in their coffers. Despite the October report, the ministry continued its investigations into the agency. It then found that the agency's accounting division was also involved. It had collected the ``supervision'' fees from each division and distributed them mostly for in-house parties, late-night taxi coupons and other purposes. In relation to Kawaguchi Giken, the ministry investigated more than 2,000 agency officials, of whom 100 had been entertained by the firm. Toshiyuki Watanabe, former head of the agency's local affairs division, was among the 100. In September, Watanabe was arrested on suspicion of receiving bribes from Kawaguchi Giken President Yoshiyuki Kawasaki. Watanabe will be dismissed, possibly today, the sources said. They added that Kawaguchi Giken also picked up the tab, even for overseas trips, for the two other agency employees who will also be dismissed.

From IHT/Asahi 01/14/2005

TOP↑

SOUTH KOREA: Questionable Cabinet Officials

President Roh Moo-hyun shuffled six cabinet officials yesterday, including the education and human resources minister. With the new appointments, the cabinet that will lead the government in the third year of President Roh's term has been formed. The senior presidential secretary for personnel affairs remarked that the nation has sailed through stormy seas over the past two years. He explained that the reshuffle was designed "to start the new year with a fresh, new mind." Frankly, however, we are more worried than expectant when we look at the new members. Lee Ki-jun, newly appointed deputy prime minister and minister of education and human resources, caused many problems when he was Seoul National University's president. They included: illegally assuming the job of an outside director of a private firm; excessive spending of an expediency fund; failure to report expenditures on research; and the draft-dodging scandal involving his son. In protest at his misconduct, students occupied his office, and faculty members made him step down before his term expired. True, he registered some achievements ― like the introduction of an evaluation system for professors But being education minister requires a higher ethical standard than other public posts. In the case of other ministers too, it is difficult to say that the right people are in the right posts. It is questionable whether one who has worked in the field of commerce and industry can manage government administration, even if his reform and planning ability is highly regarded. It is also difficult to understand the thinking behind someone who worked at Busan city office for a long period being given the maritime affairs portfolio. We get the impression that the post was given as a reward for running in the election as Uri Party's candidate for Busan mayor. And we are suspicious as to whether the appointment of a former farmers' activist to head the Agriculture Ministry and entrust him with the aftermath of the WTO negotiations on rice is the right decision. Instead of trying to appease farmers' furor over the opening of the rice market by appointing a former activist as minister, someone with a systematic and institutional approach should be appointed. Otherwise, some 100 trillion won ($96 billion) of subsidies poured into agricultural sector will be wasted again.

From http://joongangdaily.joins.com/ 01/04/2005

TOP↑

Education Minister Fiasco

President Roh’s acceptance Sunday of Education Minister Lee Ki-jun’s resignation just three days after being appointed was unavoidable, if unfortunate. It is beyond our understanding how presidential aides could recommend such a controversial person to such an important portfolio in the first place. Even with new suspicions emerging every few hours, the entire Blue House was busy defending Lee and its selection of him. Ignorance or negligence, Chong Wa Dae needs some moments of deep soul-searching. It was a fiasco in personnel management from the start, as problems with Lee were manifest in more than a few ways. The deputy premier for education quit the chancellery of Seoul National University six months before the end of his guaranteed term for squandering public funds and illegally doubling as an outside director of a chaebol affiliate. How can a person who cannot administer a school properly lead the nation’s educational community? ``We knew he had some defects, but who doesn’t?’’ said Chung Chan-yong, Roh’s chief aide for personnel affairs. Is this incompetence or arrogance? After his appointment was announced, civic groups and news media uncovered a series of suspicions about Lee’s eldest son. Apparently he held dual citizenship but later abandoned his Korean nationality to solve problems related to military service and tax without telling his father; entered a prestigious university via a dubious route; and owns a $1.5-million structure built on his father’s land. ``We didn’t check his son’s problems because only candidates and their spouses matter in this case,’’ Chung said. The secretary thus avoids responsibility, legally but not morally. Roh himself is not free from blame, either. Even amid the barrage of charges concerning Lee’s ethics, Roh tried to protect him. ``He is the right person to reform colleges,’’ the president said. ``College education is an industry,’’ he added later. Roh might have wanted to restructure institutions of higher learning by making them face harsher competition, and thought Lee, a neo-liberal engineering professor, had the ability and willingness to do it. It is not certain whether Lee would have been able to fulfill the task given the chance, but expertise alone cannot make an education minister successful, and he would need to be backed by at least a modicum of reform-mindedness and moral fiber. Acoording to reports, Chong Wa Dae has already begun its search for a new education minister. But people should not harbor too many hopes about the new appointee, as the person will be selected by the same people and process. Roh should first hold his chief of staff, Kim Woo-shik, a close friend of Lee, and other secretaries responsible for both the inefficient system and loose ethical standards. The president’s reported shift from reform and principle to recovery and pragmatism might be worthwhile, but need not lead to the complete renunciation of ideals.

From The Korea Times 01/09/2005

TOP↑

Park Se-il Named GNP's Chief Policymaker

In a move to renew the party, the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) on Tuesday reshuffled key post holders, appointing Rep. Park Se-il, head of the Yoido Institute, the party’s think tank, as chief policymaker. Park, a first-term lawmaker, replaces Lee Hahn-koo. Park Geun-hye, chairwoman of the GNP, also named Kim Moo-sung, a third-term lawmaker, as secretary general of the party to replace Kim Hyong-o. Key officeholders of the party tendered resignations early this month to take responsibility for failing to properly handle ``reform bills’’ proposed by the ruling party, including a repeal of the National Security Law, during the last parliamentary session. Rep. Yoo Seong-min, former head of the Yoido Institute, became chief secretary to the party’s chairwoman. Chun Yo-ok remains in her post to become the party’s sole spokesperson. The shake-up was the first among the party’s hierarchy since Park became chairwoman in March last year. The reshuffle is drawing attention as it may enhance Park’s clout in the party ahead of a second bout with the ruling Uri Party over the passage of the ``reform bills,’’ in an extraordinary Assembly session to be convened next month and by-elections slated for April. As part of efforts to establish a new foundation, the conservative party is set to change its official name. Seven candidates for the new party name, to be based on the key words of ``people,’’ ``advance’’ and ``hope,’’ have so far been collected from the public. The new name will be selected from among them and announced late this month, party officials said. Intraparty factional conflict is likely to grow as the party’s ``reform-minded” lawmakers and some heavyweights have expressed deep concern about the efforts, denouncing them as just a ``move to tighten Park’s grip on power over the party.” ``The reshuffle is quite biased and regrettable as members of Park’s inner circle assumed the top posts,’’ Rep. Choung Byoung-gug said. ``I worry that the party may not be able to pursue reforms and changes in the right direction.’’ Members of a GNP group dubbed ``Wednesday Meeting for New Politics,’’ led by Choung, vowed last week not to assume any party post to protest the planned reshuffle. As for the contemplated change of the party name, more and more lawmakers have been expressing their objections. ``Without a fundamental change of the party, the change of the party’s name-tag is meaningless,’’ Rep. Yim Tae-hee told The Korea Times. ``Laying out the vision and policies for change is more important and should come before the change of the name.’’ He added the issue is hoped to be taken in accordance with political developments after the April by-elections. Despite the objections, the party’s leadership vows to push for the change of name, saying it was one of the campaign pledges of the last legislative elections and is sure to help renew the party’s image. (by Jung Sung-ki)

From The Korea Times 01/11/2005

TOP↑

MBC Disciplines Employees Involved in Bribery Scandal

Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), one of the nation’s three major television networks, took disciplinary measures Thursday against employees involved in a recent bribery scandal that ended with the cancellation of the program ``Shin Kang-kyun’s News Service: the Truth Is.’’ ``We have decided to submit the programs’ former media editor Kang Sung-joo and anchor Shin Kang-kyun to three and two months suspensions, respectively. Reporter Lee Sang-ho will receive a three-month pay cut. Suspension is the second strongest disciplinary punishment next to dismissal,’’ MBC announced. The network also issued an official apology under the name of its chairman Lee Keung-hee at the end of the 9 p.m. news program Thursday, ``We will set out a specific plan for inner reform regarding the scandal,’’ the announcement read. ``The level of punishment was relatively lowered for Lee as he did not organize the meeting and was the first one to confess the incident prompted by his conscience,’’ an official from MBC said. The program is to be replaced by another media watch program with a new format and a new anchor. The scandal began on Dec. 21, in which the three staff members of the program had dinner with Byun Tak, CEO of Taeyoung Corp., a construction company and a large stockholder of the television network SBS. Kang and Shin received Gucci Bags from Byun during the dinner. In October, ``The Truth Is’’ had reported that SBS’ four-year clean water campaign called ``Water is Life’’ had been closely connected to Taeyoung’s immoral practice of disposing of waste in waterways. Although Kang and Shin returned the bags three days later to Taeyoung Corp., the incident was brought to the public by one of them, Lee, who confessed it on his personal blog on Dec. 24. Meanwhile, the SBS labor union demanded the CEO of Taeyoung take full responsibility for his immoral efforts to bribe MBC staffs. However, Byun only gave an apologetic explanation claiming that he gave Gucci bags as ``mere tokens of friendship’’ since Kang and Shin were his juniors from his middle school and high school, respectively, and Lee was their close colleague. Reporter Lee said that although he deeply regretted what happened, he held no regret over confessing the incident. ``I mentioned the incident on my blog to make it a public issue. Although KBC’s re-permission of SBS has been concluded, I thought such action was intended to block MBC from any negative report on them in the future,’’ he said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Thursday. ``I will continue to reveal the wrong connections between media and capital.’’ Aside from the bribery scandal, things have not run smooth for MBC recently. Since late last year, all of its dramas have been doing worse than its rivals KBS and SBS in terms of viewing rate. Three MBC shows _ sitcom ``Came from Choson (Chosoneso Wassoida),’’ drama ``Freezing Point (Pingjom)’’ and ``Ages of Heroes (Yongung Sidae)’’ _ were brought to a close earlier than scheduled due to poor ratings. (by Park Chung-a)

From The Korea Times 01/14/2005

TOP↑

Defense Procurement Agency Due Next Year

The government plans to establish a defense procurement agency under the Ministry of National Defense in January next year to improve transparency in the purchasing of weapons and other military hardware. Minister of National Defense Yoon Kwang-ung briefed President Roh Moo-hyun on the plan during a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday (Jan. 20), a ministry spokesman said. “The idea for a defense procurement agency came about as we began looking for ways to eliminate corruption in the military,” Roh said. The agency will assume responsibility for procuring goods and equipment for the military, thus streamlining responsibilities previously split among eight government agencies, including the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). In order to enhance the transparency of the procurement system, the government decided to include civilian experts in the policymaking of the agency. Over 60 percent of officials in the agency will be civilians and civil servants, while the remaining positions will be filled by active-duty servicemen, with the Army, Navy and Air Force all equally represented. Of 2,500 personnel in the eight government agencies who currently work on the task of procurement, only 126 are civil servants. Under the government plan, the ministry and the JCS will jointly decide on priorities in procurement by which the agency will allocate its financial resources. The government also plans to set up a defense procurement college to groom specialists in the field as no such institution has existed in the past. The ministry will also create a new duty assignment of procurement for soldiers in a bid to provide them with the opportunity to gain experience in the area. But requirements for service members seeking such a duty assignment will be strict in order to guarantee professionalism in the work. The government will submit a bill aimed at establishing the agency in the National Assembly next month, when lawmakers are scheduled to convene for an extraordinary session. Last year about 30 percent, or 6 trillion won ($5.8 billion), of the nation’s defense expenditure was used on defense procurement.

From http://www.korea.net/ 01/19/2005

TOP↑

Civilians to Account for 71% of Officers at Defense Ministry

The Ministry of National Defense said Thursday it will reduce the ratio of the military brass in the ministry headquarters in Seoul to 29 percent from the current 48 percent by 2009 by cutting 139 officers. Out of the nine director-general posts in the ministry currently assumed by brigadier generals or major generals, five will be assumed by civilians by next year, including posts for legal affairs and personnel affairs. Sixteen out of 27 colonel-level directors in the ministry will be taken over by civilians by 2007. Also, 187 of 310 posts currently assumed by officers below colonel will be assigned to civilians by 2009. The ministry said the vacant positions will be filled by retired officers, civilian experts or civil servants from other government agencies. However, the departments in charge of the procurement of weapons and military goods were excluded from the personnel restructuring as they will be integrated into the defense procurement agency, which will be launched next January. Officers whose job will be taken over by civilians will be reassigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Combined Forces Command, the army, navy and air force. The ministry is also considering allowing officers who want to continue working in the ministry to become civilians. ``Working-level officers are expected to voluntarily become civilians to continue their work in the ministry as they want to develop their professionalism,’’ army Colonel Shin Byung-chol, public relations officer of the ministry, said. Some observers, however, criticized the ministry for backing off from the original plan for civil control of the military. Last September, the ministry planned to return all active-duty generals in the ministry’s main office in Seoul to field units by 2006, cutting down officers below brigadier general to 25 percent of total officers. The ministry said it will implement the personnel restructuring scheme from March after discussing the matter with other government agencies. (by Yoon Won-sup)

From The Korea Times 01/20/2005

TOP↑

President Roh Names Civil, Personnel Affairs Aides, 3 Vice Ministers

President Roh Moo-hyun reinstated on Thursday (Jan. 20) Moon Jae-in, senior presidential secretary for civic and social agenda, to a post in charge of civil petitions and discipline among government officials which he held previously. Moon quit the post last February for personal reasons. Moon, a close confidant of Roh, returned to Cheong Wa Dae last May to take the current job for mediating disputes among interest groups involved in national development projects. Moon replaced Park Chung-kyu, who offered to quit last week because of the controversial appointment of Lee Ki-jun as minister of education and human resources development. Roh also named Kim Wan-key, head of the Appeals Commission, as senior presidential secretary for personnel management. Kim replaced Jeong Chan-yong who assumed the post for almost two years following Roh's inauguration in February 2003. Next week, Roh will name a replacement for Lee Byung-wan, senior presidential secretary for public information, informed sources said. Two senior presidential secretaries, one for economic affairs and the other for defense affairs, are also vacant as Cho Yoon-he was appointed ambassador to Britain and Yoon Kwang-ung was promoted to the position of defense minister. In a reshuffle of vice-ministerial level officials, Roh also appointed Rho Jun-hyong, head of the Planning and Management Bureau of the Ministry of Information and Communication, as vice minister, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Jong-min said. Yoon Kyu-hyck, deputy commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, was promoted to head the agency. Roh tapped Sung Hae-yong, a human rights activist, as a member of the Standing Committee of the Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption (KICAC).

From http://www.korea.net/ 01/21/2005

TOP↑

INDONESIA: No Place for Bribes at Congress

A senior executive of the National Mandate Party (PAN) has expressed concern over vote-buying allegations to garner support ahead of the party's congress to replace current leader Amien Rais, who said he will not seek reelection. A.M. Fatwa, a cofounder of the party, said "certain candidates" had offered gifts or cash to leaders of PAN regional chapters, who would be entitled to vote at the leadership meeting. "I ask fellow party members to avoid such practices as it will hamper efforts to fight corruption. The eradication of corruption should start from inside the party," he said in Jakarta on Thursday. Fatwa said that the suspected candidates contesting the PAN leadership congress have offered, for example, free plane tickets to party leaders from regional branches. However, he declined to name names. PAN, the fifth biggest faction in terms of seats in the House of Representatives, will convene for a four-day congress on Feb. 8 in Semarang, Central Java. One key item on the agenda is the election of a new party leader to replace Amien, who is fresh off a resounding defeat in the first round of presidential polling on July 5, 2004. Fatwa, currently a deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), said it was very unlikely that Amien's successor would be committed to combating corruption, if he or she wins the race as a result of vote-buying. In addition to allegations of bribery, there were a number of businesspeople in contact with "certain candidates" to offer financial support, Fatwa said. He also voiced worries that the close relations between the candidates and businesspeople would eventually pave the way for corruption and collusion between them. The candidates who were receiving support from certain businesspeople were those with a lack of support from the regional branches, Fatwa added. Typically, a candidate that receives financial support from businesspeople to ensure their victory in the PAN congress, will later be obligated to pay back the "favor" by helping secure business contracts, if they do become the party leader. Among the strong candidates vying for the top post are former finance minister Fuad Bawazier, Muslim scholar Moeslim Abdurrahman, Minister of Transportation Hatta Radjasa and party legislators Ahmad Farhan Hamid and Afni Achmad. Separately on Thursday, Fuad Bawazier said that most PAN members wanted their next party leader to be someone who can work full time on strengthening the party. He suggested that a new PAN chairman should not be someone currently holding a strategic position in the state administration to avoid conflict of interests. Fuad was apparently referring to Hatta, who is a member of the current Cabinet under the leadership of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Commenting on the alleged indications of corruption ahead of the congress, Fuad said he had not heard such allegations. He said that he had consulted with Amien Rais before deciding to run in the election. Earlier, PAN legislator Alvin Lie Ling Piao said that it was difficult for his party to find people with the same character and abilities as Amien Rais, a former MPR speaker. Alvin, therefore, urged the next PAN leader to build a strong team to promote internal consolidation within the party.

From http://www.thejakartapost.com/ 01/07/2005

TOP↑

Laying Groundwork for Change in the Tax Office

Despite all the efforts to promote good governance at tax offices last year, the Directorate General of Taxation has failed to address taxpayers' greatest concerns: the uncertainty over tax law enforcement, and corruption within the office. The revision of the tax laws, which was part of the government's key economic reform measures after "graduating" from the International Monetary Fund's bailout program, is aimed at boosting tax revenue and compliance. The intentions are good and welcome by many parties, but there are several articles in the draft revision that have sparked outcry from the local business community and from foreign investors. Among the controversial articles is a plan to give greater power to the tax office to detain taxpayers without trial for any violation of tax law, and to impose tough sanctions on taxpayers for a range of small violations. Learning from past mistakes, the current government has pledged to revise the laws with the primary aim of not only boosting tax revenues, but also in combating corruption at tax offices. However, until now the new revision has not been finalized. Another important event this year was the filing of a petition by a businessman challenging the tax office in the Constitutional Court. This indicates that the business community, who are generally fearful of arguing with tax officials and would rather compromise in case of disputes in order to protect their businesses, are now more aware of their rights, and have more courage in facing off with tax officials -- something that corrupt tax officials should now take seriously. At present, the tax tribunal is considered by many taxpayers to be an unfair institution because it often takes side with the tax office. This is probably understandable given that it is under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance, and all its judges are selected and paid by the ministry. Another effort to reform the nation's tax system is a plan by several high-ranking tax officials to turn the tax office into an independent agency, separate from the Ministry of Finance. The LTO, which was established in 2003, is the directorate's pilot project for a clean, modern and professional tax collection system. The office is manned by well-trained, highly-paid tax officials, each of whom focuses on certain taxpayers. Each of taxpayer will thus have their documents taken care of by officials specially assigned to them. The LTO is also equipped with a complaint center. With the LTO, the tax office aims to give better and faster service to taxpayers as well as providing faster solutions in the event of disputes.

Adapted From http://www.thejakartapost.com 01/08/2005

TOP↑

Regional Council Criticizes Govt Aid Bureaucracy

Acehnese members of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) complained about the lengthy procedures applied by the government-sanctioned disaster-relief team for tsunami victims to receive aid. They also criticized the poor performance of the Cabinet ministers in managing the humanitarian aid in Aceh and North Sumatra. "In some areas in Aceh, people must bring a letter from the village head to get food. In fact, many village heads have gone. Why should the procedure be so lengthy in an emergency situation?" DPD member Helmi Mahera Al-Mujahid told the press here on Friday. In some places, he said, the relief team was willing to hand out aid only to groups of 30 refugees. "People will not get aid if they are not part of a group," he added. Helmi and fellow DPD member Malik Raden had just returned from Aceh, where a powerful quake and tsunamis on Dec. 26 devastated parts of the province and North Sumatra. Some 98,000 people died and hundreds of thousands were left homeless in the calamity. Two Acehnese DPD members, Mediati Hafni Hanum and Adnan, were injured in the disaster. The magnitude of the disaster and the casualties it caused has united the world. Donor countries have pledged US$4 billion to the affected nations and committed to long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction. Helmi said he appreciated the sincerity of foreign organizations and countries helping the Acehenese. Taking as an example, Helmi said the United States had given a quick response to a demand for helicopters for aid distribution. "At the same time, the government-sanctioned team keeps on organizing meetings," he said. Malik Raden, meanwhile, regretted that humanitarian aid could only be enjoyed by people taking refuge in tents, but not those staying at relative's homes. Malik, meanwhile, said he and Helmi had helped with the distribution of aid to isolated places in West Aceh and Aceh Raya regencies while the government team had failed to do so. He suggested that the government improve teams to evacuate dead bodies. "President Susilo must improve the relief team," he added. Responding to the concern, DPD's coordinator for affected areas Ichsan Loulembah said on Friday that the DPD would further discuss steps to be taken. Ichsan said the government lacked coordination to handle the aftermath of the disaster. He criticized the work of government officials in disaster-hit areas.

From http://www.thejakartapost.com 01/08/2005

TOP↑

New Ruling Seen as Crucial to Curb Corruption Cases

The government's plan to lay down a comprehensive anticorruption ruling is vital given the poor performance of law enforcers in curbing widespread corruption in the country, according to a law expert. Rudy Satrio, a criminal law expert from the University of Indonesia's School of Law, said the planned government regulation in lieu of the Anticorruption Law would mean heavier punishments for corruptors, as well as the recovery of state losses, and would overcome the weaknesses of existing anticorruption rulings. "The (new) regulation scraps several articles in the existing laws, particularly the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP) that have often been manipulated to benefit corruption suspects," he told The Jakarta Post over the weekend. He cited as an example that law enforcers or lawyers often used an article in the code to free suspects from detention during the investigation process. The code stipulates that authorities can only detain a suspect if he or she is deemed uncooperative, likely to flee the country or to destroy evidence. Suspects who are thought not to exhibit these tendencies are not detained. Thus, many high-profile corruptors have escaped justice despite their court convictions. Consisting of 22 articles, some of which move against the code's stipulations, the draft of the new antigraft regulation, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post on Friday, says that authorities can detain graft suspects from the start of the probe, as well as immediately seize their personal assets. The draft also allows investigators to question or detain civil servants, state officials or legislators without the permission of their superiors, an existing condition that has been deemed a hurdle to the swift investigation of corruption cases. Rudy dismissed concerns that the new ruling could encourage rights violations. During the Soeharto era, the treason law was often misused to imprison opponents of the regime without trial. "The condition is different now. If the antigraft court convicts defendants, they are able to launch a motion against their detention. "This forces investigators and prosecutors to work harder to obtain evidence," he said. Rudy also said the draft stipulates a strict time frame for investigators, prosecutors and courts to handle high-profile corruption cases. "It would guarantee the rights of suspects so that law enforcers cannot detain them arbitrarily," he said. The drafting of the new antigraft ruling is part of the government's program to eradicate corruption in the country. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to meet House of Representatives leaders to discuss the draft on Tuesday (delayed from the initial schedule on Monday).

From http://www.thejakartapost.com 01/18/2005

TOP↑

Local Government Corruption Running Rampant

Corruption is widespread throughout the country's 32 provinces, with the tsunami-devastated Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province being among the worst offenders, an anticorruption watchdog has revealed. Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) said in its year-end report on Tuesday that the much-vaunted local autonomy program, which was designed to ensure a greater say for local government jurisdictions in running their own affairs, had been hijacked by local administration big-wigs to enable them to feather their own nests. Between January and December last year, 432 corruption cases had been uncovered in the 32 provinces, which cost the state an estimated Rp 5.3 trillion (US$580 million), it said. Four provinces in Java -- Jakarta, East Java, Central Java and West Java -- registered a total of 179 corruption cases. Aceh, which was shattered by a Dec. 26 undersea earthquake and a subsequent tidal wave, was ranked sixth with 21 cases of corruption, while South Sumatra was one place ahead of it on the roll of shame. A lack of legal certainty due to the imposition of martial law and the subsequent state of emergency there prior to the calamity had contributed to the increase in corruption. Huge sums of money were poured into the province to finance a massive military operation against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). In the wake of the tsunami, further large amounts of money have being earmarked for the province by the international community and the Indonesian government for relief operations and subsequent reconstruction programs. The newly-established province of Gorontalo registered only one case of graft. "The figures, however, are merely the tip of an iceberg of increasing corruption, especially in provinces outside Java, where civil society and non-governmental organizations don't have enough resources to uncover corruption cases," the ICW report said. The absence of a credible media also hindered the uncovering of corruption cases. The ICW based its conclusions on media reports and information given by concerned citizens. Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) said in its latest report that out of 146 countries surveyed, Indonesia was the fifth most corrupt nation after Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast and Georgia. The ICW's report found that members of local political elites -- be they governors, regents/mayors or councillors -- were the most culpable in stealing money from the public. "Local councillors were found to be involved in 124 cases of corruption while local leaders were implicated in 83 cases of graft," it said. ICW spokesman Adnan Topan Husodo said that unbridled corruption at the local level was the result of relaxed oversight by the central government since the introduction of the Local Autonomy Law in 2001. "The central government has failed to keep corruption in check following the rolling out of local autonomy," he said.

From http://www.thejakartapost.com/ 01/19/2005

TOP↑

Ministers Accused of Incompetence

The Regional Representatives Council (DPD) demanded that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono take action against ministers who ignore regional interests. DPD deputy speaker Laode Ida of Southeast Sulawesi accused the home ministry of ignoring the aspiration of the regions concerning the upcoming direct local elections. In addition, Minister of Forestry MS Kaban was accused of neglecting some DPD members who wanted to discuss the issue of illegal logging. "Some DPD members have made appointments with the minister to discuss illegal logging in Kalimantan, but the minister prefers to dine at a luxurious hotel in Jakarta," he said on Wednesday. Yonathan Nubatonis, fellow DPD member from East Nusa Tenggara, said he would soon make a list of incompetent ministers and report his findings to the President.

From http://www.thejakartapost.com 01/20/2005

TOP↑

MALAYSIA: Government Won’t Interfere in Council

The proposed Media Council will be free from government interference if it comes into being, Information Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir said.? This was because the idea of setting up the council was mooted by the Malaysian Press Institute and not the Government, he said.? “The setting up of the Media Council has nothing to do with the Government as it is the members of the profession themselves who want to set it up as a regulatory body to oversee professional ethics in journalism,” he said.? Speaking at a press conference after a meeting with MPI members here yesterday, he said he was astonished that there was no regulatory body to supervise the media.? “I am surprised because journalism is the only profession where there is no single body to oversee issues on ethics. Lawyers have the Bar Council and the medical profession has the Malaysia Medical Association,” said Abdul Kadir.? On his meeting with the MPI, he said it was mainly to look at periodical training programmes for reporters and photographers as well as advanced programmes for working journalists.? “We discussed how the existing programmes can be enhanced to better train media professionals,'' he added.? He said the MPI had requested additional allocation to carry out these training programmes.? Abdul Kadir said he would look into this, adding that the current annual grant had already been increased from RM100,000 to RM200,000.? He also urged media organisations to help finance the training programmes.

From http://thestar.com.my 01/11/2005

TOP↑

PHILIPPINES: President: Banish Political Tsunami

Saying that “we’re our own worst enemies,” President Arroyo on Friday urged the Filipinos to work together in overcoming the barriers that “we place in front of ourselves.” In her speech at the traditional vin d’honneur in Malaca?ang, the President said 2004 had been a tumultuous year with a highly contested presidential election, the loss of the movie king Fernando Poe Jr., the risk faced by Filipino workers abroad and destruction wreaked by the typhoons and tsunamis before the end of the year. She said the death and destruction of nature were a simple reminder of everyone’s vulnerability. ?“And shame on us, as leaders, if we inflict our own political tsunami on this great nation of ours if we don’t come together and take the bold steps to get our nation back on track,” the President said. She pledged to carry out her 10-point priority program including the creation of more jobs, fresh water and electricity in every household, education for all, build more infrastructures and finally restore peace in Mindanao. But she said she also needs the help of the whole nation for the projects of her administration to succeed. She asked the business community, government officials, the media and civil society to help her in her campaign against abuses in the government, illegal logging, tax cheats. She urged the lawmakers to pass the much-needed revenue measures and the national budget, reforming the military and strengthening the judiciary. “We must work together as a nation to solve our problems. Church, State, military, civilian, rich and poor—we all have a stake in the future of our nation. Collectively and individually, we must employ every fabric of our being to create the kind of community and bring hope that the people yearn for and deserve,” Mrs. Arroyo said. “I can’t do it alone, not even with the full weight of the government by my side. We need to harness the power of the nation and spark the individual power of each soul that makes up this nation if we are to forge a new Philippines,” she said. The traditional toast, attended by diplomats and government officials, was held Friday evening at Malaca?ang’s ceremonial hall. After the toast the President held a Cabinet meeting to draw up the steps she said were needed to make 2005 a “year of transformation and change.”

From http://www.manilatimes.net 01/08/2005

TOP↑

SINGAPORE: New Nominated MPs Take Oath of Allegiance in Parliament

Eight of the nine Nominated Members of Parliament took their oaths of allegiance on Monday. It was the first sitting for the new NMPs who received their letters of appointment earlier. They include Mr Alex Chan, Sports Council chairman, Dr Geh Min, Nature Society President, Dr Loo Choon Yong, Raffles Hospital Chairman, and Mr Teo Yock Ngee, a unionist. Younger nominated MPs who took their oath were Assistant Professor Ong Soh Khim, Mr Lawrence Leow, a businessman, Dr Tan Sze Wee of the Singapore Medical Association and Professor Ivan Png. The NMPs will serve a two-and-a-half-year term. The youngest NMP - 27-year-old Eunice Olsen - was absent as she is overseas.

From http://www.channelnewsasia.com 01/17/2005

TOP↑

THAILAND: One-Stop Counter to Open at Mor Chit

The Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC) plans to launch a new all-in-one government counter service to make life easier for the public. Secretary-general Thossaporn Sirisamphan said the new service would be launched as a pilot project at the Mor Chit skytrain station in Mid-January. A second office was planned at Siam Discovery Centre. It would offer most government-provided services including the issuing of 30-baht medical cards, ID cards, passport renewals, telephone numbers, house construction permits and the handling of electricity and water bills. Bookings of air, rail and bus tickets, as well as accommodation in national parks, would also be accepted. The public could also file complaints with police and pay fines at the counter. The all-in-one service would be run by the Thailand Post company with assistance from 14 state agencies. If popular more counters would be opened in department stores and petrol stations.

From http://www.bangkokpost.com 01/04/2005

TOP↑

Court Approves Chart Thai Merger

The Constitution Court yesterday ruled in favour of tycoon Chuwit Kamolvisit, approving a merger between the Chart Thai party and First Thai Nation party. Court secretary-general Paiboon Varahapaitoon said the court ruled 14 to one to approve the merger which was opposed by a group of First Nation party dissidents led by Worarat Rungratanakasin. Mr Paiboon said the court decided that the people who petitioned against the merger had no right to do so because they had failed to prove they were members of the First Thai Nation party. The court also ordered dissolution of the Ruam Thai and Chart Prachachon parties as they failed to recruit 5,000 members and set up branches within 180 days of registration. Meanwhile, the Election Commission yesterday decided not to rule on the continuity of membership of Mr Chuwit and other First Thai Nation members until they applied to contest the national polls. Commissioner Parinya Nakchatree said the First Thai Nation party case differed from the Chart Pattana party which earlier merged with the Thai Rak Thai party. He said the Chart Pattana asked the EC to rule on the membership of party members after defection. However, the commission's ruling was not unanimous. The five-member EC voted 3-2 to confirm continuity of membership of Chart Pattana members after the merger. Mr Parinya said a political party should be the first to examine the qualifications of candidates and field only qualified ones. A candidate contesting the general election is required to be a member of a party no less than 90 days prior to the application. It is unclear if the membership of Mr Chuwit and other former First Thai Nation members should end or continue after the merger.

From http://www.bangkokpost.com/ 01/07/2005

TOP↑

Democrats Complete Party List

The Democrats' party list was completed yesterday with the top 10 slots filled by party leader Banyat Bantadtan, advisory chairman Chuan Leekpai and eight deputy party leaders .Key member Surin Pitsuwan, ranked 20th on the previous list, was removed from the new one as he is to vie for a constituency seat in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Party executives including Mr Banyat, secretary-general Pradit Pattharaprasit and deputy leader Trairong Suwannakhiri met to discuss the line-up yesterday. They initially agreed to put Mr Banyat at the top, followed by Mr Chuan, Abhisit Vejjajiva, Mr Trairong, Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, Jurin Laksanavisit, Paithoon Kaewthong, Phothipong Lamsam, Niphon Promphan and Suthas Ngernmuen, respectively. The 11th-13th slots went to three other key members _ Suthep Thaugsuban, Marut Bunnag and Savit Phothivihok. Also on the list were Dr Vallop Thainuea, former public health permanent secretary, and night entertainment business tycoon Somyos Suthangkoon. Mr Surin, a former foreign minister, was replaced by Huwaideeya Useng.Mrs Huwaideeya was originally slotted as the Democrat candidate for a House seat in Nakhon Si Thammarat's constituency 1. However, it was later decided that her rival from the Thai Rak Thai party could prove too strong for her. The switch was made after Mr Surin and Mr Banyat met for about 20 minutes yesterday. A party source said M.R. Chatumongkol Sonakul, a former Bank of Thailand governor, had turned down the Democrat offer for him to join the party list. However, he was willing to accept the finance portfolio if the Democrats form part of the next coalition government.

From http://www.bangkokpost.com 01/07/2005

TOP↑

Cabinet Members Must Remain Neutral

The Election Commission (EC) has warned that all cabinet members who do not keep strictly neutral in the election campaign while carrying out their official duties can face up to 10 years' imprisonment and be hit with hefty fines. They can also be stripped of the right to contest elections for 10 years which would effectively prevent them becoming ministers again within that period. The warning followed a complaint filed by Democrat MP-hopeful Thavorn Senniam that Deputy Agriculture Minister Newin Chidchob recently called a meeting in Songkhla of provincial governors and senior officials and apparently promised 100,000-baht budgets for all villages if Thai Rak Thai was elected to power. Commissioner Parinya Nakchatri, who oversees the election process in the South, said the EC had already sent investigative teams to Songkhla to probe the allegations and was awaiting the results. “On this matter, the provincial election committee wanted to observe the meeting, but was not allowed to and told it was secret. After hearing this, I felt the remark, if it was made, was likely a promise to `give something' according to Article 44 of the election law,'' he said. He said that while on official duty, cabinet members as political officials, and provincial officials as civil servants, must be strictly neutral as required by Articles 47 and 107 of the MP and senator election law or they could face one to 10 years' imprisonment and 20,000-200,000-baht fines and also be deprived of the right to contest elections for 10 years. If found guilty, these cabinet members, although non-candidates, would not be qualified to become ministers. “Although Mr Newin is a non-MP-hopeful, he is also a state official. Therefore, he can neither deliver campaign speeches nor be biased while on duty. If he is found guilty, the EC has every right to punish MP candidates involved since an injustice has been committed,'' Mr Parinya said. The commissioner said that he, as a former chief of the Local Administration Department, would support any provincial governors and officials who sought transfers to work in other areas temporarily if they felt they were being pressured to help certain candidates. Mr Parinya also commented on the allegations that Thai Rak Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra introduced an MP candidate during a fair that provided entertainment in Chiang Rai last week. The EC chief said that all MP hopefuls and any persons people involved in campaigning could seek votes while on duty at public sector-arranged events only if all political parties were given the opportunity to do the same.

From http://www.bangkokpost.com 01/18/2005

TOP↑

VIETNAM: Vietnam Calls for Establishment of Rapid Response Mechanism for Natural Calamities

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should establish a regional rapid response mechanism once natural calamities and epidemics occur, said Prime Minister Phan Van Khai. PM Khai put forth the call at a one-day special meeting of ASEAN leaders on the Asian tsunami disaster in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday. The prime ministers from China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand attended the meeting. Also present were the US Secretary of State, the Secretary General of the United Nations and representatives of the European Union, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and some regional and international organisations. The Vietnamese PM proposed that