MoSA Ensures that 17,1 Tons of Logistics Assistance Have Been Accepted by Drought-Affected Citizens in Puncak Regency, Central Papua

JAKARTA (August 1, 2023) -- Ministry of Social Affairs ensured that 17,1 tons of logistics assistance for drought-affected citizens in Agandugume District and Lambewi, Puncak Jaya Regency, Central Papua had been accepted. The assistance was distributed gradually, and accepted by local citizens starting on Wednesday, July 26^th.

“All assistance has been accepted by the citizens. At present, the warehouse stock in Timika or Lapangan Sinak is empty. All has been distributed,” the Acting Head of Director of Social Protection for Natural Disaster Victims Adrianus Alla said when he arrived in Jakarta from Central Papua on Monday (July 31^st).

Adrianus said despite the weather and security constraints, the entire assistance had been distributed.  The distribution itself was divided into some stages by using Indonesian Air Force’s choppers and charter planes to Sinak’s airfield.

The first stage of the assistance was flown on Wednesday (July 26^th). Further, five from six planes succeeded in flying 2,7 tons of assistance. One flight had to cancel due to bad weather.

The second stage of assistance distribution was on Thursday (July 27^th). Four flights succeeded in flying 4,7 tons of logistics. The third stage on Friday (July 28^th) succeeded in flying 3,9 tons of assistance through three flights.

On the fourth stage on Saturday (July 29^th), 2,7 tons of assistance landed on Sinai Airfield through two flights due to bad weather. Meanwhile, the fifth stage was on Monday (July 31^st) with three flights carrying 3,12 tons of assistance.

The assistance distributed by Ministry of Social Affairs were 4.000 packages of fast food, 4.000 packages of kid’s meals, 2.000 packages of ready-to-eat dishes, 500 roll tents, 25 boxes of sardines, 32 boxes of corned beef, 83 boxes of sausage, 15 boxes of beef floss, 18 boxes of biscuit, 3000 sets of kid’s clothes (for kindergarten, elementary and junior high school), 4.000 pairs of adult’s clothes, 4.000 pairs of trousers, and 4.000 pieces of blankets.

The 17,1 tons of assistance are the accumulation from additional assistance, including two tons of additional assistance from PT Freeport consisting of sardines and biscuits.  

The flight to a famine disaster location, which is a very difficult area, faces security challenges. Therefore, during the distribution process, Ministry of Social Affairs and Indonesian Air Force help each other. The assistance is transported by using Caracal Chopper, Air Fast Twin Otter, and caravan-type chartered plane.