Unicef: Safety of children in Palu a priority

KUALA LUMPUR: The situation remains extremely precarious for the victims of the Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami, where nearly 71,000 people are scattered around 140 locations on the island.

The situation is especially critical for children, said Unicef in a statement, where many have lost their loved ones, homes, neighbourhoods and other familiar things in their lives.

“With each new report about this devastating earthquake and tsunami, our concern increases for the safety of children in Palu, Donggala and other sites hit by the disaster,” said Amanda Bissex, an officer with Unicef Indonesia.

As of Oct 4, the death toll stood at 1,407, and it is likely figures for the dead, injured and missing will rise as more and more areas become more accessible and the Indonesian government conducts more assessments.

According to Unicef Malaysia’s communications chief Laurent Duvillier ( pic), an estimated 66,000 houses have been damaged, resulting in the high number of displaced persons, as many fear returning to their homes which are still standing, for fear of aftershocks following the Sept 28 earthquake.

Needs which have been identified as a priority for international assistance, at the request of the government, include airplanes capable of landing on short air strips, family tents, water purification sets and generators.

Medical assistance and environmental management are also required, the latter to combat vectorborne diseases that typically follow in the wake of disasters.

Duvillier said the impact of the disaster on Sulawesi’s children was of particular concern, as this segment of the population was already vulnerable even before the tsunami hit.

In a fact sheet supplied by Unicef, a large number children were already living in poverty and suffering malnutrition even before the disaster.

Aside from providing “childsafe spaces” where parents can leave their kids at while going through survival tasks such as collecting water and supplies, Duvillier said future steps would include reuniting families who were separated during the disaster and reviving education, together with the Indonesian government as priorities changed.

However, issues such as lowbirth registration, where only 33% of children under five years of age were registered, will prove an issue in tracing their families, as noted by Unicef, as registration provides a “passport to protection”, while other issues such as exploitation and trafficking will also pose a problem towards family reunification.