Action by Churches Together (ACT)
Update - Indonesia 1/2002
Withdrawal of Appeal - Assistance to Displaced Migrant Workers - ASID23
Geneva, 15 November 2002


ACT member Yakkum Emergency Unit (previously CD Bethesda Emergency Unit)
has provided the following information:

An initial rapid response to the plight of the migrant workers deported
from Malaysia to Nunukan in Indonesia was originally planned for a 2 week
period from 24 August until mid-September together with a needs
assessment. In the process of this initial rapid response, the team of the
YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU) found many problems especially related to
water and sanitation. Based on these findings YEU prepared a proposal to
enable them to respond further to these needs together with the Posko of
humanitarian volunteers at St Gabriel's Church. Consequently an ACT Appeal
was issued on 1 November 2002. On November 11, the sanitation staff
reported that the estimated huge influx of Indonesian migrant workers from
Malaysia predicted in the beginning of November by the Indonesian Consul
in Tawau, Malaysia has not materialised as a result of the success of
consistent diplomatic efforts. The Malaysian Government had eased the
implementation of the Immigration Act and also the Indonesian Government
had shown good will by speedily processing the legal documents of the
migrant workers. Many of the stranded workers had also been able to return
to their places of origin in Indonesia and even more had gone back to
Malaysia holding legal documents. Therefore on 10 November the total
numbers of migrant workers stranded in Nunukan was only about 100.Based on
this current figure and following the internal meeting in YEU on 14
November, it was decided to stop the implementation of the programme
proposed under the appeal ASID 23.  YEU had already incurred expenses for
the rapid response and the assessment for which the income received from
ACT Netherlands (Eur 5,000) has been utilised. The coverage of the
negative balance of 11,274,585 Rupiah (USD 1,249) will be discussed by YEU
with those funding members that have pledged support. Based on this
information from the implementing partner YEU, ACT CO herewith withdraws
Appeal ASID 23 Assistance to Displaced Migrant Workers.

Thank you for your attention.

For further information please contact:

ACT Director, Thor-Arne Prois (phone ++41 22 791 6033 or mobile phone
++ 41 79 203 6055)
or
ACT Appeals Officer, Mieke Weeda (phone ++ 41 22 791 6035 or mobile phone
++ 41 79 285 2916)


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Action by Churches Together (ACT) is a worldwide alliance of churches and
their related agencies, meeting human need through co-ordinated emergency
response.  The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of
Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
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   Ecumenical Centre                          Phone: ++41-22-791.60.33
   150, route de Ferney                         Fax: ++41-22-791.65.06
   P.O. Box 2100                             E-Mail: act@wcc-coe.org
   1211 Geneva 2                              Telex: 415 730 OIK CH
   Switzerland                                 http://www.act-intl.org


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