Have-nots in Indonesia are left with less today

Two years ago, 131,000 people in Indonesia's Aceh province were killed by the Indian Ocean tsunami, which might explain why last Saturday's magnitude-6.3 earthquake that claimed more than 5,800 lives is no longer making headlines.
But the death and destruction are no less devastating to the island of Java. In addition to the lives lost, 10,000 Indonesians have been injured and 200,000 are homeless. In all, 647,000 Indonesians have been displaced.
In a nation wracked by poverty, the have-nots seem to be in Mother Nature's crosshairs. Consider this: Since 2000, there have been eight deadly earthquakes in Indonesia. The human and property toll have been enormous. In March 2005, a magnitude-8.7 quake struck Nias and Simeulue islands off the western coast of Sumatra, killing 900 people and flattening thousands of homes and bridges.
Tens of thousands are still missing from the 2004 tsunami, while three other major quakes claimed even more lives and caused extensive damage.
In 2000, there were two earthquakes that killed almost 150 and injured more than 2,000.
Pain and suffering
Against this backdrop of almost unrelenting pain and suffering that have been visited upon a people who barely recover from one disaster before being hit by another, people of goodwill throughout the world need to dig deep to ensure that food and medicine are available to the hundreds of thousands who have lost everything and to make sure that shelters are built as quickly as possible.
The United States has pledged $5 million in financial assistance, while U.S. Marines have joined the international effort to deliver aid and medical equipment. The United Nations announced Tuesday that at least 21 other countries have joined the effort to help the homeless.
But despite this outpouring of concern and assistance, shortages of food and fresh water remain a pressing concern. Thousands of people are using cardboard boxes to beg for cash and supplies from passing motorists.
Mistrust
Western nations that have long mistrusted how financial aid is handled in underdeveloped regions of the world should be reassured by a promise from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who toured the earthquake zone.
"I am ordering that not even one dollar will be misused," he said. The president vowed to fight corruption in delivering aid money.
The sense of urgency in providing relief to the survivors is heightened by volcanic activity on Mount Merapi, north of Yogjakarta. Lava flowing down the sides of the slopes and heat clouds have officials warning of another major blow by Mother Nature.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that a surge of foreign aid workers into the region and the reopening of a key airport have given the relief effort a major boost. But getting food and fresh water to survivors must be a top priority.