State of Acheh: Press Statement on Tsunami, 26 December 2004

The Government of the State of Acheh is profoundly saddened by the
very high number of casualties and very heavy damages caused by the
natural disaster hitting many parts of Asia, including our country

THE STATE OF ACHEH
THE PRIME MINISTER 'S OFFICE
P.O.BOX 130, S-145 01 NORSBORG, SWEDEN
TEL : +46 8 531 83833 FAX: +46 8 531 91275

The Government of the State of Acheh is profoundly saddened by the
very high number of casualties and very heavy damages caused by the
natural disaster hitting many parts of Asia, including our country
Acheh. According to the latest figures we have more than 2000 people
have perished in Acheh, and over 40 000 displaced. Hundreds of houses,
buildings, bridges have been destroyed or heavily damaged, worsening
the already inadequate infrastructure.

For the sake of humanity, we urge the Indonesian Government to
immediately open Acheh to humanitarian assistance volunteers and
international relief organisations. Access to Acheh must be opened
immediately in order to prevent a much worse calamity such as hunger
and the spread of diseases.

The field commanders of the Acheh National Armed Forces has been
instructed, while increasing their alertness and helping the best they
can all the processes of aiding, evacuating and rehabilitating the
victims of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami flloods, to also
restraint their troops from engaging the enemy in armed contacts in
order to avoid causing the people to feel trapped and panick. The TNA
has been ordered to take a defensive position and to only fight back
if attacked.

Stockholm, Sweden 26 December, 2004

The Government of the State of Acheh in exile
Malik Mahmud
Prime Minister