Hunger Threat in East Nusa Tenggara Spreads
Tuesday, 20 June, 2006 | 13:33 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Kupang: The area which is subjected to hunger in East Nusa Tenggara is widening. At first the threat only covered Sikka and Lembata regencies. Now six other regencies are also suffering from the same crisis.

Sutedjo Yuwono, Secretary of Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare, said the East Nusa Tenggara governor has reported the hunger threat via a letter dated June 12, 2006. “But it has just been delivered and I read it today,” said Sutedjo yesterday (19/6).

The report stated that in addition to Sikka and Lembata, six regencies are threatened by hunger—Kupang, South Central Timor , North Central Timor, Belu, Ende, and Ngada. The areas with high risk of food shortages comprise 139 villages with residents totaling 81,719. Areas with medium risk cover 194 villages lived in by 58,840 people. The highest food shortage risk is in Sikka regency, with 6,192 inhabitants.

In the letter, the governor asks the central government to distribute aid. “We are waiting for their concrete suggestions regarding the requested aid,” Sutedjo said.

Dede Witadama, Head of Plant and Horticultural Forestry Service at South Central Timor, confirmed the hunger threat in South Central Timor due to crop failure. “Strong winds have devastated farm lands,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Before, Lembata regency government reported that more than 20,000 people throughout 37 villages are experiencing food shortages. If this is not overcome soon, they will be subject to severe hunger. “They are threatened by a food shortage because of rain has devastated farm food,” said Virgilius Natal, Head of the Food Farm Service at Lembata, Saturday (17/6).

The East Nusa Tenggara provincial government has prepared 1,000 tons of rice to be distributed in Sikka regency, whose residents are threatened by a serious food shortage. Head of the Bina Social Welfare Bureau of the Regional Secretariat of East Nusa Tenggara, Sentianus Medi, said the government was planning to distribute 3,000 tons of rice first. However the Logistics Storage can only store 1,000 tons which will be sent soon to Maumere, the capital city of Sikka regency.

Jems De Fortuna and Nur Aini