http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/31644.html
THE death toll from the Indian Ocean tsunami jumped by more than 7000
in Sri Lanka yesterday, bringing the total there to 38,195 and taking
the overall total killed in the disaster beyond 175,000.
The latest number includes figures from local officials who tend to
update their tolls slowly, but a government spokesman said they were
still pulling bodies from the rubble at the rate of six or seven every
day.
Until now, the Sri Lankan body count had seemed largely stable at
around 30,000. However, a public security ministry official said it was
now expected to exceed 40,000.
"We are coming across dead bodies on a daily basis as we clear the
rubble," said Tilak Ranavirajah. He said 6020 people were still
missing.
The number of Britons confirmed dead after the disaster has risen from
51 to 52, Downing Street said. They are among 349 Britons presumed to
have perished, down from 400 on Friday. The number of Britons
unaccounted for in the region now stands at 464, down from 568 on
Friday.
The death toll has been rising steadily in Indonesia, where Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, the president, said his country was "still living
the nightmare" of the horrific earthquake and tsunami on December 26.
Aceh was hardest-hit by the earthquake and resulting tsunami that
affected 11 countries in Asia and Africa.
More than 115,200 of the dead were in Aceh, where rebels yesterday
insisted they would not attack foreign aid workers.
An insurgent commander gave the undertaking after a warning of an
imminent terror attack in the region, and a claim by Indonesia's
military that the guerrillas may attack relief workers.
"Our mothers, our wives, our children are victims from this tragedy,"
said Tengku Mucksalmina, from his hide-out on the edge of a jungle,
about a two-hour drive from the provincial capital, Banda Aceh.
"We would never ambush any convoy with aid for them. We want the aid
groups to stay. We ask them not to leave the Acehnese people who are
suffering."
The government has warned that the guerrillas might ambush aid convoys
to steal food, and the Danish foreign ministry yesterday issued a
statement warning of imminent attack. However, Danish officials
declined to say what had prompted the warning.
Later, UN security officials declared a state of "heightened awareness"
for its relief workers in Indonesia, pending investigation of the
Danish warning. The UN also issued a 24-hour travel ban for its foreign
staff on a 280-mile stretch of road between Banda Aceh and Medan
because of concerns about reported fighting.
Mucksalmina said the government's warnings were part of a continuing
campaign to discourage foreigners from becoming involved in Aceh, where
critics of the military say troops have committed human rights
atrocities.
"The Indonesian military is afraid of foreigners. They are afraid of
greater scrutiny of what's going on in Aceh," added the commander, who
said he was 31 and had joined the rebels when he was 13.
Foreigners, including aid workers and journalists, were banned from
travelling to Aceh province before the tsunami disaster.
In Thailand, the prime ministers of Sweden, Finland and Norway, who
were criticised at home for reacting slowly to the disaster, came into
conflict with local survivors when they arrived at Phuket.
Goran Persson, the Swedish premier, demanded an investigation into why
there was no warning between the oceanic quake and the arrival of the
tsunami hours later.
Many Scandinavians were among the dead. "That is the demand if there
should be a new huge wave of tourists coming back," he said.
However, when the leaders flew on to Khao Lak, they faced a
demonstration from about 100 local people who had lost relatives,
protesting about plans to move a makeshift morgue and forensic
operation to Phuket.
The aim is to speed up identification and make access easier for
foreign families searching for loved ones, but the villagers said it
would make life more difficult for them.
THE death toll from the Indian Ocean tsunami jumped by more than 7000
in Sri Lanka yesterday, bringing the total there to 38,195 and taking
the overall total killed in the disaster beyond 175,000.
The latest number includes figures from local officials who tend to
update their tolls slowly, but a government spokesman said they were
still pulling bodies from the rubble at the rate of six or seven every
day.
Until now, the Sri Lankan body count had seemed largely stable at
around 30,000. However, a public security ministry official said it was
now expected to exceed 40,000.
"We are coming across dead bodies on a daily basis as we clear the
rubble," said Tilak Ranavirajah. He said 6020 people were still
missing.
The number of Britons confirmed dead after the disaster has risen from
51 to 52, Downing Street said. They are among 349 Britons presumed to
have perished, down from 400 on Friday. The number of Britons
unaccounted for in the region now stands at 464, down from 568 on
Friday.
The death toll has been rising steadily in Indonesia, where Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, the president, said his country was "still living
the nightmare" of the horrific earthquake and tsunami on December 26.
Aceh was hardest-hit by the earthquake and resulting tsunami that
affected 11 countries in Asia and Africa.
More than 115,200 of the dead were in Aceh, where rebels yesterday
insisted they would not attack foreign aid workers.
An insurgent commander gave the undertaking after a warning of an
imminent terror attack in the region, and a claim by Indonesia's
military that the guerrillas may attack relief workers.
"Our mothers, our wives, our children are victims from this tragedy,"
said Tengku Mucksalmina, from his hide-out on the edge of a jungle,
about a two-hour drive from the provincial capital, Banda Aceh.
"We would never ambush any convoy with aid for them. We want the aid
groups to stay. We ask them not to leave the Acehnese people who are
suffering."
The government has warned that the guerrillas might ambush aid convoys
to steal food, and the Danish foreign ministry yesterday issued a
statement warning of imminent attack. However, Danish officials
declined to say what had prompted the warning.
Later, UN security officials declared a state of "heightened awareness"
for its relief workers in Indonesia, pending investigation of the
Danish warning. The UN also issued a 24-hour travel ban for its foreign
staff on a 280-mile stretch of road between Banda Aceh and Medan
because of concerns about reported fighting.
Mucksalmina said the government's warnings were part of a continuing
campaign to discourage foreigners from becoming involved in Aceh, where
critics of the military say troops have committed human rights
atrocities.
"The Indonesian military is afraid of foreigners. They are afraid of
greater scrutiny of what's going on in Aceh," added the commander, who
said he was 31 and had joined the rebels when he was 13.
Foreigners, including aid workers and journalists, were banned from
travelling to Aceh province before the tsunami disaster.
In Thailand, the prime ministers of Sweden, Finland and Norway, who
were criticised at home for reacting slowly to the disaster, came into
conflict with local survivors when they arrived at Phuket.
Goran Persson, the Swedish premier, demanded an investigation into why
there was no warning between the oceanic quake and the arrival of the
tsunami hours later.
Many Scandinavians were among the dead. "That is the demand if there
should be a new huge wave of tourists coming back," he said.
However, when the leaders flew on to Khao Lak, they faced a
demonstration from about 100 local people who had lost relatives,
protesting about plans to move a makeshift morgue and forensic
operation to Phuket.
The aim is to speed up identification and make access easier for
foreign families searching for loved ones, but the villagers said it
would make life more difficult for them.
THE death toll from the Indian Ocean tsunami jumped by more than 7000
in Sri Lanka yesterday, bringing the total there to 38,195 and taking
the overall total killed in the disaster beyond 175,000.
The latest number includes figures from local officials who tend to
update their tolls slowly, but a government spokesman said they were
still pulling bodies from the rubble at the rate of six or seven every
day.
Until now, the Sri Lankan body count had seemed largely stable at
around 30,000. However, a public security ministry official said it was
now expected to exceed 40,000.
"We are coming across dead bodies on a daily basis as we clear the
rubble," said Tilak Ranavirajah. He said 6020 people were still
missing.
The number of Britons confirmed dead after the disaster has risen from
51 to 52, Downing Street said. They are among 349 Britons presumed to
have perished, down from 400 on Friday. The number of Britons
unaccounted for in the region now stands at 464, down from 568 on
Friday.
The death toll has been rising steadily in Indonesia, where Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, the president, said his country was "still living
the nightmare" of the horrific earthquake and tsunami on December 26.
Aceh was hardest-hit by the earthquake and resulting tsunami that
affected 11 countries in Asia and Africa.
More than 115,200 of the dead were in Aceh, where rebels yesterday
insisted they would not attack foreign aid workers.
An insurgent commander gave the undertaking after a warning of an
imminent terror attack in the region, and a claim by Indonesia's
military that the guerrillas may attack relief workers.
"Our mothers, our wives, our children are victims
.
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