The Chinese government has provided 60 million yuan (about
US$7.5 million) to build 700 houses for tsunami survivors in
Indonesia's Aceh Province under a friendship village program,
Chinese diplomats in Jakarta said on Thursday.
The houses are scheduled for completion this year, according to
Tan Weiwen, a Chinese attaché in charge of trade and economic
affairs of the Chinese embassy in Jakarta.
Tan, who handed over 863,000 school packages to local schools in
Aceh Wednesday, said the houses will be built in Neuheun Village,
Aceh Besar District and the project is currently in the mapping
stage.
He hoped the project would be completed before the commemoration
of the second anniversary of the tsunami, adding other facilities
will include a house for worship, schools and children's
playgrounds.
Aceh and Nias in North Sumatara were devastated by a tsunami in
December 2004, in which more than 160,000 people perished and
around 500,000 others were left homeless.
The Chinese government and companies have assisted about 400
million yuan (more than US$50 million) to Indonesia since the
tsunami struck.
(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2006)
