06/12/2025

SATURDAY | DEC 6, 2025

8

Long road to recovery in Indonesia

o Jakarta revoking environmental permits of companies suspected of worsening impact of disaster

TUKKA: Survivors in Indonesia were piecing back shattered lives yesterday after floods killed more than 1,500 people across four countries, with fears of fresh misery as more rain looms. Indonesia has borne the brunt, with its toll rising to 837 dead and 545 missing, many in Sumatra’s northern Aceh province where more than 800,000 people have been displaced, authorities said. Sri Lanka has reported 486 deaths, Thailand 276 and Malaysia two. Many survivors in Sumatra were counting the cost of the deluge that started last week, leading to flash floods and landslides. “Our house was covered by soil up to the ceiling,” said government employee Rumita Laurasibuea, 42, now sheltering in a school, adding that recovering from the flood impact “could take more than a year”. Indonesia’s meteorological agency warned that Aceh could see “very heavy rain” today, with North and West Sumatra also at risk. In Sri Lanka, authorities said floodwaters have begun to recede, but residents face a mammoth cleanup, which was hampered yesterday due to heavy rain. Singapore advises vigilance during monsoon SINGAPORE: The government here has advised the public, port users and maritime industry stakeholders to remain vigilant during the northeast monsoon, which is expected to persist until March and may bring stronger winds, choppier seas and moderate to heavy rainfall, Xinhua reported. Inspectors from the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) would step up safety checks on ferries, harbour craft and pleasure craft, the authority said in a press release on Thursday. The inspections would cover vessel conditions, embarkation and disembarkation procedures, the state of firefighting and lifesaving equipment, and overall emergency preparedness of operators. Passengers traveling on ferries and other vessels are urged to observe basic safety practices. Masters of passenger craft and regional ferries should remain alert, maintain proper lookout and observe safe operating speeds. Embarkation and disembarkation protocols should be strictly followed, and safety briefings delivered before departure, the MPA said. The public is advised to avoid water activities during inclement weather. Operators may refuse service if conditions are unsafe or if users pose a safety risk to themselves or others. – Bernama-Xinhua

Record rainfall triggered floods and deadly landslides last week, with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake saying it was the most challenging natural disaster to hit the island in its history. Residents evacuated from the landslide-prone central hills have been told not to return immediately to their homes, even if they were unaffected by the landslides, as the mountainsides remain unstable. In the central town of Gampola, residents worked to clear the mud and water damage. “We are getting volunteers from other areas to help with this cleanup,” said Muslim cleric Faleeldeen Qadiri at the Gate Jumma Mosque. “It takes 10 men a whole day to clean one house. No one can do this without help,” said a volunteer, who gave his name as Rinas. Indonesia’s government and environmentalists have pointed to the role forest loss played in the flash flooding and landslides that washed torrents of mud into villages and stranded residents of rooftops. Indonesia is among the countries with the largest annual forest loss

Residents walking among debris of a flash floods following heavy rains in Aceh Tamiang regency, Aceh province. – REUTERSPIC

escalate to criminal prosecution”, he said. The scale of the disaster has made relief efforts challenging. Indonesia’s government this week insisted that it could handle the fallout, despite public outcry that not enough is being done. – AFP

Eight companies would be summoned on Monday in a probe, said Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq. Should evidence show corporate involvement in illegal logging or land clearing, which aggravated the disaster, “investigations could

due to mining, plantations and fires, and has seen the clearance of large tracts of its lush rainforest in recent decades. Jakarta on Wednesday said it was revoking environmental permits of several companies suspected of worsening the disaster impact.

Student union shut after call for justice on HK fire HONG KONG: A university here has ordered its student union to shut down after a message was posted on campus expressing condolences and urging justice for the victims of a major fire, according to a letter publicly shared yesterday. immediate effect and take over their facilities, according to the letter shared on social media by the union. The school cited reasons such as a lack of representation and poor financial management, which the union called “unfounded and arbitrary”. condolences for those killed in the fire. The unsigned message said: “We are Hongkongers. Urge the government to be receptive and respond to public demands so that justice can be done.”

requests for comment from AFP. Authorities have warned against crimes that “exploit the tragedy” and reportedly arrested at least three people for sedition in the aftermath of the fire. Student unions at Hong Kong universities were hotbeds of political activism and played a role in the city’s huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019. They either shrank their operations or were shut down entirely after Beijing imposed a national security law in Hong Kong a year later, which critics say has curbed free speech. – AFP shape the artificial intelligence era, and fostering entrepreneurship. Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister and Vietnam National Commission for Unesco chairman Ngo Le Van described Hanoi’s admission to the Global Network of Learning Cities as a step to carrying out the party and state’s policies for facilitating lifelong learning and developing a learning society. Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Vietnam to Unesco Nguyen Thi Van Anh said: “This is a shared joy of Hanoi and Vietnam, marking another significant success in the fruitful cooperation between the country and Unesco”. – Bernama-VNA

The wall was blocked off with tall barricades on Wednesday, an AFP reporter witnessed. University student Kevin, who declined to give his surname, said at the time, he found the notice board message to be “positive” and it drew attention from students walking by before it was sealed off. The university did not respond to

The blaze that ripped through Wang Fuk Court in the city’s northern Tai Po district last week killed at least 159 people and was the world’s deadliest residential building fire since 1980. The Hong Kong Baptist University said it would“suspend the operations” of the student union acting executive committee with

“The university’s irrational action raises concerns about potential ulterior motives behind this forced suspension,“ the union said. Social media users circulated photos on Tuesday of a message stuck onto a student union-run notice board, named the “democracy wall”, which expressed

Hanoi becomes member of Unesco Learning Cities network PARIS: Hanoi is among 72 cities from 46 countries named members of Unesco’s Global Network of Learning Cities on Thursday, Vietnam News Agency reported. empowering people and unlocking opportunities for all,” said Unesco Education assistant director-general Stefania Giannini on Wednesday.

Thirteen countries are joining the Global Network of Learning Cities for the first time, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Chile, Cyprus, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Lithuania, Mongolia, Niger, Turkmenistan, the United States, Venezuela and Zambia. “Education transcends the classroom. It is a collective endeavour and cities play a key role in promoting learning for all. The new Unesco Learning Cities announced are redefining what it means to learn, turning every street, library, workplace, museum and home into a space for knowledge and innovation. “By making education a priority, from early childhood through adulthood, these cities are

With the latest expansion, the Global Network of Learning Cities, launched in 2013, has grown to 425 members from 91 countries, collectively supporting lifelong learning opportunities for nearly half a billion people. Unesco Learning Cities embed learning into daily life and create pathways for everyone, reskilling and upskilling workers to meet changing labour markets, offering literacy programmes for those who missed early schooling, equipping citizens of all ages to navigate and

The new members were selected for their strong commitment to ensuring people of all ages can exercise their right to education throughout life. Among the new members are 11 capital cities, namely Hanoi in Vietnam, Porto-Novo in Benin, Bissau in Guinea-Bissau, Lusaka in Zambia, Cairo in Egypt, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Lisbon in Portugal, Ankara in Turkiye, Ashgabat in Turkmenistan, Buenos Aires in Argentina and Caracas in Venezuela.