17/12/2025

WEDNESDAY | DEC 17, 2025

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Sumatra villagers reeling from devastation ask for global help

Thailand works to repatriate 6,000 citizens BANGKOK: Thailand is working out how to repatriate up to 6,000 citizens unable to return home through a major border crossing in Cambodia closed as fighting along the contested border extended into a second week, authorities said yesterday. The militaries of the Southeast Asian neighbours are clashing at several locations on their 817km land border, both have said, with no signs of abatement, despite international efforts to negotiate a ceasefire. Cambodia’s closure of its checkpoint in the city of Poipet has prevented the return of thousands of Thai workers gathered there amid fighting that has displaced more than half a million people and killed nearly 40 on both sides since last Monday. Hun Sen, Cambodia’s influential former leader, has said the closure aimed to protect civilians from what he called indiscriminate firing by Thai forces in the area. But checkpoints were open in areas free of fighting and air travel was unrestricted, he said. In Bangkok on Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said Thais in Poipet could seek help to arrange air travel home from the consulate in the city of Siem Reap, the gateway to the Angkor Wat temple complex. It urged others still in Cambodia to contact officials if they needed to leave. – Reuters Pheu Thai names three PM candidates BANGKOK: The Pheu Thai Party yesterday named three candidates for the prime minister’s post ahead of general election scheduled for February. The party named party chief and former deputy finance minister Julapun Amornvivat, former transport minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, and Yodchanan Wongsawat, a nephew of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, as its nominees. The announcement was made during the party’s event titled “Reboot Thailand: Pheu Thai Can Deliver”, held here yesterday. Pheu Thai leader Julapun said that the party is carrying out an overhaul as part of its mission to address the public’s core economic issues and restore public confidence. He said his appointment as party leader on Oct 31 reflected public expectations for Pheu Thai to regain strength and once again become a source of hope for the country. “Over the past month, the party has demonstrated tangible changes, including more proactive engagement with the public, stronger parliamentary work, the establishment of a strategic committee representing all age groups and regions, and policy development that incorporates views from academics and the public,” he said. – Bernama

spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement. Guo said on Monday that the US had no right to interfere in these maritime matters and China urges it to stop distorting facts and inciting confrontation. Sabina Shoal, which China refers to as Xianbin Reef and the Philippines as the Escoda Shoal, lies in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone 150km west of Palawan province. China claims almost the entire South China Sea. The areas Beijing claims cut into the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. An international arbitral tribunal ruled in 2016 that Beijing’s sweeping claims had no basis under international law, a decision China rejects. – Reuters resources for relief efforts. Organisers said that a national disaster declaration, which the government has so far resisted, was needed given the widespread damage. One placard carried by protesters called a formal declaration “non negotiable”. President Prabowo Subianto insisted on Monday that Jakarta had sufficient capacity to respond, arguing that only a part of the vast archipelago was affected. “We have mobilised (resources). This is three provinces out of 38 provinces. So the situation is under control,” Prabowo told a Cabinet meeting. The president announced plans to establish a task force to oversee rehabilitation and reconstruction, while confirming he had declined offers of foreign assistance. Surya Firdaus, founder of food assistance NGO Beulangong Raja Aceh Foundation called on Jakarta “to lower its ego and accept foreign aid”. “Now is no longer about showing off who can help the people, but how can we work together with other countries to help people affected by the floods,” he said. The provincial government in Aceh said it had already turned to several UN agencies for help. Unicef Indonesia said it had received the request and was identifying priority needs to bolster government-led efforts, according to a statement on Monday. Sara Ferrer Olivella, resident representative of the UN Development Programme in Indonesia, said her agency was assessing early recovery support for authorities and affected communities in line with its mandate. Nurlela said the future was uncertain. “We are wondering where we’ll go after this if there’s no government assistance,” she said. “Even if we get housing assistance from the government, we have no land anymore.” – AFP

disaster and permit international assistance into affected areas. Before the waters came, dozens of families in Nurlela’s village relied on oil palm plantations and livestock farming for a living. But now the landscape has changed: wooden logs and mud have buried the village, and homes and oil palm plantations are gone, an AFP reporter saw. Villager Cahyo Aulia, 31, said his house was flattened by wooden logs. “People don’t even recognise the boundaries of their homes,” the plantation labourer said. In the provincial capital Banda Aceh, student groups and civil society organisations gathered outside the local parliament yesterday, demanding swifter action and greater mobilisation of national

Another 205 remain missing. Nurlela said she had fled with her two children as the water lapped around her house in Pengidam village, where she used to run a kiosk selling goods like cooking oil and sugar. When she came back, there was nothing left. “I saw my house destroyed, swept away by the water. My belongings were scattered everywhere,” she said. “I cried when I saw it. Oh God, it was so difficult for me to build this house. Where will I go after this?” she asked. Despite the efforts by the Indonesian government, frustration is mounting over sluggish relief efforts which has fuelled demands on Jakarta to declare a national

PENGIDAM: Nurlela Agusfitri has nowhere to turn after losing her home and business to devastating floods that wreaked havoc on Sumatra, killing more than 1,000 people. Nearly three weeks since the massive deluge ravaged the island, 40-year-old Nurlela picked her way barefoot through uprooted trees and debris, as victims and civil society groups clamoured for international aid. The latest government figures issued yesterday put the death toll at 1,030 people. o Situation under control, says Prabowo

Activists demanding humanitarian relief in Banda Aceh yesterday. – AFPPIC

Philippines to file diplomatic protest with China MANILA: The Philippines said on Monday it will protest the Chinese coast guard’s “harassment and endangerment” of Filipino fishermen in a South China Sea shoal last week. Three Filipino fishermen were injured and two fishing vessels damaged when Chinese coast guard ships blasted water cannon and cut their anchor lines near Sabina Shoal on Friday, Manila’s coast guard said over the weekend. such aggressive acts,” the Philippines’ maritime council said in a statement. Presidential press officer Claire Castro told reporters that the Philippines will file a demarche to the Chinese embassy, citing information from the foreign minister. China said the Philippines had deployed a large number of ships on Friday to “create trouble”, adding the vessels ignored repeated dissuasion and warnings to stubbornly remain in the lagoon. On Friday, China’s coast guard said it had driven away Philippine vessels and taken “control measures”. The Philippines said that the Chinese statement was “deeply troubling”. “We call on the CCG, in particular, to act responsibly, adhere to international standards of conduct, and place the preservation of life at sea above actions that sow fear and endanger civilians,” the council said. Treaty ally the United States has also condemned China’s use of water cannons and the cutting of anchor lines of Filipino fishermen.

The Philippines said it was alarmed by the actions of China’s coast guard, saying the use of water cannons and dangerous manoeuvres that cause injury and damage “cannot be justified”. “The Philippines will undertake the appropriate diplomatic response and register its strong objection to these actions and demand that China cease

The Philippine vessels took dangerous actions such as malicious course changes and their personnel “even brandished knives to threaten Chinese coast guard officers” who were carrying out law-enforcement duties, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters during a regular press conference on Monday.

“We stand with our Philippine allies as they confront China’s provocative actions and increasingly dangerous tactics against its neighbours, which undermine regional stability,” US State Department principal deputy