VZCZCXRO6400
RR RUEHBC RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDT RUEHGI RUEHHM RUEHJS
RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV
DE RUEHJA #1515 2210952
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080952Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9749
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5278
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2881
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1185
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1154
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2087
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 3902
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2340
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 2868
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 1023
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS JAKARTA 001515
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS
NSC FOR E. PHU
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KISL ID
SUBJECT: MARRIOTT BOMBING VICTIMS COMMEMORATE TRAGIC DAY
REF: (03) JAKARTA 9011
1. (U) SURVIVORS HOST COMMEMORATION: Survivors of the
August 5, 2003 Marriott Hotel bombing in Jakarta
commemorated the five-year anniversary on Tuesday, with a
prayer led by a Muslim cleric at 12:45 p.m., the moment of
the bombing. The attack killed 12 and injured approximately
150, mostly Indonesians. The event was hosted by the 8/5
Foundation, a group of survivors and their families, along
with the Marriott Hotel.
2. (U) QUICK U.S. RESPONSE APPRECIATED: Imam Prasojo, chair
of the Nurani Foundation, which assisted victims after the
bombing, praised the U.S. Mission for its prompt response.
He said the Ambassador called him right after the bombing and
asked how assistance could be directed so that it would
alleviate suffering immediately. Working through the Nurani
Foundation, the Mission contributed a half million dollars in
USAID funds for victim cash support, medical supplies,
medical treatment, and follow-up care, USD400,000 of which
was dispersed within 10 days of the bombing so that victims
would get immediate relief.
3. (U) MARRIOTT MANAGER STOOD STRONG: Prasojo also cited
the work of then Marriott Manager John Jaskula, an American
who Prasojo said treated Marriott staff as family and made
sure everyone was attended to during that traumatic time,
never flinching during recovery efforts.
4. (U) VICTIMS NOT FORGOTTEN: Several of the Marriott bomb
victims who continue to suffer from the burns and other
disabilities spoke at the ceremony about how the bombing
changed their lives. Slide shows of the victims before and
after the bombing punctuated the human devastation of the
bombing. 8/5 Foundation continues to raise funds for
victims, and donors made contributions at the ceremony.
5. (U) TERRORIST VICTIMS UNITED: Foundations to assist the
October 12, 2002 Bali bombing continue to work with 8/5 and
other terrorist victim organizations. Geoffrey Thwaites, an
Australian whose son was among the young rubgy team players
who lost their lives at the Bali bombing, attended the
Marriott commemoration. Thwaites founded the Zero to One
Foundation (ZTOF) to assist the victims and their families.
This foundation has since assisted victims of other attacks
as well as tsunami victims in Aceh and Nias.
HUME