Tsunami appeal

NUJ President Jeremy Dear is appealing to members to back journalists affected by the tsunami in Indonesia.

Over New Year he received calls from many NUJ members anxious to find out information about the fate of journalists. The news is grim.

In the Aceh province of Indonesia alone most of the 80 staff of Serambi Indonesia, the only daily newspaper are dead or missing after the tsunami tore through its offices.

Since its founding in the 1990s, the paper has been one of the only sources of information from the war-ravaged Aceh Province. Its journalists have routinely faced violent attacks, threats and intimidation from both sides of the conflict in the region.

The Alliance of Independent Journalists reports that almost two-thirds of its members in Banda Aceh have been killed or are missing. Throughout Northern Sumatra around 200 journalists are missing.

The General Secretary of the AJI, Nezar Patria, lost 20 members of his family in the disaster.

The NUJ, along with other international journalists' organisations has already pledged funds and support for the AJI and will be working closely with the International Federation of Journalists who have set up a special disaster fund (see www.ifj.org ).

Members have already responded magnificently to this tragedy but assistance is still badly needed.

Donations should be made payable to IFJ Safety Fund and sent to Jeremy Dear, General Secretary, NUJ, Headland House, 308 Grays Inn Road, London, WC1X 8DP. Of pay by credit card by calling the NUJ on 020 7278 7916.