The "Operation Lion Heart" Contingent enters its 6th day of deployment in Yogyakarta, Java. The 54-member strong contingent has been providing support to the local authorities in search and rescue (SAR) operations, medical care as well as assisting the UNDAC* (United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination) in co-ordination of relief efforts. The contingent comprises a 43-member rescue unit and an 11-member medical team which arrived on 28 May and 31 May 2006 respectively.

With the advice of the local TNI representative, the contingent"s focus at Bantul, Yogyakarta has shifted from SAR operations to providing medical and humanitarian aid. A rescue section of 4 rescuers and a medical team comprising a doctor and 6 paramedics have been deployed to the base hospital (Tenembahan Senopati Bantul 5th District Hospital). Another rescue section has been deployed to support the SAF field medical station. In addition, a team of 1 doctor and 6 paramedics is jointly working with the SAF mobile team to render medical assistance to the locals who have problem reaching medical facilities.

At the Operations Base, rescuers are on standby to attend to any request for assistance from the TNI. The contingent will continue to work closely with the local authorities to render assistance in the relief and rescue operations at Bantul, one of the worst-hit regions in the South of Yogyakarta.

Meanwhile 3 SCDF personnel including SCDF"s UNDAC representative MAJ Alan Toh are attached to the UNDAC team in Yogyakarta. They are assisting to manage the UN Reception Center at the Yogyakarta airport to facilitate the coordination of incoming humanitarian relief items. The 2-member Asia-Pacific Humanitarian Partnership (APHP) team is also helping to maintain the communications infrastructure after having set it up earlier at the UN Reception Centre at Yogyakarta Airport. An stable communications infrastructure will help enhance UNDAC"s liason and co-ordination with its network of local and international counterparts.

* The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team is a stand-by team of disaster management professionals based in different countries which upon request of a disaster-stricken country, would be deployed to carry out rapid assessment of priority needs and to support national Authorities and the United Nations to coordinate international relief on-site. During disasters such as earthquakes, the UNDAC team has to be mobilized rapidly in order to effectively coordinate the search and rescue (SAR) teams together with the national authorities of the affected country.