I can't fault a thing that Duncan Graham has said. I would like to add one more thing. The Earthquake Early Warning Bouys. There were dozens of early warning bouys across the earthquake line at the time of the first Tsunami. All had been raided for their solar panels by "honest muslim Indoneasian fishermen." After the first tusunami they replaced all the solar panels. Within three weeks of the panels being replaced these panels had once again been raided. By honest muslim Indoneasian fishermen.

The question was asked after the recent tusanmi, "Why didn't the bouys give an early warning?"
Answer: They wern't working because the solar panels were stolen by these poor honest muslim Indoneasian fishermen.

Corupion by Government is partly to blame but most of the blame for the loss of life lies with the people of the area. Stiff bickkies. The reality is that they made their bed, let 'em lie in it. I, therefore, have no sympathy for any of them.

After the last disaster up there, we sent one of our amphibious ships, packed with lots of aid stuff, & their choppers to help.

Our blokes were told by the local officials, “we don’t want you, your ship, or your stuff, you should all go home, & just send money”.

I think Jayb has it pretty well right. They don’t give a damn about their own, why should we

Summartra is not Australia. The Mentawai people don't have a government as we know it. They don't have the roads, electricity , telephones that we take for granted. It's Gilligan's island but for real. How do you contact a population with no means of communication other than verbal?
They have lived there for 1000's of years and every time a disaster hits they get wiped out - villages destroyed, ground water ruined etc. The 2007 earthquake was far worse for them then last years Padang earthquake but as no white people were involved it did not rate a mention in the western press.
This time it was only the fact that a few Australians were involved that it got any press. Surfaid (an Australian based agency) is the only form of assistance these people get. Visit www.surfaidinterntional.org to get a feel for it.