Aceh desperate for food, medicine<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Humanitarian problems in Aceh look set to increase, as the
\nIndonesian Red Cross (PMI) has said it is facing shortages of
\nmedicine and food for people in the war-torn province.<\/p>\n
PMI, the solitary non-governmental institution to be granted
\naccess to the battle zones, said it lacked medicine and blood
\nsupplies for refugees and people wounded in the violence.<\/p>\n
\"So far, we have only distributed humanitarian aid provided by
\nthe social affairs ministry,\" head of the Aceh chapter Sanusi
\nMaha told The Jakarta Post by phone from the provincial capital,
\nBanda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Sanusi said the organization had distributed aid to refugees
\ntaking shelter in Pidie, Bireuen and Aceh Besar, where most armed
\nconflict between Indonesian Military (TNI) troops and Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) rebels had occurred so far. PMI expected to
\ndistribute more food packages and medical aid to 6,000 refugees
\nin Pidie, he added.<\/p>\n
About 20,570 internally displaced people were in Aceh as of
\nTuesday, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs.<\/p>\n
More people have sought refuge at an Islamic boarding house in
\nPandrah, some 70 kilometers west of the North Aceh capital,
\nLhokseumawe, from their homes in Teungoh and Bantalan, Jeunieb
\ndistrict, also in the regency.<\/p>\n
\"We are afraid of stray bullets as there have been frequent
\nclashes involving GAM and TNI,\" said one of the 150 refugees, who
\nhad taken shelter in the school since Friday.<\/p>\n
A woman said on Tuesday that humanitarian relief had not
\nreached the refugees after staying for five days at the boarding
\nschool.<\/p>\n
\"We are running out of food. I don't know what we'll eat if we
\ndo not receive help,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Another group of families from Kayee village, Rantau Selamat
\ndistrict, East Aceh, and from Aceh Tamiang village, Rantau Pakan,
\nalso fled their homes to avoid gunfights between rebels and the
\nmilitary. They took shelter in mosques.<\/p>\n
PMI has so far deployed about 600 volunteers to all regencies
\nacross Aceh. Sanusi said the volunteers had to perform their
\nhumanitarian tasks in traditional ways due to lack of equipment.<\/p>\n
\"We have no gloves, masks or body bags, so we have had to
\ncarry bodies with our bare hands and put them in plastic bags,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The government has announced that it had allocated some Rp 400
\nbillion for humanitarian operations as part of \"the integrated
\noperation\" launched after martial law was imposed in Aceh on May
\n19.<\/p>\n
PMI secretary-general Iyang D. Sukandar confirmed the
\nshortages the organization has been experiencing, adding that it
\nonly had 10 ambulances available in the province. PMI expected to
\nsend five more ambulances to Aceh from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The government has banned international organizations,
\nincluding the UN, from delivering humanitarian assistance, citing
\nsecurity concerns and \"hidden motives\" that might turn the Aceh
\nproblem into an international issue.<\/p>\n
International organizations wishing to provide humanitarian
\nrelief have been asked to channel their aid to the government and
\nPMI.<\/p>\n
The government has said that it will distribute aid through
\nits offices in Aceh and via the PMI. The organization's
\nactivities include the evacuation of victims and delivery of
\nhumanitarian aid.<\/p>\n
Sukandar said PMI workers also operated in battle zones to
\nevacuate victims or the deceased. As of Monday afternoon, PMI had
\nevacuated 78 bodies and two wounded men.<\/p>\n
Despite a lack of medical devices and medicine, Sanusi said
\nthat PMI had not been threatened by anyone, including GAM rebels,
\nso far.<\/p>\n
\"Instead, we have received support from all parties in Aceh.
\nThey know that PMI is an independent organization; we have no
\npolitical agenda,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, this situation has inspired people to use the red
\ncross symbol without authorization for their own benefit.<\/p>\n
\"I have found that the logo has been misused, either by
\nindividuals or institutions,\" Sukandar said. \"We're afraid that
\nit (illegal use of the logo) could tarnish our reputation as an
\nindependent organization.\"<\/p>\n
The government's decision to ban international institutions
\nfrom carrying out a humanitarian mission in Aceh drew more
\ncriticism on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Director of the International Crisis Group (ICG) Sidney Jones
\nsaid the ban would adversely affect Aceh people, who were in dire
\nneed of aid.<\/p>\n
\"The government cannot deny that many Acehnese, especially
\nchildren and women, will suffer the most from the military
\noperation in Aceh,\" she said.<\/p>\n
\"It cannot ignore past experience, when humanitarian aid
\nchanneled through the government for refugees in conflict areas
\nwas misused.\"<\/p>\n
After nine days, the death toll of rebels killed in the
\nmilitary operation in the natural resource-rich province rose to
\n81 after government troops shot dead six rebels on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The government lost two Army soldiers and Mobile Brigade
\npolice officers on Tuesday, bringing the number of soldiers
\nkilled to four and police to two.<\/p>",
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"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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