Community involvement essential in Aceh rebuilding<\/p>\n
United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and director of the
\nUNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Hafiz Pasha
\nvisited Aceh from Feb. 25 to 26 to find ways for the United
\nNations Development Program (UNDP) to boost the reconstruction of
\nthe tsunami-devastated province. He shared his views about the
\nprogram with The Jakarta Post's Abdul Khalik.<\/p>\n
Question: After two months of emergency relief efforts, how do
\nyou see progress in Aceh?<\/p>\n
Answer: Progress has been good. We have concentrated on giving
\nthem food supplies, and arranging for water, and shelter.
\nHowever, there's still a lot of things to be done. We still have
\nto continue to clean up rubble and starting some sort of program
\nfor people's livelihoods. UNDP has started such programs,
\nincluding a cash-for-work program to employ people to clean up
\nrubble.<\/p>\n
Several problems have arisen during the two-month emergency
\nrelief program, like people's refusal to move to the shelters
\nprovided for them. What is your comment about this?<\/p>\n
Clearly, in the relief phase we concentrated on helping and
\nsupporting them first. As we move towards the permanent shelters,
\nwe have to ensure that there's a link between shelters and
\nlivelihoods. When we move people to shelters the planning for the
\nlocation should take care all of those consideration. The
\ngovernment is now preparing a master plan, and I think they will
\nconsider people's livelihood. UNDP has provided technical
\nassistance for the master plan.<\/p>\n
How do you see people's participation in the relief program?<\/p>\n
Participation is a very important consideration for us because
\nwe are committed to a participatory process. The needs, hopes,
\nand involvement of the communities hardest hit by the tsunami
\nmust be at heart of the work at hand. We want the people
\ninvolved, to identify what they need, and they are the ones who
\nshould implement the program. We are told by the chairman of
\nBappeda (Provincial Development Planning Agency) that they are
\ngoing to have a series of workshops. They are going to invite
\npeople representing each of the affected districts, and they have
\nasked us to be involved in the process.<\/p>\n
What are the programs that UNDP will implement in Aceh?<\/p>\n
There are four areas that UNDP will implements programs for in
\nAceh. The first focusing on livelihoods, on the cash-for-work
\nprogram, then we will help them rebuild the fishing industry, and
\nprovide them with microcredit. The second thing is clearing the
\nrubble, and rehabilitating the infrastructure, like roads,
\nclinics, and schools. The third is building permanent shelters.
\nThe fourth is local capacity building, in which we advise local
\ngovernment to strengthen the community, and really helping people
\nto be able to participate in the process.<\/p>\n
How much money does the UNDP plan to pour into the province?<\/p>\n
For the first six months, which is now being executed, we have
\na total of US$72 million for the province.<\/p>\n
How do see the transition from the emergency relief phase to
\nreconstruction?<\/p>\n
Well, it's a gradual transition. We don't have a kind of clear
\ncut line. The program should move gradually from the emergency
\nrelief phase to a fully-fledged reconstruction program. A maximum
\nof six months will be needed for the emergency phase, while I
\nthink the reconstruction phase needs three to five years. The
\ngovernment is preparing a five-year master plan.<\/p>\n
What is the involvement of UNDP in the process of making of
\nthe master plan for Aceh?<\/p>\n
We are already involved in the making of the plan. There are
\nten working groups for different sectors. We provide technical
\nassistance for each of the groups. We will also help them
\nconsolidate the results.<\/p>",
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