Elections, Bali and Aceh projects boost U.S. aid to Indonesia<\/p>\n
Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Preparing for next year's elections, recovering Bali from the
\nterrorist attacks, and building peace in the war-torn province of
\nAceh have made the case for a US$10 million increase in funds to
\nIndonesia from the United States Agency for International
\nDevelopment (USAID) this year.<\/p>\n
Outgoing USAID director in Jakarta, Desaix Terry Myers, said
\non Friday that the agency's 2003 budget for Indonesia had grown
\nto $130 million from $120 million last year.<\/p>\n
\"For this year, our main priority is support for the election,
\nsupport for Aceh, and the recovery of Bali,\" said Myers, who has
\nworked in Indonesia for almost 10 years.<\/p>\n
USAID's budget for Indonesia had increased by more than twice
\nthe amount in 1998, which he said was $53 million.<\/p>\n
Depending on its need, the agency has prepared another $10
\nmillion in food aid assistance, making a total budget of $140
\nmillion.<\/p>\n
This year's increase of $10 million was approved by Washington
\nin support of USAID's new priorities this year, Myers explained.<\/p>\n
USAID assistance to Indonesia has been steadily rising since
\n1998, the year after the financial crisis in Indonesia broke out.<\/p>\n
\"They (Washington) have been remarkably supportive, if you
\nthink that in 1999 we were suppose to have a budget of $33
\nmillion. Instead, we had a budget of $70 million, and now we have
\na budget of $130 million,\" said Myers.<\/p>\n
\"I think a number of people watch Indonesia closely, and are
\nimpressed by the ambition of the reform you are trying to
\nundertake,\" he said, adding, however, that frustration over the
\nslow pace of reforms persist.<\/p>\n
Indonesia amended its 1945 Constitution last year to pave the
\nway for the country's first ever direct presidential election in
\n2004.<\/p>\n
Myers said that USAID had set aside $18 million for this year
\nto help prepare for the election.<\/p>\n
\"The KPU (General Elections Commission) is faced with a huge
\nadministrative challenge, so we would like be able to help the
\nKPU,\" he said, referring to the semi-independent commission which
\nis in charge of organizing the elections.<\/p>\n
Drawing upon its experience in assisting Indonesia in its 1999
\nlandmark election, USAID means to help train the election
\nmonitors.<\/p>\n
\"We have new election laws, and you are talking about
\nincreasing from 100,000 polling places to 300,000, so (consider)
\nthe amount of training that people will have to do,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On Bali, the focus is on helping it recover from the Oct. 12
\nterrorist bombings that shattered the resort island's image as a
\nsafe tourist haven in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Recovery has been made difficult, as several countries like
\nAustralia and the U.S. have maintained travel advisories against
\ncoming here.<\/p>\n
The U.S. plans for a war on Iraq further dims prospects for a
\nspeedy recovery, with one industry expert predicting Indonesia to
\nlose about 200,000 tourists and around $200 million in revenue
\nthis year.<\/p>\n
\"We have developed a program in Bali that is about $1 million
\nin value for local groups and universities to identify their
\nneeds and to try and help people cope with Bali,\" Myers said.<\/p>\n
USAID has also raised assistance to help build peace in Aceh.<\/p>\n
The province has seen almost three decades of war waged by the
\nlocal rebel group, the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) against the
\ngovernment. More than 10,000 died during the war. Now, hopes for
\na return to lasting peace run high, following the signing of the
\npeace accord last December.<\/p>\n
USAID, Myers said, had developed a more active program,
\nincluding helping widows' associations with selling machines,
\nproviding fishing nets to fishermen cooperatives and working with
\nthe Red Cross on blood donations.<\/p>",
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