Govt blasted for hampering relief efforts<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Aid organizations working for humanitarian relief programs in
\ntsunami-hit Aceh complained on Wednesday that instead of
\nproviding them with assistance, the government had hampered
\neffective efforts to mitigate the effects of the calamity.<\/p>\n
Two Jakarta-based relief organizations, the Humanitarian
\nEmergency Commission and the Aceh Working Group (AWG), said that
\ndespite the scale of the devastation the tsunamis inflicted on
\nAceh, it was business as usual for the government as aid workers
\nhad to deal with bureaucratic red tape in their efforts.<\/p>\n
National coordinator of the Humanitarian Emergency Commission
\nFaisal Basri said aid workers had to go through complicated
\nprocedures imposed by the central and local governments before
\nembarking on a full-fledged humanitarian mission.<\/p>\n
He said that one of the biggest hurdles for the relief program
\nwas encountered at the Office of the Vice President, which also
\nserves as the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.<\/p>\n
Faisal said that as a result his mission failed to dispatch
\nsix helicopters to tsunami-hit regions. \"We've asked the vice
\npresidential office to provide barrels to store fuel for our
\nhelicopters. But the office failed to meet such a simple demand.
\nOur request may have got stuck somewhere,\" he said, adding that
\nthe helicopters were now sitting idle at Halim Perdanakusuma air
\nbase.<\/p>\n
Faisal said that due to the complicated bureaucratic
\nprocedures, his humanitarian mission was now counting on personal
\nconnections with government officials.<\/p>\n
\"The only reason our mission still prevails is due to close
\ncooperation with an Indonesian Military (TNI) general who helped
\nus bypass all procedures. Such is the way things work,\" Faisal
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He also suggested that the government install a single
\nofficial to oversee all relief operations in Aceh, especially one
\nexperienced in dealing with logistical problems.<\/p>\n
\"The destruction in Aceh is similar to that of the Iraq war,
\nso we need someone who is capable of handling massive problems,
\nnot just a minister who happens to oversee social affairs,\" he
\nsaid, referring to the role of the Coordinating Minister for
\nPeople's Welfare Alwi Shihab.<\/p>\n
Along with Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, Alwi in
\nhis capacity as Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare has
\nbeen appointed by Vice President Jusuf Kalla to coordinate all
\nrelief programs in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Earlier, an official with the Medical Emergency Rescue
\nCommittee (Mer-C) said that the bulk of aid groups in Aceh were
\nworking on their own without coordination or guidance from the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Contacted separately, Ori Rahman of the Aceh Working Group
\nsaid the disaster mitigation agency which was superimposed on the
\nexisting bureaucratic structures complicated the already
\nextensive bureaucratic system.<\/p>\n
\"Why not give all the authority to the President, so that with
\nhis clout he can mobilize all resources more effectively,\" he
\ntold the Post.<\/p>\n
Side-bar story!!!!!!!!!!!!!<\/p>\n
;JP;TSO;
\nANPAa..r..
\nAceh-aid-abuse<\/p>\n
JP\/4\/ACEH<\/p>\n
NGO accuses officials of abusing aid for Aceh<\/p>\n
Forum-Asia, an Asian-based human rights watchdog, expressed
\nconcern on Wednesday over the alleged abuse of aid for tsunami
\nvictims in Aceh as some officials were selling the food aid to
\nsurvivors.<\/p>\n
The NGO received reports from its members and partners who
\nwere working inside Aceh that officials at Banda Aceh's Sultan
\nIskandar Muda Airport sold instant noodles for Rp 500 (US$0.05)
\nper pack.<\/p>\n
The NGO also recorded that desperate survivors at some
\ndistribution centers managed by the military were denied aid if
\nthey were unable to produce proper identity cards.<\/p>\n
\"In some cases, those who fail to present their identity cards
\nare harassed and even beaten up. It is assumed that such
\nincidents are more prevalent in remote areas,\" the NGO said in
\nits report revealed at a press conference.<\/p>\n
To prevent further abuses in the field, the NGO appealed to
\nthe Indonesian government to immediately outline detailed
\nprocedures for the disbursement of aid on the ground.<\/p>\n
It also demanded the military authority create a code of
\nconduct for military personnel supporting relief work, in order
\nto enable civil society volunteers to assist the survivors. -- JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-blasted-for-hampering-relief-efforts-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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