Govt says emergency over, begins Aceh reconstruction<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono and Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
With the emergency relief stage in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam
\nofficially declared to have ended, the government will now
\ncommence with rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the
\ntsunami-stricken province, which includes the establishment of
\nrelocation barracks for refugees.<\/p>\n
"We will continue providing any emergency relief efforts that
\nare still needed, but we can say that the (emergency relief)
\nstage is now behind us," Coordinating Minister for People's
\nWelfare, Alwi Shihab, told reporters on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He said the government will continue emergency relief efforts
\nby providing 20 medium-sized boats capable of carrying 50 to 75
\ntones of goods and supplies to areas in the province still
\nisolated by the Dec. 26 catastrophe.<\/p>\n
"The boats will sail from Banda Aceh along the province's
\nwestern coast to the city of Meulaboh," he said. "They are
\nprovided to replace foreign helicopters that had previously been
\nused to reach the areas."<\/p>\n
Alwi said the government has also requested foreign countries
\nto replace all military personnel in their medical staff and air
\ncrew with civilians.<\/p>\n
But Alwi denied the request would be an implementation of a
\ndeadline for foreign military to leave the country, saying that
\nit would just be in accordance with the government's timeline for
\nthe reconstruction process in Aceh.<\/p>\n
"We still welcome any foreign military who would like to help
\nus out, and express our fullest gratitude to them," he said.
\n"However, the government would like to see that we can stand on
\nour own feet and resolve all the matters in Aceh by ourselves."<\/p>\n
On the relocation process, Alwi said a number of relocation
\nbarracks would be built throughout affected areas in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
The barracks -- built for displaced persons to temporarily
\nstay before being resettled into rebuilt areas -- will be
\nprovided with better sanitation and water facilities.<\/p>\n
"We will build 374 relocation barracks, or half of the total,
\nby Feb. 15," he said. "We expect to complete the rest by the end
\nof this month."<\/p>\n
Banta Gading, a displaced person at the TVRI complex in Mata
\nIe, Banda Aceh where some 4,406 people are sheltering, said he
\ndid not want to move into the barracks and wanted to return to
\nhis own house.<\/p>\n
"I want to get back to my own house soon, but it's badly
\ndamaged and impossible to live in. It would be better if the
\ngovernment just assisted us with building materials like cement,
\nbricks and wood so we can rebuild our houses," the 52-year-old
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Another displaced person, 42-year-old Hasbullah, warmly
\ngreeted the plan to build the barracks since many refugees no
\nlonger have places to live.<\/p>\n
"Until now, no one has asked us about the barracks. If the
\nbarracks are ready, we'll move in because we have nothing left.
\nIf there's a place to live in, then it will be better," he said.<\/p>\n
Responding to the possibility that some displaced persons
\nwould refuse to move in to the barracks, Alwi assured them the
\ngovernment would try its best to fulfill their needs and wishes,
\nas long as they are in line with the prepared reconstruction
\nblueprint.<\/p>\n
"Refugees, for instance, will not be allowed to relocate and
\nthen resettle in areas within 300 to 400 meters of the shoreline
\nto ensure their own safety from similar disasters in the future."<\/p>\n
Alwi added the government would start registering all
\ndisplaced persons and cataloging their skills in order to help
\nfind them temporary jobs during the reconstruction period.<\/p>\n
"We are planning to provide women with sewing machines and
\nfishermen with appropriate equipment, so the refugees can start
\nrebuilding their lives immediately," he said. More stories on
\nPages 2,5,6,19<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-says-emergency-over-begins-aceh-reconstruction-1447893297",
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