Nias reconstruction work criticized<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan<\/p>\n
The Nias regency administration lashed out at the Aceh-Nias
\nReconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency on Tuesday for the lack
\nof progress in rebuilding the earthquake and tsunami-ravaged
\nisland.<\/p>\n
The administration said only 30 out of the 8,000 new houses
\nplanned for tsunami and quake survivors on the island had been
\ncompleted.<\/p>\n
Nias' deputy regent, Agus Mendrova, said on Tuesday the agency
\nhad done little for the survivors of last year's Dec. 26 tsunami
\nand the magnitude 8.9 earthquake in March this year, which left
\nthousands of people dead and homeless.<\/p>\n
He said this lack of progress was what prompted President
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono to cancel a planned visit to the island
\nto commemorate the one-year anniversary of the tsunami.<\/p>\n
\"Can you imagine, it has been a year since the tsunami struck
\nbut only 30 houses have been built. Isn't that a joke? Of course
\nthe President's staff canceled his planned visit to inspect (the
\nhouses),\" Agus told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He blamed the agency for failing to communicate and coordinate
\nwith various offices and bodies, including the regency
\nadministration, resulting in the lack of progress in the
\nreconstruction.<\/p>\n
\"As of today, there are thousands of survivors still living in
\ntents for displaced persons. They need houses to live in since
\ntheir houses were destroyed in the tsunami and earthquake,\" Agus
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
According to the latest data from the Medan-based non-
\ngovernmental organization Policy Study and Advocacy Institute,
\nthere are about 20,000 tsunami and earthquake survivors still
\nliving in tents and military-style barracks in Nias and South
\nNias regencies.<\/p>\n
The institute's executive director, Efendi Panjaitan, said the
\nsurvivors were growing restless at the lack of progress in
\nrebuilding their homes, and there have even been reports of the
\nsurvivors stealing relief aid from NGOs.<\/p>\n
He said such actions were mainly the result of less and less
\nfood aid being delivered to the island by relief organizations.<\/p>\n
\"Reducing the amount of relief aid was not intended to neglect
\nthe survivors but to make them independent, no longer reliant on
\nrelief aid,\" Efendi told the Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Reports of relief aid being stolen, along with a lack of
\ntransportation on the island, has left many volunteers reluctant
\nto go to Nias, he added.<\/p>\n
The Aceh-Nias Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency's head
\nfor Nias, William Syahbandar, could not be reached for comment on
\nTuesday. He has previously blamed transportation problems for the
\nslow pace of reconstruction on Nias.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nias-reconstruction-work-criticized-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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