Accelerating the Optimisation of Temporary Shelters for Sumatra Disaster Refugees Still Living in Tents

Jakarta – The Minister of Home Affairs (MHA), who also chairs the Task Force for the Acceleration of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (PRR) post-disaster for Sumatra, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, has urged the intensified use of temporary shelters (huntara) for refugees still living in tents. Tito explained that refugee management can be optimised by maximising the huntara already available, including relocating refugees from tents to other sites that still have capacity in huntaras.

‘Those in tents can be moved to other locations where the huntara capacity is in surplus. That’s the tactic I see,’ he said as he chaired a Ministerial-level Coordinating Meeting on accelerating the handling of refugees post-disaster in Sumatra, held in hybrid format from the central office of the Ministry of Home Affairs in Jakarta on Thursday, 5 March 2026.

Nevertheless, Tito stressed that the government’s primary priority at present is refugees still living in tents. Meanwhile refugees occupying other facilities such as government buildings or meunasah (a traditional Acehnese communal building) can be addressed in a subsequent phase.

‘If those in tents are the people’s hope, from regional heads, the tents are the priority,’ he added.

He further noted that several regions still require additional huntara construction due to the large number of refugees. One area of concern is Aceh Tamiang, which is believed to still need additional huntara to accommodate refugees. ‘Tamiang has a fairly large number; and the huntara is indeed lacking,’ he added.

In addition, Tito requested clearer mapping of huntara construction from various funding sources. This is important so that the government has accurate data on the number of huntara that have been built and those still targeted for construction. He said the data is needed for the government’s report to the President on the progress of post-disaster handling and recovery in Sumatra. This aligns with Presidential Decree No. 1 of 2026 on the Task Force for Acceleration of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction after Natural Disasters in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra Provinces.

‘So that we also know how much is built by BNPB, how much by Danantara, and how much by the Ministry of Public Works (PU). Later, when we report to the President, because every two months, according to the Decree, we report to the President,’ he concluded.