Acehnese pin hopes on newly established body
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Hundreds of thousands of tsunami survivors in Aceh have pinned their hopes on a new rehabilitation and reconstruction body to help them rebuild their lives.
"We do not want to deal with anymore problems after the body is operational. We only expect solutions to our problems, based on facts, not based on the misperceptions of village heads," a resident of Banda Aceh told Antara.
These views were shared by other survivors, some of whom have been living in tents for more than four months.
Since the devastating earthquake and tsunami on Dec. 26, the survivors have had to overcome numerous hardships. One of the most common problems is the poor distribution of basic goods, which often fail to reach those in need.
Some victims have not received food aid or monetary assistance from the government because of administrative problems and complicated bureaucratic procedures.
Village heads have the authority to determine those who are eligible for aid. However, they often exclude people who were displaced by the disaster and are now living with relatives.
Over 500,000 people in Aceh were displaced by the tsunami. The central government said it would provide each displaced person with Rp 90,000 (US$9.50) in monetary assistance each month, which adds up to some Rp 46 billion every month.
The central government only disbursed Rp 30 billion for displaced persons last month, according to the Aceh Social Agency, meaning many people failed to receive the promised assistance.
Survivors, many of whom lost not only family members but all of their belongings as well, expect the reconstruction body to rebuild ruined villages and cities according to their aspirations and needs.
Some of the survivors said they did not want the body to force them to leave their land and move to other villages.
"The body must heed our desires. If it is willing to listen to people, it will help the reconstruction and rehabilitation program," said Arjuna, a public figure in Lampaseh Aceh village.
He said people were looking to the body to help them rebuild their villages and their lives.
The body officially started work following the inauguration of its members -- along with a supervisory board and an advisory board -- by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Saturday.
The agency will coordinate the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Aceh and Nias island, which was devastated by a major earthquake on March 29, including disbursing some Rp 46.1 trillion ($4.8 billion) in reconstruction funds according to the needs of survivors.
"We are not only tasked with reconstructing the areas, but also with helping the people start new lives," Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, the head of the body, said.
Kuntoro is expected to move on Tuesday to the Aceh capital of Banda Aceh, which will be the headquarters for the body. He has promised to listen to the demands and wishes of survivors during the reconstruction and rehabilitation process, which will last at least five years.
Meanwhile, the World Bank welcomed the establishment of the body, saying it could coordinate the disbursement of reconstruction funds "in a clear scheme".
The World Bank's Andrew Steer said the appointment of the leadership of the body reflected the involvement of figures from the government, professional and civil society.
The World Bank has organized the $500 million Multi-Donor Trust Fund for the reconstruction of Aceh and Nias.