Acehnese told to lead reconstruction

Acehnese told to lead reconstruction

Agencies, Lampu'uk, Aceh

The Acehnese people, along with other Indonesians, should lead
the reconstruction of tsunami-battered Aceh province with only
assistance from the international community, a US envoy said here
on Sunday.

"The reconstruction of Aceh can only be done by the people of
Aceh and Indonesia. It is their country," head of the U.S.
Presidential Delegation to Indonesia for Tsunami Commemoration
Andrew Natsios told journalists after meeting local villagers in
this devastated coastal village.

Natsios, who is also administrator of the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID), said the international
community, including the United States, could only "help and
support the reconstruction."

He said communities should be mobilized to conduct
reconstruction with the help of outside groups and donors.

While meeting villagers, Natsios asked one local elder,
Muhamad Dahlan, the most important thing he needed for his
community.

"What is most important is that this mosque is renovated. This
is a historic mosque and the only structure to survive. One of
the reasons for us to return here is that the mosque is still
standing," Dahlan said.

Lampu'uk, some 12 kilometers southwest of Banda Aceh, was
leveled by the tsunami triggered by the massive earthquake that
struck on Dec. 26. The squat mosque was the only structure left
standing.

Dahlan said tractors were also desperately needed to enable
farming communities to work their land again.

Natsios said he was visiting the communities to "help them to
get their work done, to support them and to provide capacity
building".

Although many have criticized the reconstruction process in
Aceh as too slow, it was better to rebuild carefully and in full
consultation with local people, he said.

"If you do it correctly, it takes longer because you have to
consult the community, you have to do the planning correctly, you
have to think and make sure that there is no corruption in the
projects," he said.

Natsios arrived in Aceh on Saturday for a two-day visit to
lead a U.S. presidential delegation to commemorate the Indian
Ocean tsunami.

On Sunday morning, Natsios toured Lampu'uk, dedicating a new
USAID-funded water facility and laying a wreath at mass grave for
tsunami victims in nearby Lhoknga.

He later witnessed the signing of a memorandum of
understanding with state-run Syiah Kuala University in Banda Aceh
for the U.S. to provide US$14 million to help improve the quality
of education and teacher-training in Aceh.

"The American people continue to be fully committed to helping
the citizens of Indonesia and other affected nations to rebuild,"
he said, while praising the Acehnese people for their "commitment
to persevere through difficult times."

Natsios then opened a special "One Year After" exhibition of
photos and videos illustrating Tsunami relief efforts in Banda
Aceh, along with Acting Aceh Governor Azwar Abubakar.