Blueprint for a more livable Aceh
Blueprint for a more livable Aceh
Tony Hotland and Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh
Spelling out the rebuilding strategies for tsunami-stricken Aceh
and Nias in North Sumatra, the government's draft blueprint for
tsunami reconstruction aims at creating a far better place to
live for residents.
The much-vaunted draft embraces crucial issues in
reconstructing the profoundly affected areas, both physically and
psychologically.
The success of reconstruction efforts in Aceh has been seen as
crucial for the government to win back the hearts of the Acehnese
after decades of rights abuses in the military campaign against
separatist rebels, and the massive corruption that has seen most
of the oil and gas revenue from Aceh flowing out of the province.
The draft was officially presented to the Acehnese through
their community leaders by the government on Saturday, exactly
three months after the tsunami.
In Indonesia, more than 200,000 people died and went missing,
while about half a million lost their homes in the tsunami,
mostly in Aceh.
The government wants community leaders in Aceh to familiarize
the public with the draft and gather input and suggestions before
it revises the blueprint for a final time.
According to the blueprint, rehabilitation work to get public
services in Aceh back up and running is to begin in April -- as
the humanitarian relief operation ends -- and last until December
2006. The reconstruction period will then begin, lasting to
December 2009.
In the draft blueprint, the government says all of the
projects will be public-oriented, holistic, coordinated,
accountable and accompanied by effective monitoring and
evaluation safeguards.
The government introduces four main development policies in
the draft. They are the development and reestablishment of
society, the economy, infrastructure and housing, and regional
administrations.
While the latter three policies focus mostly on physical
reconstruction, repairing society will require mending problems
in the fields of religion, culture, health, education, science
and technology, security, and law and order.
The draft also seeks to redraw affected regions in a bid to
help residents return to their lives as quickly as possible.
As part of this effort, the government hopes to build
residential areas that are more able to survive natural
disasters, protect the land ownership rights of residents and
help residents earn a living.
The draft also stipulates maximum participation from the
public in the reconstruction efforts, including the establishment
of development boards in specified areas.
In terms of financing, the government said the reconstruction
would cost Rp 41.1 trillion (US$4.4 billion) over the next five
years, with the money coming from the state budget and
international aid.
Acehnese legal expert Rufriadi said on Monday the draft would
need a great deal of revision because most of the plans dealt
with physical, rather than social, reconstruction.
"And what is important is to allow the Acehnese to participate
because they are the ones who know what they want and need," he
said.
Tony Hotland and Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh
Spelling out the rebuilding strategies for tsunami-stricken Aceh
and Nias in North Sumatra, the government's draft blueprint for
tsunami reconstruction aims at creating a far better place to
live for residents.
The much-vaunted draft embraces crucial issues in
reconstructing the profoundly affected areas, both physically and
psychologically.
The success of reconstruction efforts in Aceh has been seen as
crucial for the government to win back the hearts of the Acehnese
after decades of rights abuses in the military campaign against
separatist rebels, and the massive corruption that has seen most
of the oil and gas revenue from Aceh flowing out of the province.
The draft was officially presented to the Acehnese through
their community leaders by the government on Saturday, exactly
three months after the tsunami.
In Indonesia, more than 200,000 people died and went missing,
while about half a million lost their homes in the tsunami,
mostly in Aceh.
The government wants community leaders in Aceh to familiarize
the public with the draft and gather input and suggestions before
it revises the blueprint for a final time.
According to the blueprint, rehabilitation work to get public
services in Aceh back up and running is to begin in April -- as
the humanitarian relief operation ends -- and last until December
2006. The reconstruction period will then begin, lasting to
December 2009.
In the draft blueprint, the government says all of the
projects will be public-oriented, holistic, coordinated,
accountable and accompanied by effective monitoring and
evaluation safeguards.
The government introduces four main development policies in
the draft. They are the development and reestablishment of
society, the economy, infrastructure and housing, and regional
administrations.
While the latter three policies focus mostly on physical
reconstruction, repairing society will require mending problems
in the fields of religion, culture, health, education, science
and technology, security, and law and order.
The draft also seeks to redraw affected regions in a bid to
help residents return to their lives as quickly as possible.
As part of this effort, the government hopes to build
residential areas that are more able to survive natural
disasters, protect the land ownership rights of residents and
help residents earn a living.
The draft also stipulates maximum participation from the
public in the reconstruction efforts, including the establishment
of development boards in specified areas.
In terms of financing, the government said the reconstruction
would cost Rp 41.1 trillion (US$4.4 billion) over the next five
years, with the money coming from the state budget and
international aid.
Acehnese legal expert Rufriadi said on Monday the draft would
need a great deal of revision because most of the plans dealt
with physical, rather than social, reconstruction.
"And what is important is to allow the Acehnese to participate
because they are the ones who know what they want and need," he
said.