Call rises for Aceh relief fund monitoring body
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Observers are demanding that the government set up an independent body to manage humanitarian relief funds for Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatra, citing a potential for abuse of the badly needed funds.
During a discussion on Aceh reconstruction, observers said on Thursday that the body should comprise representatives from select institutions and possess authority of a ministerial level.
Economist Faisal Basri said the independent body should be tasked with maintaining records of monetary donations and their disbursement, as well as ensure that the funds reach the target recipients.
"Naturally, the body must be transparent and held accountable for the distribution of funds it manages through accountability reports. This is important, considering the possibility of corruption and abuse of these generous funds," said Faisal, who is also a member of the Emergency Commission on Humanity, a non- governmental organization that focuses on human rights and governance.
Numerous institutes and organizations, as well as corporations, have been collecting relief funds for Aceh and North Sumatra since the two provinces were leveled on Dec. 26 by tidal waves caused by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake.
More than 94,000 people have been killed and at least 500,000 others left homeless, with the death toll expected to rise even further.
While donations from individuals and corporations have poured in without cease, their distribution is not coordinated nor conducted in a transparent manner, raising concerns that the well-intended funds could fall into the wrong hands.
Regarding reconstruction efforts, Faisal believed that, aside from the physical aspect, the government should also take into consideration the social and cultural dimensions of the affected communities.
Hasballah M. Saad of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) concurred, saying the physical reconstruction of Aceh should not erase the Acehnese customs and culture that existed before the disaster.
"For example, you can't simply build a new city and thousands of houses, then put Acehnese fishermen, workers and farmers all in one area. These people lead different lifestyles and follow different customs, and sudden change could trigger (social) disputes," he said.
Hasballah added that if the government relocated people from where they had lived before the disaster, it should be conscientious about providing them with access to their source of livelihood.
"If you move fishermen, you must ensure they have access to the sea ... if you move farmers, you can't move them too far away from the rice fields," he said.
Urban development expert Marco Kusumawijaya said the government had several physical reconstruction options: "One is to build layered barriers that protect houses from waves, such as planting mangrove and coconut forests. Another ... is to designate a safe area on higher ground for refugees in case of future disasters. This area should be regularly monitored and stocked with supplies."