Call rises for Aceh relief fund monitoring body

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."