Community involvement essential in Aceh rebuilding
United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Hafiz Pasha visited Aceh from Feb. 25 to 26 to find ways for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to boost the reconstruction of the tsunami-devastated province. He shared his views about the program with The Jakarta Post's Abdul Khalik.
Question: After two months of emergency relief efforts, how do you see progress in Aceh?
Answer: Progress has been good. We have concentrated on giving them food supplies, and arranging for water, and shelter. However, there's still a lot of things to be done. We still have to continue to clean up rubble and starting some sort of program for people's livelihoods. UNDP has started such programs, including a cash-for-work program to employ people to clean up rubble.
Several problems have arisen during the two-month emergency relief program, like people's refusal to move to the shelters provided for them. What is your comment about this?
Clearly, in the relief phase we concentrated on helping and supporting them first. As we move towards the permanent shelters, we have to ensure that there's a link between shelters and livelihoods. When we move people to shelters the planning for the location should take care all of those consideration. The government is now preparing a master plan, and I think they will consider people's livelihood. UNDP has provided technical assistance for the master plan.
How do you see people's participation in the relief program?
Participation is a very important consideration for us because we are committed to a participatory process. The needs, hopes, and involvement of the communities hardest hit by the tsunami must be at heart of the work at hand. We want the people involved, to identify what they need, and they are the ones who should implement the program. We are told by the chairman of Bappeda (Provincial Development Planning Agency) that they are going to have a series of workshops. They are going to invite people representing each of the affected districts, and they have asked us to be involved in the process.
What are the programs that UNDP will implement in Aceh?
There are four areas that UNDP will implements programs for in Aceh. The first focusing on livelihoods, on the cash-for-work program, then we will help them rebuild the fishing industry, and provide them with microcredit. The second thing is clearing the rubble, and rehabilitating the infrastructure, like roads, clinics, and schools. The third is building permanent shelters. The fourth is local capacity building, in which we advise local government to strengthen the community, and really helping people to be able to participate in the process.
How much money does the UNDP plan to pour into the province?
For the first six months, which is now being executed, we have a total of US$72 million for the province.
How do see the transition from the emergency relief phase to reconstruction?
Well, it's a gradual transition. We don't have a kind of clear cut line. The program should move gradually from the emergency relief phase to a fully-fledged reconstruction program. A maximum of six months will be needed for the emergency phase, while I think the reconstruction phase needs three to five years. The government is preparing a five-year master plan.
What is the involvement of UNDP in the process of making of the master plan for Aceh?
We are already involved in the making of the plan. There are ten working groups for different sectors. We provide technical assistance for each of the groups. We will also help them consolidate the results.