Govt to screen foreign NGOs in Aceh

Tiarma Siboro and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Foreign aid organizations will have to pass government screening to be eligible to stay in Aceh during the post-emergency response period, a top official says.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab said on Monday that foreign organizations would have until April 27 to provide the government with details of their programs, including their locations, activities and goals.

"In principle, we welcome foreign aid as long as it supports the government's blueprint on Aceh's reconstruction and rehabilitation," Alwi said.

The government, he said, would only allow organizations which it deemed were capable of creating positive change in the province.

However, all foreigners whose visas remained valid could stay until their immigration documents expired, Alwi said.

Despite the disaster, the state of civil emergency in the conflict-prone area remains in force until May 19. After the disaster, the civil emergency administration in Aceh had overturned the ban against foreigners earlier imposed by the martial law administration that governed the strife-torn province throughout the previous year.

Currently, no less than 140 non-governmental organizations from 83 foreign countries are operating in Aceh following the tidal waves that swept over nearly one third of the province's territory and killed no less than 140,000 people on Dec. 26.

With just four days remaining before the emergency response period officially ends, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to sign a decree on the establishment of an executive board overseeing Aceh's reconstruction. The board is set to start working next month.

Minister of Public Works Djoko Kirmanto said on Monday the decree also mandates the establishment of a supervisory board, which will be tasked with monitoring of the use of funds, and a steering committee, which is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the blueprint.

Djoko, along with other ministers, will sit on the steering committee.

The President would also set up another supervisory board consisting of representatives from foreign donors, the minister said.

"The President will appoint the head of the executive board, whose position will be at the same level as a minister," Djoko said.

Djoko asserted that the establishment of the three new boards would not undermine the authority of Aceh administration.

In Aceh, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Fahmi Idris expected the reconstruction program in Aceh would involve as many local people as possible.

Fahmi said the government had cooperated with the International Labor Organization (ILO) to improve the skills of Aceh locals.

Data shows that about 520,000 people in Aceh lost their jobs after the catastrophe.