ICRC adjusts its role to disaster needs in Aceh

ICRC adjusts its role to disaster needs in Aceh

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is one of
a few international organizations which has had a long presence
in Aceh. The Jakarta Post's Riyadi Suparno talked to the head of
ICRC's sub-delegation for Aceh Amela Husagic and communications
coordinator Martin Unternaehrer concerning ICRC's operation in
Aceh before and after the tsunami.

Question: What does your operation look like following the
tsunamis?

Husagic: ICRC tries its best to adjust its activities to the
needs of the victims. We are currently giving both food and non-
food assistance. There are about 30,000 beneficiaries of the food
(program), and 52,000 benefiting from non-food assistance like
tents, family kits, hygiene kits, baby kits, etc.

Like other organizations, we are currently working mostly here
in Banda Aceh, but we are assessing the needs along the east
coast. Within the Red Cross movement, there was an agreement
reached in Jakarta that PMI will be working along the west coast,
and PMI along with the ICRC on the east coast.

ICRC does not have volunteers, but all of our activities are
implemented through PMI and they do bring volunteers from all
over Indonesia, and we provide them with materials that are
needed.

How is your work different now with relief operations as
compared to previous activities in armed conflict areas as Aceh
was previously?

Protection activities are really essential to ICRC's existence
especially in a region that is considered to have disturbances.
Yes, protection is and will remain our main activity. At the
moment, like everybody else, we are trying to respond to the
existing needs that are overwhelming to any organization. That's
why we contribute to this as much as we can but it doesn't mean
that we forget our main role.

Reportedly skirmishes continue to occur. Have you received any
requests for protection since the tsunami?

At the moment, we have not received any requests for
protection. We have not been informed or approached.

Do you keep in contact with separatist rebels (GAM)?

Unternaehrer: No we do not have contacts with GAM in
Indonesia. But at that time (during the efforts to release Ferry
Santoro), yes, we had an authorized contact, with Ishak Daud who
is now believed to have been killed. But otherwise, the
government of Indonesia does not want us to have direct contacts
with GAM.

What kind of medical assistance are you providing to victims
of the tsunami?

Husagic: In the coming days, we will open a 100-bed referral
hospital. It will be a temporary one, in the sense that it will
not be in a permanent building. It will be under the tents, but
it will have all the components that are needed, starting from X-
ray machines, laboratory equipment, and treatment for any urgent
surgery. That will also include wards for those with any
infectious diseases.

It will be located in Long Raya stadium, the largest stadium
in Banda Aceh.

Initially this hospital will run for three months, as agreed
with the government. At this stage, we will be ready to provide
medical staff, and then, there will be Indonesian medical staff
working with us as well as PMI volunteers. So, gradually, we hope
that this hospital will be really integrated into the Indonesian
system, and at the same time, if there is a need further on to
continue this hospital to be run by us for more than three
months, we are more than ready and flexible.

What about the funding of this project?

Husagic: This project will be mostly funded by the Norwegian
Red Cross. But the ICRC budget will also be involved. This
project will cost around US$2 million to $4 million, and that
includes flying the field hospital down here from Norway as well
as more than 30 people, including medical doctors, to run the
hospital.

I noticed that you have an 'I'm alive' program. How does it
work and how do you see this program working so far?

Husagic: At the moment, we have three or four specialists in
that specific ICRC activity. They came here, together with PMI,
and established a forum which allows people just to come here and
in fact say a really, really basic thing: "I'm alive". We collect
this kind of information here in Banda Aceh, and we have started
to collect it in Lhokseumawe, and gradually, we will take all the
PMI networks, and this information will be made available to all
internally displaced people (IDPs).

Unternaehrer: Yesterday, we reached an agreement with state
broadcasting station TVRI where they will scroll down our list so
people can see it. When the people see the names of their
relatives there, they can contact PMI. We are also working with a
number of local radio stations, including Radio Suara Aceh.

Husagic: We've been able to link a number of families. For
example, a few days ago, a family found their child through this
forum. Also, one lady found her sister through this forum.

How do you foresee your future roles in Aceh?

Husagic: We will continue to adjust our programs to the needs
that arise. We will continue to be flexible. And most of all, I
really hope that the ICRC will be able to maintain its presence
here.