IOM aids transition to recovery
IOM aids transition to recovery
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is an independent, intergovernmental organization comprising 109 member governments. While the organization is based in Geneva, it is not a branch of the United Nations as has been frequently misreported, including by The Jakarta Post.
The IOM currently has about 200 missions around the world and works in support of host governments to meet the needs of irregular migrants and internally displaced people (IDPs), particularly in conflict, post-conflict and post-disaster areas.
In Indonesia, the IOM has been active since the 1980s, and established its Jakarta headquarters in 2000 -- which has grown by 800 percent as of 2004 in terms of active projects. In Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, the organization was present in virtually every district 1.5 years before the tsunami disaster of Dec. 26.
During the pre-tsunami military operation in the province, the IOM worked with the government in assessing how the separatist conflict had affected communities and provided humanitarian assistance to alleviate impacts of the conflict. At that time, "the IOM was the only international organization with a sustained, comprehensive presence in Aceh", said IOM head of Indonesia Mission Stephen Cook, and as such, had a distinct advantage in responding to immediate emergency needs after the tsunami, including the provision of food, water and medical care.
Part of IOM's post-tsunami relief efforts in Aceh, the Transitional Shelter Project aims to build 11,000 mobile shelter units on sites located in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Works. Providing shelter is an initial step to meet immediate needs as determined by the IDP families themselves, and the shelter project is a holistic effort that includes livelihood training, monitoring and other development components designed for each unique settlement community.
In collaboration with partner relief organizations and international and Indonesian non-governmental organizations (NGOs), other projects on the ground for the current transitional period between the phasing out of emergency relief and the gradual implementation of long-term recovery and rehabilitation efforts include: building satellite health clinics at government- provided "barracks" for IDPs, preventive efforts to empower women and heighten visibility of children against possible trafficking, market revitalization and livelihood training/development.
Along with its livelihood development project, the shelter project is funded by 14 major donors, with the Japanese and German governments being the largest donors of the effort to provide semi-permanent housing to IDPs.
Recipient families are prioritized according to criteria that identify the most vulnerable groups, such as families with a single head of household and more than three children, families headed by single women and families that have lost all means of livelihood. All shelter settlements are also supported by the livelihood development project.
The IOM is working with the government to locate and procure land -- ideally public land to avoid land rights issues that might arise during the agreed two years' inhabitation of the shelter settlements.
"We have been encouraging communities to redesign or to remap their land to provide land to the shelter project, particularly as these housing units are provided free of charge (to IDPs)," said Aceh Besar regency head Zainin Aziz at the April 26 handover ceremony in Tingkeum.
Aceh representative Mohyan also underlined the provincial government's commitment to providing land, adding: "We were especially pleased to learn that these are environmentally friendly houses, which is in line with a moratorium to make (Aceh) a green province."
The IOM recruits local contractors -- builders, electricians and plumbers -- and eight construction crews comprising about 700 local contractors and 125 IOM construction specialists are at work on six active sites in Banda Aceh, including satellite health clinics and fabrication yards to produce specially designed building materials.
The organization estimates it will reach a production volume of 300 units per week by mid-May, at which rate it will realize its full 11,000-unit commitment in the province by mid-October.
The Aceh Besar government estimates at least 20,000 units are needed to house 94,000 IDPs in the district, of which 7,000 are under development by various relief organizations and NGOs; the national government estimates 500,000 people in the province have lost their homes.
-- The Jakarta Post