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