Relief post criticized over cash donations in N. Sumatra
Relief post criticized over cash donations in N. Sumatra
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan
Acehnese refugees currently in camps in Medan, North Sumatra,
have begun to complain about the lack of aid for them, despite
all the donations that have been pouring in from around the
world.
Shinta, who is at the Aceh Sepakat refugee camp, did not have
the courage to speak up when the officials from the emergency
relief center prevented a donor from giving money directly to the
refugees.
"There was a man who came here to give out money to us
directly last Saturday.
"He told me to write the names of people in need of money, but
just as I started writing, an officer from the relief post
arrived and told the man he could only give his money to the
government relief center," Shinta told The Jakarta Post on
Sunday.
Shinta, who hails form Banda Aceh -- one of the worst-hit
areas -- added that since she arrived at the camp, there had
never been any money given to them by relief center officials.
As a result, she explained, several donors had managed to
bypass the officials and secretly donated some money to the
refugees.
"One religious leader gave me Rp 10,000 (US$1.1) and my
daughter received Rp 5,000 from another person, but we've never
received any money from the relief post officials," Shinta said
Shinta added that she and the other refugees were well aware
that the relief center received cash donations from a lot of
donors, but the money has never been distributed to any refugees.
"Why would they (government relief officials) take the money
that is expressly intended for the refugees? It is not their
money," lamented Shinta, who lost five members of her family in
the tsunami disaster, which prompted regular citizens from all
over the world to donate huge sums of money, as well as many
governments that have pledged billions of dollars worth of aid
for tsunami survivors.
Another refugee from Banda Aceh, Jupriadi, complained that he
could not return to his hometown to see his parents because he
was not given any money by the refugee camp officer.
The 20-year-old decided to return to Banda Aceh after he heard
that his parents were still alive. He was separated from them
during the catastrophic turmoil on Dec. 26.
"I heard that both of my parents were safe in Banda Aceh.
That's why I must go there, but the officers here won't even give
me money for the bus fare," he said.
Jupriadi added that he shared a similar experience with
Shinta, as he witnessed many donors who had come to the camps to
give money, but the money never reached them.
He said that he received Rp 20,000 from one kind person
earlier, but that money was put straight in his hands, without
the knowledge of the relief officials.
Another story was told by Ali Umar of Meulaboh. The 41-year-
old has not received any money from donors or relief officials.
"I don't even have enough money to buy a cigarette.
Thankfully, someone gave me some cigarettes," he said, while
displaying his last three cigarettes.
Responding to the complaints, the Aceh Sepakat relief center
treasurer, T. Hasballah, dismissed allegations that his
colleagues were holding back the donated money meant for the
refugees.
Hasballah proceeded to explain that he had not received very
much money from donors, and so the money could not be given out
to the refugees. He admitted that the center had received around
Rp 6 million, but that was all used for other purposes.
"We used the money to pay the salaries of the workers here,
including night watchmen and cleaners as well as the cost of bus
fares for our volunteers," Hasballah told The Post.
According to Hasballah, the number of refugees living in the
Sepukat camp was starting to decline from a high of 310 people,
it had dropped to 70.
"They have left to search for their relatives in other areas.
Some went to Pematang Siantar in North Sumatra and South Aceh and
also Kuala Simpang in Aceh," he said.