Tito Aims to Empty Sumatra Disaster Refugee Tents Before Eid

Chairman of the Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (PRR) in the Post-Disaster Sumatra, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, has set a target to relocate refugees still living in tents. Refugees will be moved to temporary housing (huntara) or through the Housing Waiting Funds (DTH) scheme. The effort aims to secure more decent housing solutions for the displaced before Eid al-Fitr.

“I deliberately connect with the issue of displacement. Especially those who are still in tents, because we hope that before Eid there will be no one remaining in tents,” Tito said in a written statement on Thursday (5 March 2026).

Tito made the remark while chairing a Minister-level Coordination Meeting on Accelerating the Handling of Post-Disaster Refugees in Sumatra, held in a hybrid format from the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) HQ, Jakarta, on Thursday (5 March).

Tito emphasised that the presence of refugees still living in tents into the third month after the disaster is a serious government concern. According to BNPB data, the number of refugees in the three affected provinces continues to decline. In West Sumatra Province, there are no more refugees in tents. In Aceh, refugees in tents remain spread across several districts including Aceh Utara, Aceh Tamiang, Aceh Timur, Aceh Tengah, Bireuen, Nagan Raya, and Gayo Lues. In North Sumatra Province, refugees remain in South Tapanuli and Central Tapanuli.

“The bottom line is that we still see people in tents, and we need to resolve this. We need to find a solution so that they are not in tents anymore,” Tito said.

Tito highlighted the importance of accelerating the construction of huntara and the distribution of DTH so that communities can promptly occupy more decent housing. He stated that coordination between ministries/agencies (K/L) and regional governments (pemda) is the key to speeding up housing resolution for disaster-affected communities.

It is known that the coordinated meeting was attended virtually by several stakeholders, including Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo, BNPB Head Suharyanto, Danantara Daya Anagata Nusantara Managing Director of Stakeholder Management and Communications, Rohan Hafas, and Director-General of Social Protection and Security at the Ministry of Social Affairs (Dirjen Perlinsos Kemensos), Agus Zainal Arifin.