TNI intensifies deployment in Aceh
Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh
The Indonesian Military (TNI) is continuing to reinforce its capacity in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, deploying additional personnel and transportation to accelerate relief efforts.
Spokesman for TNI disaster mitigation operation Col. Ahmad Yani said on Thursday that with the deployment of more aircraft, six planes and three helicopters were now in the province. In addition, the U.S. is deploying 12 helicopters to the province, while Singapore and Malaysia are sending one each.
"All helicopters are always on stand-by at Sultan Iskandar Muda airport in Banda Aceh, while the planes make trips to and from Jakarta, Medan and Aceh," Ahmad told The Jakarta Post.
He added the planes were used to transport aid from Jakarta and Medan to Aceh, and the helicopters distributed the aid to remote areas with limited access to land transportation.
"The TNI has deployed 600 more troops in addition to the 25,000 already there for the security operation," he said.
As for foreign teams on the ground, 23 U.S. personnel -- including 12 military personnel -- 93 Malaysian personnel, 21 Singaporean personnel and 14 South African search and rescue personnel are currently in Aceh, according to Ahmad.
To ensure a coordinated operation, Ahmad said all relief personnel -- Indonesian and foreign -- attended an 8 a.m. briefing on the day's activities, as well as possible obstacles they might face.
The morning briefing, he added, was also intended to prevent a clash or overlap of tasks between national and foreign personnel.
TNI teams are specifically responsible for emergency tasks, such as recovering bodies, relocating refugees, erecting field hospitals and distributing supplies to refugee camps.
Ahmad claimed one obstacle the TNI relief teams were up against was the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), whose members often disguised themselves as refugees to enter camps.
"Two days ago, we captured two people in Meulaboh who we suspect are GAM members. They invaded the shelters and forced the refugees to hand over their rations," he said.