| Home > South-East Asia >> Aceh | |
Military control hampers relief work in Aceh
Forum-Asia Statement - January 6, 2005
A regional human rights group has accused the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) of hampering the distribution of aid to tsunami survivors in Aceh province.
The Bangkok-based Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development made the accusation in the following press release:
Following the earthquake and tidal waves which hit a large portion of Asia last week, a tremendous amount of aid relief has been sent by the Indonesian public, government agencies, and international relief organizations to Banda Aceh and Jakarta airports.
Media reports and witness accounts from the ground indicate that survivors are again facing imminent threats to their lives, this time due to relief operations which are being seriously hampered by military control in Aceh.
This means that the outpouring of aid has been unable to reach the more than 200,000 affected inhabitants of Banda Aceh, as well as other areas in the North Sumatra province.
FORUM-ASIA expresses its grave concern regarding the information received from our members and partners currently working inside Aceh that:
i) Local NGOs have not been given permission to participate in the distribution of aid to survivors and the families of victims.
ii) The humanitarian aid is being stocked piled in Banda Aceh and Medan airports and is not being distributed effectively.
iii) Desperate survivors are lining up outside distribution centres managed by the military, and are denied aid if they are unable to produce proper identity cards. In some cases, those who fail to present their identity cards/ i.d. papers are harassed, and even beaten up. It is assumed that such incidents are more prevalent in remote areas.
iv) Food is being sold at black market prices outside some distribution centres. FORUM-ASIA could at this moment, verify that at Banda Aceh airport for instance, instant noodles are being sold for 500 Rupiah per pack.
v) Survivors are now facing deadly threats of disease, starvation, and psychological trauma. Many of the displaced are women and children who are subsequently more vulnerable to lung infection, malaria and diarrhoeal diseases. The only hospital still functioning is operated by the military, although Medecines san Frantiers (MSF) has been allowed to set up clinics in Aceh.
FORUM-ASIA has also received information from an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Lhokseumawe that the camp still has no doctor. There is a dire need for more medical personnel and supplies.
At the same time, the Indonesian military is still diverting its resources and energy from full support of the relief operations by continuing their sweeping raid against the GAM (Free Aceh Movement) separatist fighters, and refusing the cease fire offer from the latter made on December 26, 2004. Reports of cross-fire have been verified in North and East Aceh. Such offences by the Indonesian Military in the immediate aftermath of this catastrophe is both atrocious and inhumane.
Food and aid control, as well as continued military offensives by the Indonesian troops is leading to delays in the distribution of clean water, medicine, clothes, shelter, and medical personnel, and has caused a mounting death toll among survivors of the Tsunami disaster.
The destruction in Aceh has been massive, and much of its infrastructure has been destroyed. The government administration offices and personnel are also facing great losses, and cannot afford to ignore the assistance offered by other voluntary groups and individuals.
FORUM-ASIA urges the Indonesian government to:
i) Immediately clarify the detailed procedures for the disbursement of aid on the ground, and create a code of conduct for military personnel supporting the relief work, in order to enable civil society volunteers to assist in this humanitarian crisis, as well as ensure the continued flow of emergency relief to victims in all the affected areas without bias and discrimination, especially with regards to the most vulnerable and impoverished groups.
ii) Investigate some of the allegation reports regarding the manipulation of humanitarian aid distribution and policies.
iii) To allow for an accurate assessment of damage, and an estimate of the level of assistance needed in affected areas and make such disaggregated information available.
FORUM-ASIA implores all parties in the conflict; in order for humanitarian aid and relief to reach all the affected populations of the badly damaged province of Aceh and North Sumatra;
i) to immediately agree on and implement a cease-fire, and
ii) particularly to urge the Indonesian government to immediately lift the civil emergency and assign the military troops to only play a humanitarian role at this time in Aceh.
See also:
 |