Aceh Gets 8,000 Shelters from Donors: Aceh, Sumatra

Housing the homeless after a tragedy is no mean feat and especially in cash strapped Indonesia. It has now been over a year since the tsunami hit Aceh and still thousands remain homeless.

The Aceh administration is erecting 8,000 shelters donated by countries to help house an estimated 45,000 families still living in tents after the 2004 tsunami according to an article in the JP by Nani Afrida. I for one could never imagine what it would feel like living in a refugee camp but no doubt it would be depressing not being able to carry on with your normal life in your own home.

After reading this article, I can imagine how difficult it is going to be to house all those people left homeless after the earthquake in Yogyakarta. The latest statistics put the figure around 250,000. The Indonesian government is slow to react to situations of this nature and it then puts the onus on the NGOs and foreign aid agencies.

Aceh gets 8000 shelters from donors to replace tents
Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Acting Aceh Governor Mustafa Abubakar said in Banda Aceh the assistance of these shelters meant the refugee housing problem would largely be settled by the end of the month.

"At the beginning of January this year up to 45,000 refugee families were still living in tents and emergency huts but four months later about 35,000 of them were moved into the shelters" Mustafa said.

The administrations May data showed the number of tsunami refugees living in tents had dropped to about 10,000 families or 25,000 people Mustafa said. Most of the refugees still tent-bound lived in the Aceh Jaya regency - a future focus for the house building efforts of the Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency he said.

Mustafa said a lack of timber and poor road networks had slowed the pace of rebuilding in the area.

Meanwhile many of the refugees said they were still waiting for non-governmental organizations to build them permanent homes.

Imran, 60, a refugee from Aceh Jaya said an Australian NGO once promised to build him a house in Ulee Kareng, Banda Aceh.

"Some houses there have already been built. Reportedly some of the refugees will be able to move there by the end of this month" he said.

However Imran said he was not putting too much hope into the offer materializing.

"I have had many offers but the fact is that I still live in tent" he said.