BANDA ACEH — Acehnese community leader Nasruddin Nyak Dhien Gajah expressed his appreciation for the government’s steps in preparing for rehabilitation and reconstruction (rehab-rekon) after the disasters that struck Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. He believes the establishment of a dedicated rehabilitation and reconstruction agency is urgently needed given the significant impact of the disaster, which spans regions and sectors.
Nasruddin stated that the complexity of post-disaster issues cannot be addressed with a separate, sectoral approach. He believes an integrated, focused, and long-term institution is needed for effective and sustainable recovery. “We, along with civil society elements in Aceh, hope for a dedicated agency to handle rehabilitation and reconstruction in an integrated manner, so that social, economic, and infrastructure recovery can proceed more quickly and effectively,” he said.
He added that accelerating recovery also requires strong support from local governments down to the village level. In this context, Nasruddin believes that Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian’s directive to regional heads to optimize the role of village heads (keuchik) is highly relevant. “Fast and accurate data collection is the main foundation for aid distribution. The village head (Keuchik) understands the conditions of his people best,” he said.
Previously, Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian emphasized the importance of fast data collection regarding post-disaster housing damage. According to him, this data will be the government’s primary reference in determining aid schemes. “Regarding housing issues, Sir, the key is data speed. So, there are three categories of light damage: light damage, moderate damage, and heavy damage,” Tito said.
Similarly, Irmawan, a member of Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), emphasized that post-disaster management and recovery must be a priority for all parties. He assessed that many fundamental problems remain facing victims, ranging from housing and basic necessities to damaged infrastructure. “Therefore, all parties must maintain focus on handling so that the rehabilitation phase runs smoothly,” he said.
On that occasion, Irmawan also appealed to the public not to be influenced by provocations that could disrupt security and order. Nasruddin emphasized a similar stance by encouraging the Acehnese people to reject all forms of movements that have the potential to divide, including the Free Aceh Movement. “What Aceh needs now is unity to recover from the disaster, not old narratives that actually hinder recovery,” he stressed.
He hopes that all elements of society will unite to support the rehabilitation and reconstruction agenda for a safer, more peaceful, and more prosperous future for Aceh. (*)