Tsunami: One Year Later » Indonesia

Indonesia

Relief in Indonesia

  • The United Nations Information Management Service (UNMIS)
    Formerly known as the Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) in Sumatra, the UNMIS in Sumatra works to provide the government of Indonesia with the information that needs to make decisions about how it should proceed with recovery efforts in Aceh and Nias. The UNMIS in Sumatra also collects information that specialists in the recovery community can use and is in the process of developing a data infrastructure that will become a resource for the people of Sumatra in the future. It should not be confused with the United Nations Mission in Sudan, which is known by the same acronym.
  • The Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR)
    The BRR was established on April 16, 2005 by a mandate from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, It aims to reconstruct, restore and strengthen devastated communities in the Aceh and Nias provinces by designing and implementing community-driven development programs. The BRR does not directly manage projects; it is instead a coordinating agency that monitors for full transparency and accountability of relief work.
    Since its establishment, the BRR has had its fair share of political controversies. On May 26, 2005, the BRR, in its commitment to transparency, released a comprehensive list of approved reconstruction projects in Aceh and Nias. The total number was 172, with estimated total funding of $586 million, however problems with the lack of coordination still exist. According to a September BRR report, only 128 of 438 registered NGOs provide activities reports.
  • The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD Centre)
    The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue is an independent international organization that works to mediate and facilitate the resolution of armed conflicts around the world. The HD Centre’s website provides background information about previous attempts at peace in Aceh and the organization’s own involvement in the peace process. The HD Centre continues to maintain contact with the leaders of both the Government of the Republic of Indonesia (GoI) and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Getting the News

  • Van Zorge Report
    Van Zorge, Heffernan & Associates bills itself as Indonesia’s leading political risk consultancy. The firm, based in Jakarta, advises foreign investors who have interests in Indonesia. Of particular use to journalists and researchers is its a bi-weekly newsletter called the Van Zorge Report that provides analysis of political and economic issues in Indonesia.
  • Indonesian Tsunami Relief Portal
    This is a portal maintained by volunteers that provides English-language news and monitors relief. It also maintains a chronological record of BRR events. Though the site is very useful, some of the information provided on the website is now out of date.
  • Paras Indonesia: Where Democratic Minds Meet
    News about social, political and economic developments in Indonesia. The website assumes that its readers are familiar with current events in Indonesia. Formerly known as Laksamana.net, Paras Indonesia is now heavy on commentary and analysis and features content in both English and Indonesian.