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Aceh residents signal distress amid slow government response
Residents of Indonesia's Aceh province have hoisted white flags across flood-ravaged areas to protest the central government's refusal to accept foreign aid, nearly a month after a deadly cyclone triggered catastrophic flooding.
Catastrophic toll and unmet needs
The November cyclone left over 1,000 dead and displaced hundreds of thousands across Sumatra, with Aceh bearing nearly half the fatalities. Survivors report acute shortages of clean water, food, electricity, and medical supplies. Entire villages remain cut off due to damaged roads and infrastructure, while outbreaks of disease and hunger spread.
"How much longer must we wash ourselves in mud and floodwater?" shouted Nurmi Ali, a protester in Banda Aceh, the provincial capital.
Government defends response, rejects foreign assistance
President Prabowo Subianto has dismissed calls to declare a national disaster, insisting Indonesia can manage the crisis alone. "Indonesia is capable of overcoming this disaster," he told his cabinet last week, despite mounting criticism of a sluggish and disorganized relief effort.
The administration has allocated 60 trillion rupiah ($3.6 billion) for reconstruction but has blocked foreign aid shipments, including 30 tonnes of rice and 300 relief packages from the UAE. Officials cited "guidance" from Jakarta as the reason for the rejection.
"Does the central government not know [what we're experiencing]? I don't understand."
Ismail A Jalil, Governor of North Aceh, breaking down in tears during a public address
White flags symbolize desperation, not surrender
Protesters in Banda Aceh last Thursday waved white flags-traditionally a symbol of surrender-as a plea for global solidarity. "The flags do not mean we are giving in," said demonstrator Husnul Khawatinnissa. "They are a distress signal to show the world how dire conditions are in Aceh."
A three-year-old girl at the rally held a sign reading, "I want to grow up in a safe and sustainable world." The flags now flutter from rooftops, riverbanks, and mosques across the province.
Echoes of the 2004 tsunami
For many Acehnese, the floods evoke painful memories of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, which killed 230,000 people across 14 countries. Aceh, already scarred by decades of civil war, was among the hardest hit. Survivors say recovery from the tsunami-backed by billions in international aid-was faster and more effective than the current response.
"Everyone took action after the tsunami, and the community recovered quickly. What we're suffering now is worse."
Rindu Majalina, flood survivor and mother of three
Majalina, who lost her home in the floods, described villagers "fighting like zombies" for scarce supplies. "Everything has stopped-markets, schools, offices. My children don't know if they'll ever return to school."
Political fallout and environmental concerns
Analysts say Prabowo's refusal to accept foreign aid stems from a desire to avoid scrutiny and project strength. "Opening the door to foreign assistance means inviting foreign scrutiny, which they do not want," said Vidhyandika Djati Perkasa of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. "[Prabowo] doesn't want to be seen as a failure."
Critics also accuse the government of prioritizing "symbolic sovereignty" over crisis management, as noted by Vedi Hadiz, an Asian studies professor at the University of Melbourne. Environmental groups link the floods to deforestation from palm oil expansion, a policy Prabowo has championed.
Despite the backlash, Prabowo's approval ratings remain at 78%, though his presidency has been marred by other controversies, including mass food poisonings in his flagship school meals program and nationwide protests over unemployment and rising living costs.
