Aid agencies to be asked to leave Aceh

Indonesia will ask aid agencies to leave Aceh if they don’t see concrete steps being taken to boost housing.

With the global appeal to generate money for Aceh, you would think they could build Las Vegas up there. Still there are tens of thousands of people still living in tents. As one aid worker told me ‘there is a lot of Hollywood construction, but nothing substantial’.

We all knew it was going to be a mess, with 60 aid agencies, the locals, the Indonesian red tape and the corrupt Customs guys holding containers of ai,d a year and a half later. I know a guy in Aceh who is making over $500 a day! There are plenty of other people like him. It must be hard being in the middle for sure, if you are an aid worker trying to make a difference. Let’s hope all parties can pull together to help the people.