Anger Mounts as Residents Raise Flags of Distress Due to Inadequate Flood Assistance

Over recent weeks, desperate and upset residents in Indonesia's westernmost province have been displaying flags of surrender due to the official sluggish aid efforts to a succession of deadly floods.

Caused by a rare cyclone in last November, the deluge resulted in the death of over 1,000 individuals and forced out a vast number across the region of Sumatra island. In Aceh, the hardest-hit province which represented nearly 50% of the fatalities, numerous people yet lack easy access to potable water, food, electricity and medicine.

A Leader's Visible Breakdown

In a indication of just how frustrating handling the disaster has proven to be, the head of North Aceh wept publicly in early December.

"Does the authorities in Jakarta ignore [our suffering]? It's incomprehensible," a weeping Ismail A Jalil said on camera.

But President the nation's leader has declined international aid, asserting the situation is "being handled." "The nation is able of overcoming this calamity," he informed his ministers recently. He has also to date ignored appeals to classify it a national disaster, which would free up disaster relief money and streamline aid distribution.

Increasing Criticism of the Leadership

The current government has grown more criticised as unprepared, chaotic and disconnected – terms that experts contend have come to characterise his tenure, which he secured in last February on the back of people-focused commitments.

Even this year, his flagship multi-billion dollar school nutrition programme has been plagued by scandal over widespread foodborne illnesses. In recent months, a great number of people protested over joblessness and increasing costs of living, in what were some of the largest demonstrations the nation has seen in a generation.

Presently, his government's response to the recent deluge has become another challenge for the leader, despite the fact that his popularity have held steady at about 78%.

Urgent Pleas for Help

Last Thursday, scores of activists rallied in Banda Aceh, Banda Aceh, displaying white flags and insisting that the central government opens the door to foreign help.

Standing within the crowd was a young child clutching a sheet of paper, which said: "I am only a toddler, I hope to grow up in a secure and healthy place."

Although normally viewed as a sign for capitulation, the white flags that have popped up across the province – upon damaged rooftops, next to washed-away riverbanks and outside places of worship – are a signal for international solidarity, those involved contend.

"The flags do not signify we are giving in. They are a SOS to grab the focus of friends internationally, to let them know the situation in Aceh currently are very bad," stated one participant.

Whole communities have been wiped out, while widespread destruction to infrastructure and infrastructure has also stranded many areas. Victims have spoken of illness and hunger.

"How much longer must we cleanse in dirt and contaminated water," exclaimed one demonstrator.

Provincial officials have contacted the international body for assistance, with the Aceh governor announcing he welcomes support "from all sources".

National authorities has stated aid operations are in progress on a "large scale", adding that it has released some 60 trillion rupiah (a large amount) for rebuilding projects.

Tragedy Repeats Itself

For many in the province, the plight evokes traumatic recollections of the 2004 tsunami, one of the deadliest natural disasters on record.

A magnitude 9.1 undersea earthquake unleashed a tsunami that produced waves up to 30m in height which struck the Indian Ocean coastline that morning, killing an estimated a quarter of a million people in more than a dozen countries.

Aceh, previously devastated by decades of conflict, was part of the worst-impacted. Locals say they had barely finished reconstructing their homes when disaster struck again in last November.

Assistance came faster after the 2004 Indian Ocean disaster, although it was much more devastating, they argue.

Many countries, multilateral agencies like the International Monetary Fund, and NGOs directed billions of dollars into the rebuilding process. The Jakarta then set up a dedicated office to oversee finances and assistance programs.

"Everyone acted and the community bounced back {quickly|