SBY Launches Projects for Aceh

The Jakarta Globe, Sally Piri & Nurdin Hasan, February 23, 2009 

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday inaugurated 13 infrastructure projects worth Rp 715.3 billion ($60.1 million) in Aceh Province, as part of the rebuilding after the deadly tsunami that swept the province in 2004, killing almost 170,000 people. 

The projects were officially inaugurated by the president in a ceremony at the Blang Padang field in the heart of the Aceh capital of Banda Aceh, attended by some 4,000 people, including international guests. 

During Yudhoyono’s two-day visit to the province, he inaugurated projects mostly constructed by the Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency, or BRR, including the Aceh Tsunami Museum, the Ulee Lheue Seaport, the Banda Aceh Land Transportation Terminal, the Aceh Thanks The World International Park and the Keuliling water dam in Aceh Besar district. 

“I hope the infrastructure projects — which were either built through cooperation between BRR and international donors, or built by the government at a total cost of some Rp 715 billion — can be used to enhance the economy and people’s prosperity,” he said. 

The government has spent a total of Rp 22 trillion to rebuild Aceh, he said. 

As BRR will end its term in April, Yudhoyono said the remaining assets of about Rp 3.5 trillion that the agency had managed, must continue to be used to rebuild Aceh and Nias. 

Widodo AS, the coordinating minister of political, legal and security affairs, who is also a BRR adviser, said that Rp 1.78 trillion from BRR funds would be used for rebuilding designated governmental agencies, and Rp 1.663 trillion for continuing the rehabilitation of Aceh and Nias. 

A total of Rp 1.386 trillion was earmarked for Aceh, while Nias will get Rp 277.45 billion. 

Widodo said that in order to continue BRR’s work, the government had formed a new agency to replace BRR, to be chaired by Paskah Suzetta, the head of the National Plan Development Body, or Bappenas. 

The governors of Aceh and North Sumatera provinces will assume responsibility for future projects at their provincial level, he said. 

“The work period of the new agency will end December 31, 2009,” Widodo said. 

Dozens of college students staged a protest during the ceremony around 2 kilometers from the Blang Padang field where the inauguration was taking place, urging the government to remain committed to the peace process. 

“The president should remain committed to end the propaganda and the intimidation that has often occurred in Aceh in the past few days,” said Sapriandi, the coordinator of the rally. 

The students were referring to a series of violent incidents, including shootings and bombings in Aceh in recent weeks. 

Two students were arrested after a scuffle between protesters and police officers, but were later released without charge.