Anger Builds as Citizens Fly White Flags Over Delayed Flood Assistance

For weeks, desperate and upset inhabitants in the nation's westernmost region have been displaying flags of surrender due to the official delayed aid efforts to a series of deadly deluges.

Precipitated by a unusual cyclone in November, the deluge resulted in the death of in excess of 1,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more across the region of Sumatra. In Aceh, the worst-hit region which accounted for about half of the fatalities, a great number yet lack easy access to safe drinking water, nourishment, power and medicine.

A Governor's Emotional Breakdown

In a indication of just how frustrating coping with the situation has proven to be, the leader of North Aceh wept in public in early December.

"Does the authorities in Jakarta ignore [what we're experiencing]? It's incomprehensible," a weeping the governor declared publicly.

However President the nation's leader has rejected international help, asserting the state of affairs is "manageable." "Indonesia is able of handling this crisis," he advised his cabinet last week. The President has also to date overlooked appeals to designate it a national disaster, which would release emergency funds and streamline relief efforts.

Growing Discontent of the Government

The current government has been increasingly viewed as slow to act, chaotic and detached – terms that certain observers argue have come to define his tenure, which he was elected to in last February on the back of people-focused promises.

Even recently, his flagship expensive free school meals initiative has been mired in scandal over large-scale foodborne illnesses. In the latter part of the year, thousands of Indonesians protested over joblessness and rising costs of living, in what were some of the most significant protests the country has witnessed in decades.

Presently, his administration's response to November's deluge has become another problem for the president, even as his approval ratings have remained stable at around 78%.

Urgent Calls for Aid

Last Thursday, scores of demonstrators rallied in the provincial capital, the city, displaying pale banners and insisting that the national authorities allows the path to foreign assistance.

Standing within the crowd was a young child carrying a sheet of paper, which stated: "I am just very young, I wish to mature in a safe and sustainable place."

While typically seen as a sign for surrender, the white flags that have been raised all over the province – on damaged rooftops, along eroded banks and near places of worship – are a plea for international unity, those involved say.

"These banners do not signify we are surrendering. They are a cry for help to grab the focus of allies abroad, to inform them the circumstances in here now are very bad," stated one local.

Entire communities have been wiped out, while widespread destruction to roads and public works has also stranded a lot of people. Those affected have spoken of illness and malnutrition.

"For how much longer do we have to bathe in dirt and the deluge," shouted one demonstrator.

Local authorities have appealed to the UN for assistance, with the provincial leader announcing he accepts help "from anyone, anywhere".

The government has stated aid operations are under way on a "large scale", noting that it has disbursed some a significant sum ($3.6bn) for rebuilding work.

Disaster Strikes Again

For some in Aceh, the plight evokes painful recollections of the 2004 Indian Ocean Boxing Day tsunami, one of the deadliest natural disasters in history.

A massive undersea earthquake unleashed a tidal wave that triggered walls of water reaching 100 feet in height which slammed into the ocean shoreline that morning, taking an estimated two hundred thirty thousand individuals in more than a number of countries.

The province, already devastated by years of strife, was among the hardest-hit. Residents say they had only recently finished reconstructing their homes when disaster hit once more in last November.

Relief came more quickly following the 2004 disaster, although it was considerably more catastrophic, they say.

Various nations, multilateral agencies like the International Monetary Fund, and NGOs poured billions of dollars into the relief operation. The Indonesian government then set up a dedicated office to manage finances and aid projects.

"Everyone took action and the region recovered {quickly|