Anger Mounts as Citizens Hoist Flags of Distress Over Delayed Disaster Aid

For weeks, angry and distressed inhabitants in the province of Aceh have been raising white flags due to the official slow aid efforts to a succession of deadly inundations.

Precipitated by a rare cyclone in November, the catastrophe killed more than 1,000 persons and forced out hundreds of thousands more across the region of Sumatra island. In Aceh, the worst-hit region which accounted for about 50% of the deaths, a great number continue to do not have consistent access to safe drinking water, food, power and medicine.

A Leader's Public Breakdown

In a demonstration of just how challenging coping with the situation has grown to be, the head of North Aceh wept publicly earlier this month.

"Can the national government ignore [what we're experiencing]? I don't understand," a weeping the governor said on camera.

However President the President has refused foreign help, insisting the circumstances is "being handled." "Indonesia is able of handling this calamity," he told his cabinet recently. The President has also thus far ignored calls to declare it a national emergency, which would release disaster relief money and expedite aid distribution.

Growing Criticism of the Administration

The leadership has grown more criticised as slow to act, inefficient and out of touch – terms that some analysts say have become synonymous with his tenure, which he secured in last February based on popular pledges.

Already this year, his signature expensive school nutrition scheme has been plagued by controversy over large-scale contamination incidents. In August and September, thousands of citizens protested over joblessness and soaring costs of living, in what were the largest of the largest protests the country has experienced in decades.

And now, his administration's reaction to the recent deluge has proven to be another problem for the president, although his approval ratings have held steady at about 78%.

Desperate Appeals for Help

Last Thursday, a group of protesters gathered in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, holding white flags and calling for that the national authorities opens the door to international help.

Standing among the gathering was a young child carrying a piece of paper, which read: "I'm only very young, I want to live in a secure and healthy world."

Although usually regarded as a symbol for capitulation, the white flags that have appeared across the province – on damaged rooftops, beside washed-away banks and outside mosques – are a signal for global solidarity, protesters argue.

"These banners do not signify we are surrendering. They are a SOS to capture the focus of the world outside, to let them know the situation in Aceh today are very bad," explained one participant.

Whole communities have been destroyed, while broad destruction to transport links and infrastructure has also isolated many areas. Those affected have spoken of disease and malnutrition.

"How long more should we cleanse in dirt and the deluge," cried one individual.

Local leaders have reached out to the United Nations for support, with the Aceh governor declaring he is open to support "without conditions".

The government has said aid operations are ongoing on a "national scale", stating that it has released approximately billions (a large amount) for reconstruction work.

Calamity Strikes Again

For some in the province, the plight evokes difficult memories of the 2004 Indian Ocean Boxing Day tsunami, among the deadliest catastrophes in history.

A magnitude 9.1 undersea seismic event unleashed a tidal wave that created waves up to 30m in height which slammed into the ocean shoreline that morning, claiming an estimated a quarter of a million lives in in excess of a number of nations.

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

Assistance was delivered more quickly after the 2004 Indian Ocean disaster, even though it was considerably more destructive, they contend.

Various nations, multilateral agencies like the International Monetary Fund, and charities directed billions of dollars into the recovery effort. The Jakarta then created a dedicated agency to manage finances and assistance programs.

"The international community acted and the region bounced back {quickly|