Teams’ Observation Report ─ HOST COMMUNITY STUDY During the period between 20 January and 16 February 2006, CARDI-NRC’s camp monitoring teams conducted a survey among IDPs residing with host families. The survey has provided a great deal of useful and interesting quantitative data on a variety of issues concerning this group of IDPs. Aceh Singkil Two teams worked in Aceh Singkil. The sample size of 66 households were spread over four different sub-districts: No. of Sub-district Village households interviewed Subussalam Utara 5 Simpang Kiri Subussalam Selatan 8 Tangga Besi 3 Kilangan 1 Singkil Ujung 4 Rundeng Badar 28 Lae Bersih 12 Penanggalan Penanggalan 5 The following is their observations and findings in the area. Both teams found it difficult to identify IDPs displaced by the tsunami. They believe the reason for this is that: a) there is little or no assistance provided to IDPs in this district. Therefore tsunami IDPs would probably go somewhere else where assistance is more regular. b) Aceh Singkil was not heavily affected by the tsunami, rather it was affected by earthquake(s). The teams identified more conflict IDPs than tsunami IDPs. However the conflict IDPs were not registered by the community leaders in the surveyed areas. Allegedly this was ordered by the Camats. 1 In the areas which the teams surveyed it was discovered that the local communities had provided the IDPs with land on which to build shelters. The local communities hoped this would help the IDPs to establish themselves. Local cases Sub-district: Rundeng The teams identified a group of conflict IDPs. Village: Badar They were displaced from a different area, and were too traumatized to return to their villages of origin. The only assistance they had receive was so-called raskin (cheap, subsidised rice, distributed by the government) Sub-district: Simpang Kiri The teams identified some conflict IDPs, who had Village: Subussalam Selatan been living in this area since 2001. They claim that they had not received any assistance. They were living in a farmland area, given to them by the land owner. The land owner had given them permission to build shelters on the land. Their shelters were small, only 4x7m. The land owner had paid the expense of building the shelters. The IDPs only earn enough money to buy food. They are too traumatized to return to their villages of origin, and there is nothing left for them there. This village is very far from Subussalam city. Sub-district : Simpang Kiri The teams identified a group of conflict IDPs from Village: Pemancar Trumon village in Aceh Selatan. They have lived in Pemancar since 2004. Now they rent a small house for the monthly sum of IDR 30,000. All household members are unemployed, and the family find it hard to pay the rent. Some of their children had dropped out of school because of financial problems. Sub-district : Simpang Kiri In this location the teams found IDPs from Nias. Village: Subussalam Utara They live under poor circumstances, with no jobs. Location: Darul Ma’firah They wish to return to their village of origin, but do not have the finances to do so. They have nothing left in their place of origin as their house was destroyed by earthquake. The teams found it hard to communicate with these IDPs as they hardly spoke Bahasa Indonesia. This also makes it hard for the IDPs to communicate with their host community. They have not received any assistance in this village or in the village of origin. Aceh Selatan Two teams worked in Aceh Selatan. The sample size of ten households was spread over three sub-districts: 2 No. of Sub-district Village households interviewed Sama Dua Ladang Kasik Putih 1 Sawang Riseh Tunong 1 Tapak Tuan Batu Itam 8 The teams did not come across any conflict IDPs, mainly because they did not cover entire villages. The IDP households interviewed by the teams had received assistance if they had registered. The households headed by a minor, to whom the teams spoke, had not received any assistance. Aceh Barat Daya Two teams worked in Aceh Barat Daya. The sample size of 24 households was spread over two sub-districts: No. of Sub-district Village households interviewed Cot Mane 3 Geulumpang Payong 4 Susoh Guhang 1 Kuta Tinggi 3 Ladang Neubok 2 Padang Baru 1 Pawoh 5 Blang Pidie Pulau Kayu 4 Ujung Padang 1 The teams discovered that most of the IDP households, whom they spoke with, came from Aceh Barat and Aceh Jaya and had been displaced by the tsunami. Many of them were traumatized from the tsunami experience. The IDPs claimed they did not receive full assistance. Both IDPs and village leaders blamed this on corruption on sub-district level, saying that people on sub- district level would take some of the assistance and distribute it to family and friends, instead of the IDPs. The households headed by minors, whom the teams met, did not receive any assistance. Only IDPs, who had registered with the community leader or Camat, were recognized as IDPs and given assiastance. However in some villages the IDPs living with host families came from other districts. These IDPs received assistance only once. The community leaders and camats only give assistance to IDPs from Aceh Barat Daya. 3 Nagan Raya Two teams worked in Nagan Raya. The sample size of 21 households was spread over one sub-district: No. of Sub-district Village households interviewed Blang Muko 6 Padang Rubek 4 Kuala Pulo Ie 1 Ujong Fatihah 10 The teams came across some conflict IDPs, in particular in the rural areas, who had not received any assistance except for jadup once or twice. The host community had provided them with land to build shelters. Some of the IDPs had gradually built shelters. IDPs residing with host families had to go back to their village of origin to pick up assistance. Local case Sub-district: Kuala The teams found a tsunami IDP household, Village: Pulo Ie consisting of a single mother and her son, who are living under extremely poor circumstances. Both were unemployed. Even to find money for daily food was a challenge, but they received some donations from neighbours. The host community provided school fees for her son. The household had never received any assistance. Their shelter is a 2x1,5m makeshift shelter. All their daily activities is going on in this shelter. The shelter was provided by the host community, but the land owner wants them to move. She had to move once before in Dec. 2005 for similar reasons. Aceh Tamiang One team worked in Aceh Tamiang. The sample size of ten households was spread over one sub-district: No. of Sub-district Village households interviewed Buket Panjang II 1 Ie Bintah 2 Manyak Payed Paya Ketenggar 2 Sampaimah 2 Tualang Baru 3 4 The team found it challenging to find IDPs staying in host families in Aceh Tamiang, apparently because the IDPs had returned to their villages of origin or settled in alternative temporary shelters (barracks, tents). Local cases Sub-district: Manyak Payed The team identified an unaccompanied eight Village: Paya Ketenggar months-old infant. The infant was being taken care of by a poor family who appears to have difficulties in taking care of the child. The infant is living under precarious conditions. He has never been registered by any child protection agencies. Assistance was given only once by one of the Red Crosses. Sub-district: Manyak Payed Team identified a single male household, who is Village: Buket Panjang II suffering from depression and tuberculosis. He stays with his brother’s family, who are poor. Bireuen Three teams worked in Bireuen. The sample size of 24 households was spread over three sub-districts: No. of Sub-district Village households interviewed Jeumpa Blang Cot Tunong 5 Blang Keutunga 3 Geulumpang Meu Jimjim 1 Juli Cot Mesjid 1 Juli Juli Keude Dua 3 Tamboi Tanjong 2 Juli Meunasah Seutuy 5 Kuta Blang Babah Jurong 3 In Bireun district the IDPs were mostly tsunami victims from Banda Aceh. They used to rent houses in their place of origin and did not own land. Most of them are unemployed and do not have money to go back to their place of origin. This is why they are still living with host families, although they realize that they are a burden to the host family. The IDPs had received jadup twice. The conflict IDPs, who were identified, mostly came from Aceh Tengah. They have lived in displacement since 2000, and have never received any assistance. They wish to return to their places of origin, and work as farmers after their houses are rebuilt. However they do not know when their houses will be rebuilt. The teams visited Juli sub-district, which is close to Bireuen City, and which consists of 21 villages. Information from local communities said that both conflict IDPs and tsunami IDPs live in this area. Of 21 villages only 8 villages were visited. Many of the IDPs here have rented houses or returned to their places of origin. Currently there are IDPs in only three of the villages. Based on observations, the teams could conclude with that conflict IDPs generally still stay 5 in the area. The teams found only few tsunami IDPs here. Conflict IDPs in general live under poor circumstances, with or without shelters, as their old houses were destroyed during the conflict in the period 1998-2005. These IDPs are still not able to return to their places of origin, as they do not have the financial capacity to do so.