Petaling Jaya – A team of Malaysian volunteers was forced to bribe its way through a military check point at the Medan-Aceh border yesterday during its journey to deliver medicine and other supplies to the tsunami victims.
The 16-member team from Amal Foundation of Malaysia was forced pay 500,000 rupiah (approximately 250 ringgit) to the soldiers who claimed that there was a new ruling barring distribution of aid via land. The soldiers initially demanded 2 million rupiah but following appeals from the volunteers, agreed to settle for less.
"The money we have were collected from Malaysians to be given to the victims in Aceh. If we give you so much then there would be less for the people who rightfully deserve it," team leader Dr Lo'Lo' Ghazali told the soldiers. The team was on a 15-hour journey from Medan to Aceh in four rented vehicles.
Crackdown on corruption
Upon being stopped at about 1.30 a.m., the soldiers had demanded for a list of the team members and the permit issued by the Indonesian immigration at the Medan Airport. However, even after the relevant documents and passports were handed over, the soldiers refused to allow the team to pass, citing the "new ruling".
At this juncture, Lo' Lo' told the soldiers that the team had obtained a permit from the Indonesian immigration but the soldiers pointed to a copy of a directive pasted at the guard outpost. "Read this. It states that no distribution of aid through land. I cannot allow you to go through," said one soldier. When team members appealed, the soldier told one of the local drivers in Bahasa Indonesia that the problem could be resolved with a payment.
Meanwhile, Lo' Lo' expressed disappointment with the corrupt attitude of the army personnel, stating that they should be more sympathetic towards the tsunami victims. "I have heard of the corrupt practices but this is the foundation's first experience. I hope the Indonesian government will make more efforts to curb such practices as this would hamper the foreign groups in helping the people of Aceh," she said.
Allegations of corruption are rife in Medan and Aceh as foreign humanitarian teams continue to pour in help in cash and kind.
No help extended
Locals met in Aceh claimed that corruption is so rampant that many of the tsunami victims have not received any kind of aid. A group of villagers in Inderapuri, about an hour's drive from the provincial capital Banda Aceh, claimed that they have yet too receive anything.
The villagers, who are putting up with relatives, alleged that Indonesian government agencies tasked with distributing aid do not make attempts to disburse aid to those living outside of relief camps.
Sanian, in her 30s, when met at the village canal washing a pile of mud stained clothes salvaged from the flood, also complained of not receiving any help.
"If I tell you that I have not received a single thing, you would not believe me. But that's the truth. We heard many people from outside have given all kinds of help. "But it's been two weeks [since the tsunami disaster on 26 December] and I have yet to get anything," said the woman who lost her elder brother to the killer waves.
"That's why we are washing the material we salvaged from the flood as all our belongings are gone. If we sell the material maybe we can buy some food," she added.
As the Malaysian volunteers geared up to leave the village, a man ran up to the vehicles pleading that they return with aid. "Please come back and help us. Tell them [the Indonesian authorities] that I have seen those unaffected [by the disaster] being given aid. Some of them are even selling the goods they received. We need help," he implored.
[From BBC Monitoring Service.]