Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Lhokseumawe – The number of refugees in war-torn Aceh keeps changing, but their misery remains due to poor sanitation at refugee camps.
As of Friday, there were 40,854 people staying in refugee camps across the province, with the most crowded shelters found in South Aceh, North Aceh and East Aceh. Spokesman for the Aceh provincial social affairs agency Burhanuddin said the remaining 690 people in Cot Gapo field in Bireuen regency had returned to their homes on Thursday afternoon after a one-month stay in tents.
Officials said most of refugees were suffering from acute respiratory infections and diarrhea, while doctors complained of a shortage in medical supplies.
Fakhrul Rizal, one of 15 doctors assigned at the Keuniree shelter in Pidie, warned of a possible outbreak of diarrhea due to poor hygiene and unclean water consumed by some 1,200 refugees, mostly women and children.
He said medical workers were anticipating a possible outbreak of smallpox as four children in the last batch of refugees were suffering from the illness. "We have medicine, but it won't last long. We are running out syrup to treat diarrhea in children, while we are short of antibiotics such as amoxicilin to treat infections," he said.
The shelter in Keuniree is located in an open area, where tents could not protect the refugees from the heat. Dust makes it difficult to breathe.
An elementary school teacher recounted the days she stayed at Cot Gapo shelter in Bireuen, which she likened to a jail. "The shelter was like a prison for me. I have a lot of things to do at home, but I will be back to work on Monday," Jamilah, 50, who teaches in state elementary school SDN 5 in Bireuen, said, wiping away her tears.
Unlike their counterparts in the rest of the country, Acehnese students will start their new academic year on Monday, as many school buildings are still under construction following arson attacks.
Another refugee, Nurhayati, said she lost her belongings when she was in the shelter. "My telephone, CD player and refrigerator have gone. I haven't had the chance to check the other things in the house," she told the Post.
Rights groups have criticized the use of force by security authorities in moving people to refugee camps, which the military said it was needed to separate civilians from Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels.
Spokesman for the martial law administrator Col. Ditya Soedarsono said in Banda Aceh on Friday the authorities would follow up people's complaints of looting which took place when they were at the refugee camps.
"We will not turn a deaf ear to the reports. We will take action against soldiers who are found stealing goods from houses left vacant by people seeking refuge as we did against troops who committed crimes recently," he said, referring to the court martial of soldiers charged with beating and raping civilians.
The military said on Friday it had killed 11 more separatist rebels in two days of clashes in Aceh province while alleging that guerrillas shot dead three civilians. Six rebels were killed in a clash with troops at mountainous Cot Keueung in Aceh Besar district on Thursday. Troops seized four AK-47 rifles, five other firearms and hundreds of bullets.
The latest deaths brought the number of rebels shot dead to 492 and 210 firearms seized since the start of the massive offensive on May 19. Authorities say 992 rebels have been captured or surrendered and 43 military and police officers have died in clashes with rebels.