August 25th - Do-It-Yourself

As I mentioned last week, Monday was a national holiday. It was Isra’ Mi’raj’ Nabi Muhammad SAW, the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. I spent my long weekend with a colleague in North Sumatra. We flew to Medan, a city of two million people. Medan is a rather popular weekend getaway for foreigners. Many go there to spend a couple of nights in a nice hotel, enjoy a warm shower or bath, to shop and to enjoy… well, uh… pork and alcohol! Other than that there is not so much to see in Medan; it is a city like so many others. However, there are plenty of nice places to see around the city. So we decided to carry on towards Lake Toba. The lake was formed a long time ago by one of the greatest volcanic explosions ever. There is a large island in the centre of the lake where many tourists go to. We went around the island a bit taking in the scenery; enjoying the views, the traditional Batak houses and a traditional dance performance. The area around Lake Toba is predominantly Christian and it was kind of odd waking up at the sound of Church bells at 9 A.M. rather that the now familiar call to prayer at 5 A.M. from the nearest mosque!

Last week I wrote about Ie Itam, a small village in the sub-district of Panga. If wrote about how heart-warming and inspiring it was to see a whole community come together to carry out projects that benefit them all. It actually is something quite special, especially considering that it is not so self-evident that this might happen in the current phase in the post tsunami context. Let me explain…

Lessons from decades of development work have shown that programmes and projects have a higher rate of success when beneficiaries are actively involved the whole process rather than being passive recipients of aid. Naturally, the local population has a great understanding of the local problems, potential solutions, opportunities and threats, stakeholders, etcetera. This is a wealth of knowledge that must be used and doing so ensures that programmes and projects are better suited to the circumstances and are better able to address local needs. Moreover, active participation and direct involvement create a sense of ownership, which is crucial to achieve sustainability. Personally, I find it intriguing that this was not already clear 30 years ago… but that, of course, is hindsight.

The IRC’s CDR programme is community driven. Community driven development takes things further than simply consulting the beneficiaries and promoteing active participation: it is development that is driven by the target population themselves. It is a process that seeks to empower local communities to assume responsibility for their own development. It does this by building their capacities and placing them in ‘the driver’s seat’. The CDR programme provides grants and training and merely facilitates the rest of the process.

That it is not self-evident that communities pull together and want to drive their own development process has a lot to do with the fact that they have been the victims of the greatest natural disaster that we have seen in our lifetime. To begin with, as a logical response to such an event, there are now many International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) on the ground, each with their own programme, strategy and approach. Furthermore – although I am convinced that the transition from emergency to rehabilitation and reconstruction can be eased by taking some steps towards participation and inclusion during an emergency phase – it should be clear that the phases of emergency, rehabilitation and reconstruction require different approaches and that a community driven development programme is not feasible in an emergency situation. In any case, the reality is that, in the initial phases after the tsunami struck, the beneficiaries were passive recipients of aid and have often received aid in the form of food-for-work or cash-for-work programmes and in some cases were paid per diems to attend meetings.

For these reasons, it has been challenging to convince our beneficiaries of the CDR programme’s approach: all of a sudden they were required to do everything by themselves and even contribute to the costs (usually in natura). However, after speaking at length with the communities, describing and motivating the various steps in the programme, they came to embrace the concept. The subsequent Community Participatory Assessment Workshop (CPAW), in which a number of participative exercises are carried out with the beneficiaries also clearly demonstrated that the methodology is very much appreciated. Community members explained that for the first time they were heard, were taken seriously and felt that a degree of self-esteem was restored to the community. This is why it is so special to see whole community come together to carry out projects that they have identified and worked out themselves.

That is it for this week; I hope to see you again next time.

Take care,

Alex

August 18th - Fishing for success stories

This week, I carried on gathering data to sketch a profile of the CDR projects and the members of the Community Development Boards (CDBs). I was working on this in Banda Aceh and Meulaboh last week and have now done the same in Teunom and Calang. Slowly but surely, I am receiving all the information we need. At this point, I have all the data from one of the field offices and most of it from another two offices, with only bits and pieces missing. The remaining office, however, still has quite some work to do! That this sometimes takes a while has a lot to do with the fact that many teams have not collected the requested information in the past and therefore have to get it from the field. In some cases they have the information already but it is incomplete or has been filed in such a way that it is easier just collecting it all again. What is more, when I receive the information there are always some parts missing or something is not clear: then the forms are sent back, they have to go back in the field, etcetera, etcetera. Furthermore, a number of teams are still working hard on finalising CDB community proposals. Needless to say, this takes precedence. All things considered, I think we came quite a long way in two weeks time. I hope to finish this next week and have a database full of interesting information to analyse. And then we will start the whole process once more to obtain a second set of data!

In addition, I went looking again for potential success stories to write about for newsletters and/or donor reports. We felt it would be nice to write something about women in the CDB. Last week, among others, I spoke with a female CDB coordinator in Damai, in the sub-district of Kuala Pesisir (Meulaboh field office). So far she is the only female CDB coordinator I have encountered and the chances of finding a second one are slim. This week I went to Kareung Mutiara, in the sub-district Panga (Teunom field office), where I spoke with the CDB treasurer, a function that is traditionally entrusted to women. I wanted to speak with her in particular because she is incredibly active in the community and is de facto the CDB coordinator. Both women have fascinating stories. I intend to speak to more women – and men. More specifically, I want to talk to a couple of CDBs comprised of a majority of women as well as a number of CDBs in which women are less well represented. Then, I hope to brew this all into a captivating account in the form of a case study.

I stumbled upon another success story in Ie Itam, a small community right next to Kareung Mutiara. During the Community Participatory Assessment Workshop (CPAW), they identified a total of nine community problems, eight of which are being addressed in their project proposal. One of the main reasons they are able to carry out so many projects is because of their own contribution, which is substantial. They are considerably ahead of other target communities and have already made significant progress in terms of implementing the projects. They are visibly determined and everyone plays his/her part. It is really heart-warming and inspiring to see a whole community come together this way to carry out projects that will benefit them all. The members of the CDB showed me their progress with obvious pride. This will definitely be followed-up on!

Wednesday evening, in Calang, we were invited by the fish trader’s association for, what else, a fish barbecue! The association is the latest addition to the CDR programme. Thursday was Indonesia’s Independence Day. Beside a number of speeches, a small parade on the green, the hoisting of the flag and a few games, there were few festivities in Calang. From a distance, we watched groups of five men climbing on top of each other trying to reach for goodies at the end of a long greasy pole. We were busy with something altogether different: fishing! And finally, on Friday, I drove back to Banda Aceh. On the way, we were stuck for about an hour and a half in a bit of a traffic jam before a poorly maintained bridge; courtesy of the rain!

That was it for this week! I hope to see you soon. Take care.

August 11th - Seulawah and profiles

Last weekend I went to climb Seulawah with someone from the Canadian Red Cross, someone from Médecin du Monde and a local guide. Seulawah is an extinct volcano, approximately 1800 meters high, situated roughly an hour and a half’s drive from Banda Aceh. We proceeded at a steady swift pace and reached the top after a short five hours only. The scenery was beautiful; one and all jungle. We have not seen much wild but heard plenty of it, birds and monkeys especially. The top as well is covered with vegetation so unfortunately we did not have a great view of Aceh nor of the sunset and sunrise. And at night, for the first time in Indonesia, I actually felt cold. In fact, I was pretty much chilled to the bones! Aaron Budd’s website features a lot of pictures from our little adventure (click here to see them). Save a few, I managed to permanently delete all my pictures from the weekend while backing things up between my iPod and different computers. In any case, one thing is for sure: this was no lazy weekend!

For the rest, I have had a hectic week. I have principally kept myself busy with collecting data to sketch a profile of the CDR projects and the members of the Community Development Boards (CDBs). I developed and disseminated an information request sheet last week to gather this information from the various CDR teams and created a database in SPSS, a statistical programme. There are 12 CDR teams in all; three in each field office and, on average, each team is responsible for three community projects. In total the IRC has 38 target communities and has thus facilitated the formation of 38 CDBs. On Monday, I went through the files of the CDR teams in Banda Aceh en found out fairly quickly that asking the teams to fill the forms themselves would be a much more effective approach. On Tuesday, I drove to Meulaboh along with our technical specialist. I am impressed with the CDR teams in Meulaboh; I was going to see how far I would get with gathering all the information but, minus a few bits and pieces here and there, I have everything already. If this can be realised in the other three field offices as well – where I will be spending time next week – it will be possible to make some interesting analyses that can be included in an interim report that is due soon.

Besides collecting this data I have been on a number of field visits in Meulaboh to assist the CDR teams where needed as well as to identify potential success stories to write about for newsletters and/or reports. I have carried out some interesting interviews. I will include these stories in my Blog after the report has been submitted to Stichting Vluchteling (SV), Netherlands Refugee Foundation and the Samenwerkende Hulporganisaties (SHO), the Dutch Cooperating Relief Agencies.

A short post this time, I know, but this is it for this week folks. I still have many things to do and hope to relax a little bit as well. Please let me know if there is anything specific you would like me to write about. The IRC or SV in general, for instance, or the CDR programme in particular, the CDBs, the community projects, Aceh, our staff; anything! Just let me know. Below are some of the pictures that have saved from the past weekend.

August 4th - Shari'a

Another week has gone by; time flies when you are busy and having fun!

Last weekend I went to a party and met a number of interesting people and, for the second time now, I joined a number of colleagues in a series of badminton games. Badminton is probably the number one sport in Indonesia, which is becomes evident on the court. I was shown no mercy. In the first time I played I was ruthlessly beaten 15-0 and 15-1 and I am pretty sure the one point I scored was a consolation prize. But surely, this is the fastest way to improve your game and I am starting to get the hang of it a little. It’s a great sport.

Our CDR advisor returned from the field again in the beginning of the week and we sat down to further expound my overall programme and make a more detailed schedule for this entire month. I have had a number of interesting and substantive tasks this week; I am starting to feel more useful and productive and that is a nice feeling.

The Shari’a (Sharia, Shariah, or Syariah), or Islamic law, has received quite some media attention this week and has been a hot topic of discussion at the work. This has been brought on by the publication of a new report by the International Crisis Group on Islamic Law in Aceh (read the report). We were later also directed to an article in the New York Times (read the article) that was written as a result of the report. Local newspapers also featured stories related to the sharia as an international aid worker was arrested not so long ago for reportedly sleeping with his female interpreter, a local woman. I have read the Crisis Group’s report with great interest and highly recommend you read it as well; it will also give you a better idea of the reality some of the aspects of life in Aceh. Let me briefly summarise the report to encourage you to read it.

In 1999 Aceh was the only Indonesian province to ever have been granted the legal right to apply Shari’a law in full. There are a number of reasons for this, all of which are extensively discussed in the report. In the first place, Islam forms the very core of the Acehnese identity. Aceh is the most devout and ethnocentric part if Indonesia and, with much pride, refers to itself as the ‘Veranda of Mecca’ (Serambi Mekkah). Secondly, there is a historical precedent for Shari’a law in Aceh. Prior to the arrival of the Dutch late in the 19^th century, the legal systems consisted of a combination of Shari’a and customary law. And third, after the fall of Suharto, Aceh was given free rein to enforce Shari’a as a concession to appease the conflict between government troops and separatist fighters.

Subsequently, in 2001, special autonomy legislation was passed, allowing religious courts to deal with criminal law. Under Shari’a law, criminal offences are divided into three categories: Hudud, Qishash-diyat en Ta’zir. Hudud includes crimes such as adultery, theft, robbery and alcohol consumption. Qishash-diyat includes murder and assault and Ta’zir covers all other offences such as, for instance, gambling, fraud, falsification of documents, illegal relations, failing to fast during Ramadan, to observe daily prayers and wearing the jilbab (headscarf) and traffic violations. All offences are punishable by caning or fines (murder is also punishable by death).

Although caning is written off by many as a human rights violation, it is here generally thought of as a quick punishment that avoids imprisonment (and is therefore a cheap alternative) and is designed to cause more shame than pain. The Shari’a has been promoted as panacea; it would cure social ills and lead to an egalitarian society.

Aceh, which has a dual legal system, is now struggling with implementing the first three Shari’a regulations, which make the selling or consuming of alcohol, gambling and relations between non-married males and females illegal. The trouble is that there exist no clear guidelines regarding the application of the Shari’a and the wilayatul hisbah (Shari’a police) is both poorly recruited and poorly trained. In practice, women and the poor are disproportionately targeted by wilayatul hisbah raids.

Some groups are calling for further expansion of the Shari’a so that, for instance, it may also be applied to non-Moslems. At the same time, however, other voices are heard as well:

“Al-Yasa’ Abubakar, the sharia office head, explicitly rejects a salafi approach, calling it an effort to turn the clock back to the seventh century, and stresses the importance of making Islamic teachings relevant to modern challenges. The worry of some Acehnese is that extension of Shari’a has been taken on as an agenda by conservative organisations more concerned with moral minutiae than with important social issues”

The report delves much deeper into all these as well as other points and describes a number of incidents that have taken place in Aceh. I would say; read the report for yourself! Food for thought!

On a lighter note, you will find below the outcome of the IRC Indonesia photo contest. I hope you all have a fine week.