UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for the Maluku Crisis 16 Mar - 30 Sep 2000

Jakarta
March 2000
TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT

• 1.1 BACKGROUND
• 1.2 CURRENT SITUATION
  
  1.2.1. Conflict areas
  1.2.2. Areas where the situation has stabilized
  1.2.3. Provinces outside Maluku affected by the conflict
• 1.3 SECURITY
• 1.4 COMMON ACTION PLAN (SHORT-TERM GOALS)
• 1.5 LONG-TERM GOALS
• 1.6 HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES
• 1.7 COORDINATION FRAMEWORK

2. PROFILE OF EMERGENCY NEEDS

• 2.1 OVERVIEW
• 2.2 INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS
• 2.3 VULNERBALE POPULATION
• 2.4 HUMANITARIAN PRIORITIES

3. LONG-TERM NEEDS: BRIDGING RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT

• 3.1 BRIDGING RELIEF, REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT
• 3.2 LONG-TERM PRIORITIES

4. SECTOR STRATEGIES AND PROJECTS

• 4.1 FOOD AID AND FOOD DELIVERY
  
  4.1.1. Current situation
  4.1.2. Activity Report
  4.1.3. Project for appeal
• 4.2 HEALTH AND NUTRITION
  
  4.2.1 Current situation
  4.2.2 Activity report
  4.2.3 Projects for appeal
• 4.3 WATER AND SANITATION
  
  4.3.1 Current situation
  4.3.2 Activity update
  4.3.3 Project for appeal
• 4.4 TEMPORARY SHELTER, OTHER RELIEF NEEDS AND LOGISTICS
  
  4.4.1 Current situation
  4.4.2 Activity report
  4.4.3 Projects for appeal
• 4.5 RECONCILIATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS
  
  4.5.1 Current situation
  4.5.2 Activity report
  4.5.3 Projects for appeal
• 4.6 RECONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION
  
  4.6.1 Current situation
  4.6.2 Activity report
  4.6.3 Projects for appeal
• 4.7 INCOME GENERATION/COMMUNITY RECOVERY
  
  4.7.1 Current situation
  4.7.2 Activity report
  4.7.3 Projects for appeal
• 4.8 CAPACITY BUILDING, COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT
  
  4.8.1 Current situation
  4.8.2 Activity report
  4.8.3 Projects for appeal

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

During 1999 and into the first quarter of this year, the two provinces of Maluku and North Maluku have known unprecedented conflict, destruction and human suffering. Starting in Ambon in January 1999, the conflict escalated at various periods throughout the year, spreading to other parts of Maluku. The worst clashes occurred at the end of December and into January 2000, at the end of which the authorities reported more than 2,500 deaths, 18,300 houses burned or destroyed as well as 1,100 houses of worship and other public buildings.

This widespread conflict has led to the largest recorded population displacement in Indonesian history. Some 440,000 persons have escaped or been evacuated within Maluku, North Maluku or to the neighbouring provinces in Sulawesi and smaller numbers to Irian Jaya and elsewhere in Indonesia. Thus more than 20% of the population of Maluku has been displaced. The slow-down or even stand-still of economic life has also effected the rest of the population.

Following the escalation of the crisis in January of this year, the Government requested international assistance. A three-pronged strategy of security, reconciliation and prosperity, including relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction, was presented by the Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare and Poverty Alleviation at a meeting hosted at the United Nations premises in Jakarta. A joint assessment mission of the Government and international agencies was undertaken. Its report pointed at total assistance needs of some US$ 71.2 Million, including large-scale reconstruction and economic recovery programmes. As the full extent of the destruction was not known at the time of the mission, the total cost of a full recovery programme in the two provinces is likely to be much larger.

More immediate requirements were estimated at some $ 26 Million, with important emphasis on emergency relief assistance. During the month of February and into March, three international NGOs have expanded their assistance. The World Food Programme (WFP) has approved an extended emergency project for Indonesia, which will also include IDPs. It has also concluded agreements with Action contre la Faim (AcF) and World Vision International (WVI) for distribution of rice initially to some 100,000 beneficiaries in two limited areas of North Maluku at the end of March.

At the time of writing, there are still areas in North Maluku where conflict is continuing, including in parts of the largest island of Halmahera. Assessment of humanitarian needs has not been possible in these areas, due to the security situation. This appeal for urgent and strengthened international support to meet the needs in Maluku is therefore issued without awaiting full and detailed knowledge of the situation in all parts of the two provinces.

The Government of Indonesia, under difficult economic circumstances, has continued to provide some assistance to IDPs throughout 1999. This has included sending emergency medical staff to replace those who have escaped. In spite of this, the average number of doctors in hospitals and health centres in North Maluku is less than 50% of the pre-conflict period, and in some areas there is no remaining medical staff. Funds in the current budget year, which ends on 31 March, have already been depleted, and in some cases staff have not been paid for three months. Partly as a reflection of national decentralisation policy, there is at present no provision in the budget for the country’s provinces, including Maluku and North Maluku, for continued relief assistance such as for the internally displaced persons. Even if some emergency funds are allocated, the pressure on the provincial services will continue to increase in the immediate future, further necessitating strengthened international support.

Funds sought in this appeal are some $14 Million, considering that the basic staple food of rice has been allocated, in February, within an extended WFP project for Indonesia, and that NGOs have been able to expand their activities either through advancing from existing funds or with additional funding. Furthermore, some of the outlined project activities have already been started by UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO, but the ability of agencies to advance funds from existing resources is limited.

The situation in Maluku is characterised by a total polarisation of the two main Muslim and Christian communities. There is much bitterness and vengefulness. Women and children have been particularly effected by traumatic experiences. The proposed programme is conceived as a support to the comprehensive approach by the authorities. In addition to basic life-saving relief supplies and services, it therefore includes support for reconciliation as well as rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts, the latter initially at a very modest scale.

The programme will be implemented through a coordination mechanism established with the Government of Indonesia through its disaster relief office, BakornasPB. Through BakornasPB, relief assistance will also be coordinated with the Indonesian Red Cross Society, at the Jakarta level as well as in the respective provinces. For each of the projects outlined in the appeal, project documentation is available with the respective agencies.

Funding is therefore urgently sought to all aspects of the programmes. Donors who wish to provide funds for specific projects are encouraged to contribute directly to the appealing agency and are also encouraged to continue supporting ongoing and expanding NGO programmes. The Government has requested the UN to coordinate international assistance to the Maluku Crisis, and it is therefore essential that the Office of the Resident Coordinator in Jakarta be kept fully informed to ensure that all priority needs are met and to avoid overlapping. Given the uncertainty of the current situation, it is also appreciated if some donors would provide unearmarked funds to be used according to priority requirements, in agreement with the respective donor.

The developments in Maluku are of vital importance for Indonesia as a whole. Continued and generous international support for the proposed programme is therefore of utmost importance.

1. HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT

1.1 BACKGROUND

In Maluku, Muslim and Christian communities have traditionally coexisted in adjoining villages and earned themselves a reputation for religious tolerance. During the steady development period of the 1970s and 1980s the welfare of people significantly increased, yet with an uncertain sense of stability and some social unrest, religious conflict and social jealousy. Since the independence of Indonesia, the population of Maluku has significantly increased, especially through the arrival of thousands of migrants from other parts of the country such as Java and Sulawesi. These predominantly Muslim migrants are ethnically different from the native Ambonese, and their arrival is believed to have created tensions between the communities. The economic crisis of 1997-1998 exacerbated some native Ambonese's feelings of marginalisation in political life and administration, and that they had lesser access to more scarce job opportunities and business activities than newcomers. These real or perceived gaps further sharpened the tension between the different communities along ethnic and religious lines.

The first outbreak of violence was triggered by a traffic incident in Ambon on 19 January 1999, during the Idul Fitri holiday. The ensuing rioting between Christians and Muslims caused a large number of casualties, the displacement of some 15,000 people within the island of Ambon and an exodus of thousands of people to neighbouring provinces, in particular South-East Sulawesi. Countless houses and places of religious worship were destroyed. Important troop reinforcements were flown in to restore law and order and stabilize the situation. Emergency and rehabilitation activities were undertaken by the authorities and supported by a number of international agencies.

In April 1999, violence erupted on the Kai islands, in Southeast Maluku District, and it led to the displacement of more than 20,000 persons. Troops were sent in from Ambon to quell the violence. The situation has significantly improved there since since. In contrast, in Ambon, lingering tensions and the revengeful destruction of places of worship led to a second outbreak of violence in mid-July 1999, which resulted in a large number of casualties and increased the number of IDPs.

In August 1999, the conflict spread to North Maluku, a newly formed province where the population is more than 70% Muslim and where local politics, upcoming elections in June 2000 as well as rivalries between modern and traditional Muslims have worsened the ethnic and religious divide. In the 1970s, the population from a small island in North Maluku, threatened by a volcano eruption had been resettled to North Halmahera. The discovery of gold in this area, and the creation of a new subdistrict further fueled existing tensions between the original population and the inmigrants. The outbreak, in August, of the conflict in Halmahera led to initial displacement primarily to Ternate Island, where the capital of the then North Maluku District, now the capital of North Maluku Province, is situated.

In late December, violence gripped Ambon for the third time and quickly spread to the large neighbouring islands of Seram and Buru, and later also to two smaller islands near Ambon. The TNI took over responsibility from the police (polri) for restoring security and instituted naval patrols around the islands with the aim of preventing the movement of armed gangs between the islands. Thousands of weapons, notably in Ambon, have since been confiscated and thousands of people fled from their homes, swelling the numbers of IDPs.

A much wider conflict also erupted in North Maluku, where hundreds of people have been killed and approximately 100,000 people were displaced. Tens of thousands (mostly Muslims) moved to Ternate Island, while thousands (mainly Christians) fled to North Sulawesi. In the past few weeks, fresh violence and destruction have been reported on an almost daily basis in Halmahera and neighbouring islands of North Maluku. New clashes have been reported in East Seram as well, on which little information is available as yet. Humanitarian access and assistance to the population in conflict areas are urgently needed.

Since the beginning of the conflict in January 1999, over 2,500 people have been killed and at least 3,400 injured Reports of the governors of Maluku and North Maluku as at 25/1 and 24/1 respectively, the number of registered deaths since the beginning of the conflict stood at 2,555, not including those missing, and injured 3,372. A total number of 18,311 houses/homes had been damaged or burned and altogether 1,086 public buildings and facilities, including houses of worship. With the ongoing conflict and the limited information about many areas of the provinces, the number of casualties and the extent of destruction is likely to be higher.. Hundreds of buildings (houses, public service infrastructure, places of worship, etc.) and sometimes entire villages have been looted and either damaged or destroyed.

It is estimated that there are now approximately 440,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the provinces of Maluku, North Maluku, North Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi and South Sulawesi.

Following the widening of the conflict in January this year, and the extent of suffering, destruction and displacement, the Government of Indonesia approached the UN Resident Coordinator for his assistance in bringing the needs for assistance to the attention of the international community. A presentation of government policy was made at the UN premises in Jakarta, which was followed by a joint assessment mission on 22-27 January, to Maluku and to North Maluku. The findings of the mission were presented to the international community on 7 February.

Since then, three international NGOs have initiated activities on Ternate Island in North Maluku, one of which also reaching IDPs in part of North Halmahera. The World Food Programme has reached an agreement with two of these agencies concerning the distribution of rice, initially for some 100,000 beneficiaries with the first distribution foreseen at the end of March. Although the situation and the humanitarian needs in other parts notably of North Maluku remains unclear, this appeal should enable the United Nations agencies to start a comprehensive assistance programme in support of national efforts in both provinces and to initiate action also in the parts of Sulawesi affected by the exodus from Maluku.

1.2 CURRENT SITUATION

The situation varies significantly from area to area and can be classified into three main categories requiring somewhat different courses of action.

1.2.1. Conflict areas

In conflict areas, the security problems are such that access to IDPs is either haphazard or impossible and most administrative and public services have been partially or totally suspended. Humanitarian assistance to both the internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups is a priority.

This is the case of Halmahera Island (in particular the sub-districts of Kao, Tobelo and Galela), the island of Bacan and of a number of other islands in North Maluku province. A similar situation prevails in some parts of Maluku Province, such as Seram, where access to a number of communities reported to have been severely affected has still not been possible.

1.2.2. Areas where the situation has stabilized

In other areas, especially in South-East Maluku, the security situation has improved and a semblance of normalcy been restored. Public services have resumed to a certain extent and the population is reorganizing itself. However, the situation is still highly volatile and there are no guarantees that further clashes will not take place.

On Ambon Island, residency areas are polarized and the conflicting parties are entirely separated along religious lines. In some areas, life has entered a superficial quasi-normality for those who have not been displaced. Fully segregated markets, shops and even ports have started to function, as have government offices, although most operational departments now are divided into two entities and not fully operational. The governor's office and the military hospital can be reached from both communities. A similar situation prevails in Masohi on Seram Island (capital of Central Maluku District), following the events starting 27 December 1999. In Tual, however (Southeast Maluku District), the situation is more secure, communities less polarized and life has regained some normalcy. IDPs themselves have been able to develop coping mechanisms and regain a degree of self-sufficiency, thus limiting the need for humanitarian assistance.

From other islands, such as Ternate and Buru, the minority population has entirely fled.

1.2.3. Provinces outside Maluku affected by the conflict

Large numbers of IDPs have fled to areas outside Maluku, placing a heavy burden on the host population. Given the polarisation of the population, the majority of the IDPs in North Sulawesi and in South Sulawesi are unlikely to return to their respective places of origin. The priorities in those areas are to assist the IDPs remaining in camps and to undertake activities to facilitate integration and economic sustanance. Some NGOs are initiating or expanding activities in these areas, and a joint assessment with the Government is foreseen.

In North Sulawesi, the majority of the IDPs lives in camps and need assistance. They are natives from North Maluku. Some, such as those from Halmahera Island, may return to their places of origin when the situation allows, others have expressed their hope to remain in North Sulawesi.

In Buton, Southeast Sulawesi, most of the 100,000 IDPs descend from people who migrated from Buton to Maluku. The majority lives in host families (often relatives) and represents an economic burden for inidviduals and for the community. The IDPs constitute a significant proportion of the local population and as a result, the capacities of the provincial authorities have been stretched. It is likely that most of them wish to resettle in Buton, but their economic integration will not be easy in an area which has few resources. There are already some indications that social tensions against other (trans)migrants from Java and Bali are increasing.

1.3 SECURITY

Following the recent strong unrest in Ambon City, Central Maluku and North Maluku, the security situation is very volatile. Isolated clashes still occur around the archipelago. The Government of Indonesia has transferred the responsibility to maintain order from the Polri to the armed forces (TNI), and the reinforcement of troops in the area has been beneficial in terms of security on Ambon Island, with almost 6,000 troops, but less so in the rest of Maluku. In North Maluku, the increased presence of the navy has largely contributed to improving the security situation.

Since the beginning of the outbreak in Ambon, no serious security threat against the humanitarian community and international agencies has been reported. The UN has twice evacuated staff from Ambon as a precautionary measure. In both Maluku and North Maluku provinces, only humanitarian and emergency operations are currently feasible.

Although the situation is tense, there is no hostility towards international agencies, who have been transparent and impartial in their action. The security of any humanitarian operation partly depends on the full understanding of humanitarian work by local authorities, especially TNI and Polri, and for the UN staff to follow security advice given.

1.4 COMMON ACTION PLAN (SHORT-TERM GOALS)

The aim of humanitarian agencies is to assist internally displaced persons and vulnerable populations through the emergency phase while simultaneously supporting rehabilitation and reconstruction where this is feasible. Humanitarian agencies will pursue the following goals:

• meet acute needs,
• stabilize populations at risk before their conditions become acute,
• reintegrate displaced persons,
• support local and national reconciliation initiatives,
• carry out minor rehabilitation of infrastructure for the provision of some housing and of essential services, and
• initiate income-generating activities.

Agencies recognize that emergency operations sometimes complicate future reconstruction and development by creating dependency. As part of an effort to institute best practices, they will follow the guidelines set out in the SPHERE handbook, which was drafted by an inter-agency working group committed to high-quality humanitarian programming. To ensure that emergency programmes do not discourage reconstruction and self-sustaining initiatives, agencies will develop indicators designed to signal the need to exit from the emergency phase.

1.5 LONG-TERM GOALS

The main aim of the immediate assistance programme is to assist the vulnerable population through an emergency stage while preparing for larger scale reconstruction and development.

All concerned governmental ministries and institutions, under the auspices of BakornasPB, the national disaster response coordinating committee, have drawn up a three-pronged approach aimed at achieving the goals of "security, reconciliation and prosperity". Consultation were held with the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator, and the President and the Vice-President approved this approach. On 13 January it was then presented to the international community by the Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare and Poverty Alleviation, at a meeting hosted by the Resident Coordinator.

Based on this three-pronged approach, the following activities were presented by the authorities:

Security

- stop the fighting
- sweeping for arms in conflict areas
- confiscating arms
- patrols at sea
- security force placed under military command instead of the police
- 16 battalions (10,841 military and police personnel) for reinforcement

Reconciliation
- appointment of a special team of non-governmental personnel within the Vice-President’s Office
- utilisation and enhancement of the Ambon-based Social Reconciliation Centre at provincial and local levels
- important gathering, in January, of the Maluku community in the Jabotabek area
- meetings of religious and community leaders

Prosperity (humanitarian-rehabilitation-development)

- continuing assistance to victims and IDPs: food, medicine, shelter, fresh water, sanitation and other livelihood facilities
- temporary relocation of IDPs
- social, economic and infrastructure rehabilitation
- education
- income-generating programmes
- primary health care
- resettlement

The activities in all three areas are to take into account the views and concerns of the Maluku population, encouraged and supported by local authorities and be worked out in cooperation with community representatives. The international community was invited, through the United Nations, to support this programme and to provide complementary assistance.

1.6 HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES

Humanitarian agencies are committed to respect at all times the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, transparency and accountability. They will endeavour to carry out their activities in such a way as to contribute to reconciliation between the conflicting parties. They will work with local authorities, institutions and networks to ensure that the basic needs of the internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups are met and to help them overcome their trauma and regain their sense of dignity. They will give priority to training and capacity-building both of coordinating and implementing local structures, including local NGOs.

1.7 COORDINATION FRAMEWORK

Agencies are committed to coordinate their programming and operations through a coordination structure under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator for Indonesia. Coordination mechanisms at Jakarta level will be supported by OCHA through a strengthened Humanitarian Coordination Unit, attached to the Coordinator. This unit will ensure coordination with the government, notably through BakornasPB/SatkorlakPB and the Indonesian Red Cross Society (PMI), as well as with all other humanitarian partners.

In the health sector, WHO will take the lead for overall technical coordination and health needs assessments, while WFP will ensure the lead role in the food sector. UNDP will play a lead role for reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction support and capacity-building. For some sectors, notably temporary shelter and camp management, the international support mechanism still has to be clarified.

Coordination offices, or UN Resource Centres, will be opened in Ambon and Ternate. Their role will be to facilitate contacts between humanitarian agencies and local authorities, to ensure that there are no gaps nor overlaps in the provision of assistance, to identify the measures needed to bridge humanitarian aid and development and to promote humanitarian principles.

Map of Maluku-Ambon [pdf format]

Map of North Maluku [pdf format]

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