The Minister of Home Affairs said that the Governor of Aceh Mualem did not know the letter asking for assistance to UNDP-UNICEF.
JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian said that the request for assistance from the Aceh Provincial Government to the United Nations (UN) namely the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) was sent without the knowledge of the Governor of Aceh Muzakir Manaf or Mualem.
"Mr. Muzakir Manaf stated in the media that he did not know about it. So the staff who delivered the letter we checked it seemed that the Regional Secretary sent it because of the offer," Tito said at a press conference at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, East Jakarta, Friday, December 19. reported by ANTARA.
Tito explained that the letter addressed to UNICEF and UNDP was not signed directly by the governor but used an electronic signature.
His party has also confirmed to UNDP and UNICEF regarding the letter. Tito said that the possibility of international assistance that could be provided was counseling victims, especially women and children.
"Well, this is what we will talk about in the form of counseling, what form it is, how much, how much. That's what we will consider," explained Tito.
Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf or Mualem admitted that he did not know about the letter requesting assistance in handling the Aceh disaster to two institutions under the United Nations, namely UNDP and UNICEF.
"I don't know anything, actually it's wrong, not to the UN, to the NGOs in Aceh," said Mualem when interviewed by media crews, in Banda Aceh, Tuesday.
The statement was made by Mualem after symbolically receiving humanitarian assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) which was handed over by the Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos) Saifullah Yusuf, at the Aceh Governor's office, in Banda Aceh.
Regarding Mualem's statement, Aceh Provincial Government Spokesperson Muhammad MTA explained that there was a misunderstanding, the Aceh government's letter was not to the UN, but to UNDP and UNICEF in Indonesia.
"There is a misunderstanding, it is for institutions in Indonesia, not for the UN, but what is built is as if the Governor sent a letter to the UN, it is an existing institution. Because they also have programs in Aceh," said Muhammad MTA.
He explained that the Aceh disaster is still at the provincial level, the central government in this case is supervising and is a priority.
Because this is the provincial disaster status, he continued, the Aceh Government considers it necessary to take important steps, one of which is inviting several institutions that are concerned with disaster management, including post-disaster recovery programs.
"So, looking at the experience during the Aceh tsunami disaster, UNDP, IOM UNICEF, they are strategic partners of the Indonesian Government, and there are still many partnership programs throughout Indonesia," he said.