Nias Online

Friday, July 14, 2006

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The European Union and the World Bank praised Thursday progress in the reconstruction of tsunami-hit Aceh, terming it superior to disaster recovery efforts in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.

Top officials from the EU and the World Bank said that despite massive logistical problems, the Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR) managed to deliver much-needed basic facilities for the survivors of the December 2004 disaster as well as an earthquake in Nias in March 2005.

(more…)

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

JAKARTA: The Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR) should openly clarify its recent decision to dismiss employees Leo Nugroho and Endang Yuliarti, non-governmental organizations said here Tuesday.

“The dismissals signal irregularities inside the BRR,” Jakarta Legal Aid Institute director Uli Parulian said at a joint news conference with Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and the Aceh Working Group (AWG).

The BRR fired Leo and Endang in April, citing allegations of misconduct, just days after Leo reported alleged rampant corruption at the agency.

“I was not given a chance to defend myself against the dismissal,” Leo said.

He said he would file a lawsuit with the State Administrative Court to reverse the dismissals. (Jakarta Post)