Frustration Builds as Indonesians Hoist Pale Banners Amid Delayed Disaster Aid

For weeks, desperate and upset inhabitants in Indonesia's westernmost province have been hoisting pale banners over the state's sluggish response to a succession of deadly floods.

Triggered by a uncommon storm in the month of November, the deluge killed over 1,000 people and forced out hundreds of thousands more across the region of Sumatra island. In Aceh, the hardest-hit area which accounted for almost half of the deaths, many yet do not have ready availability to potable water, food, power and medical supplies.

An Official's Public Outburst

In a demonstration of just how difficult handling the crisis has become, the governor of North Aceh wept openly in early December.

"Does the central government be unaware of [our plight]? I don't understand," a emotional Ismail A Jalil said in front of cameras.

However Leader Prabowo Subianto has refused external assistance, asserting the circumstances is "under control." "Our country is capable of handling this disaster," he advised his ministers in a recent meeting. Prabowo has also to date ignored appeals to classify it a national disaster, which would release disaster relief money and facilitate relief efforts.

Growing Scrutiny of the Leadership

The current government has increasingly been criticised as slow to act, disorganised and out of touch – descriptions that certain observers contend have come to define his time in office, which he secured in last February based on populist pledges.

Already this year, his major expensive free school meals initiative has been plagued by scandal over widespread contamination incidents. In the latter part of the year, a great number of Indonesians took to the streets over joblessness and rising costs of living, in what were the largest of the biggest demonstrations the nation has experienced in many years.

Presently, his government's response to the deluge has proven to be another problem for the official, although his popularity have stayed high at about 78%.

Desperate Appeals for Assistance

On a recent Thursday, dozens of protesters gathered in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, waving white flags and insisting that the central government allows the path to international aid.

Among within the protesters was a small girl clutching a sheet of paper, which said: "I'm only a toddler, I hope to mature in a safe and healthy environment."

While usually seen as a sign for giving up, the pale banners that have popped up across the province – upon collapsed rooftops, beside washed-away riverbanks and outside mosques – are a signal for international unity, protesters say.

"These symbols do not signify we are surrendering. They serve as a distress signal to grab the focus of friends abroad, to let them know the conditions in Aceh currently are extremely dire," explained one participant.

Entire settlements have been wiped out, while widespread destruction to roads and infrastructure has also cut off many communities. Victims have reported sickness and hunger.

"How long more should we bathe in mud and contaminated water," exclaimed one demonstrator.

Provincial officials have appealed to the international body for assistance, with the Aceh governor announcing he welcomes aid "from all sources".

National authorities has said aid operations are in progress on a "large scale", adding that it has allocated about a significant sum ($3.6bn) for reconstruction work.

Calamity Returns

For some in the province, the circumstances brings back traumatic recollections of the 2004 Indian Ocean devastating tidal wave, among the deadliest calamities on record.

A powerful ocean seismic event unleashed a tidal wave that triggered waves up to 100 feet in height which slammed into the Indian Ocean shoreline that morning, killing an believed 230,000 lives in in excess of a dozen nations.

Aceh, already ravaged by years of conflict, was part of the most severely affected. Survivors explain they had just finished rebuilding their communities when tragedy returned in November.

Assistance came more promptly following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, despite the fact that it was considerably more catastrophic, they say.

Numerous nations, global bodies like the International Monetary Fund, and NGOs directed vast sums into the relief operation. The national authorities then established a specific agency to manage finances and aid projects.

"The international community took action and the people rebuilt {quickly|