Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh
The Aceh administration is erecting 8,000 shelters donated by countries to help house an estimated 45,000 families still living in tents after the 2004 tsunami.
Acting Aceh Governor Mustafa Abubakar said in Banda Aceh on Tuesday the assistance meant the refugee housing problem would largely be settled by the end of the month.
""At the beginning of January this year, up to 45,000 refugee families were still living in tents and emergency huts, but four months later, about 35,000 of them were moved into the shelters,"" Mustafa said.
The administration's May data showed the number of tsunami refugees living in tents had dropped to about 10,000 families or 25,000 people, Mustafa said. Most of the refugees still tent-bound lived in the Aceh Jaya regency -- a future focus for the house-building efforts of the Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR), he said.
Mustafa said a lack of timber and poor roading networks had slowed the pace of rebuilding in the area.
Meanwhile, many of the refugees said they were still waiting for non-governmental organizations to build them permanent homes.
Imran, 60, a refugee from Aceh Jaya, said an Australian NGO once promised to build him a house in Ulee Kareng, Banda Aceh.
""Some houses there have already been built. Reportedly, some of the refugees will be able to move there by the end of this month,"" he said.
However, Imran said he was not putting too much hope into the offer materializing.
""I've had many offers, but the fact is that I still live in tent,"" he said.
