RECONSTRUCTION, WITHOUT SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION:
Observations from Aceh’s eastern coast
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By George Junus Aditjondro
NO study about the political economy of Aceh’s post-tsunami reconstruction can be considered to be complete, without investigating the developments on the Eastern coast of the territory. The triple districts of North Aceh, Bireuen and Pidie, which grew out of the former North Aceh district with its capital in Lhokseumawe, now a separate municipality, play an distinct role in the post-tsunami reconstruction – and even more so – since the post-Helsinki reconstruction of Aceh. Not that they have been hit worse or less than other parts of Aceh by the 26 December 2004 tsunami. As we can see from the following Table, on Aceh’s eastern coast, a total of 87,556 people have been displaced, which is nearly as much as the 93,310 people displaced on the west coast, and nearly half of the number of people displaced from Aceh’s capital, Banda Aceh, and the adjacent district of Aceh Besar.
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