Indonesians Raise White Flags Amid Anger Over Flood Relief Delays

Fri Dec 26 2025 09:34:48 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Residents of Aceh, Indonesia, are expressing their frustration by raising white flags, signaling a call for urgent international aid as the government struggles to manage the aftermath of devastating floods.

In response to slow government aid following severe flooding in Aceh, Indonesia, locals have begun raising white flags as a distress signal to attract international attention. Despite President Prabowo Subianto's assurances that the situation is under control, public sentiment is growing increasingly desperate, with many citizens lacking essential resources since the floods claimed over 1,000 lives and displaced countless others.

For weeks now, angry and distressed residents in Indonesia's westernmost province have been raising white flags over the state's slow response to a series of deadly floods.

Triggered by a rare cyclone in November, the deluge killed more than 1,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands across the island of Sumatra. In Aceh, the worst-hit province which accounted for nearly half of the deaths, many still do not have ready access to clean water, food, electricity, and medical supplies.

In a sign of just how frustrating managing the crisis has become, the governor of North Aceh broke down publicly earlier this month. Does the central government not know [what we're experiencing]? I don't understand, a tearful Ismail A Jalil said in front of cameras.

But President Prabowo Subianto has refused foreign aid, insisting the situation is under control. Indonesia is capable of overcoming this disaster, he told his cabinet last week. Prabowo has also so far ignored calls to declare it a national disaster, which would unlock emergency funds and streamline relief efforts.

Desperate Calls for Help

Last Thursday, dozens of protesters rallied in Aceh's capital, Banda Aceh, waving white flags and demanding that the central government opens the door to foreign aid. Standing among the crowd was a little girl holding a sheet of paper, which read: I am just three years old, I want to grow up in a safe and sustainable world.

Though typically seen as a symbol for surrender, the white flags that have popped up across the province – on broken rooftops, along eroded riverbanks and outside mosques – are a call for international solidarity, protesters say. The flags do not mean we are giving in. They are a distress signal to grab the attention of friends outside, to let them know the conditions in Aceh today are very bad, said demonstrator Husnul Khawatinnissa.

Entire villages have been wiped out, while widespread damage to roads and infrastructure has also isolated many communities. Survivors have spoken of sickness and starvation.

Provincial authorities have reached out to the United Nations for support, with the Aceh governor declaring he welcomes help from anyone, anywhere. Prabowo's administration has said relief efforts are under way on a national scale, noting that it has disbursed some 60 trillion rupiah ($3.6bn) for reconstruction efforts.

Disaster Strikes Again

For some in Aceh, the situation brings back painful memories of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, one of the worst natural disasters ever. A magnitude 9.1 undersea earthquake unleashed a tsunami that triggered waves up to 30m (100 feet) high, killing an estimated 230,000 people in more than a dozen countries. Aceh, already ravaged by decades of civil war, was among the hardest-hit.

Relief arrived more quickly after the 2004 tsunami, even though it was far more devastating, they say. Various countries, multilateral agencies, and private organizations poured billions of dollars into the recovery effort. The Indonesian government then established a dedicated agency to manage funds and aid projects.

Prabowo's refusal to accept international aid is interpreted by analysts as an assertion of authority, emphasizing the government's image over immediate crisis management.

Critics assert that the government is out of touch with the dire reality on the ground. As aid efforts falter amid bureaucratic constraints, many residents express despair and fear for their future, highlighting a growing disconnection between the government and the plight of its citizens.