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 ignored calls to declare it a national disaster, which would unlock emergency funds and streamline relief efforts.
Prabowo's administration has increasingly been criticised as reactive, disorganised, and out of touch – adjectives that some analysts say have come to define his presidency, which he won in February 2024 on the back of populist pledges.
Already this year, his flagship billion-dollar free school meals programme has been mired in controversy over mass food poisonings. In August and September, thousands of Indonesians took to the streets over unemployment and rising costs of living, in what were some of the biggest protests the country has seen in decades.
And now his government's response to November's floods has become yet another challenge for the leader, even as his approval ratings have held steady at about 78%.
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 of 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, Husnul Khawatinnissa, who was at the rally, told the BBC.
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.
How long more do we have to wash ourselves in mud and floodwaters, shouted Nurmi Ali, another demonstrator.
Provincial authorities have reached out to the United Nations for support, with the Aceh governor declaring that he welcomes help from anyone, anywhere. Prabowo's administration has said relief efforts are underway on a national scale, noting that it has disbursed some 60 trillion rupiah ($3.6bn) for reconstruction efforts.
For some in Aceh, the situation brings back painful memories of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, which left a devastating impact on the region. Locals have expressed their frustration that the response to the current disaster has been slower despite its severity.
Various countries have offered aid, but Prabowo's refusal to accept international assistance raises questions about the government's handling of the disaster and its implications for future crisis management.
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 ignored calls to declare it a national disaster, which would unlock emergency funds and streamline relief efforts.
Prabowo's administration has increasingly been criticised as reactive, disorganised, and out of touch – adjectives that some analysts say have come to define his presidency, which he won in February 2024 on the back of populist pledges.
Already this year, his flagship billion-dollar free school meals programme has been mired in controversy over mass food poisonings. In August and September, thousands of Indonesians took to the streets over unemployment and rising costs of living, in what were some of the biggest protests the country has seen in decades.
And now his government's response to November's floods has become yet another challenge for the leader, even as his approval ratings have held steady at about 78%.
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 of 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, Husnul Khawatinnissa, who was at the rally, told the BBC.
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.
How long more do we have to wash ourselves in mud and floodwaters, shouted Nurmi Ali, another demonstrator.
Provincial authorities have reached out to the United Nations for support, with the Aceh governor declaring that he welcomes help from anyone, anywhere. Prabowo's administration has said relief efforts are underway on a national scale, noting that it has disbursed some 60 trillion rupiah ($3.6bn) for reconstruction efforts.
For some in Aceh, the situation brings back painful memories of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, which left a devastating impact on the region. Locals have expressed their frustration that the response to the current disaster has been slower despite its severity.
Various countries have offered aid, but Prabowo's refusal to accept international assistance raises questions about the government's handling of the disaster and its implications for future crisis management.
