Pressure on the central government is intensifying as hundreds of protesters from the United Aceh People’s Movement (GARAB) held a massive demonstration in Madat, Pante Bidari District, on Tuesday.
The group demanded that President Prabowo Subianto immediately declare the floods and landslides that have hit Aceh and North Sumatra a National Disaster.
Protest coordinator Dahri Sulaiman stressed that the disaster is no longer just a natural phenomenon, but has turned into a humanitarian crisis that has paralyzed the structure of community life.
Among the critical impacts reported include widespread damage to property and public facilities, people losing their livelihoods due to the destruction of the local economic sector, and difficulty accessing clean water, health services, and education.
GARAB demanded that the Indonesian government activate the ‘National Disaster’ status so that relief efforts can continue to be channeled easily.
The atmosphere of the demonstration turned tense when representatives issued harsh political statements. He warned that if the government remained silent and failed to open the door to international aid, the movement would not hesitate to change its demands.
He stressed that failure to address the crisis could spark more extreme movements, including demands for secession from the Republic of Indonesia.
