Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.

Indonesia Extends Deadline for Aid Agencies Working in Tsumani-Hit
------------------------------------------------------------------
Aceh Province
-------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=C4AF6F:2AB91D3

Foreign aid groups welcome move by Indonesian government to extend by
two months, deadline allowing aid agencies to work in tsunami-affected
Aceh province





Tsunami survivor stands at his house at Mulia village in Banda AcehThe
Indonesian government says it needs continued foreign help to rebuild
its tsunami-devastated Aceh province. Relief agencies will be allowed
to stay in Aceh another two months.

In a move welcomed by foreign aid groups, the Indonesian government
has extended by two months a deadline allowing aid agencies to work in
the tsunami-affected province of Aceh.

Michael Elmquist, the United Nations' humanitarian coordinator in
Indonesia, says the 60-day extension will allow aid groups to carry on
with the reconstruction effort.

"There's an enormous amount of work to be done," he said. "Much of it
will be redirected towards reconstruction now, but there is still a
very large number of people who have been displaced and lost their
livelihood who need humanitarian assistance, food and water and
sanitation."

Initially the Indonesian government thought three months would be
enough time for the province to recover from the disaster. But with
March 26 approaching, the government now says it needs more time to
rebuild and continued foreign aid.







Tsunami aftermath in Banda Aceh, IndonesiaMore than 230,000 people
died or remain missing in Aceh following the December 26 tsunami,
which destroyed much of the province's infrastructure and left
hundreds-of-thousands homeless.

Foreigners had been banned from Aceh before the disaster, due to a
long-running separatist conflict. The government temporarily lifted
the ban following the tsunami.



The United Nations' Mr. Elmquist says aid groups must be allowed full
access to those who need help.

"And that kind of assistance also has to continue, even though we are
in the reconstruction phase now," he said. "We can't do that without
access, of course, both for the U.N. agencies, and for the
non-governmental organizations that work as our implementing partners.
So, we are delighted that the deadline has been extended."

There are more than 150 aid groups operating in Aceh in cooperation
with the Indonesian government.


.