Indonesian Communities Rise Up Amidst Flood Crisis

Fri Dec 26 2025 20:38:32 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In the wake of devastating floods in Aceh, Indonesia, residents are expressing their frustration and desperation by raising white flags, calling for international aid and a quicker response from the government as food and medical resources dwindle.

As anger mounts over the slow government response to severe flooding in Aceh, Indonesia, residents have begun raising white flags as a symbol of distress and a plea for international aid. The floods, caused by a rare cyclone, led to significant loss of life, displacement, and a lack of essential resources for many communities. Despite their calls for assistance, the Indonesian government, led by President Prabowo Subianto, has rejected foreign aid, claiming the situation is under control. The ongoing crisis has rekindled memories of past disasters and intensified protests across the region.

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 criticized as reactive, disorganized 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.

Last Thursday, dozens of protesters rallied in Aceh's capital, Banda Aceh, waving white flags and demanding 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, 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.

Provincial authorities have reached out to the United Nations for support, with the Aceh governor declaring that he welcomes help from anyone, anywhere.

The president has prioritized the symbolic performance of sovereignty over crisis management, with critics stating there is little understanding of the situation on the ground. As the crisis unfurls, the continuation of protests speaks volumes about the people's desperation and the government's perceived failure to act.