I was listening to a story on the radio this morning, so looked it up to be sure I heard right.
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (AP): Indonesia's vice president reiterated on Friday that foreign soldiers helping tsunami relief efforts must be out of the country by late March, but that aid workers can remain past that deadline. "Three months is enough for emergency help from the foreign militaries," Vice President Jusuf Kalla said during a brief stop in Banda Aceh on a tour of the region most devastated by the Dec. 26 tsunami. "Civilians will still be OK to stay." The Indonesian government has said the hundreds of foreign troops helping aid efforts in Aceh province must leave the area by March 26.Once I got into this site, I noticed this as well:
TNI allegedly collects 'border fees' from foreign volunteers JAKARTA (Antara): A number of foreign volunteers working in Aceh relief programs have expressed concern over fees collected by Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel along the border between Medan, North Sumatra, and Banda Aceh. Adian, chairman of the Independent Volunteers' Commission, said on Friday that complaints had been raised by volunteers from various countries, including Australia and Japan. Volunteers were reportedly asked by TNI border troops to pay Rp 1 million (US$108.10) each toward the purchase of communications equipment and for security support. The fees had been collected over the last three days in a number of locations between Banda Aceh and Langsa in Aceh, he said. Indonesian Navy spokesman First Adm. Abdul Malik Yusuf has denied the reports. "It's nonsense. No Navy personnel collects levies from the volunteers aboard the war ships to Aceh and North Sumatra," he said. (**)So why are we spending a billion dollars??????