The walking dead<\/p>\n
In the first weeks of the aftermath of the tsunami of Dec. 26,
\nwe were stunned by the severity of the destruction, and thankful
\nfor the many small miracles of survival told by enduring
\nresidents.<\/p>\n
Rizal Shahputra and Ari Afrizal were among the latest
\nsurvivors found after days at sea -- the latter adrift for two
\nweeks -- surviving on only coconuts. With many of their loved
\nones probably gone forever, the two only had each other to share
\nwhile being treated at a hospital near Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n
Those who survived the giant waves and the injuries during
\ntheir ordeal, have displayed the strongest imaginable will to
\nlive. They join hundreds of thousands of others who continue to
\nstrive for subsistence despite knowing full well there is nowhere
\nand no one to go home to. Rizal, for one, has said that he wishes
\nto remain in Malaysia after finding out that most of his family
\nmembers had perished.<\/p>\n
Being alone in the world is the future that scores of
\nsurvivors now face -- and this makes the degree of any difficulty
\nof \"reconstruction and rehabilitation\" pale in the face of the
\nwork of healing their trauma and sorrow.<\/p>\n
Many, including victims in India and Sri Lanka have lost hope
\naltogether, saying they wished they had not survived that fateful
\nmorning. Losing one's family, livelihood and home in the space of
\na few seconds is more than any human being should have to bear.<\/p>\n
We hear stories and see news clips of residents walking in a
\ncomplete daze in Aceh -- their logic shattered, their sense of
\ndirection lost.<\/p>\n
A pedicab driver in Banda Aceh recounts his severe bouts of
\ndepression even whilst transporting passengers in his becak. The
\nsudden remembrance of his wife and five children -- all lost on
\nthat fateful tsunami Sunday -- rendering him helpless. The
\nunderstanding passengers usually look for another becak as they
\nleave the despondent driver frozen still in the middle of the
\nroad.<\/p>\n
Indonesians have rarely treated patients suffering from mental
\nillness with proper respect. Rather than empathy, mockery is the
\nunfortunate common reaction.<\/p>\n
But the psychological burdens of survivors will be an
\nimportant aspect to reconcile if this nation ever wants to
\ncomprehensively rebuild Aceh.<\/p>\n
How far psychologists sent to Aceh will be able to help --
\neven with the help of medical personnel experienced in other
\ncrisis hit areas -- is far from clear, perhaps even questionable.
\nEven seasoned aid workers from places like Chechnya and Maluku
\nsaid the aftermath of the tsunami was nothing like they had ever
\nwitnessed before.<\/p>\n
The early reports of signs of trauma and depression have only
\nbegun to surface.<\/p>\n
The spontaneous activity of psychologists like Seto Mulyadi,
\nthe head of the National Commission for Children's Rights, and
\nthose from foreign and international bodies, along with
\ncounselors and therapists from various organizations, should not
\nonly be commended, but receive our long term support.<\/p>\n
They have correctly raised an important aspect of healing,
\nwhich most of us could not even conceive unless we ourselves fell
\nprey to such a traumatic experience.<\/p>\n
It is a thankless, and seemingly endless, task which gets
\nlittle attention, yet requires complete sacrifice on the part of
\nthe carer.<\/p>\n
Just look at one Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) volunteer who
\nis reportedly giving company to a 15-year-old girl who survived
\nthe tsunami, but had to have her arm amputated.<\/p>\n
Many more will need such companionship and it will consume
\nmore time than the ridiculous deadline of three months by which
\nofficials say the government will then begin to take over relief
\noperations.<\/p>\n
Experts in various fields would be needed -- the surviving
\nfishermen from vanished coastal villages, for instance, must be
\nassisted to start anew if indeed they want to see the ocean
\nagain.<\/p>\n
This tragedy is unprecedented. Hence our desire to help should
\nalso elicit a non-conventional response. Dropping sacks of rice
\nand building new homes is not enough.<\/p>\n
A complete panacea -- for mind and body -- should be the top
\npriority for our government instead of fussing about how long
\nforeign aid workers should be allowed to remain in Aceh.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-walking-dead-1447893297",
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