Tsunami in Aceh: Regional tragedy, global solution<\/p>\n
B. Lynn Pascoe, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Images of the tsunami tragedy have faded from the news in many
\nparts of the world, but 10-year-old Nevin Rae of Solesbury,
\nPennsylvania, U.S., has not forgotten. This elementary school
\nstudent raised US$17,000 from his fellow townsmen for tsunami
\nrelief. Millions of Americans have done likewise, reaching into
\ntheir pockets to contribute more than $1.2 billion to show their
\ncontinuing concern. As President George W. Bush said, \"The
\nUnited States is committed to helping the people who suffer.
\nWe're committed today and we will be committed tomorrow.\"<\/p>\n
As a sign of this U.S. commitment, and of our close
\nrelationship with Indonesia, President George W. Bush will
\nwelcome President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Washington on May
\n25 for talks on tsunami relief and reconstruction. The two
\npresidents will hold bilateral talks at the White House in search
\nof ways to further strengthen our cooperation and emphasize that
\nour partnership with Indonesia extends far beyond the certainly
\nimportant work that we have in the aftermath of the tsunami and
\nearthquake.<\/p>\n
In addition to working closely with the government of
\nIndonesia, the U.S. is working with partners in the international
\ndevelopment community -- from the Asian Development Bank, the
\nUnited Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank to the
\nRed Cross\/Red Crescent and international NGOs -- to rebuild
\ninfrastructure, restart economies, improve livelihoods, and
\nrevive the hopes of disaster victims. Significant efforts are
\nalready underway.<\/p>\n
One example was the recent visit by U.S. Deputy Secretary of
\nState Robert Zoellick to the Acehnese village of Lhoknga where he
\nsigned a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for $15 million in
\nU.S. funding for the first phase of the Banda Aceh to Meulaboh
\nroad, much of what was destroyed during the December 2004
\nearthquake and tsunami. Assistance from the U.S. Government,
\nthrough USAID, will help rebuild this essential infrastructure
\nand the lives of thousands of people who lost their homes and
\nlivelihoods. To date, USAID has provided $53.3 million in
\nemergency food assistance, relief supplies, temporary shelter,
\nwater and sanitation, health, livelihoods and other support for
\naffected communities in Aceh and North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
At President Bush's request, Congress approved $656 million
\nfor the tsunami relief and reconstruction fund. Of that amount,
\nmore than half will go to rebuilding the infrastructure of the
\naffected economies while other funds will help victims return to
\ntheir communities through programs aimed at recreating
\nlivelihoods, rebuilding homes, and providing other transitional
\nsupport. Funds will also be used to improve international and
\nU.S. tsunami early warning systems so that people in this region
\nwill be forewarned of pending disasters.<\/p>\n
Many of the grants to U.S. government partners and local NGOs
\nwere for an initial three to six months and focused significant
\nresources on developing cash-for-work and micro-enterprise
\nactivities to generate employment for those affected. More than
\n$6.3 million in grants have been made to support cash-for-work
\nprograms. In Indonesia, for example, cash for work programs
\nemployed more than 35,000 beneficiaries, providing $2.9 million
\ndirectly to workers.<\/p>\n
U.S. government assistance, however, is more than matched by
\nthe contributions of U.S. businesses, religious organizations,
\nacademic institutions, and individuals that have provided
\nfinancial and personnel resources quickly and directly to
\naffected communities. Over 130 U.S. companies each provided at
\nleast $1,000,000 in cash, products and services including water
\npurification systems, transport, and basic food, water and
\nshelter to local and international relief agencies.<\/p>\n
Equally impressive are the ongoing efforts by individual
\nAmericans and NGOs. For example, Habitat for Humanity organized
\nvolunteer teams of construction specialists that will help 30-
\n35,000 families rebuild their homes. The \"Kids Tsunami Relief
\nFund\" in New York City is raising money to help rebuild a school
\nin Pottuvil, Sri Lanka, and a medical clinic in nearby Kirinda.<\/p>\n
In order to ensure governments and institutions maintain the
\nmomentum of international support that is so crucial to Indonesia
\nand the region's long-term tsunami reconstruction and recovery,
\nco-chairs of the U.S. Private Sector Tsunami Relief, George H.W.
\nBush and Bill Clinton, engaged government officials from the
\nhardest hit countries, corporate representatives,
\nphilanthropists, financial institutions and NGOs to participate
\nin a focused dialogue on the necessities, priorities and
\nchallenges of the reconstruction phase.<\/p>\n
Also in attendance at the one-day \"private sector summit on
\npost-tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction\" in Washington, DC
\nwas Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of National Development
\nPlanning, who said it is vital to make sure a credible,
\ncoordinated system is established among donors, governments and
\nother involved parties. She was joined by Azwar Abubakar, Acting
\nGovernor of Aceh and Vice Chairman of the Executing Agency for
\nRehabilitation and Reconstruction of Aceh and Nias.<\/p>\n
Not long after the tsunami struck, an Indonesian poet from
\ndevastated Aceh province wrote: \"Never ask where Meulaboh is.
\nNever ask where Bireuen is...their maps have crumbled. Their maps
\nhave been washed away.\" Today volunteers from the American
\nFriends Service Committee are helping figuratively to redraw the
\nmaps of Meulaboh and Bireuen, using more than $4 million in
\ndonations to meet medical needs and rebuild a wounded society.<\/p>\n
These are but a few of the ways in which Americans are showing
\nsolidarity with friends in need. Through the continued efforts
\nof our leaders and citizens, the United States pledges to work
\nclosely with the United Nations and the international community
\nto ensure a transparent and sustainable reconstruction process,
\nmost of all, to guarantee that the people devastated by the
\nIndian Ocean tsunami are not forgotten.<\/p>\n
The writer is U.S. Ambassador for Indonesia.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tsunami-in-aceh-regional-tragedy-global-solution-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }