United in crisis<\/p>\n
Nothing could have prepared this nation -- not the government
\nand certainly not the people -- to face Sunday's calamity.<\/p>\n
Measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, the earthquake off the
\nnorthwestern coast of Sumatra was the most powerful tremor
\nrecorded around the globe in over 40 years. The towering tidal
\nwaves that ensued -- and which caused the majority of deaths --
\nwere rare occurrences in the Indian Ocean. An expert at the
\nPacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said the Indian Ocean
\nfaced such catastrophes once every 700 years.<\/p>\n
Even if there had been an early warning system -- like those
\nin place in most Pacific rim countries -- it would not have made
\nmuch difference to Indonesia: We would not have had the time to
\nwarn the people in northern Sumatra of the impending disaster
\nbecause of our proximity to the epicenter.<\/p>\n
A warning system might have saved lives in India, Malaysia,
\nthe Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand, toward which the tsunami
\ntraveled some 60 to 90 minutes across the ocean before hitting
\ntheir shores. For Indonesia, however, Sunday's quake was just too
\npowerful and the tidal waves came too fast to handle.<\/p>\n
One lesson to take away from this disaster is the need for
\ncountries bordering the Indian Ocean to cooperate and set up an
\nearly warning system modeled on the Pacific system. If a massive
\nquake should occur in the Maldives -- whether tomorrow or in 700
\nyears' time -- those of us in Indonesia would surely like to hear
\nof it in time and have a chance to prepare for it, for example by
\nevacuating people along the coasts.<\/p>\n
With the death toll in the six affected countries exceeding
\n15,000 and growing -- including more than at least 5,000 in
\nIndonesia -- the disaster is horrific.<\/p>\n
Tragic though it may be, it is not so much the figure that is
\nmind-boggling, as after a while, the number of dead will become a
\nmere statistic and fade in the collective consciousness.<\/p>\n
More devastating than this are the survivors' tales as told
\nthrough photographs: of lifeless children lined up in an Aceh
\nmorgue; of a wailing young woman nudging her dead baby in the
\nvain hope of reviving it; of a man grieving over his dead child;
\nof families sifting through the ruins of what were once their
\nhomes; of fishing boat floating lifelessly and unmoored.<\/p>\n
This nation was on full alert over Christmas weekend against
\npossible terrorist attacks. Instead, a worse disaster struck us.<\/p>\n
With terrorism, we could at least vent our anger at the
\nperpetrators; with natural disasters, we cannot blame anyone in
\nparticular -- not even God -- nor can we pinpoint their exact
\ncause for all our powers of reasoning.<\/p>\n
From a spiritual point of view, perhaps it was a sign that we
\nneed to be more sensitive as regards the well-being of our fellow
\ncountrymen.<\/p>\n
Certainly, our reaction and response to Sunday's calamity was
\nfound wanting. Most local TV stations continued to air their
\nregular Sunday evening programs of dangdut music, game shows and
\nother entertainment programs even after the government declared a
\nnational disaster and called for public support.<\/p>\n
The people of Alor Island in East Nusa Tenggara and Nabire in
\nPapua, which were recently struck by deadly earthquakes, are
\nprobably familiar with the insensitivity of fellow Indonesians
\nabout their fate.<\/p>\n
At least the government responded swiftly, and in declaring a
\nnational disaster, it opened the doors to massive aid -- domestic
\nand foreign -- to be channeled to victims as quickly as possible.
\nOne consequence of this move is that aid can now be distributed
\ndirectly to the affected provinces, bypassing the cumbersome
\nJakarta red tape that delayed relief operations in the past.<\/p>\n
Foreign aid is most welcome and is vital, but it is usually
\navailable as immediate relief operations and medical\/food aid,
\nbut not beyond.<\/p>\n
For most survivors, the real challenge begins once they have
\novercome their grief and shock, as they go about the heartrending
\ntask of rebuilding their homes and shattered lives. It is the
\nresponsibility of the Indonesian people and their government to
\nprovide the sorely needed long-term support. The calamity that
\nstruck our countrymen in Aceh and North Sumatra is too big for
\nthem to face alone.<\/p>\n
In spite of the indifference shown on Sunday night, we, as a
\npeople, have risen to the challenge on many occasions in times of
\ncrises; it is this shared experience that has brought this nation
\ntogether.<\/p>\n
This time is no exception. As we help the survivors of Aceh
\nand North Sumatra to rebuild their lives, we will be helping this
\nnation to build a future.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/united-in-crisis-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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