Day of arrival in Banda Aceh
It is believed that the world discovered the spice islands starting with ACEH, in the Acehnese language. It is said that ACEH is an acronym of the people's ethnic composition -- Arab, Chinese, European and Hindi.
The tsunami changed "everything", particularly in the city of Banda Aceh. Before it was a quiet little town with many beautiful beaches (Ujong Batee, Lam Puuk and Lhok Nga) with clean blue waters, white sands and sunsets.
A wise man Azmi makes his confession to me, that he misses the serenity and purity in the quietness of Banda Aceh. However, he said, the overwhelming presence of others is necessary and appreciated.
The earthquake- and tsunami-generated rubble of Banda Aceh is left "as is". The rebuilding master plan is expected to top US$4.5 billion over five years, assuming the promised international aid is realized. The money is scheduled to be released late March.
My Garuda Airlines flight to Banda Aceh has its own unique memories. My on board neighbor was a hijab-clad World Health Organization official, Dr. Rossi. Across the aisle was a young man, who I later came to know as Yusri. After having lost all family members and severely injuring his left eye, Yusri was returning to his native town of Banda Aceh for the first time from Jakarta after a two-month treatment.
Banda Aceh's airport was designed for receiving only a limited number of flights a day. Its baggage conveyor belt was no wider than the check-in counter belt at a major grocery store in America. Over 100 flights came in immediately after the tsunami hit tapering down now to about 10 a day.
Outside the airport, there was a display of big and even bigger cars with a collage of mind-boggling logos on them. Our hosts Pos Keadilan Peduli Ummat (PKPU), or the Center for Justice and Care for Muslims and Dompet Dhuafa (DD), or Wallet of the Poor) graciously got us into cars to leave the airport. Our solemn tour began with a visit to one of the first of many mass graves barely few kilometers from the airport.
This particular mass grave housed "20,000 victims" of the earthquake and tsunami disaster, buried a day after the tragedy on Dec. 26, 2004.
This solemn experience holds no parallel in my memory. Never in my adult life, have I cried so easily. I questioned myself looking at the football field size mass grave, how do I pray for "20,000 people?" My imagination led me to see a wailing 70-year- old grandfather loosing his grip on his seven-year-old grand- daughter and a newly wed Acehnese daughter frantically crying for her beloved. I cried more, until my host gently tapped my shoulder and reminded me, "today is your day of arrival in Banda Aceh."
SHAKEEL SYED, Vice President, www.Islam.org, California, U.S.