Karateka Bambang lives to tell of tsunami horror

Karateka Bambang lives to tell of tsunami horror

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A fateful decision may have saved the life of karateka Bambang
Maulidin amid the devastating Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami.

The 2003 Southeast (SEA) Games gold and 2002 Asian Games
silver medalist was at home in Ponge Ujung, Banda Aceh, two
kilometers from the coastline, when the quake hit at about 8 a.m.

None of his family was hurt in the enormous quake, centered
off the west Aceh coast, and Bambang, 25, decided to leave on his
motorbike to check the situation in the city, first asking for
his parents' permission.

But the Sunday morning calm was shattered when he heard cries
of "seawater, seawater" as the tsunami pounded the Aceh capital.

Bambang immediately tried to return to his home but was driven
back by the surging wall of water.

It was only after it had subsided that he could make his way
back. He found that his house, built with bonuses from the
National Sports Council (KONI) for his medal-winning victories,
had been totally demolished.

Even worse news awaited him.

Although his two teenage brothers had survived, the
whereabouts of other family members, including a sister who was
engaged to be married, is unclear.

"A week after the tsunami, I still do not know the fate of my
parents and my two sisters," he said in a telephone interview on
Monday, his voice sounding weak and sad.

"I leave their fate to God."

Bambang and his brothers, aged 18 and 15, have been brought to
Jakarta with the assistance of the Indonesian Karate-do
Federation (Forki) and KONI.

They are staying at the home of federation secretary-general
Hendarji in Cipayung, East Jakarta. Bambang seems resigned to the
fate of his missing family members, and has held a mourning
ritual to pray for them.

Despite his sadness, he is thinking about his future. It
includes a possible return to his sport after he was sidelined by
a nagging leg injury suffered in the 2004 National Games in
Palembang, South Sumatra.

"I wish to work again as my office in the Regional Development
Bank (BPD) in Banda Aceh was destroyed. I was told that Pak
(Mr.) Hendarji is trying to get a job for me in Bank Mandiri. I
hope it's true," said Bambang, who, like many successful national
athletes, was provided with a job in a government-related
institution.

He is also looking forward to a return to his sport after an
absence of three months.

"I'm ready to practice karate again, and if Forki calls me to
rejoin the Indonesia Awakens (IA) program, I'll be pleased to
hear it."

The IA was formed by KONI to improve medal-winning chances in
the 2006 Asian Games.

Bambang is not the only athlete to have been hit by the Aceh
devastation; two fencers, a boxing referee and a local official
of the Indonesian Chess Association (Percasi) have also been
reported missing.

KONI chairman Agum Gumelar, speaking on his arrival from Aceh
on Tuesday, said he asked the Aceh chapter of the sports body to
keep searching for survivors among the athletes, but the effort
was hampered by the lack of information and logistical problems.

"But up to now, we have no exact figure about athletes who
suffered in the tsunami as telephone communication has been so
difficult in Aceh."

He assured that KONI would provide similar emergency
assistance to other athletes in Aceh affected by the disaster.

The sports body will also invite on Thursday all its
affiliated organizations to participate in a fund-raising drive,
Agum said.