Refugees in Medan return to Aceh

Refugees in Medan return to Aceh

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post/Medan

After staying for almost a month in a camp in Medan, Cnumuk, an
Indonesian of Chinese ethnicity, was elated when he heard the
news he could return to Aceh.

The 58-year-old man has been determined to leave for his
hometown in Banda Aceh -- along with other men in the camp -- as
a volunteer.

His wife and three children will remain in Medan, while he
searches for his two other children and two grandchildren, who
have been missing since Dec. 26.

"I'm confused here, never knowing what to do. I'd rather
return to Banda Aceh and become a volunteer. I can be useful
there, and search for my children," Cnumuk told The Jakarta Post
before departing for Banda Aceh on Tuesday.

His children, Melinda and Sani, are missing along with
Melinda's children, Desi and Devi. Melinda's husband, Iwal, an
Acehnese, survived the disaster, which devastated their house in
Plunge, Blang Cut.

Cnumuk said he would have to start over again when he returned
to Banda Aceh as everything, including his house, was destroyed
by the tidal waves.

Though, as his belongings have been reduced to the clothes on
his back he will have to wait for the government's assistance to
rebuild his house.

Until that time, his wife and children will stay in Medan,
where they have somewhere to stay at least.

"If everything returns to normal, the town has been cleaned up
and houses, rebuilt, only then will I take them home to Aceh.
Besides, it's not good staying in a camp for long," said Cnumuk,
who repaired motorcycles in a workshop at his house before the
disaster.

Cnumuk said, despite the possibility of aftershocks, he is not
afraid to live in Banda Aceh again, although he would always
remember the horror of Dec. 26.

Another Chinese-Indonesian displaced by the tsunami, Hasian,
said there was no reasons for them to stay much longer in the
camp.

The 47-year-old said he would return to his hometown in Banda
Aceh, although the tidal waves had swept away all his belongings.

"We come from Aceh, so, like it or not, we will return to
Aceh. We don't mind starting from scratch, we just have to
return," said Hasin, who used to own a car repair shop in Kota
Alam.

Coordinator of the Indonesian-Chinese Refugees Mutual Aid
Organization, Andriadi, said on Tuesday that around 100 displaced
people had returned to Banda Aceh through the organization,
accompanied by two truck-loads of relief supplies.

Last week, he said, some 20 refugees had returned to Banda
Aceh as volunteers for the organization to set up a post that
would assist people arriving from Medan.

"We can only smooth the process for those who wish to return
to Banda Aceh," Andriadi said.

He said the people who arrived in Banda Aceh on Tuesday had
been selected to return as their homes had been destroyed and
they needed extra time to rebuild them.

He said that the organization had also sent 27 other displaced
people to Meulaboh on Jan. 20.

Based on data from several posts, around 7,000 Indonesians of
Chinese ethnicity fled to Medan for safety after the disaster,
most of them came from Banda Aceh or Meulaboh.