Survivors shaken by trauma

Survivors shaken by trauma

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

Since his arrival early last week at a social agency-sponsored
shelter in Medan, North Sumatra, Sandi Chandra Putra, 15, a
native of Banda Aceh, has frequently burst into tears or screamed
for no particular reason.

He has trouble interacting and only talks about how all the
members of his extended family perished in the Dec. 26 earthquake
and tsunami that devastated Aceh and parts of North Sumatra.

"I believe that one of my older brother survived the tsunami
but I can't remember his name," Sandi told The Jakarta Post on
Tuesday, his memory lapse serving as an indication of his
troubled mind.

Sandi is among thousands of children orphaned by the tsunami
who are struggling to come to terms with what they witnessed and
the extent of their loss.

His parents and eight brothers and sisters are missing,
presumed dead.

Nimbong Purba, a volunteer at the shelter, has tried in vain
to find out the name of Sandi's older brother, whom Sandi claims
is still alive.

"The tragic and sudden loss of his parents and relatives in
the tsunami has severely affected his state of mind," Nimbong
said.

An official with the shelter, Fadri, said 25 orphaned children
were staying at the shelter, most had been roaming the streets of
Medan before they were found by aid workers.

"Eight days ago, Sandi was found by our workers alone in a
mosque," he said, adding that the orphaned children arrived in
Medan along with the bulk of survivors who fled tsunami-hit areas
in Aceh.

Rizal, a volunteer with the Medan-based Bening Foundation who
has been looking after orphaned children, confirmed that most of
them are suffering from serious mental trauma.

"It will be a long time before the children recover. We can
only hope for the best," Rizal said.

The local administration has reported that a large number of
Acehnese children are stranded in Medan without their family's
care.

A total of 130 volunteers have been deployed to search for
other stranded orphans.

Fadri anticipated the arrival at the shelter of 15 orphans
from Aceh that day.

"Although a substantial number of children have been retrieved
by their families or relatives, we expect that more will arrive.
Today, 15 orphaned children were found by our volunteers," he
said.

The foundation said that at least 400 children had been
reported by their family members and relatives in Medan and Banda
Aceh as missing.