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.