The soul of Aceh reconstruction

M. T. Zen, Bandung

The earthquake and tsunamis that hit Aceh on Dec. 26 were a demonstration of the power of nature. That is the price Indonesians have to pay for having a country located exactly at the confluence of four major tectonic plates that are in constant motion.

The world community has pledged hundreds of millions dollars of aid money for the reconstruction of Aceh since entire areas were destroyed, like stretches of desert.

Aceh has been an area of political conflict for many decades. Many have died, Acehnese, as well as Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel. What does this mean?

It is worth remembering that Aceh was one of the first provinces that contributed an airplane and money to sustain the struggle against the Dutch during the revolutionary days. It was also Kotaraja (present day Banda Aceh), which became the center of the government of the republic "in exile", when the entire republic, including Yogyakarta, was overrun and occupied by the Dutch army during the revolution. Besides, the Acehnese are proud of their cultural heritage, religious and very devoted. Therefore, ethnological values should be taken into consideration in rebuilding efforts .

Why is this approach being suggested? Many families lost their relatives and their homes and belongings. It is quite understandable that those who survived but lost their homes would like to have a new house built for them -- instead of living in tents or temporary barracks -- in the shortest possible time.

The central government is also very keen to provide permanent homes for those people who lost theirs. The money is there; so, there is no reason to wait any longer. However, if we reconstruct Aceh quickly (particularly if efforts are profit-driven) then we have learned nothing.

We should learn from the catastrophe so that we can better protect ourselves in the future. What is suggested is nothing more than synthesizing scientific and engineering principles with socio-cultural values into a development program.

From geophysical, geological, and seismological information, seismic zoning maps have been made on a variety of scales. The largest scale maps identify the regions of a province that are prone to earthquakes.

In North America, Europe, Russia, Japan, China, New Zealand and Australia this is a common practice. In spite of their uncertainties, local seismic-hazard zoning maps are becoming more and more common.

On the maps, risk is conceived as either relative or explicitly probabilistic. Most maps of relative risk mark zones with an arbitrary numerical or alphabetic scale.

Maps of probabilistic risk give an idea of the underlying statistical uncertainty, as is done in calculating insurance risk.

In Indonesia -- where some areas are prone to earthquakes -- land-use policies should take into consideration geophysical factors. Seismic zoning and building codes must also be used.

The word eco-development has often been mentioned in discussions within Indonesia, but in practice this has always been ignored. Particularly for earthquake/tsunami prone areas, the full use of natural buffers or greenbelts is strongly recommended. Several tree or plant species can be used effectively.

Ecological considerations combined with the knowledge of coastal morphology (topography) can be effectively used to protect the coastline from tsunamis.

In the meantime, academic communities should do more intensive research on the use of mangrove forests for protecting coastal zones and for the economic benefit of the local populace. If not the mangrove, what other tree species could be used, and in what conditions?

Aceh is a land of tradition and culture and its people are very religious. Therefore, Aceh should be reconstructed not only according to sound scientific and engineering principles, but in line with the "soul" of Aceh, meaning that traditional and cultural values must be included in new structures and patterns.

This is not easy, and may take some time. To begin with, the reconstruction work, from the very start, should include Aceh's most knowledgeable people.

Scientists and engineers from Syiahkuala University, as well as practitioners living outside Aceh, could be consulted on this -- and they would gladly contribute.

The Aceh war was a bloody one and it took the Dutch several decades to subdue Aceh. After independence, Aceh's relationship with Sukarno, the first president, was an uneasy one. But, it was only during the Soeharto era that an open rebellion broke out. Right now, talks have been resumed in Helsinki, and new hopes for a long-lasting settlement have emerged.

The problem seems to be centered around the words "special autonomy". Let us hope that a real settlement emerges, and that political questions left hanging are soon solved. With that in mind, the reconstruction of Aceh can be undertaken wholeheartedly by the central government, as well as by the Acehnese themselves. The central government and the House of Representatives should seize this opportunity to perfect the autonomy law so that it can be implemented nationwide.

The tsunami created tremendous momentum. Let us ride on the crest of the waves, and look at this terrible event as a turning point in cultivating a new constructive attitude and behavior, paving the way for reconciliation.

Let us create something good out of this disaster so that those who were killed did not die in vain.

Let me end by quoting Alfred Tennyson, "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield!"

These words were carved on the tombstones of Robert Falcon Scott, Dr. Wilson, Capt. Oates and Lt. Bowers who perished in the South Pole after loosing the race to the Norwegian team under Ronald Amundson who reached that same spot two days before in 1912. The most far-flung grave on earth.

The writer is a lecturer at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and a researcher at Geodynamics Laboratory, Geophysical Engineering, ITB. He can be reached at mtzen@gf.itb.ac.id