Tsunami aftermath

Tsunami aftermath

The people of Indonesia have been overwhelmed by the
generosity of aid flowing in from countries such as Australia in
the wake of the tsunami tragedy that hit Aceh province.

I received a telephone call from a friend of mine in Medan on
New Year's Day expressing his surprise at the prompt response of
Australian citizens in helping the victims of the tsunami in
Sumatra.

Australians have been shocked out of complacency by the images
on their television news reports. Images such as rows of bodies
wrapped in white cloth, many of them pathetically small, mud
flats littered with broken fishing boats and housing materials
where bustling towns used to be. A town of 10,000 has been
reduced to hundreds, the victims sucked out to sea by the tsunami
then dumped unceremoniously on shore again amid the mud and
debris.

Reports by the Australian media have been shocking but
sensitive. Although including many details about Australian and
other Western victims, most reports have focused on the fate of
the thousands of poor people living along the coast of Sumatra
and Sri Lanka. These reports have been effective in gaining a
practical response from Australians who have donated coins at New
Year's Eve gatherings, phoned charitable organizations with
larger donations and generously filled the plates passed around
at churches.

This is particularly heart-warming in a country like Australia
where a great deal of cynicism exists with regard to what happens
to money donated to charities. Although aware of the difficulties
faced by aid organizations in getting aid to the people who need
it as soon as possible, Australians have given as much in
donations to charities as they usually give during a full year.

Apart from basic drinking water, food and tents, perhaps the
most appreciated help will be that given by the field hospitals
being set up now a week after the tragedy. In a country where
medical care is limited at the best of times, this will enable
many of the survivors of the tsunami to recover and face the
challenges of rebuilding in the future.

Help with transport, such as the Hercules planes ferrying
supplies between Medan and Banda Aceh, and naval vessels
operating along the coast picking up survivors from outlying
islands are vital means of assisting the Indonesian people to
overcome the difficulties caused by lack of roads and
infrastructure. It is hoped that the cooperation between the
countries of the region demonstrated recently will continue in
the future, in the awareness that all are equal before the
unpredictable forces of nature.

DJASAMEN SARAGIH
Canberra, Australia