Why is God angry? Acehnese speak up

The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

The devastating earthquake and tsunamis that killed over 166,000 people and displaced another half a million in Aceh have not shaken the faith of the people, who are known for their strong devotion to Islam.

Most do not ask why God picked Aceh upon which to unleash His wrath. They agree that God the omnipotent was angry, but they lay the blame elsewhere -- some on themselves.

Nearly four weeks after the catastrophe, most Acehnese have had plenty of time to contemplate and reflect on the disaster. Some shared their thoughts with The Jakarta Post.

Siti Rohana teaches at a state junior high school in Lampeuneurut, Aceh Besar. She lost many of the members of her extended family, colleagues and students.

When UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell came to Banda Aceh, there was no sacred Seudati ceremonial dance that we usually perform for honorary guests. Instead, people approached them, grabbed them by the hand and asked for money. What kind of attitude is that?

This calamity should have brought the best out of the Acehnese. Instead, we have lost our dignity. The ordeals we have faced over the years have made us forget who we are. I don't know how to fix that.

Hapsah, 39, survived the ordeal with her husband and four children, although they lost their house in Jaya Baru.

This (disaster) was God's plan and we can only guess the reason. Perhaps it was meant to show us what many people in other parts of the world are going through. They have not endured tsunamis, but have suffered starvation, grief and loss.

Some say God is punishing us because we failed to protect our land. Some say it is because tourists held beach parties near a cemetery, a sacred place. Whatever the real reasons are, we should look back and ask for God's forgiveness. I really don't know what to do now -- what will become of my family? We are at God's mercy.

Zainun, 53, survived the tsunamis as did his wife, his children and grandchildren, although he lost his house in Ulee Kareng village, Banda Aceh.

God is angry with us. We have suffered much but have continued to fail to do what is demanded of us. Instead, we turn our backs on Him. We have become immoral in our behavior. I can't believe people were stealing jewelry from the dead instead of burying them. It's awful. Now that we have had a glimpse of what Armageddon looks like, we should take His message seriously. We need to go back to the mosques and worship God.

Asmarawati, a teacher by profession, lost her home in Banda Aceh. Now she acts as principal of the makeshift school at the displaced persons' shelter near the TVRI complex.

For me personally, this calamity has taught me to be even more devoted to God, to ask for forgiveness and to observe syariah (the legal code of Islam). This is a test from God, from which there are lessons to be learned.

Mrs. Habibi survived along with her five children and her husband, but they lost their home in Kampung Baru. This is the third time she and her family have lived in tents, after first being displaced in the 1990s and later by the armed conflict in Aceh.

I don't know if this is a punishment or a warning, and I don't know if God loves us or despises us. We have gone through so many ordeals in the past.

No one knows what God is up to. All we can do is to pray and hope that things will get better soon. We want to get back on our feet and pick up where we left off. But this disaster has left us with nothing. We can only hope and wait.

Sulaiman, 55, is a fisherman from Lampageu village in north Banda Aceh.

This calamity is God's warning to mankind. It seems that we have been so absorbed in our activities that we have neglected God. Vice is everywhere. During the martial law, soldiers were partying, drinking and harassing village girls. They were partying near Syiah Kuala cemetery the night before the tsunamis. We already warned them and told them to stop, but instead these soldiers came and threatened us. Because of their vice, hundreds of thousands of people have been punished by God.

Syaifullah Hasan, 51, drives a motorized pedicab for a living. We are weak and at God's mercy. God is testing us, and we have to accept this.

The only logical response is to get on the right path, His path. It's time we stopped doing things that are forbidden. I don't deny having transgressed in the past.

Syafaruddin, 36, a construction worker from Kota Raja.

This calamity should serve as a valuable lesson for mankind to strengthen their devotion to God.

Aceh can take pride in being called the "Verandah of Mecca" but our behavior somehow does not reflect that title. This is the time to show how strong our devotion to God is.

Syafi'ie, 42, from Lhokseumawe. He is in Aceh driving cars for journalists, UN workers and relief workers.

I blame our leaders, both the ulema and government officials. We are being punished for their sins. They are our leaders and they are responsible for our fate. The problem began the moment the ulema embraced politics. Together, they are corrupting the land of Aceh. Look at all the fancy cars they are driving in Banda Aceh. They live in wealth while their people are poor.

Sulaeman Mahmud survived the tsunamis with his family but lost his home in central Banda Aceh.

God is angry. He has caused death and destruction, yet, he spared Baiturrahman Grand Mosque. The rolling black water that day -- as tall as a coconut tree -- is beyond our comprehension... God is sending signals, but we don't know what they are.