Why is God angry? Acehnese speak up

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.