SIA :: Society for Indonesian-Americans

An official SIA social mission to Aceh and North Sumatra coordinated by SIA Indonesia protocol in Jakarta as a humanitarian response to the tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia for solidarity and care towards the victims.

As the various news stories of tsunami unraveled, it took me several days to realize the magnitude of the disaster. To date, the devastating earthquake and unruly tide killed more than 130.000 human lives as opposed to the total population of over 1.100.000 million in Nanggroe Aceh Darrusalam (N.A.D.). – killing both Republic and GAM (Free Aceh Movement) loyalists, men, women and children from either side. Thousands more missing.

The international death toll officially passes 150,000 and continues to rise. The remaining victims and survivors have lost their family member and relatives, homes and shelter, assets, jobs – and most saddening of all, the spirit to foresee a livable future ahead.

Society for Indonesian-Americans (SIA) upholds a vision to bring Indonesians and Americans together sharing a common interest to empower the unity of Indonesian-Americans. The SIA global network is universal, with no basis on race, religion, nationality, gender and human disabilities. With these values, what had come across my mind was the impulsive vision to foresee multi-ethnic and multi-cultural backgrounds from all around the world – to unite and collectively respond to this disaster. I said to myself that, “This is a mission to bring Indonesians and the world community together sharing a common interest to empower the unity of the WORLD!”

Under the direct supervision of SIA chairman/president, George Tirajoh, based in Washington, D.C. – together with Harris Nasution, a New York-based U.N. Officer and Indonesian community in New York representative, and Washington DC Alumni representative – I was given the strength and drive to visit Aceh and North Sumatra to volunteer as a social and humanitarian contributor, however and whichever way, to the best of our capacity and ability – with no considerations of second thoughts to neglect our sincere and impulsive intension to provide humanitarian aid the “SIA way”.

On January 6th 2005, “SIA Cares for Aceh” operations team arrived in Medan early morning to meet with Waspada Daily reporters – North Sumatra’s leading newspaper company – specially assigned to Aceh. We collected all required data and information to support our mission to Aceh – realizing that it would only be wise to arrive in Aceh furnished with sufficient information, equipment, and logistics.

Arriving in Banda Aceh the following morning after a 14-hour safe drive journey, throughout the night passing some military security check points, we were devastated with what we witnessed. Banda Aceh was in total desperation. Buildings, homes, schools were demolished. Business, government and non-government institutions were out of operation – as well as restaurants, hotels, public services and shops. Streets were piled with debris, mud and pungent odor of dead bodies. People were not much of energy and spirit. We, at the same time, could only be in total silence as we drove around the city. Trying to find ways to help, to provide our assistance, contribute in whichever way we could. There was merely no way we could imagine that would be enough to help Aceh. The only fact and spirit that had given us the belief that our cause was beneficial to Aceh was our sincerity and solid belief that we cared. We upheld the vision that we are here to bring together all cultures and ethnics from all over the world to give our helping hearts. Aceh was at that time…No Man’s Land!

We spent one whole day trying to avail ourselves as a volunteer. Our initial intention was to volunteer as an English-speaking translator for the Red Cross and international medical teams. We had intended this prior to our departure from Jakarta – hoping that at least this would be something that we could least do for the victims. As we were informed that Red Cross and the New Zealand Air Force were one of the few that required translators, we searched from the contact person in charge so that we could be accommodated and start our voluntary work. Coordination was bad. Not one person we asked could give information that would lead to any positive possibilities nor hope. After going around the city, media center, government posts, organizational posts, airport – looking for ways to help, we eventually got tired and started to think of other ways to contribute. At the end of the day, we spent some time at refugee camps with several children who had seen their schools demolished – reading books and drawing were a few activities we did.

It came to a stage where we were hopelessly frustrated. We went to the Red Cross, military medical teams, government posts, media centers, international NGO posts. It was apparent that everyone was operating independently and undergoing missions of their own. No one had known of any designated post for assistance. The Indonesian government seemed to have no control, no coordination of any operation undertaken during the first weeks of post-tsunami in Aceh. No reliable information could be released by the government. Even the press and media had obtained and acquired information quicker that the local government authorities. We were all over the city trying to find the necessary information to offer our voluntary services. But it seems that the city was operating as a war zone.

As the city of Banda Aceh was in total chaos, we spent half a day at the Sultan Iskandar Muda Air force base – where we witnessed military forces from Japan, USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, China, Spain, Pakistan and Switzerland combined into one mission. The scenery at the Sultan Iskandar Muda Air Force Base was fascinating! Never in my life had I seen international joint military forces operating in and from one operation point/base. The U.S. military were deployed in high numbers. They were seen to transport donated goods from air to land. Australian military providing water and sanitary assistance. Minute-by-minute, several soldiers were transporting goods, transferring refugees and volunteer workers in and out of aircrafts, medically treating injured victims/survivors and injured volunteers, and other activities never ever seen in real life!

Rain or shine, US Joint Military forces transport donated goods continuously without complaints in and out of Sultan Iskandar Muda Air Force base. (photo by: Hussein Baron Sutadisastra)

As much as I am inspired to promote world peace, realistically, sadly, expecting all parties to recognize a starting point for a dialogue and discussion is something not easy. Does it have to take a tragedy for people to get along? Are we going to wait until it’s too late? The answer yet remains a mystery.

Remote coastal line out of reached from the central food relief desperately need food, drinking water and health cares. They were out of reach due to the fact that the devastation destroyed almost all the western part of Aceh coastal road beyond expectation. Despite of the outpouring emergency relief from all over the world, the affected remote coastal line remain neglected for several days until special task force arrived.

As of January 20, more than 1,300 teachers have been reported dead or missing in seven districts of Aceh Province. The Indonesian Ministry of Education (MOE) reports that the tsunami destroyed and/or damaged more than 1,100 schools in Aceh Province and around 450 schools destroyed and/or damaged in Northern Sumatra Province.

How about the tens of thousands of children displaced from education? Those who have also lost their parents, families, relatives – and now left alone in the unsafe streets of Aceh – what will happen to them?

Despite of the Tsunami tragedy lost of hope, there is light at the end of the tunnel. However, we noticed that a lot of coconut trees remain stood still despite of the devastation of Tsunami, as if telling the people that coconut trees created by God are still here for you to harvest and benefit.

After few days of Tsunami disaster prior to relief rescue arrived, many displaced refugees in remote areas were sharing stories of how they had survived by drinking and eating coconut fruits, truly remarkable natural savior. It is known that coconut fruits have many powerful cures. According to researchers, virgin coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, a proven antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal agent that is very beneficial in attacking viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens, and that builds the body’s immune system.

Furthermore, the lauric acid in coconut oil is used by the body to make the same disease-fighting fatty acid derivative monolaurin that babies make from the lauric acid they get from their mothers milk. Since coconut oil will actually speed up metabolism, the body will burn more calories in a day this will contribute to weight loss, and the person will have more energy.

As an advocate of going back to basic and economy recovery on agriculture products based, expansion of coconut trees plantation in Aceh and North Sumatra would be one of the priority lists for Post-Tsunami economy recovery. Coconut trees by products including virgin coconut oil are now in global demand and this is one of the hopes of economy recovery for the Tsunami victims in Indonesia as well as in other affected countries.

To conclude, though it may seem that we did not have any significance in our contribution towards the wellbeing of Aceh tsunami victims, but we are sure that the presence of our body, mind, and soul were the least for of solidarity, sincerity, and care towards not only the victims, but in bringing the world together. SIA not only brings Indonesian-Americans together, but in such humanitarian crisis – we bring the world together.