Aceh Determined To Bounce Back From Tsunami Destruction

By Nor Baizura Basri BANDA ACEH (Indonesia), Feb 8 (Bernama) -- The melodious strains of "Doda idi Bela Nanggroe" make this song a fitting accompaniment to the visuals depicting the devastating tsunami that struck Aceh over a decade ago. Set to the tune of a traditional Acehnese lullaby, its soulful rendition by Indonesian singer Cut Aja Rizka tug at the heartstrings of visitors to the Aceh Tsunami Museum, here, as they find themselves going back to the destruction that unfolded early in the morning on Dec 26, 2004. The museum, which opened in 2009, serves as a symbolic reminder of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, which claimed 230,000 lives across 14 countries. A visit to this museum begins with a walk through a 50-metre-long dark and narrow "alley" equipped with the sound effects to give visitors a feel of the tsunami. However, the chilling sound of rushing water left this writer feeling somewhat distressed as she imagined the horror and shock the locals went throughthat fateful Sunday. In the next chamber, the writer's tears rolled down her cheeks as she gazed at the names of some 3,800 tsunami victims engraved on the walls. INCULCATE FIGHTING SPIRIT Explaining the lyrics of "Doda idi Bela Nanggroe", local tour guide Mohamad Effendi Acek -- or better known by his moniker, Mr Ferry -- said the song was, essentially, about a mother urging her children not to give up easily and to press ahead no matter what challenges came their way. He said the song was composed before the 2004 tsunami but after the tragedy it went on to become a morale booster of sorts, inspiring the Acehnese to rise like a phoenix from the ashes. "Even now when I hear the song, I feel this urge to rise and strive," he told this writer, who was in Aceh recently as part of a humanitarian mission by Johor Corporation and Johor Media Club (JCorp-JMC) to assist the victims of an earthquake which hit Aceh's Pidie Jaya district last December. According to Mr Ferry, the Acehnese probably had no idea what a tsunami was before it hit them 12 years ago and, understandably, they were not in the least prepared for it. Today, however, Banda Aceh - dubbed the "Verandah of Mekah" - is definitely more prepared to face any eventuality. Most of the buildings erected over the last decade feature earthquake-resistant designs and structures; in fact, the Aceh Tsunami Museum itself was specially designed to serve as an evacuation centre that can hold up to 9,000 people. Family members who survived the 2004 tsunami are also relating their experiences to the younger generation to keep them on their guard. TSUNAMI ORPHAN HOPES TO BE NATIONAL ARCHER At Asrama Anak Yatim Johor, a post 2004 tsunami orphanage located in the outskirts of the capital that was set up with the help of the Johor state authorities, the writer met 18-year-old Mohd Siddiq Mohd Dahlan who lost his mother Fatmawati and seven siblings to the disaster. The boy, who aspires to be a national archer, said he remembered the tsunami vividly although he was only six years old then. He said he was grateful that he still has a surviving brother and a place to stay in the orphanage, and could continue going to school. Mohd Siddiq became emotional as he recounted the events of that fateful day, moving the writer and her colleagues to tears too. The teenager's face suddenly lighted up when he spoke about his ambition. "Kak (sister), I want to be an archer and represent my country. I hope I will be able to realise my ambition one day." Mohd Siddiq, who is a student at Sekolah Menengah Atas, is expected to complete his studies soon. FAITHFUL TO THE CORE Remember the majestic Rahmatullah mosque in Lampuuk, Aceh Besar, which stood intact although its surroundings were battered by the 2004 tsunami? Its imam Sulaiman Muhammad Amin, 65, said the tsunami was a depiction of Allah's greatness and served as a test for him and the villagers in respect to the development of Islam. Recalling the catastrophic event, he said: "I was floating on the water about three kilometres away from my house and was separated from my wife and daughter. When the time came for the Zohor and Asar prayers, I kept thinking about how to go about performing my prayers but I couldn't do anything. I could only accord due respect to the time meant for prayers." He was rescued by other villagers just before the Maghrib prayers, but his wife and daughter had perished. Although the Rahmatullah mosque was bereft of worshippers for months as there were no more people living in the village, Sulaiman faithfully performed his prayers there all by himself. Eventually, the people began filling up the mosque again. Sulaiman, who has since remarried, is still healthy and strong enough to lead the congregation at the Rahmatullah mosque. Today, the mosque is not only visited by the locals but foreigners as well as it bespeaks the greatness of Allah. Muslims who are too lazy to pray despite having all the amenties at hand, could learn a lesson or two from Sulaiman, who yearned to fulfil his religious obligations despite being adrift on water. EYE-OPENING MISSION The JCorp-JMC humanitarian mission to Bandar Aceh and Pidie Jaya from Jan 25 to 27 was an eye-opener for this writer as she saw first hand the strong determination of the Acehnese to weather the effects of the tsunami that devastated their homes and communities. Some 30 representatives of the print and electronic media and seven JCorp staff members participated in the humanitarian mission, which saw them handing over contributions to the Pidie Jaya earthquake victims, as well as visiting various places affected by the 2004 tsunami. For this writer and her media colleagues, the three-day mission made them realise the true meaning of struggle. From stopping at the mass graves of 46,718 tsunami victims, situated near Banda Aceh, to talking to a group of volunteer midwifery students at a mosque in Pidie Jaya, these visits only served to strengthen the writer's resolve to help the needy communities in Aceh. The Acehnese, who are known for their industriousness, have however made one thing clear to all of us -- that "it's not impossible" to bounce back from grief. As Mr Ferry had observed: "We just passed the test. We are not (in the business of) peddling corpses or grief, but we are rising from this test (tsunami)." --BERNAMA