Journey to Aceh

Thousands of unknown heroes were born in the after math of tsunami…

Let’s start with the following story. They stood in a sexy line in a drizzle in the compound of the Jember Regional Representatives building complex. Carrying a banner that read “Sexy Boys Care, What About You?” and donation boxes made from used cardboard boxes, this outrageously-clad group stopped legislators in their tracks to talk them into giving donations for Aceh.

Having succeeded in “extorting” money out of the honourable legislators, the young people marched to the city centre. Ignoring their rain-streaked makeup, with caked powder leaving dirty spots on their faces, the young people coaxed motorists into giving donations. After four hours of working in the drizzle, the group managed to raise Rp661,000, which they later delivered to a radio station to be forwarded to the tsunami victims in Aceh. “Actually, we wanted to go to Aceh as volunteers, but we fear the victims cannot accept us for who we are,” said Memey, a Sexy Boys member.

Download CHAPTER 17 – The Year of Volunteers

AirPutih, White Water. A simple name. Its unassuming logo denotes sincerity. This team of volunteers was driven by an amazing powwer generator : young people in their early twenties and thirties, eccentric, with a passion for adventure and alove of sharing with others.

I call them eccentric because of their cool lifestyle and readiness to help. They simply abandoned their bright careers and, without a second thought, plunged into helping the tsunami victims. There was no hesitation whatsoever and their actions bordered on compulsion. A compulsion to be in Aceh.Strange and hard to fathom, but that was what they were.“We are nothing but a bunch of stupid people, Mbak,” said Edwardo Rusfid, chairman of Air Putih.

“We are not trying to be idealist or whatever. It’s simple: we are stupid,” said Edo, his nickname. That was their way of making fun of themselves. Soon, the name-calling triggered a war of name-calling among the personnel. Very exciting and cordial. This kind of joking among friends was probably what made them happy and obsessed with Aceh.

CHAPTER 18 – Starbuck Service a la Air Putih

Puter is a relatively young foundation. As an NGO, it is still in its infancy, says a senior activist. Puter was founded in 1997 in Bogor, in a rented house on Gang Puter, an alleyway whose name it later adopted.

I often tease my Puter friends: What an uninspiring name. The word “puter” does not signify a vision and mission, except to mean a continuous, circular  motion.

Like Air Putih, Puter Foundation does not boast a screaming logo. Puter prefers to remain down to earth and initially focused its activities on providing assistance to communities, like those in Ujung Kulon and Banyuwangi, before it finally had a presence in Aceh. Unlike other NGOs that make advocacy their core activity, Puter does not generate media attention. The outcome of an assistance program is not something that can be measured in black and white, although it does not elude evaluation.

Puter’s down-to-earth approach was obvious in Lamsenia village, Leupung, Greater Aceh, where a dozen volunteers set up office. Far from being grand, the “office” was nothing more than a tent, similar to the ones offering the displaced a temporary home. On the tent was written a quote from Lao Tse, Chinese philosopher of the 7th century BC, who had become a source of inspiration for the volunteers.

Download CHAPTER 19 – When the Spotlight Has Dimmed

Meunasah Keude, Lhok Krueng Raya, a village on the shores of Malahayati Bay, is one of my favourite places of the several locations that received assistance  from JRS and Puter : it was quick to recover.

From a village that had been completely wiped out, razed to the ground, Krueng Raya struggled to get back on its feet fast to heal its wounds. Only a month after the tsunami, village fishermen hadreturned to the sea, the port groaned back to life, the market, kiosks, fish and fishery processing stalls started to show signs of life as smoke bellowed out of these establishments.

This self-healing ability was not something that fell out of the sky. As far as I know, Krueng Raya has at least four special qualities. First: just and clean, unselfish leaders; second, a community with an admirable work ethic; third, dedicated volunteers; and fourth, donor agencies that were willing to accommodate the wishes of the people. Unfortunately, the government had no part in this scheme because its presence was nonexistent.

Download CHAPTER 20 – Krueng Raya, the Land of Malahayati

Days go by. Life is a whirl. Those who have left can slowly be forgotten until the Idul Fitri holiday comes. That’s when the lost souls return to their families. As if those who had gone—the children, wives, fathers, mothers, and relatives—have returned to their hometown, smiling and carrying souvenirs. Those who were left behind welcome them in tears and they hug each other, at least in memories…

That morning, together with about 300 people of Leupung subdistrict, I had just finished performing the Id prayer. The congregants started to leave the meunasah, leaving it quiet. The sound of the waves could be heard faintly.

“Please, come with us,” said Kak Neh, 28, beckoning in invitation. Together with her husband, Martunis, 32, I followed Kak Neh to a place submerged in seawater that reached our knees. “This used to be a very crowded village. Now it’s a lake,” said Kak Neh. “Over there was our father’s house,” she indicated.

We had to roll our sarongs and pants up to our thighs to walk to the remains of her father’s house. A lonely chipped pillar and a few segments of brick wall were all that remained of the house.

Kak Neh and her husband sat on pieces of bricks and opened the Yasin letter of the Koran. “This is where our children and friends died,” Martunis said, before starting to pray.

Download CHAPTER 21 – Good News from Lamsenia

One afternoon in a rented house in Jl. Bonang, Central Jakarta, I was visiting with Father Sandyawan Sumardi, the driving force behind the Jaringan Relawan Kemanusiaan (Humanitarian Volunteer Network/JRK)..

Father Sandy looked cheerful as he recounted stories related to JRK’s programs in Aceh.
“Father looks more cheerful than when we last met at the end of last year,” I said. The soft-spoken 47- year-old man gave a carefree laugh. “Yes…it was chaotic then. I could not eat, did not sleep well.” Now, why sound like a broken-hearted man?

Father Sandy was not exaggerating. At the end of last December, when news of the earthquake and the tsunami was far from clear, I stopped by the JRK Ciliwung workshop in Bukit Duri, East Jakarta. Hundreds of people were busy at the workshop located along a riverbank. Nearly all of them brought supplies for Aceh and Nias. Hundreds of sacks and boxes containing medicines, instant food and all kinds of used clothes piled up in a matter of seconds.

Download CHAPTER 22 – Humanitarian Guerrilla