THE OTHER SIDE OF TSUNAMI

TSUNAMI... one of Mother Nature manifestation of wrath. Everyday, as we sit in front of our Tivi we get so devastated by the whole disaster that we lost count of the number of deaths, we lost count of assets destroyed during the tidal wave attack, lost count of how many ocean of tears and blood that had spilled on the Acheh soil and other affected areas. At the same time, we also witness the post-effects which are worse than the tragedy itself. The other side of Tsunami not only proves to be a natural disaster which Insurance Company exclude from their client `s protection scheme, it also creates if not make worse some of the long-exisitng problems that human beings are suffering from.

The aftermath of tsunami are proven to be deadlier than the tragic phenomenon. Think of the futures of thousands of people who survived the tragedy "sehelai sepinggang"[ read: possesing only what they have on their back] .They literally will have to rebuilt their lives from zero. It is not like an instant makeover that the reality tv shows are selling to us- it might take years for them to regain their life like before tsunami. It hurts so much when I read that some of them, having no better options, choose to return to their old destroyed homes/areas. Losing all sense of fear, they forced themselves to succumb to the risk of staying at their old areas again because that is the only choice they have to rebuilt their life. Heart-wrenching, really. The probability of poverty, long-term trauma and anxiety are in store for these victims. This are the price that these survivors have to pay for being able to survive. Cruel reality.

Epidemic, spread of water-borne disease, malnutriton and the rise of other diseases due to the rotting of corpses are among the health threats faced by survivors after the incident. Having to stay in shelters that are overcrowded and unclean are the only option to protect themselves from rain,dust and cold at night. Puddles of mud, copper smell of blood, smell and sights of decay, cries of hungry children or grief-stricken victims is for now, considered normal at the effected areas. How can I know this? I am not even there, but well, my heart-breaking soul tells me all this. What else to expect from an area which is "padang jarak padang tekukur"? Death and misery rule the day.

But do you know what makes me angry? What really gets on my nerve? The fact that a tragedy as serious as this are still viewed as great materials for jocks (read: SMS joke on how tsunami airline is giving free tickets to Acheh and Sri Lanka, I replied by saying 'sorry, i like funny jokes, but this one is not funny at all), a source for political mileage and a profitable once-in-a- lifetime opportunity for some ruthless souls. Orphans that survived the tragedy are now prime targets for ruthless traffickers. There are reported cases of children missing from hospital wards during medical treatments, suspected of being kidnapped by traffickers. Rather than having an itsy bitsy sense of sympathy, they see the disaster as a gold mine. But what do I expect, seriously, traffickers will be traffickers!

Apart from that, what about the 300% increase in price for boats and associated equipments needed by nelayans? Can the related companies for once do good and supply the equipments for free ( i know this is idealistic ) or at a very affordable price considering the loss that these nelayans have to bear.What about the inconsiderate donaters who thinks it is funny to send off used diapers and rusty empty biscuit tins as "sincere" donations from them? I tried to rationalize the torn and old cloths found among the donated materials as our rakyat `s weakest shot at generosity but used diapers? What about that? Sorry, amateur prankters, I didn't get the joke!

What about some of our VIPs or "pihak yang berkenaan" `s attempt at popularity? See how each time there is an aid giving ceremony at relief centres etc, they are always there, clad in designer cloths and looking ever-fashionable for a less than 5 minutes shot to fame? Can they ever outshine the unsung heroes of the day- life rescuers, volunteers, humanitarian activists and bodies or even ordinary people who are triggered by the incident to become conscious people?Can they ever? The media always look forward to the presence of VIPs in their news. Its good for their sell and ratings. But what about giving some recognition to these unsung heroes?

What about the blockage to relief aids to Acheh by the Indonesian government ? How could they treat the incident like some political game in light of their widely known conflict with the Acheh separatist group? What about the read tapes and bureacracy looming over the distribution of aids? In such crucial time as this, some of the action and strategies taken by authorities are just beyond my comprehension.

Tsunami has make me years older- i grow grumpy overnight and i complain a lot. I become extra-sensitive, I felt helpless. As much as I am critical over the above mentioned issues or some quarters of the society, I also admit the fact that I didn't do much fro the tsunami victims too. I tried to do whatever I can, but each time I helped with small-scale fund-drives or action-oriented activities connected to tsunami victims, I get more helpless. Perhaps, it is a good maturing process for me. But do I need to witness human misery to be enlightened? Someone I met during the International HR Training in Montreal last year said this to me; " You don't have to be a victim to experience the suffering of others.." I am hoping for a better tomorrow for the tsunami survivors. I really, really do. There are 1001 challenges awaiting them and they need to be really strong to handle all that.

Most importantly, let us help them to rebuilt in any ways we can.