I have never been to Aceh. We came mainly to learn about the December 26, 2004 tsunami and how it is memorialized (dark tourism). It was a sobering visit. It was also an eye opening visit to be in a province that I have long known to be the beginning point of Islam in Indonesia (thus called the Veranda of Mecca) and the one province that has special autonomy and therefore has adopted Islamic based law. I was surprised to discover that while yes indeed Islam is a major player in daily life, the Acehnese are still very much like other Indonesians in terms of their culture, friendliness and acceptance.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334493794_Are_we_ready_for_the_next_strike
We had a morning flight from Jakarta to Banda Aceh. Joining us for this portion of the trip was my former student and mentoree Dallin Hutchinson who now lives in Australia. He was an urban planning major at BYU when the tsunami hit. His mission president set up an NGO with several other LDS men with the intent to help rebuild homes in Aceh. Dallin was recruited to help out. When the opportunity came to go to Aceh, Dallin approached me to see about doing some sort of internship for credit. BYU had already imposed travel restrictions to Indonesia after the Bali and Jakarta bombings so Dallin was told he could not use any BYU funding or backing for his proposed field study (now more likely to be called service learning). He went ahead and went without any funding from BYU and I set up credit for him that was labeled as a readings course about urban design and planning related to rebuilding after a natural disaster. Where that research took place was of no concern to me. ;) When Dallin heard I was coming he reached out to see if he could meet our group in Aceh. I was happy to have someone who had been there join in and I thought it would be good for students to see a fellow BYU geographer who put his geography skills to work in Aceh soon after the tsunami. At Dallin's recommendation we spent our first afternoon visiting two beaches (Lho Nga and Lampuk to its north) on the northwest coast of Sumatra that were hit first and hardest by the tsunami. From these hard hit areas the water was funneled between mountains eastward to Band Aceh to meet the waves inundating that large city from the north.
Lho Nga Beach. In the distance is a coastal electrical generating plant that was wiped out in the waves.
Friday afternoon was scheduled as free time, but when Dallin suggested the beach we all decided we wanted to go, so then it became group time and I was once again at the helm trying to figure out transportation and locations.
Our three Grab cars then drove us from Lho Nga beach to Lampuuk beach to the north. Here Dallin explained to us that the waves hit only 10 minutes after the quake and at the point where the beach meets the mountain, the wave height was recorded (identified in black on the map) as reaching up to about 35 meters or 100 feet!
While we walked on the beach storm clouds rolled in.
Greg Baker, File/AP Photo January 2005.
This iconic photo shows the Lampuuk area two weeks after the tsunami. Notice the mountain on the north end of the beach--the same as in my photos. The land was wiped clean of homes and vegetation. All that remained was this miracle mosque (which Acehnesse see as being divinely protected). Its open first floor allowed the waves to rush through.
The miracle mosque nearly 18 years later.
Notice the bent inside pillar, left as a reminder of the waves that crashed through the mosque.
On the way back into town we also passed these homes donated by Switzerland (I think). In the city of Banda Aceh we noticed a row of homes donated by the International Organization for Migration which partnered with LDS Charities to build over 900 homes in two dozen locations around Aceh. LDS Charities spent several years in Aceh helping to rebuild. It was the first time the LDS Church committed to long term rebuilding. Usually its projects are disaster relief--food, clothing, supplies and clean-up, but in very Muslim Aceh the Church spent years building homes, restoring boast, supplying hospitals etc.
Here are two power point slides I use in my lectures to show the extent of LDS aid:
This unconditional relief (extra effort was made to make sure that there were no ties to missionizing) helped the LDS Church gain great respect within the upper echelons of the Indonesian government.
Our first stop was in another area that was wiped clean. Here is the entry gate to a large mass grave at Ulee-lheue on the northern coast of the city of Band Aceh. The writing suggests that the tsunami was a trial/test given to all who live.
At least 20,000 people were buried in this grass covered plot.
Children's burial site.
This nice security guard told us how he was carried back and forth by the waves until he blacked out. He came to in a hospital where he stayed for a month until they could extract all of the mud and debris from his lungs and stomach. He also needed to heal broken bones and all kinds of scratches and lacerations on his body from colliding with hard, sharp items also tumbling in the water.
Scarfs were purchased by a few of our female students in anticipation of going to the Grand Mosque later in the day.
The government of Japan ,which helped build homes in this neighborhood, erected this pillar as a reminder that the wave here reached to the height of the pillar top.
LDS Charities helped to restore dozens of beached and damaged fishing boats and then outfit them with new nets and equipment. We asked if any of the boats at dock had signs indicating help from foreign charities. None did.
Repairing nets.
This fishing boat was carried inland and deposited on this house top in the Lampulo neighborhood located along the river north of the city center (in the top center of the map). It remains as a memorial and a reminder. Several dozen people climbed on the boat and were carried to safety, although once it landed on the house they could not get off until a large crocodile below in the water went away.
Lists of all the residents of the Lampulo neighborhood who died in the tsunami.
This woman (I also bought her book) was one of the people who was able to ride the fishing boat to safety. I explained to the students that studies have shown that a higher percentage of women died in the tsunami over men. This was attributed in part to the fact that girls as opposed to boys (particularly in Aceh) are less inclined to ever swim or climb trees which were life saving skills. They were also more likely to be at home and not away at work beyond the reach of the tsunami. And they were more inclined to go back into homes to help children and the elderly escape--putting themselves more at risk.
Behind the museum is a large Dutch Cemetery (KerKhof) filled with soldiers who died in the Aceh wars (1873-1904).
Across the street was a nice memorial to thank all of the countries who sent relief.
Dallin Hutchinson
One of the most unique memorials was this huge generator ship that was washed inland.
Notice the details in the wave and water behind.
Our students were often asked to be in photos.
Our final stop at the end of the day was the Grand Mosque. The above photo shows the debris deposited at its door.
No entry for women in long pants. Only long dresses.
We loved the view from the minaret. The peripheral columns open up into large umbrellas to shade the plaza.
Sunday morning we headed out (at 9:00--why didn't our tour company require an earlier departure?) packed in the grey van (waiting in a long line to gas up) on what we were told would be an 11-12 hour drive to Bukit Lawang to the east of Medan. Sadly gas stops, snack and food stops, toilet stops and slow driving on a two lane not always well maintained highway full of trucks, busses, cars and motorcycles made for a very long journey. Also slowing us down was stopping to shift luggage from the luggage car to the van and people from the van to the car to provide more comfort and greater ventilation. And to wait an extra 30 minutes at 11:00 at night out side an Indonmarert for one of the students suddenly struct with intestinal disorders (both ends). Was the KFC for lunch to blame?
No comments:
Post a Comment