Acehnese Say Tsunami Brought Positive Wave Of Change

By Rohani Mohd Ibrahim BANDA ACEH (Indonesia), May 23 (Bernama) -- Nearly a decade has passed since Dec 26, 2004, the day the tsunami struck Aceh. Almost 60 per cent of Banda Aceh was destroyed in the disaster and big number of its population decimated, but today, the city originally known as Kutaraja is bustling with business. Roadside traders and businesses can be seen operating until late into the night, especially those selling food and beverages. The area near the Banda Aceh landmark, Masjid Raya Baiturrahman, is also busy until midnight. The 2004 tsunami claimed over 250,000 lives in 14 countries, 160,000 of them from Aceh. However, the people of Banda Aceh have managed to find many a silver lining amid the devastation. When interviewed, many Acehnese agreed that the tragedy has brought about many positive changes. Among them were peace among the factions, rapid development of infrastructure and a booming economy. ROBUST DEVELOPMENT When the writer and two other friends went out at night on a weekend, they found themselves stuck in a traffic jam in the middle of Banda Aceh. Their driver, Munawer Suma, 34, said the roads did not use to be like that. "Before the tsunami, there were not many motorcycles in Aceh. Today, the roads are packed with them. Almost every household has one or more. So, in a way, Aceh has become economically better", he said. Munawer said Aceh started rebuilding itself two years after the disaster. Development was rapid due to the amount of aid that poured in. "After the tsunami, many Acehnese lost their jobs. Then foreigners started coming in and hired us as helpers, security guards and drivers. We were paid in US dollars. Many ended up with a lot of money and felt overwhelmed with the amount. "However, most of them were wise enough to save and today have become owners of large and beautiful homes", he said. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT An officer at Badan Investasi Aceh (an Aceh investment body) Sharifah Zulfa Al Idrus, 50, described the tsunami as a blessing in disguise because after the devastation there was lots of changes for the better. Today, the city boasts tall and modern buildings as seen in other developed cities in Indonesia. "Many positive changes can be seen in Aceh and its people today. The tsunami has brought with it a wave of change", she said. CONNECTING TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD Tour guide Lina Herlina Suharto, 28, said the biggest blessing brought by the tsunami was that it had made Acehnese more open-minded and exposed to the outside world. "Many countries have come forward with post-tsunami assistance. It made us realise that no man is an island. We need to humble ourselves and understand that we are all brothers in humanity", she said. A TRAGEDY THAT UNITES Another tour guide, Munizar Zainal Abidin, 45, said one of the biggest blessing was the conciliation between the Free Aceh Movement and the Indonesian government. "The conciliation between them is one of the best outcomes of the tsunami", he said. He said the tsunami brought with it a kind of prosperity that had never been experienced in the region before that. "Tourists are now more comfortable visiting Aceh and our economy has improved a lot. I hope it will continue this way in the future, so that the region will continue to prosper at the pace of other regions in Indonesia", said Munizar. --BERNAMA