Jonathan and I were in Beijing when the earth quake and subsequent tsunami hit the Asian region. It seemed unreal and remote at first. In Beijing it was -8 degrees and we were on holiday visiting the Great Wall that day. The extent of the damage and death toll become clearer over the coming days. On return to Brunei on the evening of 2nd January there was a notice in the down stairs lobby of my apartment block. It read:
USED CLOTHES FOR TSUNAMI VICTIMS
All those who wish to donate used clothes and shoes to the Tsunami Victims can do so at the following locations
In the box outside 12B
Sri Wangi café, Gadong
Big Papas, Kuilap
Royal Brunei Airways have agreed to deliver to ACEH
By Monday evening 150,000 coastal people and perhaps 4000 western tourists had died and many thousands more are missing presumed dead.
The great Island of Sumatra and the Thai-Malaysia peninsula protected those of us that live by the South China Sea. But many here come from the regions of devastation and know of those missing or dead. My colleague Dr. Chee from Penang can account for thirty dead from his island’s fishing fleets. More than 90,000 have died in the Indonesian Province of Aceh. Like Brunei, Aceh was once a vast empire running north to Burma and east across Malaysia and down Sumatra. Its Geographical location, stretching out into the Indian ocean, made it the starting point for the introduction of the great religions of the world to this region. First, Buddhism from India, then later Islam and in the last century Christianity. The people of Aceh retain their pride in their independent statehood even though they are today a part of Indonesia. For decades there has been armed conflict over independence and between Christian and Muslim militias. For a time it seems the utter devastation has allowed the fighting groups to put aside their differences.
In the capital Banda Aceh there were five hospitals a week ago. The four on the flat plain are no longer, swept away like much of the town and its people. The fifth, a military hospital, is on the only small hill and survives but is hopelessly under resourced.
To the north between Aceh and the Penang Island and close to the Malaysia and Thailand coast are the Indian Territorial Islands of Nicobar. Their people are closer to the Acehians and Malay than India but a quirk of British colonial administration made them an Indian possession. The large Indian military base and many thousands of local people have gone - military families, the aircraft from the airfield and the runway on these flat low islands. The Base was warned an hour before the wave arrived but no one new what to do it seems. There was nowhere to climb to avoid the rushing tide.
Life here continues in a strange half land. The busy day runs as normal, although there are extra prayers at the Mosque and the country’s official newspaper runs pages and pages of disaster reports. There seems a guilt like atmosphere among us that remain untouched in the midst of chaos. His Majesty ordered there to be no New Year celebrations and the funds instead go to the relief effort.
Robert Alan Bush
USED CLOTHES FOR TSUNAMI VICTIMS
All those who wish to donate used clothes and shoes to the Tsunami Victims can do so at the following locations
In the box outside 12B
Sri Wangi café, Gadong
Big Papas, Kuilap
Royal Brunei Airways have agreed to deliver to ACEH
By Monday evening 150,000 coastal people and perhaps 4000 western tourists had died and many thousands more are missing presumed dead.
The great Island of Sumatra and the Thai-Malaysia peninsula protected those of us that live by the South China Sea. But many here come from the regions of devastation and know of those missing or dead. My colleague Dr. Chee from Penang can account for thirty dead from his island’s fishing fleets. More than 90,000 have died in the Indonesian Province of Aceh. Like Brunei, Aceh was once a vast empire running north to Burma and east across Malaysia and down Sumatra. Its Geographical location, stretching out into the Indian ocean, made it the starting point for the introduction of the great religions of the world to this region. First, Buddhism from India, then later Islam and in the last century Christianity. The people of Aceh retain their pride in their independent statehood even though they are today a part of Indonesia. For decades there has been armed conflict over independence and between Christian and Muslim militias. For a time it seems the utter devastation has allowed the fighting groups to put aside their differences.
In the capital Banda Aceh there were five hospitals a week ago. The four on the flat plain are no longer, swept away like much of the town and its people. The fifth, a military hospital, is on the only small hill and survives but is hopelessly under resourced.
To the north between Aceh and the Penang Island and close to the Malaysia and Thailand coast are the Indian Territorial Islands of Nicobar. Their people are closer to the Acehians and Malay than India but a quirk of British colonial administration made them an Indian possession. The large Indian military base and many thousands of local people have gone - military families, the aircraft from the airfield and the runway on these flat low islands. The Base was warned an hour before the wave arrived but no one new what to do it seems. There was nowhere to climb to avoid the rushing tide.
Life here continues in a strange half land. The busy day runs as normal, although there are extra prayers at the Mosque and the country’s official newspaper runs pages and pages of disaster reports. There seems a guilt like atmosphere among us that remain untouched in the midst of chaos. His Majesty ordered there to be no New Year celebrations and the funds instead go to the relief effort.
Robert Alan Bush