Meet and Greet “Bincang Santai Minggu Pagi” Photo Session
Banda Aceh – Reflecting on the commemorating 20 years after the Aceh tsunami, former U.S. Consul General Paul S. Berg was most amazed by the rapid recovery of the Acehnese from the disaster’s shock. “After the tsunami, the people and the government of Aceh were in shock, but within two to three weeks, I saw them starting to communicate. I was amazed at how quickly they recovered from such a shock,” Paul remarked during a discussion titled “Reflection on 20 Years of Tsunami Humanitarian Aid in Aceh” at the TDMRC Auditorium, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, on Sunday.
The casual talk also featured Teuku Ahmad Fuad (Taf) Haikal, an activist and volunteer during the tsunami disaster.
The devastating tsunami struck Aceh on December 26, 2004, claiming the lives of at least 220,000 people and destroying public facilities and residential areas across the province.
For Paul, reflecting on the tsunami is no longer about mourning the event, as the sadness is too profound for words. Instead, he cherishes the resilience of the Acehnese people in overcoming the disaster. “I even prepared a report analyzing this, and what contributed to the Acehnese’s resilience was their strong faith,” he said.
Taf Haikal views the Aceh tsunami as a valuable lesson for everyone who lived through it, particularly for the nation of Indonesia in handling disasters. He recalled how many individuals and NGOs from various countries came to help Aceh initially in an uncoordinated and unfocused manner. This was because Indonesia had no prior experience with a disaster of such magnitude, compounded by the state of military emergency in Aceh.
The management of the Aceh tsunami, involving all stakeholders, laid the groundwork for the establishment of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and disaster response regulations in the country.
“I hope this becomes a historical record that our future generations should not forget. There may be other disasters, but we will be better prepared than before when we had no experience at all,” he stated.
Taf Haikal also hopes for a strengthened role of the BNPB, both at the national and local levels, as a more advanced research institution in disaster mitigation and in mobilizing all stakeholders in disaster management.
After the event concluded, Paul and Taf Haikal are invited to visit the Realtime Earthquake Observatory, guided by Prof. Muksin Umar and Dr. Rizanna Rosemary.
Paul visited the Realtime Earthquake Observatory at TDMRC
