chuan yu
On December 24th, 2004, mother earth let go an earthquake measuring over 9.1 magnitudes in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The earthquake underwater created giant waves called tsunami. Waves grew to a staggering height of more than 10m tall.

The challenge

Aceh, Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the islands of Sumatra suffered one of the worst natural disasters. The tsunamis left many homeless and many were dead and missing. Many aid agencies rush to Aceh’s rescue, World Vision, Catholic Relief Services, Direct Relief International and many other more agencies. The responses were immense and encouraging. Aids were being flown in daily, more and more medical teams were arriving each day. But the concern and challenges on the ground was whether the aid would be reaching those who are in need of it, how can response teams arrive safely into Aceh.

The GAM or Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, a group seeking independence for the Aceh region from the Indonesia government, stood between the aids and the people that have suffered from the tsunami. The battle with the Indonesia government for independence has been ongoing for decades. It was thought that GAM soldiers would not allow aids to be brought in and that they might hijack the aids and use it for themselves. A BBC news report, reported that the Indonesian army has made it a requirement for aid workers to be registered if they were to wish to work outside of Banda Aceh. This is because the Indonesia army could not guarantee the safety of these workers outside of Banda Aceh. Here is a video of a battle between Indonesian security forces and soldiers from GAM



The solution
Both GAM and the Indonesia government realized the bigger picture and that it is more important that the people of Aceh receive it aids. Hence, the Indonesia government and GAM came to a peace agreement. The tsunami stopped a 30 years long war. With the peace agreement, aid workers could work freely and there were no more worries that aids would be hijacked anymore.

The Indonesian government and GAM put aside their differences and realize that the fighting was pointless, since the peace agreement there was no more fighting and Aceh even had its first ever election. Below is a dialogue from the film “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (IMDB, 2008) between Professor Barnhardt and Klaatu, it goes like this

Professor Barnhardt: There must be alternatives. You must have some technology that could solve our problem.
Klaatu: Your problem is not technology. The problem is you. You lack the will to change.
Professor Barnhardt: Then help us change.
Klaatu: I cannot change your nature. You treat the world as you treat each other.
Professor Barnhardt: But every civilization reaches a crisis point eventually.
Klaatu: Most of them don't make it.
Professor Barnhardt: Yours did. How?
Klaatu: Our sun was dying. We had to evolve in order to survive.
Professor Barnhardt: So it was only when your world was threatened with destruction that you became what you are now.
Klaatu: Yes.
Professor Barnhardt: Well that's where we are. You say we're on the brink of destruction and you're right. But it's only on the brink that people find the will to change. Only at the precipice do we evolve. This is our moment. Don't take it from us; we are close to an answer.
Maybe it true what they writers have wrote. It requires society to reach a point of crisis, and then changes can occur. Put it into situation of the aid agencies, failure and challenges will give the agency more knowledge and experience and help them deal with situations better.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4163517.stm
Chuan yu

Cheryl - 10 January
Shumin - 15 January
Chuan Yu - 3 February
Jonathan - 24 February
Grace - 2 March
Alison - 31 March
Adeline - 20 April
Halena - 23 April
Julinda - 9 May
Sheryl - 29 May
Billy - 31 May
Amanda - 4 October
Bernice - 22 July
Francine - 30 July
Bryan - 31 July
Matthew - 31 July
Joshua - 15 August
Janell - 21 August
Sin Yee - 6 September
Ronny - 14 September
Shine - 15 October
Marcus - 5th November
Pei Qing - 10 December
Sheena - 27 December