Lukman's Blog

Tsunami in Aceh: Disaster?

Posted on: 2004-12-31

Many people may think that the tidal-wave and earthquake which stuck Aceh is a horrible disaster. But not in my eyes, as an Indonesian. The devastation and death were caused by nature power, unstoppable. For those who have died, everything in this world has no meaning. For the survivor, yes we can help and convince them that they still have many chances for a better life, and all of us are here to support it.

If people around the world really think that instant death caused by nature is horrible, then how about people who live in endless pain, live a life without quality, slowly but certainly die in famine, all were caused by a group of human? Isn't it a worse tragedy than the earthquake which slays more than 150,000 humans? Let me say, such tragedy shrouded Indonesia in every tick of time, but little has been exposed by media because it is covered by false-opinion with the help of powerful groups of people. These groups indeed gain benefit from uneducated and suffering people, because such people can be easily preyed. Even Indonesian government refuse to call it as a national disaster and prefer to honor the natural phenomena as a national disaster. Hundred thousand of people instantly die because of nature-phenomena cannot be said worse than hundred million of people who live in eternal despair, slowly forced to dig their own grave, just because of a group of greedy humans. Don't get wrong, those suffered people are not afraid to work hard for a better life, but they don't have a chance for that.

Indonesian is famous as a fertile land which is supposed to have a promising welfare in the field of agriculture. But, did you know? Farmers are the most suffering classes in Indonesia, and they are unable to escape from the valley of misery although they have worked so hard for many years. When the crops season approach, the crops-price drops (or was dropped?) to irrational level. When the time to plant seeds is coming, the fertilizer price increase to an unreachable level. Farmers are the person to whom Indonesian-people indebted most because they give us food (although some arrogants said, "We bought from farmer"), yet the government didn't do anything to protect them. Why did government decide to import a lot of sugar and rice? Why did Government feel more interested in allocating its budget into banking sector rather than to strengthen agriculture sector? A classic question for a clear answer.

Most of Indonesian people are trapped in foolishness, epidemic, thus hindered them to step toward a better future. There is an Indonesian books whose title is "Poor people are not allowed to have education, and poor people is prohibited to be sick (because no medical service without money)". The government and member of representatives play a role in maintaining this pathetic situation. It was reported that 30% of national treasuries were corrupted. But my friend, with his experience in handling government plan project, believe that more than 50% of national treasuries were corrupted. If only those 50% of national treasuries were used to support education, medical service, other infrastucture, wouldn't Indonesia become a healthy nation? So, why Indonesia become a country with poverty and disease? Exactly, it is not because of Tsunami or earthquake.

I had an interesting conversation with my buddy:

friend: Yesterday, I invited one of DPR (House of Representative) commission-chief
friend: we went to pick him using Kijang (a van)
friend: he refused
friend: he wanted to use sedan
friend: then we rented a taxi
friend: he said that he is used to drive Volvo
friend: he didn't want to get injured (on his butt? because of cheap car?)
me: he said that?
friend: yes, he said that.
friend: but I don't care
friend: for escorting him back, I offered TERRANo
friend: finally he used my senior's sedan
friend: You know, he has professor degree in front of his name

This kind of people, with high power in government system, have potential to bring much greater misery to people in Indonesia, of course for their joy. The representative members who always struggle among themselves and steals tax for luxury, and civil servants who abuse their power with poor honor and lack of morality, are the real national disaster. In the future, there will be million Indonesian people who will be tormented. It is not caused by an earthquake nor any disaster, but it is caused by several pesky apes. Million people will be trapped on situation where they don't want to die but they also don't wish to live. Life without quality is worse than death. It is not because of Earthquake nor Typhoon that Indonesian people become the race of disease.

Today Indonesia is colonized by its own people, not other nation, and I think it is the worst tragedy and deserve the title of national disaster.

*) When I was child, it was often for me to transfer from one school to another. Last time, my mother enrolled me to a school which would serve as my last elementary school (last grade). When I saw the school for the first time, it was the most horrible which I ever saw. The school was very small, with a tiny-size playing ground, had only three classrooms with less than 15 students in a class, no life sign. I cried and I didn't want to spend my life for 1 year in this school. But, after I entered the first day class and then studied for 1 year, it was the best elementary school experience in my life. I never imagined, that in such a creepy-looking school, there were a lot of warm friends and teachers. I lived in peaceful day. How stupid I am, crying in the first day while later it become the best elementary school in my life. Why should I repeat this foolishness by crying the death? Who knows that life-after-death is far much better than human's life in this world.