Mennonite Central Committee

Helping in the Midst of Uncertainty-Acehnese Students in Jogjakarta organize to help

January 4, 2005
Jeanne Zimmerly Jantzi

Students of the Aceh Humanitarian Committee in Jogjakarta prepare locally donated relief supplies.

Jeanne Zimmerly Jantzi is MCC Indonesia co-representative.

Relief supplies continue to pour into the student center of the Acehnese students’ dormitory in Jogjakarta, on the island of Java. When news of the earthquake and tsunami reached Jogjakarta last Sunday afternoon, the students faced fear and uncertainty. Studying on another island, over 2,000 kilometers from their homes, they had no way of knowing whether their families and friends were dead or alive.

Even as they dealt with their own uncertainty, the students organized for action. Over 100 Acehnese students formed the Aceh Humanitarian Committee. After only six days in existence the group has organized into three departments for deploying volunteers, doing fundraising and accounting, and logistics.

According to Tueku Nasruddin Syah, the leader of the group, donations have been pouring in since last Sunday. “Students, Javanese people, Sundanese, Chinese, all people are bringing things and bringing their sympathy for the people of Aceh. We hope that we will be able to get these things there quickly.”

So far, over 50 tons of material aid, including drinking water, instant noodles and clothing, have been collected from the people of Jogjakarta. MCC is assisting its partner, the Society for Health, Education for Empowerment, and Peace (SHEEP), in arranging transportation of the donations.

In addition to organizing material aid, the students are working with MCC’s partner SHEEP to mobilize student volunteers to clean up and rebuild in Aceh. So far, over 200 students have signed up to volunteer. The first group of volunteers reported that they could only work for two days at a time because of the emotional toll of burying all the dead. The second group have all undergone physicals and emotional assessments to assure that they can handle the difficult situation in Aceh. MCC is assisting SHEEP in providing funds for 15 volunteers to travel to Meulaboh on Tuesday, January 4.

The work continues amidst uncertainty. Teuku did not have word from his parents in Krueng Mane for four days after the earthquake and tsunami. Yesterday he learned that his mother and father survived, although their home was destroyed. They are camped in the local mosque with hundreds of others. He does not know whether they have food, but he is thankful that they survived.

Most students actively working at the donation post or preparing to volunteer in Aceh still have no word from home. Most personal communication systems were lost in the tsunami. The students continue to keep busy in relief work in Jogjakarta without knowing whether their own families in Aceh are dead or alive.