posted on Feb, 10 2005 @ 12:07 PM
Originally posted by Countermeasures
The indonesian army is believed to use the oppertunity to hunt the rebels in Atjeh, wich must have been hurt badly (like the rest of the population
overthere)
Also on television I saw how the indonesian army recovered army materials from the flooded cities instead of help cleaning up the bodies that were
lying everywhere, this to the anger of many survivors, this is bad PR that is not going to help eradicate the rebels, because ultimately, you need
support of the local population, not everything can be controlled with a gun
From the way you spelled Aceh, I guess you are Acehnese? Hey... seriously man I went there as a aid group part of the HNSI (Indonesian Fisheries
Association). I used to dislike the military on how they handle some things... but I do not understand why they are the source of blame of the
indonesian media. No Indonesian media show any images of them helping. Not only that so many heroic stories from the military either... No media had
provide coverage to that too... "Just an example, one member of Yonif (division)150 tried to rescue an old woman who were strugelling to hold on to
the pile of trees when the wave struct, marine tried to rescue her he swim with a rope tied on his chest... ultimately he was abled to reach her but
a big pile of object comes fast and both of them died. I thinks that is a heroic way of dying, and by the way there is more heroic stories that I
heard from the people back there... but the media never actually tell a story about this which I am wondering how biased the media is?
People dont respect the military, honesly they only get paid arround 50 dollars a month... they are servant, they do whatever they can without
questioning... they dont complain much about anything, just before I arrived in Mellabouh on the 5th day... there allready have pockets of military
men who had disease inflicted on them because improper procedure of removing some dead boddies. But, even now... the media has not shown any??
And btw, Mellabouh is not as devestated as the media says... There is a large part of Mellabouh that are still intact... and this area is
porportionally huge. It is ackward how the people there who werent inflicted by the disaster werent helping... "I held a box of noodles filled with
water to hand in to some of this people in Waroung (traditional shop that sells ciggs and food)" I am stunned by their reply which I never seriously
thought it would came right in my face.... its very stressful how he said "Oh we wont accept anything if the box is broken or some parts are teared a
part." for someone who tries to help these people, from their bottom of heart, they came there volluntarilly and this is the kind of reply they
get??? How did you feel, and BTW its not only me, there is chunck of Indonesian volunteers who felt that way too.
But there is also some sadness during my experience there... a refugee from some of the village outside mellabouh came to receive the aid, out of 400
resident in one village only 17 survive. and 5 of em are children.
I opened a carton of Milk and hand it to them... that was the time when I emotionally couldnt handle my self, I went in some place where is not packed
with people and cried, it was the saddest moment of my life. And more of em come to received the aid, but these people they do not complain whether
the pack is broken or teared appart? I still dont understand why someone from that region who were not inflicted by the disasster acted with a
behavious like that, not only that some of these folks were looting a property that was not belong to them.
Off course the military take action to these folks, but again it was an upportunity for Human Rights NGO to said that they are doing Human Right
Abuse... DUH! they are looting... Looting is a crime. I am an NGO my self but I would never take such advantage to provide fallse statment esspecilly
to those who helped.