Update: Earthquake shocked Simeulue

Here is what I got from Disaster Management Information System (DMIS) and friends within International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Indonesia Delegation:

A strong earthquake shocked Aceh yesterday, 20 February 2008. The Meteorology and Geophysical Agency (BMG) said the quake had magnitude 6.6 SR (they revised later to 7.6) in location 2.58N, 95.99E at 03.08 PM Local Time in depth 37 kilometres. The first earthquake then followed by at least another two aftershocks in the same location with magnitude 5.5 and 5.3 SR. There is no tsunami warning but people are still worried, make some of them prefer to stay in the higher area.

According data from health department there were 3 elder people died and 25 people injured in Sinabang. Based on their local wisdom if they felt a strong shake automatically they will running to the higher land to see water sea level.

Also reported that electricity in the area was cut down and cellular phone signal was interrupted. Only fixed phone well functioned in this area. Many buildings damaged and collapsed but there are no fix number related with this until this morning.

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) had deployed 50 local volunteers in Sinabang to the location. PMI patrolled to some subdistricts to observe the conditions. They have been evacuating the injured people to the nearest health facilities. PMI keep 24 hours monitoring unit to update the situation. (ah)

A Tribute to Bersihar Lubis

I read from a newspaper couple days ago that Bersihar Lubis’ case in Depok court will be decided by judge next week, 20 February. For you who don’t know him yet, Bersihar is an ex-Tempo, Gatra,GAMMA and MEDIUM news magazine editor.

The story began last year when he wrote an op-ed at Koran Tempo daily, criticised Attorney General’s order to withdrawal history books for students regarding its ignorance in not explaining the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) role in 30 September coup d’etat 1965 (this is honestly a part of national history that still mysterious down to date).

So, here is the problem. Bersihar wrote his op-ed with title “the Story of a Dumb Interrogator” (Kisah Interogrator yang Dungu). He said a word “dumb” to explain attorney general’s reckless action on the book withdrawal. The “dumb” word itself is not originally come from him, actually. He just quoted it from Joesoef Ishak, the owner of Hasta Mitra publishing house, who published some Pramoedya Ananta Toer's books (and later the books were banned by Attorney General) when he interviewed by MEDIUM magazine once time.

As the result, Attorney General sued Bersihar, said that the op-ed has insulted the attorney general. They brought this case to the court and placed Bersihar as the accused.

From Gatra to Gamma

I worked with him for several years. He was one of my mentor in journalism and someone who teach me day by day during that period about how to be a good writer (and journalist).

I met him for the first time in 1995 when I joined Gatra national weekly news magazine. Bang (Elder Brother) Ber, that’s what people used to call him, just moved from Medan to Jakarta. Maybe because we come from the same city so it’s not hard to build a good relationship even though it was between senior and junior journalist.

“Young brother, a writer is like a story teller,” he preached me, during our deadline nights. “The difference is about the medium. As a writer you type your words while as a story teller you utter them. Another difference is that as a writer you must tell the truth, reality…”

He likes detail and rich facts from his reporters, so he can explore and use those all in his stories. I remember we wrote analysis on Soeharto’s fall in 1998 for cover story. We interviewed William Liddle, a professor and Indonesianist from Ohio State Universtiy, Columbus. Two days before New Year 1999, we moved together from Gatra to GAMMA magazine along with some other colleagues.

Work, Debate, Hang Out

But, you know, in our work, I didn’t always agree with him on some principles and issues. So sometimes we had hot debates when selecting some critical issues for articles or cover stories. It’s really hot debates. But after that, everything back to the normal again.

The good thing was that outside of work we have a place to hang out together: a small outdoor sport equipment shop in Kalibata managed by my friend Bambang Hamid Sujatmoko a.k.a. Abeng. This guy is a senior reporter and member of Wanadri Mountain Climber Club, Bandung (now he works for Metro TV). After all day work and deadline, those discussions became good catharsis for us. We spent much time there, accompanied by cups of tea and coffee, talking various topics from politic to sport, from family problems to office politicking.

After I resigned from the magazine, I visited him several times at his new office at Kemang. But after that, we never meet again, until then I heard his case. I sent him short message, gave my full support for his legal process. “Thanks, let’s plan to meet again with some friends,” he replied.

Nobody knows yet what the decision will be taken by judge. However, lot of supports came to him since the case revealed in media. I think all journalists and writers, including me, clearly stand up along him. Bringing a writer to the court because his/her opinion (and nothing wrong with the opinion) is believed will threat people to speak out their mind in this republic. (ah)

The Elements of Journalism

Here are the nine elements of journalism explained by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel (“The Element of Journalism, 2001). Just for a reminder for those who work in journalism field.

1. Journalism's first obligation is to the truth.
2. Its first loyalty is to the citizens
3. Its essence is discipline of verification.
4. Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover.
5. It must serve as an independent monitor of power.
6. It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise.
7. It must strive to make the significant interesting, and relevant.
8. It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional.
9. Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience.

(ah)

Indonesia: from zero to heroes

In Nias Island, an Indonesian Red Cross initiative has mobilized and trained more than 800 new volunteers in just ten months.

When a community based first aid programme was launched on the Indonesian island of Nias in March 2007, there was little indication that it would go on to be a major Red Cross success story.

“At the beginning, there were no volunteers – so we had to start the programme completely from scratch,” said Indonesian Red Cross Society (PMI) health officer Mariani Gulo, who worked with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to develop the programme.

Today, more than 800 community-based volunteers are teaching first aid in 39 villages across the island, reaching people in need in even the remotest communities.

It’s a remarkable achievement for the PMI and the International Federation, given the remoteness of the island. Nias faced a number of challenges even before it was hit by the December 2004 tsunami and then devastated by the March 2005 earthquake that killed around 800 people and made tens of thousands homeless.

Thousands of families in remote villages were enduring daily health problems because they were unable to reach the island’s hospital or local medical centre. This situation led PMI and the International Federation to launch a community based first aid programme in several areas, to empower local people to respond to daily emergencies where health professionals are absent or overworked.

To deliver the programme and ensure that it was sustainable, PMI and the International Federation began to recruit volunteers in Nias, including some who had been inactive because there had not been any suitable activities for them to participate in. Initially, only five volunteers were available, although this soon increased to 35.

PMI and the International Federation then ensured that all the volunteers were trained to national standards and understood the nature of the voluntary work they would be doing.

Rising to the challenge

Once the volunteers were trained up, community leaders were invited to select new potential first-aiders from each of the 39 villages targeted by the new programme.

The location of many of these villages proved a fresh challenge. In many cases, it took volunteers nearly four hours to reach settlements that were inaccessible even by motorcycle.

To avoid wasting time and energy, PMI and the International Federation decided that all volunteers must stay for three days in a targeted area to deliver modules for village volunteers and to arrange activities in the community.

This decision has been greeted with warmth and appreciation by the villagers, who have expressed their gratitude to the volunteers who have travelled so far and given up so much of their time.

Follow their schedule, not ours

Community based first aid volunteers must complete a minimum of 52 hours of training. However, as most villagers are farmers and local traders with community obligations, this tight schedule wouldn’t work for them.

So a new approach was developed to suit the community. First, the training module was split into six parts and was delivered gradually. Each module consists of specific topics such as vector diseases like malaria and dengue fever; diarrhoeal diseases caused by poor hygiene conditions; nutrition and first aid. These, combined with disaster preparedness and disaster response topics, will encourage the formation of community based action teams and can then be used in emergency situations. The volunteers also received an induction on PMI and its work, and on the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s Fundamental Principles.

“We follow the villagers’ schedule as closely as we can, as long as we both agree,” said Dr Eka Airlangga, the International Federation’s health programme manager in Nias.

This flexibility allowed some first aid topics to be taught during community church services. Dr Airlangga added that the first aid trainers also used events important to the local culture, such as Maena (a community gathering with singing and dancing), to carry out training. Volunteers also organized a competition and provided a health message, which was then adapted into lyrics by village dance and singing groups.

To maintain the village volunteers’ capacity, they are regularly involved in first aid trainings held for selected audiences including primary school students, teachers, and senior citizens.

From zero to hundreds

Then programme has achieved a great deal in the ten months since its launch.

“The good news is that the training the volunteers have received is at the same level as the PMI standard – and in some cases even higher,” said Dr Jeyathesan Kulasingam, an International Federation health delegate with the Aceh tsunami operation.

The villagers are feeling the benefits most of all. When Nias was hit by a diarrhoea outbreak last summer, the villages supported by the community based first aid programme suffered less than others.

“In many cases, we can now save the money we used to spend travelling to the city hospital,” said Faolozisokhi Zega, a volunteer coordinator from Lolo’ana’a lolomoyo village in Gunung Sitoli Utara sub district. More important, he added, the villagers can now respond quickly and effectively if a family member or neighbour falls ill or has an accident. (ah, published at www.ifrc.org)