Posted on: Sunday, January 30, 2005

ISLAND VOICES

By Charles E. Morrison

No one will ever know how many people died in last month's Indian Ocean tsunami. But with the dead and missing totals exceeding 200,000, the tsunami rivals the 1976 Tianjin earthquake as the most deadly natural disaster in recent times. Certainly, the disaster was historically unprecedented in affecting so many people in so many countries.

Also unprecedented is the scope of the relief efforts and the outpouring of financial contributions. Military forces, NGOs and individual volunteers from all over the world are providing food and support, medical care and shelter to the survivors. Public and government financial generosity is breaking all records. When we opened the East-West Center Tsunami Relief Fund on Dec. 27, we had expected to collect a few tens of thousands of dollars to give to effective local relief groups in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand.

But as the enormous scope of the tragedy became clearer, donations came pouring in much faster and larger than we anticipated, almost $340,000 to date. Nationally, it is estimated that three of every 10 Americans have contributed to one or another charity helping the tsunami victims. Worldwide, the International Federation of the Red Cross has received half as much money in the past month as in its first 86 years. Grants or loans by governments and international organizations are a record $4 billion.

Education director Terence Bigalke and Indonesian student Muhamad Ali, our East-West Center team in Aceh last week, reported that the Acehnese are overwhelmed and deeply gratified by all this support. Flights to Aceh, by far the most heavily affected area, are filled with humanitarian workers from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Europe, other parts of Southeast Asia and Indonesia itself.

The incredible domestic philanthropy effort is largely unreported abroad. As poor as Indonesia is, cities, towns, NGOs and ordinary citizens throughout Indonesia are contributing funds, supplies and manpower for relief operations.

Our team also tells of the indomitable spirit of the Acehnese people, who amidst the destruction are moving forward with their lives. In the past week, the number of relief camps has dropped from 385 to less than 100 as people leave to rebuild their former towns or move in with relatives. The essential role of the military is winding down as the effort turns from immediate rescue, relief and burial (although much remains to be done) toward the longer-term challenge of recovery and rebuilding.

The rebuilding in isolated towns and villages could take a decade. The cost for Sumatra alone may be more than $5 billion. Successful rebuilding is critical, not only for humanitarian reasons but because so many of the tsunami-affected areas were already smoldering with resentment at perceived central government neglect or oppression. Failure will only fuel political discontent and potential terrorism, while success can alleviate serious tension and promote reconciliation.

Much of the extraordinary giving has been impulsive. Many of the organizations devoted to immediate relief will be moving on. Is it possible to transform some of the generosity and energy of the past month into sustained, longer-term rebuilding assistance once the images of destruction and suffering have left television and computer screens?

I would suggest a systematic and organized community partnership program under which the affected communities, some of them almost totally devastated, are linked with larger outside communities with the resources and will to help. The concept is analogous to the "sister cities" program, but unlike this program, the donor town, city or state would need to make a strong and sustainable commitment to provide tangible assistance to the impacted community.

Larger cities, such as Osaka, Shanghai, Seattle or Sydney, could partner with larger affected communities such as Banda Aceh and Meulaboh. A city the size of Honolulu might partner with a medium-sized Indonesian or Sri Lanka town or district of several villages. The partnerships might involve several donor cities, including an unaffected city in the same country. Within the city-to-city framework, more specialized, rebuilding partnerships would be encouraged between local educational, religious, civil or health organizations. The East-West Center itself is identifying schools, universities and media organizations that it may help.

Community partnerships keep private citizens and organizations involved, give the disaster and recovery effort a human face, and divide the rebuilding into units comprehensible and accessible to potential donor communities. Individual donor communities can take pride in the progress of the communities they are helping. While such partnerships might be initially envisioned for 3 to 5 years, the good will generated may result in longer-term sister relationships, which are currently very sparse in the Indian Ocean basin.

South and Southeast Asia governments have traditionally been very sensitive to outside involvement in the affected areas. However, extraordinary events call for extraordinary actions. The presence of U.S. and other foreign military forces in hitherto closed Aceh in northern Sumatra suggests that the shock of tragedy can engender new thinking. Clearly, the local populations appreciate the outside assistance. For the governments in Jakarta and Colombo, the disaster provides opportunities to establish new beginnings with hitherto disaffected regions. Their chances of succeeding increase tremendously with long-term rebuilding help from the international community.

Charles E. Morrison is president of the East-West Center. He wrote this article for The Advertiser.