Indonesian Federation / Jan 2004 Contributor: Aziz Chandra, Head Instructor of Shorinji Kempo Aceh Region

Chronology of Earthquake and Tsunami in Aceh

On the Day of Banda Aceh Mayor Cup Regional Shorinji Kempo Championship Throughout NAD



An earthquake followed by tide of giant wave (Tsunami) with 3 to 15 meters height in NAD province on 26 December 2004, that has caused lost of lives, possessions and has destroyed many Government Building and thousands of residencies.

Until 8 January 2005, the volunteer team from many posts built in 12 regencies / cities struck by the earthquake and tsunami in Nangroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD), has found and made data of dead victims reaching 126.000, thousands of dead bodies have not been evacuated and also thousands of people are declared missing/not found.

Lost of possessions include among others 800.000 lives lose their homes, as well as other properties. They now live at evacuation camps and at their relatives/families' houses in several cities in NAD/North Sumatera, and even some exodus to Jakarta and other cities in Indonesia

Regencies / cities with serious damage and destruction and dead victims include:

1.Meulaboh
2.Banda Aceh
3.Regency of Western Aceh
4.Regency of Aceh Jaya
5.Regency of Aceh Besar
6.Regency of Nagan Raya
7.Regency of Pidie
8.Regency of Bireun
9.Regency of Northern Aceh
10.Lhokseumawe
11.Regency of Eastern Aceh
12.Regency of Southern Aceh
13.Langsa

On the same day, 2000 marathon 10 K athletes and 350 karate athletes participated in a Regional Championship, and 18 of them are declared dead.




SHORINJI KEMPO CHAMPIONSHIP OF DOJOS / NAD MAYOR CUP II IN BANDA ACEH

Final party of Shorinji Kempo championship of dojos / NAD mayor cup II at the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) Sport Centre in Banda Aceh from 23 to 26 December 2004 was cancelled automatically, due to the Earthquake in 8.9 SR followed by Tsunami that is beyond our expectation.

On 23 December 2004, at 16.00 Western Indonesian Time (WIB), kenshi from various dojos visited the capital of NAD province, i.e., Banda Aceh, and the Committee for the Regional Championship provided accommodations for all Kenshi at Regional Government Training Center in Lampineung, Banda Aceh, while the Shorinji Kempo championship was held at KONI Sport Center in Banda Aceh, which was participated by 164 Kenshi from 14 Dojos in Aceh

On 23 December 2004, from 16.00 to 20.00 WIB, the kenshi (athletes, instructors) and referees, as well as the team managers / officials of each contingent entered the lodging, had break for Ashar, Maghrib prayers and then had dinner arranged by the committee presided by a kenshi, Rajib Ramli (police/kenshi) Kyu I

On 23 December 2004, from 20.00 WIB to 22.00, having a technical meting discussing the competition numbers and other technical procedures, attended by all heads of contingents, officials and referees. This meeting was presided over by Board of Instructors of the Indonesia Shorinji Kempo Association (PERKEMI) of NAD (Aziz Chandra, III-Dan) and assisted by several members of the committee. The meeting discussed not only technical matters, yet also made a pool and draw of the competition numbers.

On 23 December 2004, from 22.00 to 23.00 WIB, all athletes were weighed according to their own classes by the committee.
From 23.00 to 05.30, break at the Training Center in Lampireung, Banda Aceh

On 24 December 2004, from 05.30 to 07.00 WIB, the kenshi were given time to have shower or bath, to have morning prayers (subuh) and to be ready to go to the Sport Center.
From 07.00 to 08.00 WIB, riding 2 units of Damri busses, the athletes were headed to the Sport Center.
From 08.00 to 08.30 WIB, all athletes, heads of contingents and referees had breakfast at the Sport Center
From 08.30 to 09.30 WIB, preparation for opening the championship by the Mayor of Banda Aceh, the guests from KONI, DISPORA NAD and other guests had already been present and took seats provided by the committee.

Precisely, at 09.30 WIB, the competition was officially opened by the Mayor of Banda Aceh, Drs. H. Syarifuddin Latieh (being dead victim) and continued by Shorinji Kempo tradition and attractions
From 09.30 to 10.30 WIB, all participants had a break, and the guests left the arena.

From 10.30 to 12.00, semi final competition for number of Embu
From 12.00 to 14.00, break for Friday prayers and lunch
From 14.00 to 18.00, semi final competition of all numbers of Randori was continued on 2 courts of Randori.




On 24/25 December 2004
From 18.00 to 05.30 WIB, all Athletes, Officials and Referees had rest at the lodge. On 25 December 2004, from 08.00 to 18.00, semi final competition of all numbers of Randori and Embu was continued.



On 25/26 December 2004
From 18.00 to 05.30 WIB, all participants had rest at the Training Center in Lampi Neung, Banda Aceh.



On 26 December 2004/Day of Disaster
From 05.30 to 07.00 WIB, all Athletes, Instructors, Referees and heads of contingents took shower/bath, had morning prayers (subuh) and prepared to head for the Sport Center. On the day, from 08.00 to 12.00 WIB, final competition was planned to be held for all numbers of competition and from 12.00 to 13.00 WIB, the championship ceremony was planned to be closed by the Mayor of Banda Aceh, Drs. H. Syarifuddin Latif (now deceased), yet, a disaster occurred.



26 December 2004/ Final
From 07.00 to 08.00 WIB, all participants were headed for the Sport Center riding DAMRI bus and several units of City Transportation prepared by the Committee and precisely at 08.00 WIB, all participants had gathered at the Sport Center, which is + 4 km distance from the lodge. At the time, some of the Athletes had breakfast at the Sport Center and some others were having breakfast. At 08.05 WIB, the Athletes were instructed to enter the Sport Center and make lines in order to perform warming up and Shorinji Kempo ceremonial tradition. Not all kenshi had entered, although some others were already inside the Sport Center. All of a sudden at 08.10 WIB, there was a quake, and I instructed all kenshi (Athletes) to go out from the Sport Center and gather on the yard of the Sport Center, not be dispersed. 2 minutes later, another quake strike slowly, then strongly and continuously with constant huge/enormous quake that made all standing men kept falling down. At the time, I shouted so hard instructing all Kenshi (Athletes) to sit down on the ground and hug each other.

Along with the horrifying and terrifying continuous quake for about 10 minutes, we prayed calling out the Almighty's name loudly and in our hearts. At the time, I looked over my side; there was Pantee Perak supermarket, which was only 5 meters from the location where the Kenshi (Athletes) gathered. Windows on 5th and 4th Floors of the supermarket were broken to pieces, which hit one of the kenshi. I looked above the supermarket, which trembled as if it would collapse, and then I instructed all 164 Kenshi (Athletes) to slowly move in squad to get away from the supermarket. Not even in a minute from getting away, the supermarket, which inside there were many customers, suddenly collapsed or fell down with clamorous sounds. At the time, I heard people under the debris calling out for help. All of the kenshi (Athletes) are safe.

Almost 3 minutes after the horrifying earth quake stopped, all of a sudden thousands of insects similar to bees clamorously flying exactly over the location where the kenshi gathered, just about 5 meters above the kenshi's heads, particularly Kenshi from Contingents of Bireun, Northern Aceh and Langsa. With a deep fear, I instructed the kenshi (Athletes) to bend over and pray and instructed every single of them not to move. I was afraid if they moved or ran, they would be chased after by those thousands of insect, which would cause fatal injury to the kenshi. After + 5 minutes, those thousands of insect were gone out of sight, but just after they were gone, we saw hundreds of people running towards us and shouted "run..., run..., run..," and said that the 5-meter height of ocean wave has struck the city.

The situation went berserk. The kenshi tried to also run with those people, while at the time I yelled so hard asking the kenshi to stay still and not to run with the people. This is when I instructed all Kenshi to stand up forming one long line toward the back with right hand in front and left hand back and hold each other tight and strong, "As long as you are alive, don't let your hand off your partners". I walked ahead and said "follow me. If we should die, we die together".

We kept walking and went to a higher area. We stopped for a while in front of KESDAM B. ACEH hospital. We stood in front of the hospital for about 10 minutes, the water has reached the place, and many dead bodies had been sent to KESDAM Hospital. The situation went even more out of control when the kenshi, who many of them are at young age, had to witness impaired dead bodies. 5 minutes afterwards, hundreds of people ran before us yelling, "Leave Banda Aceh, the city will sank in seconds".



I thought for a while that the main city of Banda Aceh was surrounded by ocean and gapped by "Kreung Aceh" river connected by 3 bridges. I thought with the quake as happened before, those three bridges could have fell down, and if the ocean water struck the land again, our lives would have ended. For our own safety, I moved forward, the kenshi followed me leaving Banda Aceh. Then, we walked across the river through Beurawe Bridge. I saw the bridge was already cracked and in the middle, there was a big hole. I tried to convince the kenshi to walk slowly over the edge of the bridge until we reached the end of the bridge, and we arrived in Simpang Surabaya (outskirts of the city of Banda Aceh, towards Aceh Besar).

We stayed in Simpang Surabaya + 30 minutes, and took shelter at higher ground. Some of the kenshi were sleeping on the grass and ground in empty stomach. I recall the time showed 16.00 WIB, some of the kenshi had not eaten, I tried to encourage the Kenshi to accept this ordeal, even we were starving, and we all were starving. I myself had not eaten yet since morning in weak condition and wore dirty outfit of complete dogi with obi and other Shorinji Kempo attributes. After about 30 minutes since we took shelter at the place, we save hundreds of citizens of Banda Aceh running out of the city headed for Aceh Besar Regency. They rode many trucks, busses, angkot, private cars and motors and many walking on their feet and running, shouting, "Come all safe yourself". The situation went panic again, we woke the Kenshi and formed a line and walked again to be far from Banda Aceh, which is known as the capital of NAD Province (called as the Mecca Veranda). I counted that there were 34 quakes since morning until late noon.

We walked and walked in more speed pace along the street of Jln. Negara Medan - Banda Aceh, while also witnessing other citizens running before us. We finally arrived at a small town of Lambaru District, Aceh Besar Regency, which is + 12 Km from Banda Aceh (just like cross way of Medan - Banda Aceh).

At a mosque in the middle of this Lambaro city, we stayed until night. Not long, many dead bodies and injured people were taken to the mosque. Within a while, many refugees had occupied the mosque. After doing the evening prayer (Isya) with big heart we left the mosque to find location not far from the mosque, right in front of one house located in a higher place. After asking permission to the owner, we slept on the yard of the house, while female kenshi (athletes) asked permission to sleep in the house. However, inside the house there were already many relatives of the owner who had come since late noon.

At night, we laid and some of us sat on the yard of the house until morning. I counted from 26 December 2004 to 27 December 2004 morning, there had been 64 quakes. At 07.00 o'clock in the morning, I saw a chartered bus of Shorinji Kempo from Langsa contingent in Lambaro market. The bus meant to pick us up in Banda Aceh, but it was not allowed to enter Banda Aceh, as it has been evacuated since the day before, so that the bus stayed over the night at the Lambaro market.

After meeting the bus driver, I instructed all Kenshi of Langsa to take the bus to return to the lodge (Training Center in Lampineng, Banda Aceh) to take clothes, bags and competition equipments belonging to board of executives of Shorinji Kempo of Northern Aceh and Langsa and return to Kota Langsa.

Heading for the Training Center we passed by roads and streets with full of dead bodies laying, even some of them were covered with mud. It was a gruesome view that all houses and buildings were flat with the grounds. As we arrived at the Training Center, we saw the first floor of the Training Center and all of its rooms were covered with 2-meter height of black mud blended with sand, so we could not take our clothes, bags, money and equipments for the competition from that place. With grief, restlessness, difficulties and empty stomach for not having eaten for 2 days, we went back to Langsa.

Since then until several days, we lost contact with other boards of executives of branches due to the damage of telecommunication lines and electricity affected by the earthquake.

Notes:
1.All Kenshi being participants of the Regional Championship are declared safe and sound from the disaster.
2.Families and houses of the Kenshi located in di Banda Aceh, some of them in Pidie, are affected, even deceased.
3.The final of the championship had not been held due to the disaster.
4.Mayor of Banda Aceh who was supposed to close the ceremony of the Regional Championship is declared dead.
5.The disaster brings great trauma to the kenshi until today.
6.Most of the Kenshi had lost their bags, clothes and equipments for competition.
7.In quantity, it would decrease the numbers of Kenshi.
8.Parents of the kenshi thank the Instructors and seniors for their decision to safe the kenshi.
9.We ask for attention and assistance from all parties, officials, institutions, relevant parties, donator and contributors.

We pray to Allah, the Almighty for forgiveness and His blessings to this life in the world.

Langsa, 4 January 2005

Sincerely yours,

Aziz Chandra MB. (III - DAN)

 

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