DISASTERLESS VICTIMS - MENTAWAI

Best of intentions - Very unfortunate message ....and simply not an accurate way to describe the tectonic process. The islands are RISING because of earthquakes and then SLOWLY sinking during the long periods between earthquakes. That kind of headline would not have caused widespread panic and the evacuation of most Government agencies from the Mentawais. The panic in Nias seems to have originated from these posters and even in Simeulue people were deeply worried. It is ironic that the documents were supported by LIPI and distributed by UNESCO.

Everywhere we have interacted with communities in the islands the first thing we are asked is "are our islands sinking?"....... our answer has always been "the islands only exist because of the earthquakes....they are born out of the pushing between Australia and Asia..... without the earthquakes Simeulue, Nias, Mentawai and the other islands would not exist"

We were mystified by the universal fear we were seeing and in Nias there was a panic soon after the Banyaks quake that led to mobbing of ferries and other boats. People wanted to get to the mainland before their islands sank under them. What could cause this kind of rumor to be so widespread..... the answer has come to light. It illustrates the cultural gulf that all of us bringing relief to this area are dealing with. Sometimes the best of intentions are derailed by our mindset being imposed on people who see the world we share very differently.

These are the posters that were distributed in large numbers and at considerable expense throughout the islands. They probably saved a lot of lives and it is tempting to wonder how many more could have been saved if the distribution had reached as far as Aceh..... but this fantastic effort by a totally dedicated team carried a fault line as wide as the Mentawai Straits.



The content is comprehensive but rather complex and overwhelming for people who are share a verbal heritage. Very few Mentawai people express themselves in writing and those that do tend to write in Bahasa Indonesia. The headlines got everyone's attention and the choice of words is a puzzle.

They should have said "OUR ISLANDS ARE NOT SINKING because of earthquakes"..... What a difference one word could have made.

A reprint might help but the economic impact on the Mentawais and other islands has been considerable. Health workers, teachers and most non-native civil servants fled to the mainland and villages have set up camps in the hills. No aid is getting to most of these "disasterless victims". We appeal for help to correct this situation and welcome ideas aimed at countering the rumors and restoring the peoples confidence in their ancient beliefs.... that their islands are safe and the cradle of their culture...... not shrinking and doomed to leave their people "wet and cold in the water".... the literal translation of "malelelep"