Dear Partners, Friends,
and Colleagues,
CRSCAD in INDONESIA
According to The Jakarta Post, "Indonesia has become a land of tragedy...(where) natural disasters have become a great challenge for Indonesians."
The Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia or PMI) reported that between October 2010 and May 2011, "the eruption of the Mount Merapi volcano, and the earthquake and subsequent tsunami affecting the Mentawai Islands on 25 October 2010 killed 725 people and forced over 300,000 people to leave their homes." It further noted that, based on the assessment by the National Disaster Management Agency (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana or BNPB), the death toll from Merapi was 273; that 300,957 people were displaced in the two provinces of Central Java and Yogyakarta; and, that 452 people died, 76 were still missing, and 14,983 were displaced because of the earthquake and tsunami in the Mentawai Islands.
|
Professor Adenrele Awotona at the As-Syafi'iyah orphanage for young victims of disasters |
Subsequently, CRSCAD visited two Indonesian cities (Jakarta and Surabaya) in May 2011 in order to deepen existing, and explore the establishment of new, collaborations with some of the universities, non-governmental and grassroots organizations, research centers and private sector agencies there.
I gave a number of presentations which included a public lecture at Narotama University that was widely reported in the press. I also participated in an international seminar at the University of As-Syafi'iyah; in the 30th anniversary of the founding of BKMT (Badan Kontak Majelis Taklim) an educational outreach program with a membership of 15 million people throughout Indonesia (under the leadership of Dr. Ferdy Dailami Firdaus); and, in the opening of a new facility at an orphanage for children who have been left parentless by the various disasters in the country. The orphanage was established by Prof. (Dr.) Hj.Tutty Alawiyah, a former cabinet Minister for Women's Affairs in two previous Indonesian governments and the Rector of the University of As-Syafi'iyah.
|
Professor Adenrele Awotona at an international seminar at the University of As-Syafi'iyah |
By all accounts, the visit was both pleasant and productive. On behalf of CRSCAD, I would like to thank all our existing and potential partners in Indonesia for their invaluable support of my stay. In particular, I wish to express my gratitude to the following individuals for their warm hospitality: Prof. (Dr.) Hj.Tutty Alawiyah AS, Dr. Ferdy Dailami Firdaus, Dr. Zainal Arifin Hoesein, Ambassador (ret.) Dr. Tajuddien Noor Bolimalakalu, Usep Fathudin, Brigadier General (ret.) Dr. Nurhadi Purwosaputro, Ambassador (ret.) Muzammil Basyuni, Professor (Dr.) Satori Ismail, Dr. Ilyas Ismail, Ambassador (ret.) Dr. Dahlan Hamied, Dr. Bambang Wispriyono, Ani Wulandari, Prof. Dr. Ketut Buda Artana, Dr. Wahyudi, Dr. Putu Artama, Dr. Eko Budi Djatmiko, Emily Yasmin Norris, Fidya Safitri Aulani, Dr. Dewi Motik Pramono, Fahmi Salim, Yasin Ardhy, Dr. Syafruddin Rozali, Dr. H. Azralie Zakaria, Muahammad Zakky, Ir. Aziz Taba Pabeta, Dra. H. Tien Fartinah, and Nurfitria Farhana.
We, at CRSCAD, look forward to deepening our collaborations in Indonesia as we work together with our associates to seek long-term policy and practical solutions to the consequences of the various disasters in the country.
Thank you.
Adenrele Awotona
Founding Director & Professor