Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Values that matter most in Aceh recovery


By: Fahmi M. Nasir

"Something is rotten in Aceh," critics say, and the rot clearly has the potential to hinder the new wave of optimism in the war and tsunami-battered province.
This does not refer to the recent gubernatorial election in Aceh where the Jakarta-backed candidate was clearly beaten. Nor is it concerned with how much money the losing candidates spent for their campaigns and how they are going to recover it. The concern here is the process of reconstruction and rehabilitation, as well as assistance to the victims of the tsunami and the decades-long conflict.

Two years after the tsunami, despite the overwhelming response and commitment from all over the world, the tsunami victims are still waiting for help. They are still living in temporary shelters, still waiting for help in starting a new life after the tsunami.
This situation has clearly tested the patience of the tsunami victims to the utmost. The Acehnese are very resilient, even in the face of the most difficult of situations. There may also be some consolation in the thought that the more bitter the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.
However, one has to wonder what went wrong with the reconstruction process in Aceh? One also must reflect on what is the missing link in that process? There must be a reason for the present situation.
As far as the tsunami victims are concerned, their future still looks bright even though they have to start from scratch. This is due to the massive pledges of donations to help them rebuild their lives. There are so many NGOs and experts working in Aceh, and even the government of Indonesia has set up a special body, the Aceh-Nias Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (BRR), to oversee rebuilding efforts.
Everything looks so promising that a better tomorrow seems only a stone's throw away. Unfortunately, nothing is as expected. The majority of the victims are still not sure of their future. The rebuilding process is tainted with corruption, lack of efficiency and effectiveness. So we can understand the frustration of the victims.
I will avoid entering the debate over whether the expectations were too high, or the implementation was too slow and wanting, as my own simple opinion is that the reconstruction process has not exploited local customs and wisdom. It would have been much better if it had done so. The mother of all problems is the failure to take into account the importance of values in this difficult situation.
You may call me naive for talking about the importance of values, but history and facts prove otherwise. I wonder how the Japanese achieved so much success after World War II? How South Korea developed at such a fast pace? The usual explanation is because of the knowledge these two countries possessed. France, Britain and Germany had the knowledge but did not develop as fast.
I am not rejecting the importance of knowledge and the very vital role it played in the process of development in Japan and South Korea. What I want to share with you here is that knowledge is not the only secret behind their successes. There must have been something else.
My question is whether the successes of Japan and South Korea were simply because of knowledge and expertise; if so, why is it that with so many experts and enormous amounts of available money, the Aceh reconstruction process is not hitting the right note? There must be something lacking, something beyond our knowledge.
So, what were the secrets of Japan and South Korea? Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, president of International Islamic University Malaysia, on many occasions has highlighted the Japanese spirit of Bushido and the Korean spirit of Hwarang as the driving forces behind their success.
It was the samurai, with their Bushido spirit, who founded five Japanese companies in 1873, after the Meiji Restoration of 1868. The Japanese companies are Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Marubeni, Sumitomo and Dai-Ichi Kangyo (now C. Itoh). These five companies became the engine of growth in the Japanese economy.
President Park Chung-hee of South Korea was inspired by the Hwarang spirit that was the driving force in the victory of Admiral Yi, with his turtle armada, against the Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi of Japan. The Hwarang spirit was also instrumental in the successes of the earlier Silla Dynasty.
The principles of the Bushido and Hwarang spirits are similar. They are trustworthiness, courage, discipline, diligence and loyalty. Looking back at the glory days of Aceh before the Dutch colonial period in early 1910s, these five values also existed and were practiced during that time.
Historical facts have shown the importance of values in achieving success. The Japanese and Koreans practiced these values in order to achieve glory. Acehnese in the past practiced these five important values. They were key to Aceh's prosperity at that time.
We should again take into account the importance of these five values: trustworthiness, courage, discipline, diligence and loyalty. Reconstruction in Aceh will move on the right track if these values are put back into practice. If the five values were the driving force which brought success to the Japanese and the Koreans, there is no reason why they cannot do so in the reconstruction process in Aceh. With so many experts and money available, the practice of these five values is what matters most. These are Islamic values and have a proven record.
This article was published in The Jakarta Post on 19 December 2006.

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