Villages Gone, Lives Shattered: A Silent Tragedy in Sumatra

The northern and western parts of the Indonesian island of Sumatra are suffering from floods and landslides. As of December 1, 442 people are declared dead, 402 missing, and hundreds are injured, while more than 200 thousand people lost their homes.  

What is happening in Aceh is no small matter; it is REAL, visible, and painful. Andjani (a 5th-year student in our SR program) witnessed firsthand how forests are cut down and wildlife habitats destroyed without mercy. They have lost their shelter because their land was seized for profit.

Illegal logging is not just about cutting down trees.

The cost is far higher: natural disasters, floods, landslides, droughts. And tragically, those who feel the impact the most are the common people. They never took part in the destruction, yet now they bear the most severe consequences.

In Bener Meriah Regency, the impact is devastating:

•⁠  ⁠No electricity.

•⁠  ⁠No internet connection.

•⁠  ⁠Cut off from national roads.

•⁠  ⁠Collapsed bridges and roads.

•⁠  ⁠Limited food and shelter.

(Condition in Aceh Tamiang. Photo source: Residents affected by the disaster in Sekerak, Aceh Tamiang, via Rumah Relawan Remaja)

Imagine living in those conditions. All of this happened not because of their mistakes, but because of our people who disregarded nature.

Humans must take responsibility. We must be brave enough to admit that what is happening to this earth is a reflection of our choices.

Being just 'aware' is a luxury we can no longer afford.

Awareness won’t fix a broken bridge or replant a forest.

We must BE ANGRY. We must ACT. 

This is the time to pool our resources and support the victims on the ground. We have to pressure authorities to restore electricity and access, and to deliver aid. Meanwhile, we need to commit ourselves to reforestation efforts to ensure this doesn't happen again.

We must restore this earth before everything is truly lost: our forests, our wildlife, our water, and our future.

Writer : Riri Lestari 

Editor : Ari Budi Santosa