GIZO, Solomon Islands - Disaster experts from Muslim Aid are applying the lessons learned from Indonesian tragedies to the Solomons tsunami relief effort while also highlighting the caring face of Islam.
Akyari Hanonto and Muhammad Farim Wiraseputra arrived in the disaster zone this week to help get supplies of clean drinking water for an estimated 6,000 people left homeless by last week’s earthquake and tsunami.
They said their presence in the deeply-Christian Solomons was also a good chance to display the positive aspects of Islam to counter negative stereotypes generated by the actions of Muslim extremists.
“There is no doubt that Islam has an image problem in some parts of the world but we’re here to show that our faith tells us to help people, whatever their religious background,” Hanonto told AFP.
“That’s why we’re here, to help people in need. We’re not terrorists.
“The Solomon Islanders have been very welcoming. They come up to us and say, “Oh really, you’re Indonesian? You’re Muslim? Thank you so much for coming.’”
Wiraseputra said the Solomons villagers had reacted in a similar way to those in the Indonesian province of Aceh, which was hardest hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed 220,000 people.
“They run to the hills and won’t come down because they’re scared of another tsunami,” he said. “They’re drinking dirty water from the streams so we are here to establish supplies of clean water for drinking.”
He said the logistics of getting supplies out to tiny communities scattered around the archipelago was a challenge.
“The island-hopping is making it difficult,” he said.
“The international community should be getting in more supplies. People should not think that because there’s less than 50 people dead so far it’s not a big disaster. It is a big disaster and there’s a lot to be done.
“We’ve seen the impact of a tsunami in Indonesia and we know it’s not pretty.”
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