Tsunami survivors in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka.
Photo: Paul Jeffrey/CWS-ACT |
"THIS IS A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT FOR CWS. WE WILL BE THERE FOR YEARS."
Story: Chris Herlinger/CWS
Rick Augsburger, director of Church World Service's Emergency Response Program, visited Banda Aceh, Indonesia, shortly after the earthquake and tsunami hit the region.
SERVICE asked Augsburger his impressions of the situation and his thoughts on the CWS response in Indonesia and in other affected countries.
SERVICE: How is the situation in Banda Aceh different from other disaster sites you have visited?
Augsburger: Clearly the scope of the destruction and number of fatalities and the traumatic impact this devastating disaster has had on the surviving communities are of a scale I have not seen before. The physical destruction is indescribable.
SERVICE: What is the most important element of the CWS response? The fact that we were already well-established in Indonesia and could respond quickly?
Augsburger: Yes, our prior presence on the ground and our history there enabled an immediate and active response. It truly is a testament to building and supporting local staff and capacity.
SERVICE: CWS has said the efforts to assist the tsunami survivors are a major "regional response." What does that mean for our response in other countries, such as Sri Lanka and India?
Augsburger: The area impacted by the tsunami spans an area that is equivalent in size to the geographic spread of the entire continental U.S. CWS is providing assistance in many of the affected countries. This was a regional disaster and we are undertaking a regional response. The response has involved staff from three of our regional offices - Indonesia, Laos, and Pakistan/Afghanistan.
SERVICE: What is the "common thread" in our response in all of the locales?
Augsburger: Providing immediate temporary shelter, food, and health support, and planning for the transition to long-term rehabilitation. After the emergency is over, restoring livelihoods and homes will take significant resources. This is a long-term commitment for CWS. We will be there for years.