Restoring the gift of hope
Op enters rehabilitation phase

Shipwrecked: Members of 1CER remove one of many wrecked boats that the tsunami left high and dry in the streets of Banda Aceh. Photo by AB Phillip Cullinan, 1JPAU

By Cpl Cameron Jamieson

THE ADF’s disaster relief operation in Sumatra has moved to a new stage – from the initial life-saving response phase into the rehabilitation phase that will permanently restore essential services and infrastructure.

More than 550 soldiers are deployed on Operation Sumatra Assist and the majority are based in the city of Banda Aceh, located in the Indonesian province of Aceh.

More command and support soldiers are located at Medan, in the province of Northern Sumatra, and at the RAAF logistic hub at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base at Butterworth, Northwest Malaysia.

The soldiers are part of the 1100- strong CJTF 629, which includes Air Force, Navy, New Zealand and British service personnel.

Army personnel were among the fi rst ADF troops to enter Banda Aceh within days of the Boxing Day earthquake and tsunami

Army medical personnel saved many lives, and Army engineers prevented further suffering by providing fresh drinking water.

The Army presence in Banda Aceh has swelled to include signifi cant medical, engineer and aviation elements.

Task Force Commander Brig Dave Chalmers is proud of how all personnel under his command have risen to the challenge of the Indonesian disaster relief operation.

“The conditions are difficult, but morale is really high,” he said. “I guess it’s a reward for doing the work we are doing.”

Chief of Staff for CJTF 629 Colonel Stuart Smith said the operation was entering a new phase, which could see the force size and composition rationalised.

“The first phase normally requires an immediate life-saving response, and we believe that we have done that,” Col Smith said.

“The second phase of the disaster relief operation is rehabilitation, where essential services are restored, such as permanent power and water. The fi - nal phase is complete reconstruction, which is a long-term phase, normally undertaken by civilian agencies.

“The ADF has been very much involved in the immediate life-saving response phase, and will now support the rehabilitation phase, but are unlikely to be committed to any long-term reconstruction unless invited to do so.”

Instrumental to the success of the task force has been the cooperation of the Indonesian authorities.

“If we didn’t have good relations then we would have either failed to deliver the aid we did or not be as effective as we have been,” Brig Chalmers said.

“The success of our relationship has demonstrated that we are a good neighbour, and that our respective military personnel can work together closely and effectively.”