Indonesian brotherhood in Brisbane glood

Several hundred Indonesians, tens of thousands of Australians and a number of other foreign nationals in Brisbane and environs are no longer trapped in Queensland`s worst flooding in 37 years. 

The flood waters that had previously inundated many places in this city of two million people, including St.Lucia suburb as one of the clusters of the Indonesian community in Queensland had receded since last weekend. 

This condition has enabled the city and state governments as well as local residents, including Indonesian citizens, to conduct a massive clean-up and damage repair operation. 

As reported by "ABC News", Queensland Premier Anna Bligh had even met with her cabinet members and related government officials on Monday (January 17) for talks about the state`s recovery and reconstruction programs.

Bligh voiced her government`s commitment to rebuilding Queensland and making its people more resistant and better protected. 

In Brisbane and its neighboring areas, residents got involved in massive cleaning activities and related stakeholders encouraged locals to be back to work and resumed the economic activities.

The recent flood disaster, which has made Brisbane become like "a dead city", has recorded various heroic stories about the power of struggle and the power of solidarity and brotherhood of human beings.

The power of brotherhood of humanity, which disregards the socio-economic, cultural, and other primordial differences, has also been shown by Indonesian community members there.

In the flooding, which has brought Queenslanders` memories back to the 1974 flood disaster, more than 120 Indonesians were also displaced and fled their flat units and houses to higher areas in St.Lucia.

They were then sheltered in 16 houses and accommodation units that Indonesians rented in the suburb where the University of Queensland (UQ)`s main campus is located.

Amid that difficult situation, Indonesian community members consisting of university students and permanent residents (PR) worked hand-in-hand in helping the flood-hit Indonesians with their money and energy. 

"Our commitment is that none of Indonesians in Brisbane is abandoned due to this flood disaster," said Raja Juli Antoni, a voluntary humanitarian worker who is currently studying at UQ.

He said Indonesians in Brisbane could handle the impacts of this flooding on other fellow Indonesians with their own resources.

The Indonesian families and individuals whose flat units and houses were not submerged offered theirs to accommodate the less fortunate Indonesians.

The flash floods in Brisbane and other parts of Queensland due to days of rainfalls and overflowing of a number of rivers crossing the city and its surrounding areas, such as Bremer, Warrill, Brisbane, Logan, Albert, and Mary had strengthened the unity and togetherness among Indonesians. 

Alimatul Qibtiyah, PhD candidate who has moved from Griffith University to the University of Western Sydney (UWS), elaborated her experience of helping Indonesian refugees.

Alim said the displaced Indonesians were not only assisted by those residing in St.Lucia but also those from outside that suburb by running an emergency kitchen for cooking meals for the needy in St.Lucia.

"A number of Indonesians residing outside the St.Lucia suburb areas also run an emergency kitchen to serve our displaced fellow Indonesians, including the one that I coordinated."

"Actually, my family must also flee our rented unit because the flood water has reached roofs of houses about a hundred meters away from ours," said the PhD student, who has been struggling for finishing her thesis titled "Feminist Identity and Conceptualization of Gender Issues by Muslim Gender Studies Elites". 

"Moreover, the road sign near my house can no longer be seen. As a result, we also take refuge and stay at Ms.Tintin`s flat (on campus accommodation) in Nathan for two days, and on the second day, we move to the accommodation unit of Agung and Era in Mt.Gravatt," Alim said.

Griffith`s emergency kitchen
During her and her family`s temporary stay at her friend`s accommodation unit at the Griffith University campus, Alim said she, her husband, Santo, and her such friends as Tintin, Bambang, Igun, Eko, Yeni, Adit, and Stefan, took an initiative of opening the emergency kitchen.

"At that time, due to the running out of almost all staple food stocks at Aldi and Woolworths hypermarkets, and my family`s limited financial sources, I take all remaining food stocks from my family`s fridge."

"Along with the food stocks of Bambang dan Tintin, we can make a hundred containers of breakfast meals for our displaced friends in St.Lucia on Thursday (January 13)," she said.

Alim said what her friends had done at Griffith at that time needs to be appreciated because they just slept for an hour at 02.30 AM - 03.30 AM because the breakfast meals should have been taken by Anjar, a volunteer, for those in St.Lucia at 05.30 AM.

Going to the suburb as one of the disaster zones in Brisbane was not easy at that time. 

"Driving to St.Lucia needs one and a half hours at that time. Normally, the suburb area can be reached within thirty minutes from Griffith," she said.

Alim further said that she still remembered that she and some friends who stayed at Tintin`s accommodation unit could only sleep in a room near the kitchen because it only had one sleeping room. 

Despite the modest condition of average Indonesian families in Brisbane, the generosity of a number of Indonesian permanent residents was quite helpful for this humanitarian mission, she said.

With the money donated by a number of Indonesians, Alim and her humanitarian mission team members could provide the displaced Indonesian fellows in St.Lucia with meals cooked at their emergency kitchen on January 13 and January 15. 

"What is the most extraordinary phenomenon is that all volunteers sincerely help the needy. Thank God, since January 15, almost all roads around Brisbane have been reopened for public."

"When I brought the dinner boxes for friends taking refuge in St.Lucia, I passed the roads that were previously under water and only roofs of houses could be seen during the flood disaster," he said.

"Even, the pile of damaged furniture items, such as fridges, computers, and toys, were put on the roadsides. I also passed a bus with full of voluntary cleaners," she said.

Alim said lots of those volunteers did not know one another. They neither had any social or familiar relations with those that they helped. 

"But, they have a relationship of humanity. Praise to almighty God, how beautiful this world is if all mankind possesses the spirit of helping one another without differing whom they assist ... They are indeed the true heroes," Alim said.(*)  

Source: ANTARA