Geneva, October 18, 2002

Several local church members of Action by Churches Together (ACT) International are involved in helping people whose lives were changed forever when a massive bomb blast ripped through the entertainment district on the island of Bali in Indonesia on Saturday (October 12, 2002). ACT International is a global alliance of churches and related agencies, involved in humanitarian aid.

Sigit Wijayanta of ACT member YAKKUM, formerly known as CD Bethesda, writes that his organization, as well as the Synod of the Christian Churches in Bali (MBM) were involved from the fist day after the tragic event.

Plans are underway to work closely with the Bali Hati crisis center and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to implement several programs. These would include volunteer training in burn injury emergency management and trauma counseling. Other important programs will focus on counseling and creating support systems for victims' families as well as support for the community in general. Programs that are planned for the future include post treatment physical and economic rehabilitation of the victims and their families as well as conflict transformation and mediation training and follow-up.

An assessment report sent to the ACT International Coordinating office in Geneva details the trauma experienced by those who lived in the area where the bomb was detonated, as well as the general climate of fear as a result of carnage. "The community surrounding is traumatized" by the bomb, the report notes, "while their economic life is stopped… this created many problems of mental health and community fear."

By October 16, four days after the blast, a foreign volunteer desk set up to deal with the crisis had helped 30 Indonesian families in counseling, logistics and accommodation, supporting families and helping with the evacuation of the bodies from the hospital to houses in Bali and Java. Burial expenses were also covered in some instances. Two board members of the Bali Hati foundation and ACT member YAKKUM Bali coordinated the program. A canteen was also set up immediately by the Christian community to offer food to volunteers, families of the victims and visitors to the hospital.

The report also notes that there were some weaknesses in the immediate humanitarian response, such as a lack of coordination, no clear roles for the volunteers and a lack of skilled councilors to conduct trauma counseling, hence the program to build this kind of capacity.

Fears have been expressed that the bomb blast might lead to conflict - an issue that needs to be dealt with according to the ACT members. Reasons for these fears include the fact that the blast essentially wiped out the island's economy overnight. Tourists have left the island in droves and people whose economic survival was based solely on tourism, now face a bleak future.