 n the immediate aftermath of the disaster, Indonesians and the international community mobilized to provide assistance. Thousands of relief workers and volunteers arrived, along with international and national agencies, frantically undertaking activities and at times making serious mistakes along the way. This is a universal dilemma in relief operations: the urgency to save lives with immediate action versus taking the time to ensure that such action is actually effective. By all accounts, coordination has been problematic and needs overwhelming. In spite of all the obstacles and challenges, however, hundreds of lives have been saved. The relief effort is highly visible, with agencies everywhere supporting clean water, health care, and other sectors -- supported by a fleet of land cruisers and expatriates.. |
|
