黑奴 Slave trade

奴隶贸易

2013年6月至9月间，新加坡国家博物馆的列支敦士登公国（Liechtenstein）皇室收藏特展，展示了91件以巴洛克时代的画作为主的艺术品。眨眼间五年已过，那时候的国家博物馆馆长为李楚琳，她的任期内为新加坡带来了数场世界级的特展，为国人带来了欣赏希腊、法国、意大利、安特卫普、埃及等地的古文明与艺术空间。

关于列支敦士登公国的皇室收藏，一般访客都较喜欢以希腊神话或圣经旧约中的故事为题材的画作，有些访客则为巴洛克大师鲁本斯（Rubens）的画作而来。

我较有感触的作品是安特卫普（Antwerp）画家Jan Boeckhorst于1650年绘制的《非洲寓言Allegory of Africa》。画中人是一位身穿威尼斯式单肩连衣裙，珠光宝气的年轻女子。《非洲寓言》的蓝天白云下，是一片金光闪闪的富庶景观，右手臂还套上粗大的黄金装饰。但仔细看女子的左手，是被锁链牢牢铐住的。洋人眼中的解放非洲，实际上是一场惊天动地的文明倒车。

（安特卫普（Antwerp）画家 Jan Boeckhorst 在1650年绘制的《非洲寓言Allegory of Africa》）

1974年，毛泽东在会见赞比亚总统卡翁达时提出世界三分的思想。第一世界指美苏，通过超级的军事和经济力量来推行霸权主义，第二世界是发达的资本主义国家，如英、法、德、日、加等国，和身处第三世界的亚洲、非洲、拉丁美洲的反殖、反帝的发展中国家。

在更早的16世纪，欧洲则将世界四分，东西南北四大方位分别为亚洲、美洲、非洲和欧洲。这个世界四分的观点，和文艺复兴后的四分论倒是挺一致的，如 four seasons（四大季节：春夏秋冬），four classical elements（四大元素：水火土气），four classical virtues（四大美德：适度、审慎、勇氣、公正。temperance, prudence, courage, justice）。

15世纪中至19世纪末前后四百余年，欧洲的资本家并没有秉持四大美德的观念。他们为了向美洲殖民地种植园和矿场提供劳动力，从非洲掳走大批黑人，千里迢迢贩卖到美洲各地。由于贩卖黑奴主要在大西洋东西两岸进行，西方国家称之为“大西洋奴隶贸易”。奴隶贸易为西欧资本家带来巨额利润，却是非洲史上最黑暗的日子。

非洲黑奴

奴隶制度并不是15世纪才出现，所谓胜者为王，古罗马、古中国、阿拉伯等都实行奴隶制度。

非洲历史上，公元1世纪的《红海回航记》一书已经有关于来自非洲之角（索马里）的奴隶的记载。7世纪末，阿拉伯人进入北非后，曾把抓来的黑人贩运到阿拉伯国家、波斯、印度和印度尼西亚等地。欧洲方面，14世纪已经有西班牙和葡萄牙贩卖从北非运来的黑奴。15世纪初，西班牙和葡萄牙一些大城市还有专门贩卖黑人的奴隶市场。

15世纪末，哥伦布发现美洲大陆后，奴隶贸易急剧发展，欧洲在非洲大陆进行有组织的大规模贩卖黑人活动。16世纪荷兰逐渐崛起，到了17世纪中叶，荷兰取代西班牙的地位，成为海上霸主，几乎垄断了海上的奴隶贸易。

法国历史油画大师Jean Léon Gérôme 绘制了多幅古代贩卖女奴，叫人深感震撼之作。

（法国历史油画大师Jean Léon Gérôme 绘制的各族群贩卖女奴的震撼之作。图片来源：互联网）

看着西班牙、葡萄牙和荷兰以奴隶贸易致富，在美洲有殖民地的英国和法国也想分一杯羹，于是加入奴隶贸易。以英国利物浦为例， 1709年只有一艘贩奴船驶向非洲，20年后增加到 15艘，半个世纪后贩奴船达到百多艘。在1709到1787年间，英国对外贸易的航行吨位增加了14倍，大都与奴隶贸易有关。

英国和法国加入奴隶贸易后，在欧洲、非洲和美洲之间建立了三角贸易，首先从欧洲装上酒、军火、棉织品、装饰品等，运送至非洲，与出售黑奴的部落交换奴隶；接着度过大西洋，把黑奴运送到美洲各地，交换那里的矿产和农产品，最后带着货物回到欧洲。每一轮的三角贸易需要约六个月时间，利润可达千倍。

18世纪末，欧洲有识之士发起废奴运动，大西洋奴隶贸易逐步走向没落。1807年，英国通过了禁止奴隶贸易的法令，其他国家也相继宣布禁令，奴隶贸易弃明投暗，走私贸易随之猖獗起来。19世纪上半叶起，美国成为主要贩卖黑奴的国家。在非洲东海岸，阿拉伯经营的奴隶贸易也特别活跃。19世纪下半叶，奴隶贸易大致上被遏制住了，零星的贩卖活动则一直延续到20世纪初。

新加坡殖民地时代的奴隶制度

19世纪中国苦力以卖猪仔的方式来到南洋、中国广东、香港、澳门、新马等地的“妹仔”，娼妓贩卖活动中的“阿姑”和“琵琶仔”，本地马来苏丹的女婢等都是出现在新加坡的奴隶的近代版。

1819年，莱佛士跟苏丹胡先和天猛公阿都拉曼签约，租下新加坡河口方圆两公里地段，并严禁奴隶贩卖。不过，第一任驻扎官法夸（William Farquhar）为了筹集殖民地管理资金，不顾莱佛士定下的政策与规划蓝图，接受苏丹和天猛公的奴隶和债务奴役的交易，两人之间因理念的差异而结怨。

第二任驻扎官哥罗福（John Crawfurd）跟苏丹胡先和天猛公阿都拉曼进行收购新加坡的谈判，对贩卖奴隶与赔偿等问题发生多次争执。天猛公对从新加坡河搬到直落布兰雅的3000西班牙元徙置费感到不满，苏丹胡先则欠下民间一大笔债务，要求更多赔偿金还债等，使到哥罗福认为这两个马来领导人都没有“实用价值”，希望他们可以尽早离开新加坡，因此1824年8月签订的条约阐明如果他们离开新加坡的话，可以分别获得20,000与15,000西班牙元的一次过赔偿，不过两人都不打算离开。

对哥罗福来说，在签约后的一个月内，成功解放了苏丹皇宫内27个女奴隶，是一项为后人津津乐道的义举。虽然胡先强烈抗议，哥罗福也不是省油的灯，坚持在英国人统治的地方，不许有奴隶交易，违者一律处罚。一个月后，他还在通往Kampong Bugis的路上，故意绕道 Kampong Glam，撞倒胡先皇宫的围墙，但还是逼不走胡先。不过苏丹胡先有名无实，又欠债累累，很快便失去了马来人的支持。

对于新加坡早期的奴隶贸易，莱佛士的马来文通译员文西阿都拉（Munshi Abdullah bin Kadir）所撰写的《阿都拉传》（The Hikayat Abdullah）详细地记载了他在1823年的亲身经历。当时武夷士人牵着五六十个奴隶在大街上行走，手上拿着藤鞭，任意挥打在他们身上。武夷士人说每一名奴隶的卖价是$30至$40，船上还有更多选择。

隔天早上，文西阿都拉在船上看到约三百个奴隶，男女小孩孕妇，各种肤色都有。女奴的买家甚至当场解开女人的衣服，做出各种难以启口的举动，男奴则像猴子一样被绳索捆绑在船边，大小解都站在哪儿就地解决。妻离子散、骨肉分离，全发生在一条船上。文西阿都拉亲眼见到这种人间炼狱，才深切明白为何莱佛士对奴隶贩卖恨之入骨。

莱佛士早在19世纪初出任爪哇代理总督时，已经将荷兰东印度公司的三万名奴隶悉数释放。

（新加坡开埠年代的女奴贩卖活动。摄于新加坡国家博物馆）

21世纪的第二个十年已经过了四分之三，2014年6月美国发表的人口贩卖报告，将新加坡列为第二级，也就是不达标。新加坡政府以惯例质疑报告的可靠性，但就双方的陈词，可以肯定的是现代奴隶是确确实实地存在的，人口贩卖这门古老的行业并没有随着社会进步而消失。

2014年11月3日，新加坡国会通过“防止人口贩卖法令”（ Prevention of Human trafficking Act）。发言的议员都举例证实变相的人口贩卖活动确实存在：渔夫活在不人道的生活条件下，来自孟加拉的性工作者被逼每晚接待10个客人，周末必须从下午2点到隔天早晨6点，接待45名嫖客。来新加坡唱歌赚钱供养身体不健全的孩子的女歌手，被剥光身子，关在冷房里，直到答应卖淫为止。显然这是迟来的法令。

“防止人口贩卖法令”在2015年3月1日正式实行，初犯者可被判入狱十年，鞭打六鞭，罚款十万元。重犯者入狱十五年，打九鞭，罚款十五万元。

相关链接：

保良局，Po Leung Kuk，妹仔 （1 of 2）

阿姑与南洋姐Ah Gu and Karayuki-san：女人，你的名字是弱者？（2 of 4）

阿姑与南洋姐Ah Gu and Karayuki-san: 琵琶仔（3 of 4）

莱佛士与法夸结怨
甘榜格南皇宫

反黄运动

Farah Ann Abdul Hadi

在刚结束的2015年东运会，马来西亚女体操运动员Farah Ann Abdul Hadi勇夺两面金牌、一面银牌和三面铜牌，放眼明年的奥运。诚意祝贺她更上一层楼。

作为一名回教徒，Farah 必须面对因体操穿着所引起的一些当地保守的回教人士的非议。这些卫道士认为她太过暴露，衣着显现出下体的轮廓，超出宗教的道德界限。结合了马国近年来牵涉到马来女子的强奸案，言外之意就是过度性感，引人犯罪。

马国青年与体育部长维护Farah，回应这些非议人士，我们欣赏的是优美的体操，而不是满脑子想入非非。他说了颇具佛性的一番话，大意是风没动，树叶也没动，动的是人心，因此必须调整的是心态。

Farah 为国争光之后所面对的后续问题不仅在新马备受关注，英国、澳洲、爱尔兰等地多家报章都竞相报道。Farah 的体操穿着所牵涉到的“道德”规范在现代社会并不容易理解，如果让时间倒流60年，则可能另当别论。

（Farah Ann Abdul Hadi的体操比赛穿着是否过于暴露？照片来源：互联网）

黄色的危害

去年在国家博物馆展出的《变迁·万画》中，有一幅新加坡已故画家陈世集在1954年创作的木刻版画《黄色的危害》。陈世集在战后十余年间以那个时代的社会现实为题材，创作了许多引人深省的作品。

《黄色的危害》中，裸体女生占据了画作的对角线，将观众的目光吸引过去，女生的头顶盖着咸报，身旁有弃置的衣物鞋子和掏空的钱包，颈项被绳索勒住，地上还有又深又黑的脚印。她的衣着时髦，不像一般朴素的中学生，显然带有物质崇拜的意味。画面中的女子似乎在不堪各种色情刊物的重压，最终在“黄祸”下窒息而死。

（新加坡已故画家陈世集在1954年创作的木刻版画《黄色的危害》）

这是一宗活生生的命案，发生在1953年10月12日中午时分，出事地点就在新加坡的闹市珍珠山下（Pearl Hill），距离珍珠山警察局只有五百码（约五百米），受害者是圣安东尼女校（St. Anthony's Girls Convent）15岁的学生庄玉珍（Chng Geok Tin），她在光天化日下被奸被抢被杀，凶徒心狠手辣，胆大妄为的干案手法，震惊了新马社会。

根据隔天（10月13日）海峡时报的报道，早上庄玉珍从住家（Seok Wee Road，已消失）送粥给住在珍珠巴刹（Park Road）的阿姨，11点左右庄玉珍准备上学，从阿姨家经过珍珠山走回家换校服途中被杀害，她出事前所穿的阿妈衫裤被撕成碎片，凶徒用她的衣服将她勒死，所戴的金耳环、金项链和金戒指都被抢走。

（庄玉珍被谋杀。Straits Times, 1953年10月13日）

1950年代，新加坡的学生团体、文团、工会和左翼政治组织齐齐发起反黄运动，指责英殖民地政府办事不力，让黄色文化大行其道，造成社会罪案层出不穷，集体呼吁政府禁止输入这种腐败颓废的西方文化。这场轰轰烈烈的反黄运动成为华校生跟政府对抗的反殖民地运动的一部分，并在1954年的“五一三”反国民服役起了主导作用，从政治上直接与英殖民地政府正面交锋。

打黄狼

对于那个年代的反黄运动，编纂新马华文文学史的方修先生在“战后三十年的新马话剧活动” （收录在《方修选集》里）文中有详细的追述：

这时期，黄色文化泛滥新马社会，许多歌台大唱色情歌曲，大跳大腿“艳舞”，大演其打情骂俏、充满低级趣味的文明戏。  ….学生戏剧活动在反黄运动时期达臻它的高潮，成为这时期（一九五三 —— 一九五六）马华剧运的波涛滚滚的主流。  这个时期的学生戏剧活动，总的倾向是配合反黄运动，提倡健康文娱。当时有一个热门的歌舞短剧，叫做《打黄狼》。故事是叙述村民合力打捕一头狡猾阴险的黄面狼，一个善良的少女一度救了黄狼的生命，反而险些被那忘恩负义的凶兽吃掉。这只是一个古老的寓言，并非对於当时当地的社会现实的深刻描写。但说也奇怪，大家都喜欢看、喜欢演，终於蔚为一般叙别晚会的精彩节目。  我想，也许它在字面上以至实质上确是能够体现出这时期的反黄运动的基本精神吧？因而，我们也不妨把这个时期的马华剧运，称为“打黄狼时期”。  叙别晚会是当时学生戏剧活动的一个主要形式。这是各校高初中毕业班学生离校前的一次盛大文娱表演。演出日期通常是在每年年底。这种文娱活动形式的最早出现是在一九五二年。这一年，华中、南中、南侨的毕业班同学都分别举行了叙别晚会。《墙》、《一个房间》、《赤道风情》、《五姐妹》等剧，就是在这些叙别晚会上推出的。但规模的壮盛却是以一九五三、五四、五五等三年为最。而且，由於配合反黄运动，演出更加着重思想内容的健康，和大众的生活也有了更加紧密的结合。譬如为助学会筹款，为水灾灾民义演等等。  --- “战后三十年的新马话剧活动” ，《方修选集》

1953年10月12日庄玉珍事件后， 10月24日中正分校主办了反黄座谈会，过后出版《抵制黄色文化特辑》来追悼庄玉珍，劝告同学不要看黄色电影，不要带黄色书报道学校等，中正总校、华侨中学、南侨女中、中华女中等相继响应，编印反黄歌曲、反黄书签、反黄标语、烧毁黄色书刊、在游艺会上表演反黄短剧等。由于当时的华校生与英校生几乎生活在各自的群体，反黄运动以华校生为主导，基本上英校生并没有参与这项学生活动。

至于《打黄狼》之所以深受欢迎，并不单只是表面上的打黄狼那么简单，殖民地政府纵容黄色文化，荼毒人民，本身就是一头十恶不赦的黄狼，因此“打黄狼”更进一步隐喻为打倒殖民地政府。

（当年对暴露的尺度不同，这类舞蹈表演与穿着也流入“黄”的范畴）

“闪电”行动

华校生从1954年《五一三》反国民服役事件后意识到团结学生，推动社会发展的重要性，在1955年成立中学联，但被林有福政府极力打击，1956年演变成十月大学潮后，反黄运动失去领导动力，霎那间从高峰掉落谷底。

老报人陈再聪先生在口述历史中谈到当年的情况：“1956年以后，封了那么多的报纸，新加坡剩下来的小报，都是国民党跟黄色、灰色的，那个阶段是黄色和灰色最利害的时期，很多小报利用来敲诈、不负责任的，各种各样的这种报纸都很多。”（口述历史 Accn. No. 001023/28）

（首都戏院的西片《烟雾销魂》。NAS c.1950s）

不过，打击黄色文化始终是有正义感的政府的目标。1958年，刚独立不久的马来亚联合邦颁布“不良刊物入口法令”，明令禁止色情刊物、影响社会道德、传播不良政治思想与亵渎神圣的书籍入口。在马来亚联合邦，1950年代初的华校与中文报刊等便开始打击黄色文化，例如1954年6月在马六甲出版的《古城月报》更语气坚定、措辞强硬地谴责黄色文化：“我古城向有保守之特质，脱衣舞蹈自然行不通，然黃色歌曲，黃色书报则充斥坊间，其能不寻思扫除之方乎？”

（黄色杂志）

在同期的月报上，顾兴光《给学园的园丁们》的新诗写道： 当幼苗开始发芽的时候； 园丁们！ 绝不可放过一只黃色的虫子， 在她的范围之內； 使它摧残了任何一株文艺之幼苗， 等到： 幼苗长出绿色的叶子时， 园丁们！ 你们得更勤力地，兴奋地， 消除黃色的虫子！

1959年，刚上任的人民行动党政府也在新加坡大举扫黄，赋予反黄运动新生命。当时的人民行动党武吉班让区（Bukit Panjang）国会议员李炯才认为过去殖民地主义者和政客利用黄色文化为政治工具，来麻醉青年，迷乱青年本性；另一位人民行动党直落亚逸区（Telok Ayer）国会议员，也是内政部长王邦文抨击殖民地政府对色情文化袖手旁观的做法：“一个殖民地政府，只是对那些攻击或取笑殖民地统治的刊物采取行动，结果就是许多政治上有问题的书本和刊物都被禁止，而腐蚀人民思想道德的刊物却充塞市面。”（南洋商报，1959年6月25日）

当时的人民行动党以“闪电行动”为主导，说了就做，在6月5日宣誓就职后，四天后推出第一波反黄浪潮，吊销八家中英文黄色刊物和一家艳舞团的执照，浪潮一波接着一波，取消了弹子台与电唱机执照，命令广播电台停止播送摇摆乐，不允许在公开场合唱奏流行娱乐及摇摆乐，重新审核已经通过的色情影片，禁止黄色电影进入新加坡，检查酒吧按摩院等。新加坡各界人士纷纷响应人民行动党政府落力打击黄色文化，改造社会风气的努力，配合政府采取实际行动，社会面貌焕然一新。

通过振奋人心的文艺创作可以看出当年人民行动党给人民带来希望的一面： 新加坡颂（赵兰香，罗灵凤）  朋友 这里有一支歌 ---一支热情的歌  用来歌颂我们的城市 用来歌颂我们的保姆 ---新加坡  …..  新加坡 是一个英雄的城 她象征着三大民族的精神—— 刻苦、耐劳 互助、友爱 精诚、团结  一百万不同肤色的民族 得到她的哺育保养 各民族的文化 在这里茁长发扬 多少可歌可泣的故事 在这里接连地上演  …..  新加坡 正如她的名字一样 像一只勇猛的狮子 反转身来 大声怒吼 向全世界 向全世界的人民     宣告自治 …….

不过，人民行动党并不是第一个打击黄色文化的政党。根据周维介的《闲说禁书60年》（《怡和世纪》总第24期），1958年，也就是人民行动党上台前，林有福政府曾经援引“不良刊物法令”查禁出版社，吊销小报的出版准证等。

周维介写道：我翻阅着1958年10月10日的《星洲日报》，发现了一则描述林有福于10月9日以主宾身份参加华校教团在快乐世界庆祝教师节的新闻。他当天到场时，入口处高挂着“新加坡华校教师团体庆祝教师节大会”的巨幅横条，与某脱衣舞团在快乐世界登台的大型裸女广告画紧靠一块。裸画与布条“相互辉映”，十分抢眼，面对斯情斯景，林有福十分不满，认为警方应该干涉或取缔这种危害下一代的低俗文化。 林氏在庆典致辞时脱稿表达：“当我步入会场时，我看到会场外的一幅画，使我产生了一种感觉，大家都是教师，大家和我都有儿女，这种图画中的文化，不能算做中华文化，这不配作为文化的文化，对我们的儿女是有害的。我反对，相信大家也会反对。”

林有福趁此机会打黄兼反共，连中国出版的书籍也一并查禁了。

黄祸的社会背景

新马所遭遇的“黄祸”有数个源头，黄色电影来自美国、日本和香港，色情小说来自香港，色情画刊则主要来自欧美。实际上当时那阵黄风袭击全球，连共产主义政权下的中国都无法避免（中兴日报，1955年2月8）。在第二届人民政治协商会上，中国文化部长沈雁冰（作家茅盾）还公开呼吁遏止黄色歪风。对新马而言，黄祸具有更强的杀伤力是因为殖民地政府所采取的放任的态度。

詹道玉在《战后初期的新加坡华文戏剧 （1945-1959）》中分享她对当时的社会现状的看法，认为1948至1950年短短三年间的三宗重要事件使到黄色文化在新马所向披靡，如入无人之境，此后黄祸深陷，难以自拔。

这三宗大事包括了（1）在1948年颁布的紧急状态法令下，新马华人生活在悲观消沉的情绪中；（2）1949年共产党解放中国，中国的出版物不准入口，断绝了华人一贯的精神来源，生活更加苦闷；（3）1950年6月韩战爆发，对树胶锡米的需求激增，半年间新马的胶锡价格暴涨了四倍，一夜之间制造了一群暴发户，通过酒色财气，舞榭歌台来消除过去两年来累积的闷气。精神缺口决堤，黄色文化立刻泛滥成灾。

詹道玉写道：  “自1951年开始，良家妇女、青年女学生，在街上、在巴士车中，时常遭遇阿飞的调笑，家庭主妇无法管教他们的子女被黄色毒素的毒害；学校教师，也慨叹学生看色情影片，偷看下流小报。黄色毒素已渗透到每个角落，庄玉珍事件绝非一件孤立个案，之前，早已发生黄碧玉等被奸杀的惨事多件，只是庄同学的遇害情况太残酷，才引起了整个新马社会的关注与同声谴责。 而社会道德败坏，所引致的恶果往往不止一端，以新加坡而言，1953年的犯罪事件，是以往任何一年所望尘莫及的，枪杀、谋杀、奸杀、自杀、走私、勒索、绑票、抢劫….，层出不穷，再加上一年三百六十五天工潮不断，社会秩序之紊乱，简直到了无以复加的地步！”

黄祸扫不尽，春风吹又生。食色性也，色情文化自古已然，只能控制，无法杜绝。六十余年后的今天，方修笔下的“许多歌台大唱色情歌曲，大跳大腿‘艳舞’，大演其打情骂俏、充满低级趣味的文明戏”并没有消失，以普罗大众都接触到的七月歌台而言，虽然歌台的运作操守都受到管制，女星还是免不了多露一些，主持人还是要开开黄腔来娱乐大众。

黄祸还渗透入高薪养廉的官僚群中，成为贪污的交换条件，或许是当年积极反黄的人民行动党元老所无法预见的局面。

相关链接

六十年前的《五一三》学潮（二之一）

六十年前的《五一三》学潮（二之二）

马来亚的紧急状态时期：峇冬加里屠杀案中案 Batang Kali Massacre (1 of 2)

新加坡身份证（IC）与马共

陈平的遗愿信

Tsunami on Boxing Day, 2004 – 10 years on

The giant waves

26^th December 2014 marked the 10^th  anniversary of Tsunami tragedy of countries in Southeast Asia and South Asia. Banda Aceh and Meulaboh in Sumatra of Indonesia were severely hit. Tourist spots at Phuket and Penang were not spared. The Tsunamis also reached Sri Lanka and wiped out some of the Tamil Tiger terrorists as reported in the news.

(Lines in the ocean show tsunami waves could reach Sri Lanka in just 3 hours. Picture credit: www.dailymail.co.uk)

By the end of the day, eight Asian countries reported tsunami deaths, including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Maldives. Somalia, Tanzania, Seychelles, South Africa, Yemen, Kenya and Madagascar also reported death in the following days.

(Residents were swept away in Sri Lanka when the tsunami reached its coast. The tsunami also wiped out some of the Tamil Tiger terrorists as reported in the news. Picture credit: www.dailymail.co.uk)

Based on information from Wikipedia, the U.S. Geological Survey reported the total depth toll as 227,898. However, another report by Siti Fadilah Supari, the Indonesian Minister of Health at the time, estimated the death total to be as high as 220,000 in Indonesia alone. Due to some people died in remote areas or washed out to sea, the exact number would never be known.

The Tsunamis caused by the most powerful earthquake since 1964. It was recorded as 9.1 Richter scale with the epicentre at about 160km off the western coast of Sumatra. The earthquake radiated along a 1200km fault-line running north-south. Experts believed that the mega-earthquake started at 30,000m below the Indian Ocean floor. The quake itself is known as the “Sumatra–Andaman earthquake” by the scientific community.

（The 2004 earthquake is the third largest since 1900. Picture credit: www.dailymail.co.uk）

The devastated earthquake occurred on 7.58am Indonesia time, or 8.58am Singapore time. Soon after that, we felt some shaky effects mainly for people living in the eastern part of Singapore. We were lucky that Sumatra provided natural shelter for major part of Malaysia and Singapore. Otherwise, imagine that the tsunamis travelled at about 700km/hr in open sea, it would reach Singapore in less than an hour. The wave height surged to 10 to 20 metres near coast and rushed in at about 50km/hr. Lives could never be the same again if our many small islands in Singapore have to face with such natural disaster.

(Devastated scene at Meulaboh after being hit by tsunami. Picture credit: "Reaching out flying eagle", SNP International Pte Ltd )

Operation Flying Eagle and the RSN

The now Manpower Minister Tan Chuan Jin assumed the command of the Humanitarian Assistance Support Group back then. He was a 36 year old Colonel then and was the Commander of 7 SIB, a Guards unit in the Singapore Arm Forces (SAF). The humanitarian relief mission was carried out under the code name Operation Flying Eagle (OFE).

For the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), if the RSS Courageous collision case on 3^rd January 2003, happened barely less than two years ago, is considered as the darkest day of the RSN’s history, OFE should probably be remembered as the RSN ‘s most meaningful deployment thus far. Within short span of preparation time, all three LSTs in Singapore were deployed with fully loaded logistics and replenishment aids to Meulaboh. The other LST (RSS Resolution, 208) was sent to the Persian Gulf in November 2004 for 4 months to support the reconstruction efforts in Iraq.

(All the 3 LSTs in Singapore and numerous landing craft were deployed to Meulaboh for the humanitarian effort. Picture credit: "Reaching out flying eagle", SNP International Pte Ltd)

Every man and woman, regardless of putting on uniform or as MINDEF civilians who contributed along the value chain for tsunami relief in Indonesia, should take pride of what they had done for our friends who lived so close to us. Many in-service personnel, reservists and civilians volunteered to land their helping hands. 

It was indeed an extremely valuable occasion to pull together the spirit of the service personnel after the RSS Courageous incident. The service personnel’s morale was high as they had a clear sense of purpose and felt that what they did for the Indonesia people was worthwhile. In my 21 years of working hand in hand with the RSN, this was probably the most heart-warming scene I had ever seen. It was from the bottom of their hearts without having to put up a "show".

My neighbour, MAJ Abdul Nasir bin Husssein from the Army was nominated as the S4 (logistic officer) for OFE. After some years, He jokingly said that thank to OFE, he managed to obtain his next rank as Lieutenant Colonel and extended his SAF career. Otherwise he would have to leave at the age of 45 and learn to cope in the commercial world.

(Loading the first LST with equipment and supply at Tuas Naval Base. Picture credit: "Reaching out flying eagle", SNP International Pte Ltd)

On 2^nd January  2005, the first LST (RSS Endurance, 207) reached Meulaboh after leaving Tuas Naval Base for 50 hours. RSS Endurance, commanded by LTC Li Lit Siew, left Singapore on the new year’s eve. The look-outs on the LST saw an adult, a child and a hand clinging to a wooden plank. That was the first devastated scene sighted by the ship crew near Meulaboh. They knew that they had to work around the dead from then on.

In fact, the entire downtown area of Meulaboh was wiped out by the tsunami. About 40,000 residents lived in the town prior to the hit. The town had lost all communications and electricity. Bridges were broken and some roads went underwater or blocked by landslides. All the wooden houses were gone while concrete buildings withstood the earthquake and tsunami better. As what MG Endang Suwarya, the Indonesia military area commander, said, “The damage is truly devastating. 75% of the west coast, in some places it is 100%, is gone.”

(FCU sending in people and supply to shore. Picture credit: "Reaching out flying eagle", SNP International Pte Ltd)

It was assessed that bringing in supply from the sea was the best means to aid the local. Although the LST was not able to berth at Meulaboh, the LST had a well dock which carried landing craft such as FCU (Fast Craft Utility) and FCEP (Fast Craft Equipment and Personnel) to bridge such gap. They were designed to offload vehicles and relief supplies ashore at suitable landing beaches. Naval divers were sent in to clear the underwater obstructions at the identified beaches.

Of special note, usually a ship with a well dock would be named as LSD (Landing Ship Dock) or LPD (Landing Platform Dock). Ths Singapore version was named as LST (Landing Ship Tank) probably due to some political considerations.

(The LST has a well dock which carries landing craft such as FCU and FCEP. Picture taken during Navy open house 2010)

The landing craft were among the first to provide supplies from the LST to the locals. Supplies could move into Meulaboh 20 times faster than before. RSS Endurance carried 470 people, 51 vehicles and heavy equipment and 350 pallets and crates of relief supplies. They were discharged to the shore by the landing craft.

LTC Gregory Goh was the commander of the Landing Craft Squadron, commonly known as 195 Squadron. He also assumed the role as commander of the Naval Task Group, OFE. I remembered him as a gentle, polite and humble person. I first knew him when he was a Commanding Officer of an old LST (County class) in the 1990s. His landing craft crews were working 16 hours a day and even more at times. They made numerous trips between LST and shore everyday but they did not have a single chance to step onto the soil of Meulaboh. The landing craft operators were among the first to perform their duty in the early morning and often the last to go to bed.

The second LST (RSS Persistence, 209), commanded by LTC Eddie Tang, arrived on 6^th January, carrying 196 men, heavy equipment and 4 containers of supplies.

The third LST (RSS Endeavour, 210), commanded by MAJ Yap Chee Eng, arrived on 17^th January, carrying personnel from NGOs (non-government organisation) and another batch of relief supplies.

In total, the three LSTs transported 190 tonne of relief supplies.

Resilience

The massive disaster had brought together the Singaporeans’ compassion. Many donated generously to the Tsunami Relief Fund. As an example, the Singapore Red Cross collected S$84 million within days. Singapore companies contributed equipment such as electrical generators and water purification sets. NGOs such as Touch Community Services, Mercy Reliefs and Tzu Chi, alongside with many other Singapore professionals such as doctors, nurses and pharmacists, volunteered their services.

(On a personal level, Singaporean and Indonesian have good rapport. Many volunteers committed to Operation Flying Eagle is a typical example. Picture credit: "Reaching out flying eagle", SNP International Pte Ltd )

As most of the NGOs did not have their own means to bring in relief supplies and personnel to the sites, the LSTs and landing craft came in handy.

With the United Nation and the Indonesian Arm Forces (TNI) coming in for rehabilitation and reconstruction, it was also time for SAF to close the emergency relief chapter. It was time to go home. The NGOs took over the subsequent tasks from the SAF. The beach landing sites were symbolically handed over to the TNI.

(NGOs took over the subsequent reconstruction task. Picture credit: "Reaching out flying eagle", SNP International Pte Ltd)

COL Edwin Low, former Chief Naval Medical Officer and the Chief Medical Officer for OFE, recalled a TNI soldier who was with him. The soldier had lost his home. His children were still missing. However, he chose to work to help others instead of searching for his old children.

Major Nur Effendi said he met a TNI officer who was helping the survivors. His daughter was buried in the rubber of his house and his wife was sent to Jakarta for medical treatment. The officer said he had returned his daughter to God and assured her that she was in a better place than before.

Many other TNI soldiers also lost their loved ones but carried on with their duties. Their determination to help other survivors inspired many Singaporeans.

(Lives returned to normarcy. How are these bright and smiling faces doing after ten years since 2004? Picture credit: "Reaching out flying eagle", SNP International Pte Ltd)

Friday 21^st January 2005 was Hari Raya Haji. It was also the day where the Humanitarian Assistance Support Group from Singapore handed things over to the TNI and the NGOs. Tan Chuan Jin exchanged farewells with COL Geerhan and soldiers of TNI. He boarded the Fast Craft Utility after all the men and equipment had embarked.

That evening, RSS Endurance and RSS Endeavour sailed past Meulaboh’s mass grave. In memory of the dead, the ship crews lined up on deck, and the two ship COs each tossed a floral wreath into the sea.

(The ship crews paid their respect to the town's dead when LST sailed past Meulaboh's mass grave. Picture credit: "Reaching out flying eagle", SNP International Pte Ltd)

(It was time to move on with life. Picture credit: "Reaching out flying eagle", SNP International Pte Ltd)

Ordinary folks among Singaporean and Indonesian are friends of each others despite that there are occasional differences at political front. 

On a personal level, Operation Flying Eagle was an enriching and satisfying experience for those who landed their helping hands to the Meulaboh people. They had reached out and made a difference for those who are distance away from our daily lives.

For the people in Banda Acer, the city and the people have picked themselves up from that disaster. They are simply amazing.

(You had done the meaningful and the right thing. Welcome home. Picture credit: "Reaching out flying eagle", SNP International Pte Ltd)

(Aceh: 2004 after Tsunami (top) versus now (bottom). Photo credit: Straits Times December 21, 2014)

Key reference: Reaching Out: Operation Flying Eagle. SAF Humanitarian Assistance after the Tsunami. ISBN 981 248 097 8. Published by SNP International Pte Ltd 2005. 

Link:

RSS Courageous - 10 years on
麦唐纳大厦（MacDonald House）爆炸案-1965年3月10日