A recurring disaster<\/p>\n
Floods and landslides are no new phenomena to many areas of
\nJava, especially along the island's northern and southern coasts.
\nIn the area around Brebes near the West Java border and along the
\nJepara shoreline toward the east, for example, the inhabitants
\nare so used to floods that they take such calamities as a mere
\nfact of life.<\/p>\n
In the past few years, however, floods have been occurring not
\nonly with increased frequency, they have also affected wider
\nareas, and as a consequence, the damage has also increased.<\/p>\n
The most recent disaster hit the regencies of Purworejo,
\nPurbalingga and Kebumen in the southern parts of Central Java
\nover the weekend, where officials have reported finding at least
\n21 bodies, and an undisclosed number of people were still missing
\nas of yesterday. In one village, six villagers were buried alive
\nin a landslide. The worst damage was reported from the village of
\nDelanggu in the Purworejo area, where landslides were reported to
\nhave damaged crops, buried 10 houses and damaged scores of
\nothers. The number of human casualties is as yet unknown.<\/p>\n
To ensure that relief in the form of money, food, medicines,
\nclothing and other items reaches those who need them is of course
\nthe first task for the local authorities to accomplish at this
\npoint. It is no secret that all too often such aid, provided by
\nthe government as well as well-meaning individuals and civic
\norganizations, is misused.<\/p>\n
Though it is important to ensure that the relief reaches the
\nvictims, it is only one part of a wider set of problems that need
\nattention of both the government and the public. The increasing
\nfrequency of flooding and landslides in areas that before seldom
\nsuffered from such calamities is an indication that something is
\nwrong, and it is not difficult to guess what the main problem is.<\/p>\n
For many years or even decades, illegal logging is known to
\nhave been occurring on an increasing scale in many areas of
\nIndonesia, including Java. Newspaper reports and television
\nfootage have made it clear that illegal logging is currently
\ngoing on at an alarming rate not only in Java but on other
\nislands as well.<\/p>\n
Those whom forest wardens have so far managed to catch are
\nmostly local people living in the area, who are driven by poverty
\nto plunder the forests of teak, mahogany and other marketable
\nwoods. They, however, are but a part of a network that includes
\nthe fences and buyers who provide the looters with a ready
\nmarket.<\/p>\n
The consequences of deforestation have been emphasized many
\ntimes, and the point must by now surely be well understood by
\nJava's rural population. But as long as the people are hungry and
\nthere is a profitable market for stolen timber, the theft of
\ntimber will no doubt continue.<\/p>\n
A general program of poverty alleviation seems to provide the
\nideal ultimate answer to this problem. But given the long-term
\nnature of such a program, a more pragmatic solution must be
\nfound. Obviously, the authorities cannot just catch everyone
\nfound illegally felling timber and put them in jail. The
\ngovernment does not have the manpower to take such drastic
\naction. Ways, though, could surely be found to provide villagers
\nwith alternative sources of income so that they do not have to
\nresort to illegal logging. Mixed farming is one method that could
\nbe worth trying.<\/p>\n
Whatever steps are taken, it is important that every member of
\nsociety -- rural or urban -- is made aware of the fact that with
\nevery little act of denudation, the land will grow poorer and
\nless able to sustain life. The ones who will suffer, if not
\nourselves, will be our children and grandchildren.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-recurring-disaster-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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