Buyat Bay residents get cold welcome<\/p>\n
Jongker Rumteh, The Jakarta Post, Buyat<\/p>\n
Some 66 families living in Buyat Bay decided to take their fate
\nin their own hands, relocating from their homes in Ratatotok
\ndistrict, South Minahasa regency to a new location in Duminanga
\nsubdistrict in Bolaang Mangondow regency, some 130 kilometers
\naway.<\/p>\n
The relocation of the families which was done with the
\nassistance of a number of relief agencies and 15 NGOs grouped
\nunder the Buyat Bay Humanitarian Committee (KKTB), was against
\nthe regental, as well as the provincial administration plan,
\nwhich had earlier designated another location proposed by the
\ncentral government's task force.<\/p>\n
However, some 24 families decided to stay, despite the fact
\nthat the bay area is allegedly being used to dispose of tailings
\nby a giant gold mining company.<\/p>\n
Before being transported to their new homes, Buyat Pante
\nvillagers started dismantling their homes and even burning them
\ndown.<\/p>\n
"We have to burn down our own houses as a symbol that we won't
\nreturn to the area again as there is nothing that we can hope for
\nanymore there. We're certain that our fate will improve in
\nDuminanga because the area is not polluted," said Mansyur
\nLombonaung, a community figure in Buyat Bay and the relocation
\ncoordinator.<\/p>\n
The program was financed wholly by the KKTB without any
\ngovernment facilitation, while the Kelola Manado Foundation,
\nspearheaded by Rignolda Djamaluddin, acted as advocate in the
\nprogram which took place on June 25.<\/p>\n
Rignolda told The Jakarta Post that during the demolition of
\nhomes by residents in Buyat Bay, KKTB had reclaimed a three-
\nhectare plot of land from its owners in Duminanga.<\/p>\n
Barracks -- capable of accommodating some 269 people and
\nequipped with lavatory and washing facilities as well as a public
\nkitchen -- have been built on the plot of land. So far, the
\nbarracks are only 90 percent complete.<\/p>\n
"The residents will continue to build the unfinished part. The
\nimportant thing is that residents must be immediately relocated
\nto save their lives," said Rignolda.<\/p>\n
He said the KKTB would provide residents with all their needs
\nfor three months, but declined to comment further on the
\ncontinuity of the aid.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the KKTB central committee, Muliadi Mokodompit,
\nhowever, gave an unclear answer on the provision of funds for the
\nrelocated residents when asked by the Post by phone on Monday. He
\nsaid the three-month aid provision was sufficient since the
\nresidents were expected to be self-reliant within that period.<\/p>\n
"I expect they will already be self-sufficient in three months
\ntime and can fulfill their basic needs, but we will continue to
\nmonitor the situation. I cannot reveal the amount of funds
\nallocated as yet," said Muliadi.<\/p>\n
Both Muliadi and Rignolda said it was the residents who had
\ndemanded to be relocated since they felt insecure living in the
\narea which allegedly had been polluted by hazardous waste. The
\norganization only facilitated the residents' wishes.<\/p>\n
"The Buyat Bay residents are still facing the threat of
\npollution and they wish to be immediately relocated from the
\narea. They feel they can no longer fulfill their daily needs as
\ntheir health and earnings have been affected," Muliadi said.<\/p>\n
Head of Ratatotok district, Ronny Suwarno, who is also in
\ncharge of the Buyat Pante village, said his office helped
\nsupervising the relocation but was not directly involved in the
\nmatter since it was not in accordance with the government's plan.<\/p>\n
Ronny said the South Minahasa regental administration had
\nactually prepared an area in the neighboring village of
\nTatengesan, Belang district in South Minahasa regency for the
\nBuyat Pante residents but they rejected it.<\/p>\n
"The location in Belang district has been prepared by the
\ncentral government's task force which had conducted a feasibility
\nstudy here earlier," said Ronny.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, residents and the Bolaang Mangondow regental
\nadministration office were surprised when 66 families of Buyat
\nBay residents arrived in Duminanga village at about 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
Bolaang Mongondow Regent Marlina Moha Siahaan said her office
\nhad not been notified about the relocation plan.<\/p>\n
"We have never discussed the matter with the KKTB. Why have
\nthey suddenly appeared here?" said the first female regent in
\nNorth Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
Marlina said she had no objection, but it had not yet been
\napproved by the regental administration.<\/p>\n
"I praise the concern shown by KKTB in relocating Buyat Bay
\nresidents, but it should first be reviewed comprehensively,
\nbecause, if not, it would cause them problems," said Marlina.<\/p>\n
Duminanga residents said they were surprised by the arrival of
\nhundreds of Buyat Bay people, accusing the KKTB of trying to gain
\nsomething from the program.<\/p>\n
"KKTB is incompetent. It even goes beyond procedures to gain
\nmoney by raising the humanitarian issue, while it doesn't know
\nwhether those relocated will suffer more in Duminanga," said
\nAlsidik Gobel, a community leader in Bolaang Uki.<\/p>\n
He said the location in Duminanga was not suitable to live in
\nsince the swampy area was swarming with malaria-carrying
\nmosquitos.<\/p>\n
In a report signed by various element of the Bolaang Uki
\ncommunity which was delivered to the regent, they stated their
\nreluctance about the relocation and urged the KKTB to be fully
\nresponsible for the livelihood of the relocated residents.<\/p>\n
They also urged the regental, provincial and the central
\ngovernments to first inform them of any decisions made before
\nrelocating people to the area.<\/p>",
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