Manokwari earthquake victims still homeless<\/p>\n
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua<\/p>\n
Despite its massive natural gas wealth, hundreds of residents of
\nManokwari, Papua are living in temporary homes made of palm
\nleaves and children, when they are not sick, attend outdoor
\nschools after a earthquake struck last October.<\/p>\n
The quake, which measured 7.6 on the Richter scale and killed
\n15 people and injured dozens of others, left 300 families in
\nSabri village homeless. Hundreds of others in neighboring
\nvillages have received little support from the local and central
\ngovernments.<\/p>\n
The quake was followed by a tsunami, which swept through a
\nnumber of houses in Wariab village on the regency's coast.<\/p>\n
A number of survivors are living in homes made of palm leaves.
\nChildren have suffered from various diseases, including diarrhea,
\nchest infections and skin diseases.<\/p>\n
Selfianus Mandatjan, one of the victims from Sabri, lives in a
\nmakeshift tent with his pregnant wife, two children, his mother
\nand a nephew.<\/p>\n
\"We've been here for five months with frequent ailments, so
\nall we want from the government are construction materials to
\nbuild a house,\" Selfianus told The Jakarta Post recently.<\/p>\n
He said the evacuees in Sabri had received humanitarian aid
\nonce. Since then they had survived on sweet potatoes, bananas and
\nother fruit from their farmland.<\/p>\n
Agus Saruni, who lived with 14 other families in Wariab before
\nthe quake but now stays at Lapangan Empat, five kilometers from
\nSabri, appealed to the local administration to provide assistance
\nto help the villagers build homes.<\/p>\n
\"We can meet our daily needs by growing vegetables and from
\nfishing. After five months, we hope the government will soon
\nsupply construction materials, as we've heard that about Rp 1
\nbillion in aid money was set aside for this purpose.\"<\/p>\n
More than one month after the tremor, seven Cabinet ministers
\nand governor Jap Salossa visited the area to give Rp 4 billion to
\nhelp the victims. However, the local administration used the
\nfunds to repair damaged infrastructure such as roads, churches
\nand school buildings.<\/p>\n
Manokwari Regent Dominggus Mandacan said it had used Rp 3
\nbillion of the funds to repair damaged roads and bridges in the
\ndistricts of Anggi, Sururey, Ransiki and Oransbari.<\/p>\n
\"Of the remaining Rp 1 billion, Rp 50 million has been
\ndelivered in food aid and Rp 950 million is still being held
\nto purchase construction materials to be distributed to the
\nvictims, pending the distribution of other financial aid from the
\nprovincial administration.\"<\/p>\n
Mandacan added that as the tremors were continuing, people
\nwere still reluctant to build permanent settlements, whereas the
\nreconstruction of all damaged facilities would need Rp 116
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, children's education also proceeds under
\nemergency conditions. Three secondary school buildings in Ransiki
\ncollapsed in the disaster, forcing students to learn in the open.
\nThey flee if they feel the earth shake.<\/p>\n
\"We have no choice, the children are gripped by the trauma.
\nEven minor tremors are enough to send them running back home,\"
\nsaid Adriana Noya, who has taught for 17 years in Ransiki.<\/p>\n
Papua, rich in gold and oil resources, has allocated Rp 6
\ntrillion from its 2003 budget to finance development programs.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/manokwari-earthquake-victims-still-homeless-1447893297",
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