Bahorok victims cry out for help
Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
More than 400 families languishing in refugee camps since last year's deadly flood in Bahorok, North Sumatra, have asked the government to disburse a promised Rp 50 billion (US$5.9 million) in resettlement funds.
Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) executive director Longgena Ginting said on Thursday various government ministries claimed to have set aside funds for the refugees, but the money had yet to reach the people.
Three representatives of the victims came to Jakarta in mid- March to push for the disbursement of the money, but to no avail, Ginting said.
"Food is getting scarce there. Yet these victims have been passed back and forth between the local administration and the central government and back again," Ginting told The Jakarta Post.
Shortly after a flash flood hit the Bahorok tourist resort in North Sumatra on Nov. 2, 2003, leaving 157 people dead and 83 others missing, the government pledged Rp 50 billion (US$5.8 million) in aid for the survivors.
The funds were to be used to build 400 low-cost houses for the victims and to rebuild public facilities in the destroyed resort.
However, the victims said they still had heard nothing about the rebuilding plans.
A post-flood reconstruction team was set up in February under a decree from the North Sumatra governor.
"None of the victims were included on the team, and after six months there is still no news on the rebuilding plans," said Ginting.
He said the Ministry of Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure had half of the promised Rp 50 billion funds, but was waiting for the Langkat regent to formulate a new eco-tourism concept for Bahorok before releasing the money.
It was promised that the Rp 25 billion would be transferred within a week, but this has not been confirmed, Ginting added.
Another Rp 1.5 billion was earmarked last November as aid for the families of the dead, with each family to receive Rp 2 million.
Ginting said that only a little, if any, of that money had reached the families. "So far, the victims have only received Rp 672 million, mostly from public charities."
Walhi urged the government to take immediate steps to address the food, medicine, clothing and housing shortages the refugees are dealing with.
"Officials from the Ministry of Social Affairs promised to provide them with assistance when we met with them two weeks ago, but we haven't heard anymore from them," said Ginting.