Cimahi dump slide victims upset with Kalla
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung
Victims of the garbage collapse at Leuwigajah dump created havoc on Monday after missing out on an opportunity to talk face-to-face with Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
At least 27 residents destroyed three trucks, an excavator and broke the windows of the dump management office. They had allegedly been about to set the trucks on fire when police officers intervened.
The victims of the disaster -- which took place when mountains of garbage at the dump collapsed last Monday, killing 107 people and flattening 70 houses -- ran amok after learning that they would not meet with Kalla.
"Our lives get worse by the day. The local administration does not care about our future, and neither does the Vice President," said Agus, 50, a resident of Cilimus hamlet, Batujajar.
Earlier, the residents had attempted to stop Kalla from leaving in his car, asking for a moment of his time. However, Kalla was apparently unmoved by the request and the vice president's guards ordered them to move away. Other high-ranking officials at the site, including West Java Governor Danny Setiawan, Bandung Regent Obar Sobarna and Cimahi Major Itoc Tochija, were similarly unresponsive.
"Please Pak, give us attention, even if it's only for a minute," yelled the residents.
Head of Cilimus hamlet Iman said the victims of the dump disaster were seeking compensation from local administrations. The dump received garbage from three areas: Bandung regency and municipality as well as Cimahi municipality.
He said donations had been handed over to the victims, including Rp 100 million (US$11,111) from the West Java governor, Rp 75 million from Minister of Social Services Bachtiar Chamsyah and Rp 100 million from Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab. Kalla had also handed over a donation of Rp 1 billion from the government.
"We want to live peacefully again -- in a safer place, with brighter futures. We want a decent life -- like other people who have homes. And we're tired of having to queue for food," said another resident, Adi Sudrajat.
According to the residents, the local administrations in charge of managing the dump are yet to approach the victims with a relocation plan or an offer of compensation.
Some residents affected by the disaster said they would rather receive compensation money than be relocated as they wanted to choose their new homes for themselves.
Kalla said the disaster was caused by human error and that residents' relocation was the responsibility of the local administrations.
"We should manage our garbage much better," he said in his 20- minute visit, adding the dump was no longer a suitable site for waste disposal.
As of Monday, 107 bodies have been recovered from the disaster area and 36 people listed as missing.
Search-and-rescue efforts will continue in the coming days, despite an earlier announcement that they would be called off on Monday.
Cimahi Police chief of detectives Adj. Sr. Comr. Irwanto said that while Awan Gumelar, sole suspect in the case so far, had not been arrested, action against him was being taken. Awan is director of Bandung mayoralty sanitation firm PD Kebersihan.
"He (Awan) is not a criminal, but (he is) responsible for the mismanagement of the dump, which caused the disaster," Irwanto said.