Emergency schools for Egon victims

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara

The Sikka regency administration on Flores island said on Friday that they would build temporary schools for children currently languishing in refugee camps in Maumere town following the eruptions of nearby Mount Egon.

Around 1,000 school-aged children were forced to abandon their studies almost two weeks ago, and many of them have exams in the near future, Sikka Regent Alexander Longginus said.

He said the planned building of schools was possible as among some 4,500 refugees at the emergency shelters, many were teachers.

The regent said that living at refugee camps should not necessarily stop the teaching and learning process for students in order for them to prepare for this year's final exams.

The refugees fled their villages on the slopes of Mount Egon after it erupted on Jan. 29, spewing dark clouds of ash and molten lava.

Only 1,000 of them have returned home as the volcanic activities have died down.

However, many victims, including toddlers, children and pregnant mothers, were suffering from a variety of diseases at the camps due to lack of food, medicine and bedding.

To help the refugees, the central government, through the National Coordination Agency for Disaster Management (Bakornas PBP), gave Rp 100 million (US$11,904) in aid money to Maumere.

The central government also provided 250 sarongs, 250 T- shirts, 250 pans, 250 jugs, 250 spoons, 250 plates, 250 cartons of snacks, two water trucks and a garbage truck.

From the East Nusa Tenggara provincial government, the refugees received assistance of Rp 10 million and five tons of rice, Longginus said.

In addition, the local chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) pledged to send medical assistance to prevent the spread of contagious diseases at the refugee camps.

Areas that are prone malaria and/or dengue mosquitoes would also be disinfected, local officials said.