Evictees face rain, heat, Ramadhan hardship

Evictees face rain, heat, Ramadhan hardship

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Only a few hours prior to the breaking the fast meal, heavy rain
and strong winds forced hundreds of evicted fishermen and their
families on the riverbanks of Muara Angke, North Jakarta, to
huddle themselves into their boats or to their makeshift tents
nearby.

Entering the fourth day of the Ramadhan fasting month, the
evictees did not only struggle against hunger and thirst as
required from Muslim during the holy month, they must also
struggle against the scorching sun, the strong winds and the cold
heavy rain.

"The toughest test is when the heat scorches us as we don't
have roofs over our heads to protects us, yet we are not allowed
to drink," said Waronah, a mother of two.

"So far I've passed the test and my daughter has also managed
to fast for several days," she said proudly, looking at her 12-
year-old daughter who was smiling shyly.

Waronah and her family no longer have a home. Their stilt-hut,
along with around 200 other huts, were demolished by North
Jakarta public order officers following the city administration's
policy to clear land from squatters.

Now, the evicted fishermen and their families must live aboard
their boats with only a plastic tent to protect them from the
extreme weather conditons. They have been taking refuge to the
protected woodland across from their former home which is only
seven meters away.

However, the hardship has prevented some others to perform
fasting.

"We have a lot of headaches and so many things have to be
resolved, so some of us are not fasting continuously," said
Kajidin, chairman of the Traditional Fishermen Union (SNT).
Kajidin, who has been living in the area for around 20 years,
looked embarrassed when admitting that.

The evictees have relied on food supplies from a public
kitchen nearby, which was initiated by some concerned donors.

Some women were seen cooking meals while hundreds of others
stood in line, waiting to get food.

However, some people even took advantage from the evictees'
hardship.

"Yesterday, an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver sneaked into the
line to get a free meal," said Munaroh, a five-month pregnant
mother whose duty was to arrange the meal distribution. "The
residents noticed him and screamed at him to get out of the
line," she said.

Munaroh complained that it was not easy to distribute the
meals to the needy.

As she said it, two men were involved in a dispute as one
accused the other of taking more than he deserved. Both were
yelling at each other, while the other evictees just looked on.

Munaroh said that only a few evictees sometimes fought over
the meals.

"Actually this task gives me headache, but because I'm fasting
and I'm pregnant, I have to be cool-headed," she said.

When the sun was already setting and the nearby mosque calling
for prayers, the rain began to diminish and the families fasting
started to have their breaking of the fast meals aboard their
boats.

Waronah and her children were also seen breaking of the fast
meal with their humble menu: rice, salted-fish and three small
crabs with chili sauce.