Exodus

Exodus

With the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan now only a
little more than a week away, the yearly exodus of millions of
people leaving the capital city for their homes in the provinces
is gaining momentum. In the next few days bus and train stations
will be jammed with travelers and roads leading out of Jakarta
will be clogged with vehicles as an unusual temporary quiet
descends upon the city.

Mudik, as this tradition is popularly known, has been
entrenched in our society for as long as can be remembered and
neither persuasion nor calls for sobriety have been able to
restrain the exodus. But unlike the relatively small crowds in
the past which were within the carrying capacity of the available
road and transportation facilities, today the numbers have
swollen to such immense proportions that managing the annual Idul
Fitri or Lebaran exodus has become almost an impossible job for
the authorities.

One reason, of course, is urbanization. Another is that
spending the Idul Fitri holidays with friends and family at home
is still considered imperative by the vast majority of
Indonesians, regardless of the stress the journey involves.
Family and neighborly ties are still valued highly in Indonesian
rural society and Idul Fitri offers an appropriate opportunity
to renew them. For another, it offers an opportunity to display
the tokens of success and justify living in the big city. Thus
families packed with goods jostling to board the train or bus are
a common sight during the season.

Much has been said about this particular Indonesian tradition.
The more practical-minded point to the irrationality of the
effort, not to mention the considerable expenses involved. Those
who stick by tradition stress the importance of asking for
forgiveness for wrongdoings committed during the past year.
Besides, the exodus of millions of people from the big cities
provides a mechanism for a fairer distribution of wealth.

Be that as it may, for the authorities and people responsible
for ensuring the Idul Fitri holiday is a success, the exodus is a
headache every year. For instance, steps must be taken to ensure
that country roads are in good order, that enough buses and train
services are available and that travelers are not duped by
scalpers and unscrupulous bus operators.

And while that may sound like a routine job, in reality
ensuring the smooth passage of hundreds of thousands of vehicles
along country roads that are not designed to carry the burden is
a task few people would envy. In the cities, station masters also
shoulder a huge responsibility looking after tens of thousands of
travelers on their way home.

This year, however, the problems may well exceed those of
recent years. Although people are prepared for the journey,
forecasts predict heavy rainstorms and flooding in the coming
week along the northern coast of Java, which is the most popular
route for travelers from Jakarta. To make it worse, parts of the
route are reported to be in rather bad condition.

Under the circumstances it is fortunate -- for both the
authorities and the travelers themselves, particularly children
-- that a growing number of Indonesians realize it is better to
leave for their villages a few days before or after the big day.
Obstacles notwithstanding, it is hoped that Lebaran travelers
this year will be able to travel safely to cap off the month-long
fasting period with a proper family reunion.