Gowa residents to be moved to safer area
Gowa residents to be moved to safer area
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi
The Gowa regental administration will soon relocate at least 63
families from Tinggimoncong subdistrict, who were affected by a
recent landslide that left at least two people dead and 31 others
missing, to a safer area, officials said on Wednesday.
They said the victims would be moved to a neighboring area,
located some five kilometers from their hamlet of Lengkese in
Manimbahoi village, Gowa regency, South Sulawesi.
Tinggimoncong subdistrict head Syafruddin Ardan said his
office had found a location which was safe for the locals to live
at.
But the location should be surveyed, and consultation with the
relevant local authorities -- including the forestry office, the
mining and energy office and the resettlement and infrastructure
office -- was needed, before moving the victims there, he added.
"Actually, we have found a location which is only some five
kilometers away. It is still part of Manimbahoi village,"
Syafruddin said.
He said that apart from the safety issue, in planning to
relocate the villagers, the possibility that they would farm the
land should be taken into account.
Syafruddin said the Gowa administration had allocated between
Rp 10 million (US$1,176) and Rp 15 million per family to relocate
the villagers from the area, which is prone to landslides.
Meanwhile, a number of Lengkese residents refused to return to
their homes.
"I don't want to go home. I am afraid of more landslides,"
local villager Sulaiman said, in the refugee camp where he is
living along with other victims.
He urged the local government to provide the refugees with a
new area in which to live.
However, search and rescue workers have called off the search
for those still missing after Friday's disaster. Instead, they
are assisting victims salvage their belongings, which are then
transported to the camp.
Separately, geologist Hamed Umar from Hasanuddin University
and the head of the mitigation and geology disaster sub-
directorate of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources,
Surono, urged the government to examine the slopes of the
mountain where the residents live.
"If we want to relocate residents from that area, the
government should conduct a survey to determine whether the new
location is suitable. We are all aware of the condition of Mount
Bawakaraeng, so we should remove them from danger," Hamed said.