Papuans residents wait days for kerosene supplies

Papuans residents wait days for kerosene supplies

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post/Jayapura

As many motorists in several areas of the country feel the bite
of an acute fuel shortage, Jayapura residents have been forced to
wait in lines day after day to get their kerosene supply or pay
much higher prices to profit-minded vendors.

Usman angrily smashed his three empty kerosene containers on
the ground. He has been waiting in line each day for a week now
with hundreds of residents in the Hamadi section of Jayapura
waiting for the arrival of a kerosene truck.

"I've been doing this, lining up for a week now. I have to
wake up very early in the morning to wait in line with my
containers, but I still don't get my share of kerosene," the 51-
year-old complained on Friday.

He was not alone. Hundreds of other residents were also
disappointed as the kerosene truck only distributed 2,500 liters
of kerosene. "How can it be enough for all of us," Usman said.

A housewife, Octovina, claimed that she had to wait six days
for the kerosene to arrive. Upset, she and other housewives went
to state oil company PT Pertamina's office. "We protested, but
still did not get any kerosene," she said.

Another housewife, Jumadi, 42, had to turn to a private
kerosene vendor, although the price, at Rp 3,000 per liter, was
much higher than the government-mandated price of Rp 1,000 per
liter.

Markus, a resident, said those waiting in line for kerosene
included profit-takers wanting to hoard it and sell it for a
higher price. "They (the profit-takers) also line up with us,
buying as much as 50 liters," he complained.

He urged all the village chiefs to make a list of their
residents and distribute cards allowing each family to have a
maximum of 10 liters of kerosene. "This way we can prevent the
traders from setting the kerosene price as they like, while
allowing all residents to get their share," he said.

Pertamina's spokesperson, Irto Petrus Gintings, refused to
admit that the city was experiencing a kerosene shortage, but
acknowledged the presence of profit-seekers, who were selling
kerosene at much higher prices.

"Since kerosene is hard to get, some residents sell it at a
higher price, but we'll put them in order. We even heard that
many unemployed people now have become kerosene vendors due to
the high prices they can charge," he said on Friday.

He claimed that the kerosene supply in Papua province -- 108
kiloliters per year -- is intended for household use and small-
scale businesses. Currently, he said, the company had enough
supply for the next 42 days.

"We have enough supply. There's no kerosene scarcity. Only
that distribution to residents is limited. Previously, people
could buy kerosene any time, but now they have to wait in line,"
Irto surmised.