A dump truck is stuck in mud in Kian Darat, around 75 kilometers east of Bula, the capital of East Seram regency, Maluku, on Thursday (21/9). Dozens of villages in the regency are isolated due to the absence of a connecting road.
Dirt roads stretch as far as the eyes can see after traveling 65 kilometers of smooth roads from Bula, the capital of Seram Bagian Timur regency, Maluku. Heavy rainfall suggests that the next leg of the journey on Thursday (21/9) will not be smooth.
About 5 kilometers from the end of the asphalt road, two-wheel-drives started being confronted by muddy potholes half a meter deep. Because of the great many potholes, Kicing, 22, who was driving, could not pull over to one side. Fortunately, it wasn’t too difficult for the car to pass a pothole 4 meters wide.
Soon after passing the pothole, Kicing was forced to stop the car because a dump truck was trapped in another mud pothole ahead. Another truck, with dozens of passengers aboard, tried to pull the trapped truck out so other cars could pass.
The sopping-wet passengers cheered when Kompas got out to take pictures of the trapped truck. Grumblings were overheard: it was believed the government neglected the roads in the area. "Shoot! So the President can see!” said one of the passengers.
After passing the potholes, the next challenge was a river. Heavy rainfall had raised the water level. At the edge of the river, Kicing stopped the car. He got out to measure the water level against a stand of trees beside the river. From these, he could tell the height of the water along the route, which he passed frequently.
Not wanting to take the risk, several cars turned back to Bula, but others waited for the rain to stop and the water to subside. Deciding on the latter means they might wait for a day, possibly more. Only four-wheel-drives can pass the hellish route with more ease.
Along these dirt roads, nearly all river crossings lack bridges. If there are any, they are merely makeshift bridges that were built by the local people using coconut trees and wooden boards. During a flood, these makeshift bridges disappear.
The dirt road runs from Gaa village in Tutuk Tolu district to Ketta village in Siriaun Wida Timur district. Between the two districts is the Kian Darat district. The road from Gaa to Ketta is about 35 kilometers long and can usually be covered in about three hours.
Along the road are dozens of rivers and streams. Kompas recorded 11 permanent bridges, 20 makeshift bridges and 24 bridges that have yet to be built. Most permanent bridges are older than 20 years.
Isolated residents
About 13,000 residents in the three districts have been isolated for years. They live by gathering natural resources, such as bananas, tubers, sago and fish. One of the most frightening things for them is when someone falls ill, or when a wife faces a difficult childbirth.
In Siritaun Wida Timur, six people have died in the last five years. A pregnant woman died on the boat that was transporting her from Ketta to Geser Island, which has a community health center (puskesmas). "Back then, because of the high waves, she was late in getting treatment," said Saiful Rumain, a graduate of a nursing academy who prefers to volunteer.
If he was to transport a patient to Bula, he has to rent a car that costs Rp 2 million for a round trip. They would have to travel along the potholed dirt road and the dozens of rivers and streams. Several rivers are inhabited by crocodiles. There is a puskesmas near Ketta, but it has not operated since it was built two years ago because of a lack of medical workers.
The poor access to healthcare was also observed in the village of Tubir Masiwang. The villagers have no choice but to go to Bula for medical treatment. On calm seas, they travel 1.5 hours by motorboat to Waru village, and then continue for about 50 kilometers on land to reach Bula.
However, during bad weather, they have to cross the river where the crocodiles live. After crossing the river, they walk for about two hours before continuing by boat for a one-hour journey to Waru. A crocodile once attacked a villager who was crossing the river. Another villager was found, not breathing,their body no longer in one piece.
Last April, a Tubir Masiwang villager contracted the highly infectious and rare tropical disease frambusia (yaws), whose condition was also weakened by nausea and malnutrition. Officials rarely visit the villagers, so no exact data exists on the number of victims, including those who died. Other residents have left the village.
The condition at Tubir Masiwang was disclosed by village chief Ahmad Syarif of Waru, the closest village to Tubir Masiwang. Kompas had attempted to visit Tubir Masiwang, but could not because of high waves.
Other Maluku citizens experienced similar conditions, such those on Selaru Island, Maluku Tenggara Barat regency. In May, Wati Fordatkosu, 28, a resident of Fursuy village, was transported by truck along a 39-kilometer dirt road to Adaut, the capital of Selaru district. From there, the heavily pregnant woman continued her journey by boat to Saumlaki, the capital of Maluku Tenggara Barat regency. She had left her house at 6 a.m. local time and arrived in Saumlaki at 11 p.m.
She gave birth safely, but her placenta could not be delivered.
Evilina Amarduan, 28, a resident of Eliasa village, about 21 kilometers to the west of Fursuy, made a similar journey. In 2014, she was transported by boat to make the 4-hourjourney to Adaut. On the way, the 5-meter-by-2-meter boat ran out of fuel. They were forced to ask for leftover fuel from the local fishermen.
The late treatment caused the death of Evilina\'s baby. "At that time, we had to borrow Rp 1.5 million in cash. Without money, we can only pray," said Evilina\'s husband, Herison Silalebit.
Selaru is an island that borders Australia. The living conditions in the isolated areas of Seram BagianTimur and Maluku Tenggara Barat regencies mean that residents in critical condition or women facing difficulty in childbirth live under the shadow of death. A large amount of money is needed to save the lives of people with acute illnesses, and this is difficult to fulfill. They meet their end all too quickly.
