The Hope of Natural Disaster Survivors on Idul Fitri
About 3.5 years after the disaster, Diana is still living in temporary housing, because the construction of the housing facilities for the survivors has not been completed.
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A temporary shelter inhabited by earthquake and tsunami survivors is seen in the City Forest area, Talise Village, Mantikulore District, Palu City, Central Sulawesi, Monday (21/3/2022)
Thousands of natural disaster survivors were forced to celebrate Idul Fitri in temporary shelters or refugee camps. The survivors have only one hope: their houses will be completed soon.
Under the shade of a tree, Diana (58) sat with her son while enjoying a meal on Monday afternoon (2/5/2022). They ate urasa, a type of rice cake served with chicken curry and fried chicken pieces. Diana's son’s two friends also joined in for a meal to celebrate Idul Fitri.
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Diana is a survivor of the earthquake and tsunami disaster which hit Palu City, Central Sulawesi, on Sept. 28, 2018. About 3.5 years after the disaster, Diana is still living in temporary housing, because the construction of the housing facilities for the survivors has not been completed.
In Palu, there are about 1,000 families who survived the earthquake, tsunami and liquefaction and they are still living in temporary shelters. They have celebrated Idul Fitri in temporary housing for four consecutive years, from 2019 to 2022.
Temporary housing for earthquake and tsunami survivors in Talise Village, Mantikulore District, Palu City, Central Sulawesi, Thursday (3/6/2021).
Diana acknowledged that she never thought she would stay in a temporary residence for so long. As the temporary house is so small, only 3.5 meters by 4 meters in size, the house is very hot. No wonder Diana and her family spend most of their time outside the temporary shelter.
As a result, the residents have to replace the broken floor with new plywood.
Diana is also worried that if she spends too much time inside the temporary shelter, the floor of the house made of plywood could collapse. In a number of residences, such things often happen. As a result, the residents have to replace the broken floor with new plywood.
Therefore, Diana really hopes her family will celebrate Idul Fitri next year in a permanent house. "I hope this is the last time we celebrate Idul Fitri in a temporary shelter," said Diana, who lives in a temporary shelter in Talise Village, Mantikulore district, Palu.
The hope to celebrate Idul Fitri in a permanent residence was also expressed by Pama (32), a resident of Petobo Village, South Palu district. "I hope that the government can realize its target to complete the construction of the permanent shelters by the end of this year. Celebrating Idul Fitri for four consecutive years in a temporary shelter is certainly not comfortable,” he said.
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Construction of temporary housing in Sumbermujur, Candipuro, Lumajang, continues to be accelerated, as seen on Sunday (24/04/2022).
Many survivors still live in temporary shelters because the construction of permanent housing in a number of sub-districts has been hampered by land disputes between the government and residents around permanent housing.
Palu Mayor Hadianto Rasyid said that the land problem that hindered the construction of permanent housing in a number of urban villages had been resolved. Currently, the Public Works and Housing Ministry is preparing an auction for the construction of permanent housing, he added.
Semeru
In East Java, thousands of survivors of the Mount Semeru eruption which occurred on Dec. 4, 2021, were forced to celebrate Idul Fitri in refugee camps because the construction of the permanent housing for them had not been completed.
“Idul Fitri this time is different because our families have been separated after the eruption. My sister doesn't want to see her former house because of the trauma," said Suliyanto (39), a survivor from Kajar Kuning Hamlet, Sumberwuluh Village, Candipuro District, Lumajang Regency.
That day, the governor of East Java, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, symbolically handed over the keys of the houses to seven survivors.
Suliyanto was not as lucky as some of the survivors who had symbolically received temporary shelter and permanent housing on April 27. That day, the governor of East Java, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, symbolically handed over the keys of the houses to seven survivors.
In total, 130 families have symbolically received permanent houses.
For this year’s Idul Fitri, Suliyanto did not have any other hopes except having a new home for his family.
Senikah (60), a survivor of the Semeru eruption from the Curah Kobokan hamlet, Supiturang Village, Pronojiwo District, Lumajang also said that her only hope on this year’s Idul Fitri was a house for her family.
“I only live with my children. My husband already passed away. So, I don't have any hope on this year’s Idul Fitri other than being healthy and being given a house immediately," she said.
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The public has been able to cross the Gladak Perak suspension bridge in Lumajang, East Java, Sunday (24/04/2022). The bridge was previously broken due to the Semeru eruption on December 4, 2022.
According to Senikah, surviving the Semeru disaster was extraordinary, because a number of her neighbors were killed in the disaster. Therefore, in the future, she hopes there will no more disasters.
"Hopefully we all stay healthy, safe and can continue to gather with neighbors and relatives," said Senikah.
(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi)
