The Lapindo Mud Disaster is the Destruction of a People and a Culture

Monday, 11 August 2008 05:11

Report by Wahyu Sudirman, ASAP, East Java

Lapindo victims have lost loved ones; their way of life, their city, their land, their social systems as well as their culture has been taken away completely by a Corporation known as Lapindo. Today they stand, only divided. Stress, hardship and the struggle to survive has begun to fray precious community solidarity as a long term solution seems increasingly out of reach. The following report is a general outline of the dynamics within the Lapindo victim population.

Compensation
The victims of the Lapindo mud-flow are currently divided into three main groups based on their separate demands and their location within the disaster effected region. The first group is those victims who have demanded cash payments, that is, compensation in monetary payments and refuse to be relocated. This group can be subdivided into three smaller groups.

100% Compensation
This group demands 100% compensation and rejects receiving part payment only. Many from this group live in Pasar Porong. Up to now they have been unsuccessful in obtaining any compensation. Pak Bambang is the secretary of Pagar Rekontrak (Paguyuban Rakyat Reno Kenongo Menolak Kontrak) which translates to the community of Reno Kenongo citizens who refuse temporary relocation contracts. Pak Bambang stated that they (the refugees) have not received any assistance from the government, however initially received emergency food packages from Lapindo. Lapindo, however, ended this emergency allocation supply in May 2008. In fact even before May the clean water supply to the market place was cancelled. This forced the refugees to make an emergency well to obtain clean water.

The living conditions of Reno Kenongo refugees is very distressing. They live with minimal facilities: toilets which are small and unhygienic, there are few study materials or recreation spaces for children. Additionally, their mental health condition is worstening, many are inclined to depression as they are constantly faced with problems that seem to have no solution. They have also lost their employment because factories, farming land and work places were all drowned in the mud-flow.

The refugees at Pasar Baru Porong were from the poor working class living on small subsistence wages before the disaster took place. They worked at the rattan factories, they were seasonal farm labourers, they were becak drivers and peddlers. They really cannot return to the lives that they once had without compensation from Lapindo, assistance from governments or donations from NGOs.

50% Compensation
There is another group who have rejected relocation and requested payment of compensation at a 50% minimum. This group faces the same situation as the first group. They have not yet received even one rupiah from Lapindo. They also live at the Pasar Baru Porong refugee camp.

20% Compensation
This group is the group who accepted the payment of a 20% deposit plus money for renting a house for two years. For now (inside the two year period) they live in rental houses which are reasonably habitable if compared to the refugee camp, however the rental contracts will begin to come to an end as of this July 2008. The government announced a Presidential Decree to the effect that compensation must be completed before July 2008. Tragically, however, Lapindo has refused to pay the remainder (of 80%) owed to this group. It is very unfortunate that the government does not seem to have the power to take sanctions against Lapindo for the reneging of their promise. It would appear that the political influence held by Lapindo is very strong.

Relocation
The second large group consists of those who have accepted relocation offers. This group will receive new houses, which are currently under construction by Lapindo.
Relocation refers to a new housing area under construction by Lapindo for a number of Lapindo victim refugees as compensation for their houses. There are a number of relocation areas provided by Lapindo. There are some close to the city however others are in very isolated areas. The community has only been informed of the relocation location in general terms, they are yet to find out any details about the new housing estate where they will be living.

Unrecognized Victims
The third major group consists of victims from villages which were not included in the impacted area map. That is, they come from villages which Lapindo and the Government consider as outside Lapindos responsibility. Consequently they cannot expect to receive compensation for anything. This group endures the most difficult fate. Even though not yet entirely engulfed by the mud, the condition of their houses is derelict, many are surrounded by dried mud over 1 meter high, there are frequent gas leaks from beneath the earth and the area is inhabitable.

These victims are the residents of Besuki village and the four villages on each side of the containment pool of Lapindo mud. They live under constant the constant fear that containment walls may collapse and they are scared to remain inside their houses. They have now left their homes and have set up emergency tents along the major highway in cramped slum like conditions. They have no hope of either relocation or compensation from Lapindo or the Central Government. However there has been some recent reports that victims outside the impacted area map may receive subsidies from the East Java Government, deriving from the Regional Government Budget fund ( APBD). These payments are yet to materialize.

While this is only a rough outline of some very complex issue it may help give an understanding of the dynamics within the Lapindo victim population. It highlights the different concerns faced by each victim group. It also points to the inconsistency in Lapindos dealings with victims, which have all been uncertain, informal, and marked by empty promises.

taken from ASAP

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