A Real Catastrophe That Do Not Yet Declare as Disaster by The Government:
East Java Mudflow Disaster, Eventually Will Kill Them Softly
Written by awk

One year after first gush out in May 29, 2007, we still did not see a light of noteworthy upturn of all aspect concerning handling the disaster. Mudflow disaster in Porong-Sidoarjo East Java, Indonesia is claimed by geologists as the first and biggest in the world. The mud volcano phenomenon is also believed will last for about 30 years or possibly more.

The multi dimensional problems are aroused because the eruption happened in residential area and very near to main transportation access connecting Surabaya (capital of East Java and second biggest city in Indonesia after Jakarta) with other main towns in one of busiest province in Indonesia.

Mud volcano disaster is differed from any other disaster such as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions which happen very quickly and the impact is obvious; this slow moving but deadly mudflow is a continuing disaster. In December 4, 2006 mudflow had inundated 4 villages in the area of 350 hectares and by March 22, 2007 the area had increased to about 12 villages in more than 600 hectares.

The saddest part is more than 20.000 peoples forced to leave their home and evacuate to temporary place of living. Stressful situation and uncertain compensation had lead them to protest the Government and Lapindo Brantas Inc (company that presumed as the primary cause of their misery).

In point of fact, from the very beginning, the potential problem is clearly seen. Local and Central Government got rattled and made inconsistence decisions. For about three months, Government is just stay out of trouble and let Lapindo handle all aspect including financing, technical handling and social impact of the disaster. Start on September 8, 2006, after the impact is appeared more complicated, Government took some control by established an interdepartmental adhoc team to handle all aspect except financing which still burdened to Lapindo.

Truthfully the team is being trap in the middle, cause by time limited ambitious targets to accomplish, but with very tight operational budget; and problems are continuing increased. A tragic accident in November 22, 2006 as the Pertamina pipeline exploded killed seven peoples and twelve injured, the engulfing area is increasing significantly, swamped urban residential area north to the crater, Perumahan Tanggulangin Anggun Sejahtera 1 (Perum TAS 1). Perum TAS 1 is the largest residential area in Sidoarjo which consist about 6.000 house units with more than 10.000 people lived there.

Incomplete or fail technical methods to stop the mudflow range from: snubbing unit, sidetracking, relief well to high density chained balls is one aspect that contributed in worsening the problem. The idea of canalization the mudflow to Porong river, which consider as best solution among the worst alternatives, had never been carried out because of protest and pressure from environmentalists, key person in the president’s cabinet members and House of Representatives.

Unclear of compensation in term of form, time and procedures from Lapindo to the victims is another significant problems’ contributor. Opposite point of view and lack of Government mediating had accumulated the conflicts between them.The company, Lapindo, is argued that the cause of the disaster is triggered by earthquake in Yogyakarta in May 25, 2006 and mudflow is a natural phenomenon. All kind of compensation to the victims are in part of corporate social responsibility (CSR). On the other side, the victims and majority of public opinions is doubtlessly believed that the cause of the disaster is solely by company drilling mistakes.

In accordance to their believed and nor yet decide by law as a guilty one, Lapindo are only willing to pay compensation in form of buy-sold quasi-business transaction. This kind of compensation had approved by The President and quite apprehensible by the victims.

The unhappy situation had forced the victims did several unconstructive actions by blocking public transportation means (vital main road, turnpike, railroad) and pressured the local and central Government with their mass movement approach. First phase had done by residents 4 villages, mainly Siring and Jatirejo, which their home and paddy fields swamped earlier by the mudflow. Their strategy had gained success which resulted an agreement of several kind of compensation that will pay by Lapindo. And the 4 villages, Siring, Jatirejo, Kedungbendo and Mindi, are stated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as a first disaster zone (also known as disaster zone December 5, 2006).

Second phase and had rewarded widely coverage by local and national media is arranged by victims from Perum TAS 1. Their intensive and dramatic struggling span from February to May 2007 had forced the central Government and Lapindo included them and several villages after the explosion of Pertamina pipeline in second disaster zone (also known as disaster zone March 22, 2007). Even though their demand were not 100% accomplished.

Third phase is (again) organized by consortium of 4 villages (Siring, et.al.) in April to May 2007. The result is forced Government write down more detail and clearly define about how and when the compensation should be. But still, we found unwell-managed information about land certificates and building validity come to surface. And will be the main handicap for accelerating the compensation payment processes.

If look deeper in social aspect, we will find that one root that cause of the problem is value of the compensation. The value of land and building compensation are about three times market value in the area. The value also far above normal compensation usually applied to standard disaster. This ‘value of agreement’ is one kind of precedence that hardly to stop; will go as wild as the mudflow. The demand of 4 villages in the south near Porong river, e.g. Mindi, Pejarakan, Kedungcangkring and Besuki is a good explanation of the bad precedence. As we all know, all area beyond disaster zone March 22, 2007 will compensate according to standard disaster.

Beside huge amount of mudflow, residents surrounding area in radius 4 kms (at least) from the crater are in danger by land subsidence. By June 2007, some houses locate in West Siring (beyond mudflow area) had experienced the subsidence. Most of people in the radius did not realize their vulnerability and the government concern about the hidden hazard is very inadequate.

Technical and social aspects of the problem which brief explained above had eventually create new problems trigger by political interests, speculation and slowdown in regional economic growth.

Almost two months after Central Government formed the permanent agency in May 10, 2007 with more authority and hope; the rehabilitation and reconstruction process is still not seen yet. Same financing, technical and social problems are stucked in the middle. Old problems are still in the pocket, the new problems come emerged.

There is one big question disturbing my mind… With extraordinary loss cause by the mudflow, the Central Government and the House of Representatives still doing a words game whether to declare this tragedy as a disaster or not. Knowing the cause of the catastrophe and find the reprehensible are important but not important enough compare with saving the victims and other residents in hazardous area of land subsidence.