Memory of Palu and Fast Work

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Survivors visit where their former homes used to sit in Balaroa, West Palu, Central Sulawesi, Saturday (28/9/2019), one year after the area was devastated by soil liquefaction and an earthquake. At least 3,124 people were killed in the disaster and 705 others were declared missing. Up to 1,016 unidentified victims were buried in mass graves.

Reading the news in this newspaper, on Saturday (28/9/2019), about the slow post-earthquake recovery program in Central Sulawesi makes us wonder.

What makes us so rigid that help for victims of natural disasters, which should have been given immediately, has not materialized even after one year? Just to remind all, earthquakes and tsunami hit Palu city and Sigi, Donggala and Parigi Moutong regencies in Central Sulawesi. This disaster claimed 3,124 lives, 705 others are missing and 1,016 unidentified victims were buried in mass graves. The number of damaged houses was recorded at 110,214.

From the scientific side, the earthquake in Central Sulawesi also invoked discourse about liquefaction, namely the lifting of the liquid in the lower layers of the earth\'s crust upwards, causing the surface in the region to become muddy and loose, sucking in other objects, including humans and buildings, so that they disappear from view. The incident created a frightening impression.

Liquefaction enriches the scientific studies on the effects of earthquakes, a phenomenon of nature seeking a new balance, but with great effect on humans.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Survivors visit and pray where their houses used to sit in Balaroa, West Palu, Central Sulawesi, Saturday (28/9/2019), one year after the area was devastated by soil liquefaction and an earthquake. At least 3,124 people were killed in the disaster and 705 others were declared missing. Up to 1,016 unidentified victims were buried in mass graves.

Indonesian people\'s literacy about the risks of living in the Ring of Fire has increased, especially since the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Aceh on Dec. 26, 2004 and the earthquake in Yogyakarta and Central Java on May 27, 2006. When society becomes knowledgeable it is natural that people expect the bureaucracy to also move in the same direction and rhythm. It will be disappointing if one year after the Central Sulawesi earthquake a number of priority disaster management programs have not yet been implemented.

Fulfillment of survivors\' rights, such as the distribution of stimulation funds, housing repairs and in-cash living insurance was delayed nine months from the initial schedule in 2019. The same was true for irrigation construction and construction of permanent housing.

President Joko Widodo has decided that the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Central Sulawesi will be complete in 2020. This good intention should be watched in order to ensure the lives of our brothers there return to normal and as proof that we have learned from the disasters in previous years.

Kompas/Totok Wijayanto

Survivors visit and pray where their houses used to sit in Balaroa, West Palu, Central Sulawesi, Saturday (28/9/2019), one year after the area was devastated by soil liquefaction and an earthquake. At least 3,124 people were killed in the disaster and 705 others were declared missing. Up to 1,016 unidentified victims were buried in mass graves.

We underline this because we are determined to respond to disasters more swiftly. When disaster strikes, we can not only minimize casualties through various mitigation activities, but more than that, we must also have our bureaucracy ready. This includes allocating relief funds and disbursing them quickly. Funding for countermeasures currently relies on the state budget (APBN) because the regional budgets (APBD) are insufficient. Maybe this is good for us to review such policy considering the disasters mostly occur in the regions.

Of course there are other things that can be discussed in more detail, but all of them require speedy actions. We also hope that, in addition to the state budget, the government can provide other funds whose procedures are not as rigid as the state budget. We convey all of this with the backdrop of the survivors of the disaster in Central Sulawesi, who are still waiting for the realization of the program to this day.

KOMPAS/VIDELIS JEMALI

Survivors hold a mass prayer on the beach of Lere village, West Palu district, Palu city, Central Sulawesi, Saturday (28/9/2019). Soil liquefaction and a tsunami triggered by a powerful earthquake hit the area a year ago.