Devastated Java quake area being ignored, says priest
-05/06/06
A Jesuit priest from C
Devastated Java quake area being ignored, says priest
-05/06/06
A Jesuit priest from Central Java has expressed concern that the districts of Wedi, Gantiwarno and Bayat have been ìtotally forgottenî by rescue teams and the news media in the midst of wider Indonesia earthquake aid initiatives.
More 2,000 people died in the three sub-districts of Klaten regency in the quake that struck the island of Java on 27 May 2006. To date, only a few rescue workers have gone there and survivors have complained about the indifference of their co-nationals.
According to AsiaNews, Fr Drajad Soesilo, from the Catholic parish of St Ignatius in Danan, declared: ìThese three areas are among the most heavily devastated by the quake. The only food supplies these local residents could get during these last five days were four portions of noodles and two kilos of rice for each family.î
He went on: ìNo government relief has arrived to these areas; the people have been completely forgotten even by their fellow citizens.”
The death toll in Klaten is reported to be 2,000, with more than 9,000 homes and other buildings demolished.
Aid workers, including the Compassion Group coordinated by Fr Soesilo, say that the repercussions of the tragedy on the local economy will be severe.
Low wage workers and landless peasants are likely to have their whole livelihoods taken away from them.
The traditional market of Pasar Wedi Tugu, in the heart of Wedi, was especially badly damaged by the earthquake.
For some 80 years, this market place played a vital role in Wedi, Gantiwarno and Bayat, explain locals. It was like a “second home” for more than 300 sellers.
The quake has seriously damaged 30 other such markets, including Yogyakarta and Klaten.
The damage done to school buildings is also cause for concern. The three districts lost 248 schools and no one has any idea when children will start going to school again.
Churches swung into action as soon as the scale of the Java earthquake became clear. The WCC-affiliated Action of Churches Together (ACT), Caritas International, and Church World Service are among the umbrella development coordinating groups.
They work through local church partners, along with smaller aid agencies. Lutheran, Orthodox and Mennonite organisations are also involved in the relief effort.
[Also on Ekklesia: Java quake scene like tsunami, says Indonesian Mennonite 04/06/06; WCC lends support to quake-hit Indonesian churches 01/06/06; More church agencies gear up aid for Java quake zone 30/05/06; Mennonites describe Indonesian earthquake horror 30/05/06; Christian Aid and CAFOD respond to Indonesia tragedy 28/05/06 ; Churches respond immediately to Indonesia earthquake 27/05/06; Churches manage to ship supplies to tsunami zone; Tsunami: justice as well as relief needed, say Christians; Rebuilding in Indonesia a year on from the tsunami; Earthquake has increased fears say Christian workers; Imposition of Shariah on non-Muslims proposed in Aceh 27/05/06; Muslims offer to guard Christian churches in Indonesia; BBC to examine beheadings of Christian schoolgirls; Indonesian president in call for religious tolerance; Indonesian Muslims say violence is sin and heresy; Indonesian Christians in fear after attacks and beheadings; Catholic agency arranging aid to earthquake zone; Church agency condemns Indonesian human rights decision]
Devastated Java quake area being ignored, says priest
-05/06/06
A Jesuit priest from Central Java has expressed concern that the districts of Wedi, Gantiwarno and Bayat have been ìtotally forgottenî by rescue teams and the news media in the midst of wider Indonesia earthquake aid initiatives.
More 2,000 people died in the three sub-districts of Klaten regency in the quake that struck the island of Java on 27 May 2006. To date, only a few rescue workers have gone there and survivors have complained about the indifference of their co-nationals.
According to AsiaNews, Fr Drajad Soesilo, from the Catholic parish of St Ignatius in Danan, declared: ìThese three areas are among the most heavily devastated by the quake. The only food supplies these local residents could get during these last five days were four portions of noodles and two kilos of rice for each family.î
He went on: ìNo government relief has arrived to these areas; the people have been completely forgotten even by their fellow citizens.”
The death toll in Klaten is reported to be 2,000, with more than 9,000 homes and other buildings demolished.
Aid workers, including the Compassion Group coordinated by Fr Soesilo, say that the repercussions of the tragedy on the local economy will be severe.
Low wage workers and landless peasants are likely to have their whole livelihoods taken away from them.
The traditional market of Pasar Wedi Tugu, in the heart of Wedi, was especially badly damaged by the earthquake.
For some 80 years, this market place played a vital role in Wedi, Gantiwarno and Bayat, explain locals. It was like a “second home” for more than 300 sellers.
The quake has seriously damaged 30 other such markets, including Yogyakarta and Klaten.
The damage done to school buildings is also cause for concern. The three districts lost 248 schools and no one has any idea when children will start going to school again.
Churches swung into action as soon as the scale of the Java earthquake became clear. The WCC-affiliated Action of Churches Together (ACT), Caritas International, and Church World Service are among the umbrella development coordinating groups.
They work through local church partners, along with smaller aid agencies. Lutheran, Orthodox and Mennonite organisations are also involved in the relief effort.
[Also on Ekklesia: Java quake scene like tsunami, says Indonesian Mennonite 04/06/06; WCC lends support to quake-hit Indonesian churches 01/06/06; More church agencies gear up aid for Java quake zone 30/05/06; Mennonites describe Indonesian earthquake horror 30/05/06; Christian Aid and CAFOD respond to Indonesia tragedy 28/05/06 ; Churches respond immediately to Indonesia earthquake 27/05/06; Churches manage to ship supplies to tsunami zone; Tsunami: justice as well as relief needed, say Christians; Rebuilding in Indonesia a year on from the tsunami; Earthquake has increased fears say Christian workers; Imposition of Shariah on non-Muslims proposed in Aceh 27/05/06; Muslims offer to guard Christian churches in Indonesia; BBC to examine beheadings of Christian schoolgirls; Indonesian president in call for religious tolerance; Indonesian Muslims say violence is sin and heresy; Indonesian Christians in fear after attacks and beheadings; Catholic agency arranging aid to earthquake zone; Church agency condemns Indonesian human rights decision]