Alle berichtgeving over de modderstroom op Java, een unieke ramp
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Alle berichtgeving over de modderstroom op Java, een unieke ramp
SURABAYA, Indonesia (AP) -- Indonesian engineers successfully dropped several large concrete balls into a fissure on Monday to try to stem a gushing mud eruption that has engulfed hundreds of homes and displaced 11,000 people.
Over the next few weeks, authorities plan to drop nearly 1,500 balls, each weighing up to 88 pounds, into the crater that started spewing mud at a gas drilling field on Java island nine months ago. The team hopes the balls will gradually reduce the mud flow, which is surging out at a rate equivalent to about 1 million oil drums per day.
Sixteen balls were dropped into the fissure on Monday. Authorities will monitor the effects of the balls before dropping more on Tuesday.
Critics have said they fear the experiment may cause the mud to flow from different points in the gas field.
Mud fissures are fairly common along volatile tectonic belts such as the one running below Indonesia, and in areas where there are rich oil and natural gas deposits. Opinions differ about the cause of the mud flow, but experts agree it could continue for years.
Some scientists suggest the rupture was triggered by faulty gas exploration techniques by operator PT Lapindo Brantas. Other research suggests it is the result of increased seismic activity, with the mud flow starting two days after a major earthquake elsewhere on Java island.
Some of the mud is being channeled to the sea, while the rest is being contained behind dams.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.
Over the next few weeks, authorities plan to drop nearly 1,500 balls, each weighing up to 88 pounds, into the crater that started spewing mud at a gas drilling field on Java island nine months ago. The team hopes the balls will gradually reduce the mud flow, which is surging out at a rate equivalent to about 1 million oil drums per day.
Sixteen balls were dropped into the fissure on Monday. Authorities will monitor the effects of the balls before dropping more on Tuesday.
Critics have said they fear the experiment may cause the mud to flow from different points in the gas field.
Mud fissures are fairly common along volatile tectonic belts such as the one running below Indonesia, and in areas where there are rich oil and natural gas deposits. Opinions differ about the cause of the mud flow, but experts agree it could continue for years.
Some scientists suggest the rupture was triggered by faulty gas exploration techniques by operator PT Lapindo Brantas. Other research suggests it is the result of increased seismic activity, with the mud flow starting two days after a major earthquake elsewhere on Java island.
Some of the mud is being channeled to the sea, while the rest is being contained behind dams.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.
Every cloud has a silver lining
Some 1,500 concrete balls have been dropped into mouth of mud volcano
PORONG, East Java (AP): For nine months, a gaping hole in the ground has spit out a biblical-scale torrent of hot, black mud, swallowing thousands of homes outside Indonesia's second-largest city and attracting amazed geologists from around the world.
Most say the flow is unstoppable, but Indonesian experts refuse to listen and have recently begun carrying out a scheme straight from a Hollywood movie: dropping nearly 1,500 concrete balls into the mouth of the mud volcano.
"We know lots of people think this is a crazy idea," said Satria Bijaksana, one of three geologists behind the US$130 million (euro99 million) plan aimed at reducing the sludge spew by up to 70 percent. "But we think it will work."
Mud volcanoes are fairly common along volatile tectonic belts and in areas rich in oil and natural gas, like Indonesia.
But the eruption just outside the city of Surabaya is exceptional because of the sheer volume of mud surging from the hole each day - enough to fill 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Twelve villages and 20 factories have been swallowed, with mud-caked roofs and the lamppost tops the only reminders of what once was there.
Some scientists suggest the rupture was triggered by improper drilling at a nearby natural gas site. Other research points to a major earthquake two days before the mud first appeared in a rice field in May 2006.
The ball-dropping operation, which began last month, follows several failed attempts to contain or stop the mud.
Engineers tried building earthen dams to hold back the sludge, but they are about to overflow. The mud's viscosity hindered efforts to channel it into the sea. A plan to cap the volcano with concrete was abandoned almost immediately as ill-conceived.
Now, engineers are using a pulley system to hoist the beachball-sized concrete spheres over the crater before dropping them from a height of about two stories. The balls, each weighing about 70 kilograms (150 pounds), are chained together in clustersof four.
So far, nearly 150 have been tossed into the abyss - too few to make a real impact.
The government has given the plan another five weeks to make a difference, or walk away and let the volcano run its course.
©Jakarta Post
PORONG, East Java (AP): For nine months, a gaping hole in the ground has spit out a biblical-scale torrent of hot, black mud, swallowing thousands of homes outside Indonesia's second-largest city and attracting amazed geologists from around the world.
Most say the flow is unstoppable, but Indonesian experts refuse to listen and have recently begun carrying out a scheme straight from a Hollywood movie: dropping nearly 1,500 concrete balls into the mouth of the mud volcano.
"We know lots of people think this is a crazy idea," said Satria Bijaksana, one of three geologists behind the US$130 million (euro99 million) plan aimed at reducing the sludge spew by up to 70 percent. "But we think it will work."
Mud volcanoes are fairly common along volatile tectonic belts and in areas rich in oil and natural gas, like Indonesia.
But the eruption just outside the city of Surabaya is exceptional because of the sheer volume of mud surging from the hole each day - enough to fill 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Twelve villages and 20 factories have been swallowed, with mud-caked roofs and the lamppost tops the only reminders of what once was there.
Some scientists suggest the rupture was triggered by improper drilling at a nearby natural gas site. Other research points to a major earthquake two days before the mud first appeared in a rice field in May 2006.
The ball-dropping operation, which began last month, follows several failed attempts to contain or stop the mud.
Engineers tried building earthen dams to hold back the sludge, but they are about to overflow. The mud's viscosity hindered efforts to channel it into the sea. A plan to cap the volcano with concrete was abandoned almost immediately as ill-conceived.
Now, engineers are using a pulley system to hoist the beachball-sized concrete spheres over the crater before dropping them from a height of about two stories. The balls, each weighing about 70 kilograms (150 pounds), are chained together in clustersof four.
So far, nearly 150 have been tossed into the abyss - too few to make a real impact.
The government has given the plan another five weeks to make a difference, or walk away and let the volcano run its course.
©Jakarta Post
Every cloud has a silver lining
Indonesian engineers work to drop clusters of chained concrete balls into a mud volcano in Sidoarjo in East Java province March 20, 2007 to reduce the torrent of sludge that has displaced about 15,000 people. A catastrophic mudflow that has swamped villages on Indonesia's Java island halted briefly for the first time in 10 months, raising hopes that efforts to plug the torrent are working at last, a scientist said on Tuesday.
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©Reuters | Gewijzigd: 19 februari 2008, 15:27 uur, door Marga
Deze foto is niet meer beschikbaar
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©Reuters | Gewijzigd: 19 februari 2008, 15:27 uur, door Marga
Every cloud has a silver lining
More concrete balls set to be dropped in mudflow crater
The National Mudflow Mitigation Team is preparing to drop 500 additional chains of concrete balls into the mouth of the mud volcano in Sidoarjo, East Java, following its successful insertion of 374 chains earlier this month.
"We're still waiting for repairs on the equipment. Even though we are criticized, we continue working 24 hours a day. From dawn to sunset we work in the field and at night we analyze all aspects of the mudflow," Bagus Endar Bachtiar Nurhandoko, head of the Insertion Monitoring and Evaluation Supervision team from the Bandung Technology of Institute, said Wednesday.
Bagus added that he was monitoring the flow rate from the mud volcano, which has been dropping. Twelve other team members from ITB, including doctoral students, are involved in analyzing the data.
The insertion team, Bagus said, was proceeding carefully since this is the first time this technique has been tried anywhere in the world. The team settled on this method after rejecting the more common approach of drilling relief wells.
"We had complete data and thorough assessments before we started working. We do not want to talk about impossibility. You can see the results; there have been no new discharge points or explosions as feared by oil drilling experts and observers," he said.
Basuki Hadimulyono, head of the mitigation team, said his team had not been able to measure the decline in the discharge because it did not have the equipment to do so.
"The indication of success of the insertion of the concrete balls can be seen from the rising content of H2S (hydrogen sulfide) gas, as it indicates lower pressure from below. In line with the falling pressure, more concrete balls will be inserted," he said.
Basuki explained that the first stage of the concrete ball insertion cost about Rp 3 billion (US$315,789), while the second stage would total Rp 500 million. The additional funds for the second stage would be used mainly to manufacture the concrete balls.
Basuki said the national team also needed Rp 126 billion to build a 1.5-kilometer canal to channel mud from the disaster site into the Porong River.
"We feel securing the additional funds of Rp 500 million for the concrete balls and Rp 126 billion for the permanent canal is more important than renovating infrastructure damaged by the hot mudflow," he said.
However, Amien Widodo, head of the disaster study center at the 10 November Institute of Technology, cautioned against elation, saying the concrete balls could still cause explosions or the formation of new mud volcanoes.
Amien said he was concerned an explosion could take place within the next few days like the one that occurred on Aug. 25 last year. He said at that time, the mud discharge stopped for several minutes, just as it did Monday when it halted for 35 minutes. Then thick smoke billowed 50 meters into the air, followed by an explosion.
Meanwhile, after staging a series of rallies without getting results, refugees from the flooded Tanggulangin Sejahtera housing complex collected blood fingerprints to symbolize their struggle to be compensated for their property.
"We are still patient. But don't blame us if we use anarchic means to press our demands," said one of the victims.
©Jakarta Post
The National Mudflow Mitigation Team is preparing to drop 500 additional chains of concrete balls into the mouth of the mud volcano in Sidoarjo, East Java, following its successful insertion of 374 chains earlier this month.
"We're still waiting for repairs on the equipment. Even though we are criticized, we continue working 24 hours a day. From dawn to sunset we work in the field and at night we analyze all aspects of the mudflow," Bagus Endar Bachtiar Nurhandoko, head of the Insertion Monitoring and Evaluation Supervision team from the Bandung Technology of Institute, said Wednesday.
Bagus added that he was monitoring the flow rate from the mud volcano, which has been dropping. Twelve other team members from ITB, including doctoral students, are involved in analyzing the data.
The insertion team, Bagus said, was proceeding carefully since this is the first time this technique has been tried anywhere in the world. The team settled on this method after rejecting the more common approach of drilling relief wells.
"We had complete data and thorough assessments before we started working. We do not want to talk about impossibility. You can see the results; there have been no new discharge points or explosions as feared by oil drilling experts and observers," he said.
Basuki Hadimulyono, head of the mitigation team, said his team had not been able to measure the decline in the discharge because it did not have the equipment to do so.
"The indication of success of the insertion of the concrete balls can be seen from the rising content of H2S (hydrogen sulfide) gas, as it indicates lower pressure from below. In line with the falling pressure, more concrete balls will be inserted," he said.
Basuki explained that the first stage of the concrete ball insertion cost about Rp 3 billion (US$315,789), while the second stage would total Rp 500 million. The additional funds for the second stage would be used mainly to manufacture the concrete balls.
Basuki said the national team also needed Rp 126 billion to build a 1.5-kilometer canal to channel mud from the disaster site into the Porong River.
"We feel securing the additional funds of Rp 500 million for the concrete balls and Rp 126 billion for the permanent canal is more important than renovating infrastructure damaged by the hot mudflow," he said.
However, Amien Widodo, head of the disaster study center at the 10 November Institute of Technology, cautioned against elation, saying the concrete balls could still cause explosions or the formation of new mud volcanoes.
Amien said he was concerned an explosion could take place within the next few days like the one that occurred on Aug. 25 last year. He said at that time, the mud discharge stopped for several minutes, just as it did Monday when it halted for 35 minutes. Then thick smoke billowed 50 meters into the air, followed by an explosion.
Meanwhile, after staging a series of rallies without getting results, refugees from the flooded Tanggulangin Sejahtera housing complex collected blood fingerprints to symbolize their struggle to be compensated for their property.
"We are still patient. But don't blame us if we use anarchic means to press our demands," said one of the victims.
©Jakarta Post
Every cloud has a silver lining
Govt mulls cash compensation for mud victims
The government will consider meeting the demand for cash compensation by victims of a mud-flooded housing complex in Sidoarjo, East Java, a minister said Thursday.
The statement was made by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro following a three-hour closed-door meeting with mudflow victims from the Tanggulangin Anggun Sejahtera housing complex. Purnomo leads the government-appointed team dealing with the disaster.
"We'll take the demand for cash-and-carry compensation to Jakarta but (the decision) will be made once there are clear restrictions," said Purnomo.
The clear restrictions he was referring to will be part of a new map of the mud disaster zone that will be drawn by East Java Governor Imam Utomo and his team. It will update a map made before an underground gas pipeline explosion in November expanded the mud-flooded area.
The new map will be approved and signed by the government and the victims. It will also be used as evidence in establishing compensation.
Sidoarjo Regent Win Hendrarso, who was also at the meeting, said in accordance with the new map, residents in the housing complex as well as in Kedungbendo, Kepatang, Gempol Sari, Kali Tengah and Porong will receive compensation.
The team and Lapindo Brantas Inc., the company many blame for the disaster, have so far only approved compensation for mudflow victims in four villages: Siring, Kedungbendo, Jatirejo and Renokenongo.
Outside the meeting at the Grahadi building, hundreds of mudflow victims from the housing complex staged a protest, insisting on meeting with Purnomo.
Some 20 meters from the building, they were blocked by dozens of police officers who formed a barricade with barbed wire and water cannons.
"We're not the criminals, sir. It's Lapindo. Why are we always being stopped? If you dare, arrest Lapindo's people and put them in jail," yelled a protester.
The demonstrators mostly came on motorcycles, leaving their makeshift shelters in Pasar Baru Porong market in Sidoarjo in the morning and heading to East Java Legislative building.
After shouting out speeches and blocking roads at the council building, they headed toward the Grahadi building, some seven kilometers away, under tight police monitoring.
Purnomo explained the risk if the government takes over the handling of the mudflow disaster or declares it a national disaster.
If that happens, he said, the mudflow victims will be given the same treatment as victims of other disasters in places such as Aceh, Yogyakarta or East Nusa Tenggara.
"The compensation given will only amount to Rp 15 million for each house," he said.
The deputy head of the East Java Legislative Council's mudflow disaster special team, Muhammad Mirdas, walked out of the gathering.
He said those at the meeting lacked the spirit to defend the victims.
"The new map which will be prepared has to be approved by Lapindo and I'm not happy with it. The only way (to get their demands heard) is for the victims to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono," he said.
©Jakarta Post
The government will consider meeting the demand for cash compensation by victims of a mud-flooded housing complex in Sidoarjo, East Java, a minister said Thursday.
The statement was made by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro following a three-hour closed-door meeting with mudflow victims from the Tanggulangin Anggun Sejahtera housing complex. Purnomo leads the government-appointed team dealing with the disaster.
"We'll take the demand for cash-and-carry compensation to Jakarta but (the decision) will be made once there are clear restrictions," said Purnomo.
The clear restrictions he was referring to will be part of a new map of the mud disaster zone that will be drawn by East Java Governor Imam Utomo and his team. It will update a map made before an underground gas pipeline explosion in November expanded the mud-flooded area.
The new map will be approved and signed by the government and the victims. It will also be used as evidence in establishing compensation.
Sidoarjo Regent Win Hendrarso, who was also at the meeting, said in accordance with the new map, residents in the housing complex as well as in Kedungbendo, Kepatang, Gempol Sari, Kali Tengah and Porong will receive compensation.
The team and Lapindo Brantas Inc., the company many blame for the disaster, have so far only approved compensation for mudflow victims in four villages: Siring, Kedungbendo, Jatirejo and Renokenongo.
Outside the meeting at the Grahadi building, hundreds of mudflow victims from the housing complex staged a protest, insisting on meeting with Purnomo.
Some 20 meters from the building, they were blocked by dozens of police officers who formed a barricade with barbed wire and water cannons.
"We're not the criminals, sir. It's Lapindo. Why are we always being stopped? If you dare, arrest Lapindo's people and put them in jail," yelled a protester.
The demonstrators mostly came on motorcycles, leaving their makeshift shelters in Pasar Baru Porong market in Sidoarjo in the morning and heading to East Java Legislative building.
After shouting out speeches and blocking roads at the council building, they headed toward the Grahadi building, some seven kilometers away, under tight police monitoring.
Purnomo explained the risk if the government takes over the handling of the mudflow disaster or declares it a national disaster.
If that happens, he said, the mudflow victims will be given the same treatment as victims of other disasters in places such as Aceh, Yogyakarta or East Nusa Tenggara.
"The compensation given will only amount to Rp 15 million for each house," he said.
The deputy head of the East Java Legislative Council's mudflow disaster special team, Muhammad Mirdas, walked out of the gathering.
He said those at the meeting lacked the spirit to defend the victims.
"The new map which will be prepared has to be approved by Lapindo and I'm not happy with it. The only way (to get their demands heard) is for the victims to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono," he said.
©Jakarta Post
Every cloud has a silver lining
JAKARTA, May 8: Sludge has burst through an embankment built around Indonesia's disastrous “mud volcanoâ€, flooding a main road, an official said on Tuesday.
Officials said a large crack had formed in the dyke, which was designed to hold back the massive mud flow in East Java.
“We have managed to repair the crack but the road is still impassable, â€said a government spokesman.
“The road should be opened later tonight after we pump all the (muddy) water away,†Muhammad Zulkarnain said.
The embankment was built after the steaming crater, located near Indonesia’s second-largest city of Surabaya, began spewing mud in May last year following exploratory gas drilling.
The sludge has inundated some 600 hectares, including many homes and factories, leaving 15,000 people homeless.Indonesian experts have tried to halt the flow by plugging the crater with chains of concrete balls -- a bold plan that some say will not work.—AFP
©Dawn
Every cloud has a silver lining
Mudflow body keeps plugging away
The Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency (BPLS) is continuing its efforts to overcome the disaster by attempting to manage the damaging flow of mud and to resolve related social problems.While BPLS continues to tackle the overwhelming problems associated with the disaster, the agency's performance has been subject to public scrutiny on an international scale.The following are excerpts from an interview by The Jakarta Post's Indra Harsaputra with BPLS head Soenarso.
What is your perception of the mudflow?
The mudflow is a natural disaster and it is exceptionally difficult to stop. Many local and foreign journalists have asked when the mudflow will stop but I can only say it is in the hands of God Almighty. The BPLS team is made up of mere human beings. And they are doing their best to stop and manage the hot mudflow. Wegive up and we will continue to work harder - as per the President's orders and despite the difficult task. We work continually, all day, everyday. We don't have time to have a cigarette or sometimes even to pray. If one or two people in the team stop working, the embankment would collapse. It's apparently difficult to predict nature's course.
Does BPLS consider the hot mudflow a natural disaster or human error caused by Lapindo?
I couldn't say for now because the police are still investigating the case. We are making efforts to plug the gush point, preventing the mud from spreading further and urging Lapindo to immediately compensate affected residents. We all know that it is no easy task. Every problem is complicated. However, as a boy who grew up in the country-side, I understand people's wishes, especially residents affected by the hot mudflow. They have been suffering for a long time and I hope they will soon be compensated so their suffering can end. I also hope the victims remain patient and do not resort to acts of violence or create anarchy.keep urging Lapindo in my own way but I need your prayers to quickly overcome the problem.
What do you think about the counterweight dam method from Japan?
We have received dozens of proposals from agencies, experts and higher learning institutes and we are still studying the proposed methods thoroughly.
The government has to-date not made a decision regarding the best way forward or the best method to use. They are considering a relief well, the insertion of a concrete ball and a counterweight dam to plug the mud volcano. The decision is in the hands of the central government. We are just working according to its instructions and the working team will use the best techniques. But, I'm sorry, we can not yet reveal that to the public. We are still waiting for the government's decision. BPLS is also evaluating reports from Surabaya's Institute of Technology (ITS) on the risk of land subduction, which has been going on for long. And we are considering whether or not to relocate residents living around the Porong highway.
What about the approach of dumping mud into the Porong River - a method which still highly controversial?
We appreciate every proposal. I think everyone who cares for those affected by the mudflow looks to the various ideas proposed by experts with some hope. However, the disposal of mud into the Porong River is a difficult choice. I think it's best to kill the fish instead of the people. And the BPLS has further evaluated other impacts and found dumping mud into the river is the best option. So we are making efforts to channel hot mud into the river.
Is there political pressure involved in BPLS' job?
There is no pressure from any party. I only work and carry out orders from the government. Once more, I only work in accordance with the orders from my superiors.
We need every support to overcome the hot mudflow disaster
©Jakarta Post
The Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency (BPLS) is continuing its efforts to overcome the disaster by attempting to manage the damaging flow of mud and to resolve related social problems.While BPLS continues to tackle the overwhelming problems associated with the disaster, the agency's performance has been subject to public scrutiny on an international scale.The following are excerpts from an interview by The Jakarta Post's Indra Harsaputra with BPLS head Soenarso.
What is your perception of the mudflow?
The mudflow is a natural disaster and it is exceptionally difficult to stop. Many local and foreign journalists have asked when the mudflow will stop but I can only say it is in the hands of God Almighty. The BPLS team is made up of mere human beings. And they are doing their best to stop and manage the hot mudflow. Wegive up and we will continue to work harder - as per the President's orders and despite the difficult task. We work continually, all day, everyday. We don't have time to have a cigarette or sometimes even to pray. If one or two people in the team stop working, the embankment would collapse. It's apparently difficult to predict nature's course.
Does BPLS consider the hot mudflow a natural disaster or human error caused by Lapindo?
I couldn't say for now because the police are still investigating the case. We are making efforts to plug the gush point, preventing the mud from spreading further and urging Lapindo to immediately compensate affected residents. We all know that it is no easy task. Every problem is complicated. However, as a boy who grew up in the country-side, I understand people's wishes, especially residents affected by the hot mudflow. They have been suffering for a long time and I hope they will soon be compensated so their suffering can end. I also hope the victims remain patient and do not resort to acts of violence or create anarchy.keep urging Lapindo in my own way but I need your prayers to quickly overcome the problem.
What do you think about the counterweight dam method from Japan?
We have received dozens of proposals from agencies, experts and higher learning institutes and we are still studying the proposed methods thoroughly.
The government has to-date not made a decision regarding the best way forward or the best method to use. They are considering a relief well, the insertion of a concrete ball and a counterweight dam to plug the mud volcano. The decision is in the hands of the central government. We are just working according to its instructions and the working team will use the best techniques. But, I'm sorry, we can not yet reveal that to the public. We are still waiting for the government's decision. BPLS is also evaluating reports from Surabaya's Institute of Technology (ITS) on the risk of land subduction, which has been going on for long. And we are considering whether or not to relocate residents living around the Porong highway.
What about the approach of dumping mud into the Porong River - a method which still highly controversial?
We appreciate every proposal. I think everyone who cares for those affected by the mudflow looks to the various ideas proposed by experts with some hope. However, the disposal of mud into the Porong River is a difficult choice. I think it's best to kill the fish instead of the people. And the BPLS has further evaluated other impacts and found dumping mud into the river is the best option. So we are making efforts to channel hot mud into the river.
Is there political pressure involved in BPLS' job?
There is no pressure from any party. I only work and carry out orders from the government. Once more, I only work in accordance with the orders from my superiors.
We need every support to overcome the hot mudflow disaster
©Jakarta Post
Every cloud has a silver lining
YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN: Residents of the Tanggulangin Anggun Sejahtera housing complex in Sidoarjo, East Java, throw flowers near their mud-flooded houses Tuesday to mark the one-year anniversary of the mudflow. Emotions ran high at the event involving some 300 victims of the disaster that started May 29, 2006. JP/ID Nugroho
©Jakarta Post
Every cloud has a silver lining
Mudflow victims mark year of misery
Emotions ran high Tuesday as thousands of residents whose homes in Sidoarjo, East Java, have been submerged by hot mud marked the first full year of an ecological disaster that shows no signs of slowing down.
Anger and frustration were in the air, and some victims could not help breaking into tears when they saw their former homes submerged under mud, leaving only the roofs visible.
"I am very sad and ashamed. I live here like a homeless person," Melia Prihatiningsih, who recently gave birth to a baby girl at a makeshift shelter for displaced residents, told Reuters.
Some 2,000 residents, dressed in white prayer clothes, observed the day by attending a sermon in a soccer stadium.
Residents from the affected Tanggulangin Anggun Sejahtera housing complex launched a protest Tuesday morning, parading around Sidoarjo on motorcycles and trucks before heading to their former neighborhood.
Some residents even waded into the mud to get a closer look at their former homes.
"We came here to remember the places that used to be our homes, the places where we gathered with our families and neighbors," said the protest's coordinator.
Flowers were scattered in honor of family members and neighbors buried in a cemetery that is now covered in hot mud. The sludge is still flowing despite efforts to halt it.
"We have to keep our spirits up to fight for our rights," said one resident.
Near the source of the mud, at a Lapindo Brantas Inc. gas exploration site, some 200 people rallied, carrying banners condemning the government, Lapindo and the government-appointed Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency.
"All this misery is caused by Lapindo and the government," a protester charged.
Police blocked the demonstrators from getting too close to the mud geyser.
Sidoarjo Deputy Regent Syaiful Illah, who met protesters at a mud dam in Besuki, was even pressured into signing a statement including four new villages in a map of the mud-flooded area.
"If that is what residents want, I'll try to fight to get it for them," Syaiful said.
The anger and concern have spread to other parts of the country.
In Makassar, South Sulawesi, residents rallied in support of the victims while urging the government and Lapindo to fulfill their promises.
In Jakarta, Reuters reported some 40 victims staged a protest at the city center, carrying banners demanding cash compensation.
They also carried five birthday cakes made of mud, decorated with flowers and candles, to be presented to leaders including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
©The Jakarta Post
Emotions ran high Tuesday as thousands of residents whose homes in Sidoarjo, East Java, have been submerged by hot mud marked the first full year of an ecological disaster that shows no signs of slowing down.
Anger and frustration were in the air, and some victims could not help breaking into tears when they saw their former homes submerged under mud, leaving only the roofs visible.
"I am very sad and ashamed. I live here like a homeless person," Melia Prihatiningsih, who recently gave birth to a baby girl at a makeshift shelter for displaced residents, told Reuters.
Some 2,000 residents, dressed in white prayer clothes, observed the day by attending a sermon in a soccer stadium.
Residents from the affected Tanggulangin Anggun Sejahtera housing complex launched a protest Tuesday morning, parading around Sidoarjo on motorcycles and trucks before heading to their former neighborhood.
Some residents even waded into the mud to get a closer look at their former homes.
"We came here to remember the places that used to be our homes, the places where we gathered with our families and neighbors," said the protest's coordinator.
Flowers were scattered in honor of family members and neighbors buried in a cemetery that is now covered in hot mud. The sludge is still flowing despite efforts to halt it.
"We have to keep our spirits up to fight for our rights," said one resident.
Near the source of the mud, at a Lapindo Brantas Inc. gas exploration site, some 200 people rallied, carrying banners condemning the government, Lapindo and the government-appointed Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency.
"All this misery is caused by Lapindo and the government," a protester charged.
Police blocked the demonstrators from getting too close to the mud geyser.
Sidoarjo Deputy Regent Syaiful Illah, who met protesters at a mud dam in Besuki, was even pressured into signing a statement including four new villages in a map of the mud-flooded area.
"If that is what residents want, I'll try to fight to get it for them," Syaiful said.
The anger and concern have spread to other parts of the country.
In Makassar, South Sulawesi, residents rallied in support of the victims while urging the government and Lapindo to fulfill their promises.
In Jakarta, Reuters reported some 40 victims staged a protest at the city center, carrying banners demanding cash compensation.
They also carried five birthday cakes made of mud, decorated with flowers and candles, to be presented to leaders including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
©The Jakarta Post
Every cloud has a silver lining
JAKARTA (Antara): Some 130 members of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) here on Thursday proposed to the House leadership to exercise the Parliament`s interpellation right concerning the Lapindo hot mudflow in Sidoarjo District, East Java.
The proposal was handed to House Deputy Speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno -- who himself was one of the initiators of the interpellation -- at the parliament building.
In addition to Soerjogoeritno, other initiators included Yuddy Chrisnandy (Golkar Party), Abdullah Azwar Anas (the National Awakening Party), Ade Nasution (the Reform Star Party), Ario Widjanarko (the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle), Djoko Susilo (the National Mandate Party) and Yakobus Mayongpadang (PDIP).
The deputy speaker said he would process the proposal supported by 130 legislators in accordance with the prevailing mechanism. In line with the existing rules, at least 13 legislators were needed to initiate an enquiry over the government on a certain issue.
The previous inquiry on the government`s support for UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1747 against Iran`s nuclear program was supported by a total of 285 legislators.
"It`s only asking for the government`s explanations. Don`t be afraid of DPR (Parliament). Don`t send ministers to represent the President," he said.
President Yudhoyono failed to attend the interpellation plenary session on Iran last Tuesday (June 5) because he had to play host to newly elected Timor Leste President Ramos Hosta on the same day.
Due to protests from a number of legislators against the absence of the President, House Speaker Agung Laksono was forced to reschedule the interpellation session on Iran to next week.
On the incessant hot mudflow coming out from Lapindo Berantas` gas well in Sidoarjo, the legislators said the one-year-old problem was very serious as it had forced at least 21,000 people from 11 villages to flee their homes and had until now remained refugees.
The mud flood inundated 350 hectares of farming area, and 23 school buildings and at least 20 factories were forced to close down. Around 30 percent of the mudflow victims suffered from psychological problems.
The mudflow also inflicted financial losses amounting to around Rp 7.6 trillion (US$860 million)to East Java`s economy.
©Jakarta Post
The proposal was handed to House Deputy Speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno -- who himself was one of the initiators of the interpellation -- at the parliament building.
In addition to Soerjogoeritno, other initiators included Yuddy Chrisnandy (Golkar Party), Abdullah Azwar Anas (the National Awakening Party), Ade Nasution (the Reform Star Party), Ario Widjanarko (the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle), Djoko Susilo (the National Mandate Party) and Yakobus Mayongpadang (PDIP).
The deputy speaker said he would process the proposal supported by 130 legislators in accordance with the prevailing mechanism. In line with the existing rules, at least 13 legislators were needed to initiate an enquiry over the government on a certain issue.
The previous inquiry on the government`s support for UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1747 against Iran`s nuclear program was supported by a total of 285 legislators.
"It`s only asking for the government`s explanations. Don`t be afraid of DPR (Parliament). Don`t send ministers to represent the President," he said.
President Yudhoyono failed to attend the interpellation plenary session on Iran last Tuesday (June 5) because he had to play host to newly elected Timor Leste President Ramos Hosta on the same day.
Due to protests from a number of legislators against the absence of the President, House Speaker Agung Laksono was forced to reschedule the interpellation session on Iran to next week.
On the incessant hot mudflow coming out from Lapindo Berantas` gas well in Sidoarjo, the legislators said the one-year-old problem was very serious as it had forced at least 21,000 people from 11 villages to flee their homes and had until now remained refugees.
The mud flood inundated 350 hectares of farming area, and 23 school buildings and at least 20 factories were forced to close down. Around 30 percent of the mudflow victims suffered from psychological problems.
The mudflow also inflicted financial losses amounting to around Rp 7.6 trillion (US$860 million)to East Java`s economy.
©Jakarta Post
Every cloud has a silver lining
Legislators say that support for a motion to question the President over the Sidoarjo mudflow is increasing, with almost 200 representatives signing it this week.
While the House of Representatives has the right to question the President, it is a rare occurrence, although the mudflow motion comes on the heels of a similar move over Indonesia's support of UN sanctions on Iran over it's nuclear program.
The legislators denied that attempts to question Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the mudflow in East Java, which has affected thousands of residents and disrupted transportation, had political motives.
Since May 29 last year hot mud has been flowing from a drilling site owned by mining firm PT Lapindo Brantas Inc., controlled by the family of chief welfare minister Aburizal Bakrie.
Despite the controversy he kept his position in the recent cabinet reshuffle.
Lawmakers deny both questioning motions are related to disappointment with the reshuffle or the President's decision to send eight Cabinet members to answer the House on the Iran issue.
"Legislators are exercising their constitutional right for the people's interest. That is why the motion has won support from the major parties regardless of their political links to the government," said Ali Mochtar Ngabalin of the Crescent Star Party. The party's co-founder, Yuzril Ihza Mahendra, lost his cabinet position as state secretary in the reshuffle.
A questioning motion, known officially as an interpellation, needs a minimum of 13 legislator's signatures.
Lawmakers also warned the motion could lead to a House inquiry into the slow handling of the mudflow. The results of an inquiry could legally lead to the President's impeachment, though none of the House members questioned expressed such intentions.
Earlier, members of the Prosperous Justice Party, though supporting both questioning motions, had said they intended to keep the current government in power until the next general election in 2009.
Members of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Golkar and the National Awakening Party are also supporting the motion.
"The House should say to the government if the latter's explanation is found unacceptable. We do not need rhetoric but concrete actions to help ease the people's suffering," Djoko Susilo of PAN said.
Asked why they filed the interpellation motion one year after the mudflow displaced residents of 11 villages in Sidoarjo regency, Djoko and Ario Wijonarko of the PKB said one year was enough time for the House to determine the government had failed in handling the mudflow.
Denny Indrayana, a constitutional law expert, said while the motion could lead to an inquiry, leading the House to sue the President at the Constitutional Court, the latest motion would further reveal the high degree of politicking or commitment to public interest.
"The House should prove this motion was not a political drama to seek another deal with the President and the Vice President," he said.
©Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
While the House of Representatives has the right to question the President, it is a rare occurrence, although the mudflow motion comes on the heels of a similar move over Indonesia's support of UN sanctions on Iran over it's nuclear program.
The legislators denied that attempts to question Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the mudflow in East Java, which has affected thousands of residents and disrupted transportation, had political motives.
Since May 29 last year hot mud has been flowing from a drilling site owned by mining firm PT Lapindo Brantas Inc., controlled by the family of chief welfare minister Aburizal Bakrie.
Despite the controversy he kept his position in the recent cabinet reshuffle.
Lawmakers deny both questioning motions are related to disappointment with the reshuffle or the President's decision to send eight Cabinet members to answer the House on the Iran issue.
"Legislators are exercising their constitutional right for the people's interest. That is why the motion has won support from the major parties regardless of their political links to the government," said Ali Mochtar Ngabalin of the Crescent Star Party. The party's co-founder, Yuzril Ihza Mahendra, lost his cabinet position as state secretary in the reshuffle.
A questioning motion, known officially as an interpellation, needs a minimum of 13 legislator's signatures.
Lawmakers also warned the motion could lead to a House inquiry into the slow handling of the mudflow. The results of an inquiry could legally lead to the President's impeachment, though none of the House members questioned expressed such intentions.
Earlier, members of the Prosperous Justice Party, though supporting both questioning motions, had said they intended to keep the current government in power until the next general election in 2009.
Members of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Golkar and the National Awakening Party are also supporting the motion.
"The House should say to the government if the latter's explanation is found unacceptable. We do not need rhetoric but concrete actions to help ease the people's suffering," Djoko Susilo of PAN said.
Asked why they filed the interpellation motion one year after the mudflow displaced residents of 11 villages in Sidoarjo regency, Djoko and Ario Wijonarko of the PKB said one year was enough time for the House to determine the government had failed in handling the mudflow.
Denny Indrayana, a constitutional law expert, said while the motion could lead to an inquiry, leading the House to sue the President at the Constitutional Court, the latest motion would further reveal the high degree of politicking or commitment to public interest.
"The House should prove this motion was not a political drama to seek another deal with the President and the Vice President," he said.
©Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Every cloud has a silver lining
Thousands of mudflow victims block Indonesian roads
Thousands of victims of a mud volcano on Indonesia's Java island have blocked roads and railway tracks to protest against a parliamentary report that described the mudflow as a natural disaster. Some scientists say the mudflow in Sidoarjo regency, near the country's second biggest city, Surabaya, was caused by a gas drilling operation by PT Lapindo Brantas. Lapindo and PT Energi Mega Persada Tbk, which has a stake in Lapindo, dispute that the disaster, which started two days after a massive earthquake in Central Java, was caused by drilling. The report, prepared by parliamentarians assigned to monitor the handling of the mud flow, was due to be presented on Tuesday. Parts of the report, which were reported by local press over the weekend, describe the mud flow as a natural disaster.
"We will ease the blockade if it (parliament) calls it a human error, but we will stay here if parliament calls the mudflow a natural disaster," local villager Orasi Djoko said, while sitting in the middle of a overpass. Thousands of homes and factories have been submerged by the hot mud since it first started to erupt in May 2006, forcing about 15,000 people to abandon their homes. The government has tried several schemes to halt the flow, including dropping giant concrete balls into the crater, but the hot mud still spurts at a rate of 148,000 cubic metres a day. The blockade on the railway tracks prevented five trains from leaving the station, causing the railway operator to cancel all trips on Tuesday. "Tell the president we won't unblock the roads unless parliament's decision truly sides with us," said Bambang Kuswanto, whose house was inundated by foul-smelling mud.
The government ordered energy group Lapindo, which many people blame for the disaster, to pay 3.8 trillion rupiah in compensation to the victims and to cover the damage. Lapindo and PT Energi Mega Persada Tbk dispute whether Lapindo alone should shoulder the cost. The situation has also become a bigger embarrassment for the government since Energi is owned by the Bakrie Group, controlled by the family of chief social welfare minister, Aburizal Bakrie. The Bakrie family last year topped the Forbes' list for as the wealthiest in Indonesia.
Bron: Reuters
Thousands of victims of a mud volcano on Indonesia's Java island have blocked roads and railway tracks to protest against a parliamentary report that described the mudflow as a natural disaster. Some scientists say the mudflow in Sidoarjo regency, near the country's second biggest city, Surabaya, was caused by a gas drilling operation by PT Lapindo Brantas. Lapindo and PT Energi Mega Persada Tbk, which has a stake in Lapindo, dispute that the disaster, which started two days after a massive earthquake in Central Java, was caused by drilling. The report, prepared by parliamentarians assigned to monitor the handling of the mud flow, was due to be presented on Tuesday. Parts of the report, which were reported by local press over the weekend, describe the mud flow as a natural disaster.
"We will ease the blockade if it (parliament) calls it a human error, but we will stay here if parliament calls the mudflow a natural disaster," local villager Orasi Djoko said, while sitting in the middle of a overpass. Thousands of homes and factories have been submerged by the hot mud since it first started to erupt in May 2006, forcing about 15,000 people to abandon their homes. The government has tried several schemes to halt the flow, including dropping giant concrete balls into the crater, but the hot mud still spurts at a rate of 148,000 cubic metres a day. The blockade on the railway tracks prevented five trains from leaving the station, causing the railway operator to cancel all trips on Tuesday. "Tell the president we won't unblock the roads unless parliament's decision truly sides with us," said Bambang Kuswanto, whose house was inundated by foul-smelling mud.
The government ordered energy group Lapindo, which many people blame for the disaster, to pay 3.8 trillion rupiah in compensation to the victims and to cover the damage. Lapindo and PT Energi Mega Persada Tbk dispute whether Lapindo alone should shoulder the cost. The situation has also become a bigger embarrassment for the government since Energi is owned by the Bakrie Group, controlled by the family of chief social welfare minister, Aburizal Bakrie. The Bakrie family last year topped the Forbes' list for as the wealthiest in Indonesia.
Bron: Reuters
Every cloud has a silver lining
Thousands Of Mudflow Victims Block Indonesian Roads
Thousands of victims of a mud volcano on Indonesia's Java island blocked roads and railway tracks on Tuesday to protest against a parliamentary report that described the mudflow as a natural disaster. Some scientists say the mudflow in Sidoarjo regency, near the country's second biggest city, Surabaya, was caused by a gas drilling operation by PT Lapindo Brantas.
Lapindo and PT Energi Mega Persada Tbk, which has a stake in Lapindo, dispute that the disaster, which started two days after a massive earthquake in Central Java, was caused by drilling. The report, prepared by parliamentarians assigned to monitor the handling of the mud flow, was due to be presented on Tuesday. Parts of the report, which were reported by local press over the weekend, describe the mudflow as a natural disaster.
We will ease the blockade if it (parliament) calls it a human error, but we will stay here if parliament calls the mudflow a natural disaster," a local villager, Orasi Djoko, told Reuters, while sitting in the middle of a flyover. Thousands of homes and factories in an area four times the size of Monaco have been submerged by the hot mud since it first started to erupt in May 2006, forcing about 15,000 people to abandon their homes.
The government has tried several schemes to halt the flow, including dropping giant concrete balls into the crater, but the hot mud still spurts at a rate of 148,000 cubic metres a day.
Klik hier voor het hele artikel
©Planetark
Thousands of victims of a mud volcano on Indonesia's Java island blocked roads and railway tracks on Tuesday to protest against a parliamentary report that described the mudflow as a natural disaster. Some scientists say the mudflow in Sidoarjo regency, near the country's second biggest city, Surabaya, was caused by a gas drilling operation by PT Lapindo Brantas.
Lapindo and PT Energi Mega Persada Tbk, which has a stake in Lapindo, dispute that the disaster, which started two days after a massive earthquake in Central Java, was caused by drilling. The report, prepared by parliamentarians assigned to monitor the handling of the mud flow, was due to be presented on Tuesday. Parts of the report, which were reported by local press over the weekend, describe the mudflow as a natural disaster.
We will ease the blockade if it (parliament) calls it a human error, but we will stay here if parliament calls the mudflow a natural disaster," a local villager, Orasi Djoko, told Reuters, while sitting in the middle of a flyover. Thousands of homes and factories in an area four times the size of Monaco have been submerged by the hot mud since it first started to erupt in May 2006, forcing about 15,000 people to abandon their homes.
The government has tried several schemes to halt the flow, including dropping giant concrete balls into the crater, but the hot mud still spurts at a rate of 148,000 cubic metres a day.
Klik hier voor het hele artikel
©Planetark
