A tired Suliyani cradles her screaming daughter, rocking her back and forth in an attempt to soothe the 3 ½ year old’s pain. Dewi has trouble breathing between her cries, and a insufferably itchy rash covers each inch of her body. Dewi is ill because her family’s well, from which they drink, bathe and cook, has become polluted with chemicals from the rising hot mud flows. The wells of 4663 other residents in their village of Mindi have also become tainted, causing a situation so severe that Indonesian medical NGO, MER-C have been called in to treat hundreds of sick residents like Dewi.

Mindi is only a stone’s throw from the center of the Lapindo mud flow. Since 2007, hundreds of dangerous gas bubbles have appeared within and surrounding the village.

‘The gas bubbles begun to appear after BPLS made the dam and covered the mud with land last year,’ recalls Mislan, head of Mindi village. After he noticed the gas bubbles, Mislan sent a report to the Health Department on October 24th, 2007, alerting the authorities of the gas and decreasing water quality, but he is yet to receive a response.

“Around the dam there are many more gas bubbles, if you set them alight, they spray fire”, says Mr Casiyono, 58 yrs, head of the no.10 neighbourhood in Mindi. To prove his point, Casiyono takes a match to a well in front of Dewi’s house, and sure enough flames appear instantly, coupled with a stinging smell of rotten eggs.

“At night, the smell is worse, it often hurts to breathe” he continues.

Dewi’s parents, her two brothers and their neighbour Mr Arif have all suffered from the itchy rash, but Dewi condition is the most serious. Her parents are unable to take her to the doctors, because they do not have a health card and Djuari’s Rp 50 000 (AU$7) daily wage is not enough to pay for treatment.

 It is barely enough for his family to survive.
“We don’t have any cash, our everyday food is sometimes not enough' Djuari explains.

Last week, Dewi’s condition was finally inspected by NGO MER-C, the medical emergency rescue committee, who have set up a health clinic in the center of the village. Dewi was given free medicine for her rash.

Since November 26 the four-men MER-C team (unpaid volunteers) have attended to the medical needs of Mindi locals. According to their recorded data, 91 patients were assisted on their first day, with at least 26 complaints of itchy rashes and shortness in breath. On the second day, 118 patients were checked, with many suffering from the same symptoms. Most came from neighborhoods no 10, 15 and 17.

Currently BPLS is supplying communal water tanks for the residents on Mindi, but the amounts are not enough. Families need water for cooking, cleaning, drinking and bathing. When the tanks cannot provide for the needs, residents continue to use the dangerous water from their contaminated wells.

“Sometimes we only get one jerrycan of water. Usually we buy water as well. A jerrycan of water costs Rp 1200”, explains Djuari. Most the water that is bought by Djuari is used to wash Dewi, forcing him to use contaminated supplies for other activities.  

Djuari says he was given no warning about the water and has not received any assistance.

The walls in his simple home are cracking, and regularly, the house floods with water. At night his family is left to breathe the dangerous fumes of the Lapindo mud flow and wait for the mud to take whats left of their health and home.

[Photo & Text: Erin G)