The Livelihoods of Lapindo Mudflow Victims

The mudflow has devastated not only buildings and land, but the livelihood of its victims. While most are informal sector workers, their losses haven't been recognized, let alone compensated by the Lapindo Company. And in order to cover daily expenses, people will do anything to survive in this unbearably tough situation. This is the story of how the victims of the Lapindo mudflow try to continue making a living and survive.

The sun shone hot that day. Sunaji (35 yrs) gathered unbroken bricks among remnants of his house in RT 13 RW 03 Renokenongo. His oldest son, Arif Baliyah (6th grader) played not far from him.

The land in his village has sunk one meter deep, and after two years continues to sink, as mud spills from the earth, caused by an drilling accident by PT Lapindo Brantas Inc. The result is total devastation. Gradually, the houses in Renokenongo village are collapsing.

Sunaji is racing against the mud. The choice is bitterly simple, either wait for the mud to bring down his house, or do it by himself. He'll get nothing if the mud wins. While it is tough to tear down the house he built with his own bare hands, he can make use of the remnants; the clay rooftop, bricks, door frames, irons, etc, by selling them.

Despite the simplicity of the choice, Sunaji took a long time to come to the decision. Two years of useless and painful waiting and struggling, in expectation of a promised house in replacement from the company, has settled it. He's torn his house apart.

Countless times, Lapindo has promised to pay the 20 percent advance payment according to Presidential Regulation 14/2007. The last promise by the company Lapindo was to pay by the 26th next month. A promise that brings no hope for Sunaji, after too many empty promises.

"Irresponsible, always empty promises," says Sunaji in Javaneese. "I want to cry if I think about it," he tells with watery eyes.

Government, local or central both know perfectly well that Lapindo keeps breaking their promises, but they don't seem bothered by complaints from victims such as Sunaji.

With Lebaran (Muslim holy day) coming and the increase spending that follows, Sunaji has lowered the degree of his work. He used to be a builder, now he destroys houses; from the rubble he gathers any useful and saleable materials.

"Used bricks go for Rp 150 k per thousand, iron Rp120/kilo," explains Sunaji.

***

Sutrisno aka Bagong, another Renokenongo village resident has experienced the same fate, forced to become a used bricks collector.

It has been a different ordeal for Sutrisno. Three days after the mud started to flow on June 2nd, 2006, his wife, Gamtina delivered their second child in a village hall, then transformed into a refuge. To commemorate the event, Sutrisno named him Alfindo Muhammad Khoiru Zakki, using Alfindo as a reminder of Lapindo.

Sutrisno house has already crumbled and his wife can no longer work. They used to have a small silver craft business, which collapsed together with their house. Lapindo compensated big companies for losses caused by the mud, but smaller industries like his received nothing whatsoever.

After being jobless for a while, and out of the necessity to cover living expenses, Sutrisno decided to collect used material and sell it to traders.

Renokenongo village lies adjacent to Surabaya-Gempol toll road, which has now transformed into a ghost village.

Residents from viillages next to the Surabaya-Malang highway such as Siring, Jatirejo and Kedungbendo, also tell of differing tragic stories, and not receiving retributions.

Because it is next to the highway, passerbys curious of the Lapindo mud flow visit the site through the door of these three villages, mostly Siring and Jatirejo. They climb the 10 meter height dyke to witness the unprecedented disaster: a man made mud lake as far as eyes can see, underneath, the villages and everything within them.

For some victims who have lost their jobs, this has brought a opportunity for alternative income, by offering Ojek (motorbike taxi) services for visitors to tour around the mud lake.

Their average daily income is a maximum Rp50 k. This job is the last option, not wanting to become beggars. They don't have literacy, anything. Villages, houses, paddy fields, jobs, all gone because of the mud. Become Ojek driver is the least they can do to make a living, because they aware of the danger of daily exposure of gasses spew with the mud.

Ahmad Novik, Jatirejo village residence, is one of them. He used to work as Ojek driver, but after managing to get a new job in a glass shop, he happily quit the Ojek job.

"I can get income, although very limited. Its sad for those who don't have any work, and must become Ojek drivers," he says sympathetically. About 200 hundreds Ojek driver now still operate.

***

The Renokenongo village residents who still dwell in Pasar Baru Porong refugee camp, (and who also remain uncompensated), have different ways of making a living.

Some sell Rujak (mix salad like Javanese food), like Sapi'iyah (45 yrs) did.

"Its barely enough to buy spices; the profit from selling Rujak is very limited?" said Rustam, Mak Pik (friendly calling of Sapi'iyah's) husband. "The most I get is Rp100 k, that's from two days selling Rujak" explained Mak Pik. For Rp 100 k income, she spends Rp 75 k buying the ingredients.

"We have little belongings, which are almost gone, because we keep seling them to cover daily expenses. And this business is helping a little bit. Others are more pitiable, due to no jobs, they have to cover their daily expenses by taking a debt" tells Rustam thoughtfully.

Besuki village residents, seek refuge in the abandoned Surabaya-Gempol toll road and have their own difficulties. This village is the latest impacted by the mud, since February 2008, after the dyke broke. According to the Presidential Regulation 48/2008 (revised version of those 14/2007), their assets (land, building and paddyfields) will be purchased by government, using tax payer money.

But this is still yet to materialize.

Like others, Besuki village residents have lost everything, houses, paddy fields and jobs. One of them is Mashudi, which lost his small cigarette making business. The cottage industry named HD Bersaudara Jaya and employed 25 workers.

"All are Besuki villagers," said Mashudi.

Mashudi managed to relocate his workshop, but business is not as good as previously when they still operated in Besuki village. He unfortunately, has had to reduce the number of workers in his business to keep it running.

For these who lost their jobs, they have to make a bitter choice. To survive this very difficult situation, they have to beg or charge a toll to passerbys seeking alternative routes from the heavily clogged Surabaya-Malang highway.

But these activities are forbidden by Sidoarjo police force. "No begging and charging," said Andi Suyatno (20 yrs) one of Besuki village youth, "The police chief came and stopped the villagers beggers. Maybe they were ashamed," he concluded.

***

For Sunaji, Sutrisno, Mak Pik, and tens of thousands others Lapindo victims, life will continue to be tough for years to come, as long as the company keep dodging their responsibility while the government seems practically powerless against the company.

[mam/re/win]

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