Archive for October, 2007
The Jakarta Post, Lebak, Banten
The remote Kanekes village in Banten, East Java, is filled with steep hills where sugar palm trees, bamboo and wild grass surround a small mountain trail.
This is the path leading to the village of the Badui people, an indigenous tribe that lives a strictly traditional life. The area is surrounded by rough mountainous terrain that requires considerable physical effort to trek through.
Despite the occasional extreme conditions, the Badui village is still an attractive tourist site.
“It can be rough if you’re not used to hiking though,” said Omin, a local guide to the Badui.
Omin makes his living mainly by taking tourists to the kampongs in Badui village while running a motorcycle taxi business in his spare time.
The Badui area covers more than 5,100 hectares of land and is separated into two parts, outer Badui and inner Badui with the closest inner Badui village of Cibeo 12 kilometers away from Ciboleger village. Both accept visitors cordially, but the outer area has more contact with outsiders and is thus more open to travelers.
The path to the Badui village starts in Ciboleger, a gateway to the Badui because of its proximity to Kadu Ketug, an outer Badui kampong. Ciboleger is a couple of hours’ drive away from the Rangkas Bitung turnpike exit.
On the way from Ciboleger to Kadu Ketug, stores selling souvenirs like songket (woven cloth), traditional bags made of tree bark, and grocery shops surround a steep but smooth path that leads to a big stone monument marked with a map of the Badui area. A nearby sign lists dos and don’ts for travelers and welcomes those entering Kadu Ketug, a relatively modern outer Badui kampong with 35 houses and shops that sell daily goods like coffee and cigarettes.
Some of their rules prohibit modern inventions like guitars, video cameras and sound recorders. One rule prohibits the use of soap and toothpaste in rivers.
All traces of modernity disappear past the big stone monument and all the brick houses and neon lights turn into small rattan walled huts and oil-filled lanterns.
Not too far from the monument is the house of Badui village chief Jaro Dainah. He is the liaison between the outside world and the Badui people. All travelers who want to enter the Badui villages must pay homage to him.
“All travelers must also pay homage to each kampong chief,” said Jaro Dainah.
Seventeen people have signed his guestbook this month and many of them have spent a night or two in his hut.
“We get a lot of visitors during the middle of the year, after or before that we just get occasional hikers and students,” he said.
His hut, like many other Badui huts, is a rumah panggung, a house built on wooden stilts placed on rocks or dug into the ground. Layers of thick bamboo shoots make up the floor that, according to Badui customs, must remain above the ground, while tiers of sugar palm leaves tied to the top of the wooden stilts act as the roof.
Further behind his house is a mountain trail leading into more Badui kampongs that can take a whole day to traverse. The Badui people live on a mountain in small homes surrounded by forests and small rice fields and they live independently from the outside world, although they occasionally venture out to other cities like Bandung and Jakarta to sell their handicrafts, brown sugar and honey. Even so, the Badui reject motorized vehicles as well as footwear and always move around barefoot while in the kampong.
Despite the challenging way of life, the Badui exude a tough but calm demeanor as portrayed by Jaro Saidi, chief of the Kadu Keteur kampong, who is also the leader of all kampong chiefs. The farmer — who claims to be 100 years old — looks like he is still in his 80s and is still going strong, something that he may have acquired from living the Badui lifestyle. (24)
Source: The Jakarta Post
October 22nd, 2007
SURABAYA - Festival Cak Durasim (FCD) VIII akan dihelat pada 10-17 November di Taman Budaya Jawa Timur (TBJT), Jalan Gentengkali. Beragam performing art akan ditampilkan dalam festival tahunan yang dimulai sejak 1999 tersebut. Di antaranya, tari tradisional dan kontemporer, teater, serta pembacaan puisi.
Penampil datang dari seluruh Provinsi Jatim. Di antaranya, Ponorogo, Tulungagung, Pacitan, dan Sidoarjo. Kota-kota lain di Indonesia seperti Bandung, Jakarta, Padang Panjang, dan Madiun juga ikut mengirimkan wakil. FCD tahun ini juga dimeriahkan penampilan empat taman budaya dari luar Jawa. “Bukan hanya dari perorangan dan taman budaya lho. Dinas Kebudayaan Jakarta dan Dinas Pariwisata Bandung ikut meramaikan juga,” ujar Arif Rofiq, penanggung jawab teknis FCD.
FCD juga menampilkan Kabaret Does, kelompok teater dari Suriname. Penata tari Miroto dari Jogjakarta unjuk kreasi. Penonton juga bakal disuguhi penampilan Teater Komunitas, gabungan aktor-aktor teater Surabaya. Mereka disutradarai Jujuk Prabowo, sutradara Teater Gandrik, Jogjakarta.(nar)
Source: Jawa Pos Online
October 19th, 2007
Jakarta - It is feared that an eruption of the Kelut volcano in East Java in Indonesia may be imminent. Tens of thousands of people have been advised to leave the area, but many are refusing to heed the warnings.
Kelut has become less active over the last 24 hours, but experts view this as an ominous sign. When the volcano last erupted in 1990, killing 34 people, the eruption was heralded by a period of inactivity.
The greatest danger during an eruption is thought to be a pyroclastic flow: a fast moving, super-heated cloud of gas, ash and rocks.
Source: http://www.radionetherlands.nl/
October 19th, 2007
Indonesian scientists have warned that an eruption is imminent at a smouldering volcano on Java island despite an apparent slowdown in seismic activity.
Mount Kelut in East Java was put on top alert on Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of about 116,000 people from the plains surrounding the peak.
One of the scientists monitoring activity, Kristanto, says there has been a reduction in volcanic activity over the last few hours, but that could in fact mean a dangerous situation ahead of an eruption.
He says a similar slowdown occurred three days ahead of Mount Kelut’s eruption in 1990, when 34 people were killed.
The volcanologist also says the temperature of water in the volcano’s 15-metre deep crater has reached nearly 38 degrees Celsius.
He says it was 40 degrees before the 1990 eruption.
Source: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/
October 19th, 2007
SURABAYA - Upaya revitalisasi beberapa taman di sudut-sudut kota tak cuma mempercantik wajah Surabaya. Upaya itu juga bisa menawarkan tempat wisata alternatif bagi warga kota.
Tiap-tiap taman tersebut memang menawarkan keunikan tersendiri. Misalnya, Taman Prestasi. Dengan Rp 2 ribu, orang bisa melihat salah satu sudut Kalimas. Pengunjung juga dapat mengajak anaknya menikmati berbagai wahana permainan. Misalnya, monumen pesawat B-25.
Taman Bungkul di Raya Darmo juga tak kalah asyik. Saat malam minggu, taman itu berubah ramai. Pengunjung memang tak hanya disuguhi wahana permainan. Namun, menonton aktivitas orang lain pun sudah asyik. “Cocok untuk mengajak anak-anak sekaligus menyegarkan pikiran,” kata Indra Zamroni, pria asli Lebak Arum yang kini bermukim di Nganjuk.
Salah satu yang kerap menjadi jujugan adalah Taman Flora di Manyar. Selain itu, berbagai taman yang baru dibangun tersebut menawarkan tempat asyik untuk sekadar berfoto, misalnya. (nar)
Source: Jawa Pos Online
October 18th, 2007
This update is prepared by the UN Humanitarian/Resident Coordinator’s Office in Jakarta based on the information provided by the National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Management (BAKORNAS PB), the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), and media reports.
SITUATION
1. On 16 October 2007 at 18:00 hrs, the Directorate for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Management in Bandung, West Java Province, raised the alert status of Kelud Volcano to the highest Level 4. This indicates that an eruption is imminent. Mount Kelud is located approximately 90 kilometres southwest of Surabaya in East Java.
2. The Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indoensia – PMI) reported that the number of shallow volcanic tremors has increased from 11 on 14 October to 306 yesterday. The temperature of water in the crater has increased from 36o C on 15 October to 37.8o C on 16 October.
3. BAKORNAS PB reported that the local authorities in Kediri and Blitar Districts commenced the evacuation of 116,736 people residing within the radius 10 km from the volcano’s crater. The order was issued at 1900hrs on 16 October to the residents of four sub-districts in Kediri (Ngancar, Plosok Klaten, Puncu, and Kepung) and three sub-districts in Blitar (Nglegok, Garung, and Gondosari). The evacuees are being relocated to schools, religious buildings, plantation areas and other facilities prepared by the local government located within 10 km radius from the crater.
4. Indonesian media reported that the eruption of Mt. Kelud may affect as many as 290,000 people. This number includes 251,622 residents in ten sub-districts of the Blitar district (Talun, Nglegok, Gandusari, Garum, Ponggok, Srengat, Udanawu, Sanankulon, Wonodadi, and Kanigoro) and 38,170 people in four sub-districts of the Kediri district (Ngancar, Plosoklaten, Pundu, and Kepung).
NATIONAL RESPONSE
1. BAKORNAS PB deployed one Deputy and two staff to the vicinity of Mt. Kelud two weeks ago to strengthen coordination mechanisms and cooperation with the local authorities. Another BAKORNAS team is to be deployed on 17 October.
2. SATKORLAK PB East Java Province has already established command posts in Blitar and Kediri districts.
3. Department of Social Affairs has prepared 100 tons of rice at each district level and 200 tons rice at provincial level. Tents for public kitchen, clothing, ready-to-eat meals for IDPs, and 1.5 tons baby food supplement have also been prepared for distribution.
4. Department of Health has mobilized 50 medical doctors and 50 medical staff for 41 medical services in Kediri and Blitar with the support from the community health posts (Puskesmas). 100,000 masks have also been distributed in Kediri, Blitar and Malang districts. 50 medical doctors have been prepared and deployed in Blitar and Kediri.
5. Department of Public Works has built 135 ‘pockets’ through six rivers to manage the flow of some 21.3 million cubic meters of volcanic materials. Bulldozers were also put on stand by.
6. PMI Kediri Branch has mobilized 100 volunteers to assist in the evacuation and mobilized one truck with ten SATGANA (Disaster Response Teams) with equipment. In Blitar, PMI dispatched five platoon tents, mobilized two operational vehicles and one truck and put 15 personnel and 50 more volunteers on stand by. In Malang, PMI put 30 SATGANA and their equipment on stand by.
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
1. The Government of Indonesia has not issued a request for international assistance at this stage.
2. The United Nations is considering sending a small team from WFP and UNICEF Surabaya field offices to assess the situation and advise on gaps and priority needs.
3. The UN HC/RC Office is closely monitoring the situation with pertinent Government and non-government institutions including the Indonesian Red Cross.
Source: http://www.reliefweb.int/
October 18th, 2007
Jakarta - Government authorities warned residents living in the danger zones of Mount Kelud in Indonesia’s crowded East Java on Sunday of possible danger activity by one of the world’s dangerous volcanoes, local media reports said.
Local authorities in East Java’s district of Kediri said dozens of military soldiers and police officers have been readied to evacuate residents following the raising of Mount Kelud’s alert status to level three.
‘The frequency of the tremors and crater’s temperature of Mount Kelud volcano had continued to increase since Saturday,’ said Umar Rosadi, head of the emergency response team from nearby Kediri district, about 600 kilometres south-east of Jakarta.
Rosadi said activity at Mount Kelud had increased in the past several days, adding that local government officials had spread leaflets advising residents to be ready to evacuate.
Vulcanologists issued recommendations for nearby residents, including a call that they should not conduct any activity in areas within 5-kilometres from its crater.
Deputy chief of Ngancar subdistrict military command Lieutenant Sukana told the state-run Antara news agency that 70 troops had been mobilized to help evacuate about 24,000 residents of six villages in danger zones.
The 1,731-metre volcano’s most recent eruption was in 1990, when at least 22 people were killed.
Indonesia has the highest density of volcanoes in the world, with 500 located in a so-called ‘Belt of Fire,’ along the 5,000-kilometre wide archipelago nation. Of those, 128 are considered active and 65 - including Mount Kelud - are considered dangerous.
Source: http://news.monstersandcritics.com
October 10th, 2007
INDONESIA:Ă‚Â CGGVeritas seismic vessel M/V Duke is likely to complete the Wortel 2-D seismic survey in the Santos-operated Sampang PSC off East Java, Indonesia, towards end of this week.Ă‚Â The 395-kilometre (245 mile) survey is designed to provide additional infill seismic information on the Wortel gas discovery and three adjacent exploration leads prior to a drilling campaign scheduled for next year.
Santos has chartered Apexindo jackup Rani Woro for appraisal and exploration drilling in the area. The data acquired will help in locating the Wortel-3 appraisal well, which is scheduled for the first half of 2008, and in developing potentially drillable locations for exploration wells later in 2008, partner.
Wortel is about seven kilometres (4 miles) west of the Oyong field, where oil production recently began.Ă‚Â Santos operates the Sampang PSC with a 45 percent stake.Ă‚Â Partners are Singapore Petroleum Co. with 40 percent interest and Cue with 15 percent interest.Source: http://www.energycurrent.com
October 10th, 2007
JAKARTA (AFP) — Indonesian officials and volunteers pitched tents and assembled evacuation vehicles Friday amid fears that a volcano in densely populated East Java could soon erupt, local officials there said.
“We are setting up a number of tents in Karang Rejo village located some 10 kilometres (six miles) from the crater in case of eruption,” local official Tri Setyoko told AFP.
Setyoko added that more than 30 off-road vehicles were also ready to evacuate residents if activity at simmering Mount Kelut escalated further.
Residents were advised last Sunday to maintain a five-kilometre safety zone around the 1,731-metre (5,712-feet) peak and told to prepare to evacuate at the first sign of any eruption.
Evacuation drills were held in the area on Thursday.
Agung Budianto, a volcanologist monitoring Mount Kelut, said a minor volcanic tremor early Friday indicated that magma was starting to push towards the crater’s surface, but it was not a significant shift yet, he said.
Based on current conditions, the volcanology office would maintain its current alert at the third of a four-tier system, he added.
A fourth tier alert means an eruption could be imminent.
Mount Kelut last blew in 1990. The volcano has claimed more than 15,000 lives since 1500, including around 10,000 when it erupted in 1568.
Although its immediate slopes are sparsely inhabited, the peak is a popular domestic tourist destination and it is located on a heavily populated plain.
Source: http://afp.google.com/article
October 9th, 2007
Villagers living near Indonesia’s Mount Kelud volcano in East Java province are bracing for a possible eruption.
News reports Sunday said many people have evacuated their homes near the mountain, which has shown signs of increasing activity in recent days. Locals are relying on dams in area water sources to protect their homes from lava, floods, and the flow of debris.
A 1919 eruption killed some 5,000 people, mostly by mudflow. The most recent eruption was in 1990.
Source: http://www.voanews.com
October 8th, 2007
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