Those Who Are Forced To Miss The Homeland In The Middle Of The COVID-19 Pandemic

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many people to endure longing to meet their families on Eid Al-Fitr. The plan that had been prepared since last month to gather with family and relatives back home had to be canceled because they did not want to become carriers of the virus.

Ria Rizki is one of them. This 25-year-old woman who works as a private employee admitted that she actually planned to go home to this year's Lebaran moment. It's just that, fate said differently. Due to the spread of COVID-19, he was forced to endure longing to meet his parents.

"This year I did not come home on Lebaran Day. Not because of work. But because of COVID-19 and because of the ban," Ria said when chatting with VOI via text message on the night of the takbiran, Saturday, May 23.

He even said that he was waiting for the moment of Eid Al-Fitr to be able to return to his hometown in Bandung. Moreover, although the distance from Jakarta to Bandung is not too far, due to his busy schedule, he has never returned to his homeland since the beginning of the year. So, this time Eid was felt very hard because he could not meet his parents.

"I have not returned home from the beginning of 2020. This means that it has been four months that I have not been able to hug mom and dad directly," he said.

Because of the spread of COVID-19, he could not enjoy the special foods of Eid. In fact, even though he didn't come home on the first day of Eid, in the previous year he could still taste Mother's cooking in the midst of the victory day. "Even though from the beginning of the year I had imagined how the taste of the typical Eid food made by mama," he said.

During the last fasting month, Ria often cried when her mother said she missed her and wanted her to come home. However, due to government restrictions and understanding that the spread of COVID-19 was still happening, he finally chose to stay in Jakarta instead of going home and bringing the virus to his family in Bandung, West Java.

"Just refrain from going home. Hold back from homesickness. It's okay, the important thing is that my family is protected from the spread of the virus. Hopefully this pandemic will also be over quickly. I miss Mom's hugs and cooking," said Ria.

Even though she admits that she is resigned, Ria admits that she is often emotional when she hears that there are residents from Jabodetabek who are cat and mouse with the security authorities to be able to return to their hometowns. For him, those who are desperate to go home are selfish.

"For example, those who come home because there really are no jobs here, yes, I understand. But if it's just for the Eid gathering. It's selfish," he said.

"I'm just holding back here. Lo, instead of going home," he said as he finished the conversation.

The same story also emerged from Teatrika. This 24-year-old woman usually goes home to her grandmother's house in Bandung, West Java during Eid. However, this year he resigned that he could not Eid with his extended family because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Teatrika admitted that she was sad because this year's Eid Al-Fitr felt different. "This year, I only videocalled with my mom and dad. Continue to give gifts to my grandmother because I can't go back to my hometown. It's so different, sad too. Eid isn't like Eid," he said.

This woman who works in the media sector even admits that this is the first time for her not being able to celebrate Eid with her extended family. Remember, every year he always goes home. However, this sadness did not last. This is because his younger siblings and brothers live with him in Jakarta. "So it's not lonely very wide," he said.

Although he admitted that he was slightly entertained by the presence of his younger siblings, Teatrika admitted that he was annoyed when he heard that there were people who had violated government regulations to go home to their hometowns.

"Overall, they seem to be ignorant about bringing the virus to the regions. In fact, just follow the government's advice. The conditions are like this too. Dear families, don't let them get exposed to the virus because of us," said Teatrika.

Dewi Nurita, 24 years old, also shared sadness. This private worker from Padang, West Sumatra admits that he is planning to return to his hometown after three years of wandering and never going home

It's just that, fate said differently. Due to the virus that killed 1,351 people, Dewi is now forced to live in a boarding house.

"The plan was canceled and I was Lebaran myself at the boarding house. Like the previous years," he said.

During Eid al-Fitr like now, he admits that what he misses the most is eating ketupat and rendang with his extended family. But, he was lucky that the longing could be relieved a little.

Because, when they found out that Dewi was not going home, a number of her friends immediately sent food in the form of ketupat and other complementary side dishes on the night of the takbiran. "Even though it is Eid al-Fitr, I still feel the food like at home. But the Eid prayers, it is still different because it is with the boarding house's family. Not my own family," he said.

Previously reported, long before the month of Ramadan, President Joko Widodo made a decision to prohibit people from returning to their hometowns in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in various regions. After taking this policy, Jokowi ordered his ranks to prepare for the ban and its impact in the future.

"At this meeting I would like to convey that we will prohibit all homecoming. Therefore, preparations related to this are being prepared," Jokowi said when opening a limited meeting to discuss public anticipation which was broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Tuesday, April 21. .

This policy, according to Jokowi, was taken after the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) conducted a survey of public interest in carrying out homecoming. He claims, as many as 68 percent of the community admits that they will not go home, 7 percent have returned to their hometowns, and the remaining 24 percent still want to go home from overseas.

"From the survey results of the Ministry of Transportation, it was conveyed that 68 percent did not go home, 24 percent insisted on going home, 7 percent had gone home. This means that there is still a large number of 24 percent earlier," said Jokowi.

In addition, this policy was also taken after seeing that social assistance and basic food assistance had been distributed, and Pre-Work Card assistance had been realized for people affected by COVID-19.

However, this prohibition was not followed by all people. Because, in the field, a number of practices to take travelers to the village in secret are also still happening.

In addition, the police also noted that during Operation Ketupat 2020 there were 68,946 travelers who were forced to return to their areas of origin because they were desperate to return to their hometowns amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.