Coordinating Minister For Human Development And Culture And Head Of BNPB Leave For Disaster Affected District In Central Papua Tonight

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy (right) accompanied by the Head of BNPB Lt. Gen. Suharyanto (right) saw disaster relief for Vanuatu in Soetta, Monday 8 May 2023. (Between Photos-Muhammad Iqbal)

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy and Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Lt. Gen. Suharyanto will go to the location of the drought and hunger disaster in Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province.

"The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture and we will come there tonight," said Suharyanto in Yogyakarta, Tuesday, July 1, quoted by Antara.

Suharyanto said direct visits to Puncak Regency were to determine the condition of the disaster-affected communities so that they could map out medium and long-term handling in the area.

"Ensure that there is actually a problem. In the short term, we have provided assistance to 6,000 refugees," he said.

Until now, Suharyanto said the central government had sent assistance including 50 tons of rice, a three-unit trail motorbike, 3,000 packages of ready-to-eat food, including tents, mattresses, blankets, and other items.

He guaranteed that the basic needs of 6,000 refugees in areas affected by drought and hunger in Puncak Regency were met.

"Basic needs, we make sure the daily needs are met," he said.

Suharyanto admitted that the logistics distribution process for drought and hunger to the two affected districts, namely Agandugume and Lambewi, was not easy because of the terrain that was traversed.

In addition, he said, it is not uncommon for logistics distribution by air to the two districts in Puncak Regency to be disturbed by armed criminal groups (KKB).

"But the TNI has gone down, the Ministry of Social Affairs has also gone down, hopefully, the presence of me and the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture tomorrow will arrive there and we can find the essence of the problem," he said.

To ensure the safety of the refugees in the long term, said Suharyanto, BNPB in collaboration with the TNI/Polri will place personnel at one designated location.

"Later on in collaboration with the TNI/Polri there, whether they will be placed in one point so that the security is guaranteed to eat later the answer will be after we review the field in detail," he said.

Suharyanto added that his visit agenda with the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture will reach a number of location points in Puncak Regency taking into account the security situation at that location.

"To the point that we can reach by taking into account security factors of course," said Suharyanto.