Puan Asks For The Deployment Of TNI Ships For The Distribution Of Lewotobi Eruption Victims

Tents of refugees from the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) (doc BNPB)

JAKARTA - DPR Speaker Puan Maharani asked the Government to focus on continuing the evacuation and rescue process for victims of the Mount Lewotobi Laki eruption disaster in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Puan hopes that the evacuation process can be carried out optimally.

"We ask the Government to focus on efforts to evacuate and rescue victims and ensure that their basic needs are met," said Puan Maharani, Wednesday, November 13.

"In the evacuation process, mobilize all resources including the SAR team around the location," continued the first woman to serve as Chair of the DPR RI.

Puan also asked the Government to ensure the basic needs of displaced victims continue to be available. Such as clean water, beds, food, medicine drinks, to needs for the elderly and children, as well as pregnant and lactating women.

"Given the difficult terrain, the government needs to use various facilities to evacuate and distribute aid, including maximizing the TNI ships," said Puan.

According to the TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, TNI troops will be deployed to carry out emergency response at the location of the Mount Lewotobi Male eruption. The troops sent to Flores were troops that were previously sent to help victims of the trami typhoon or tropical storm Christians in the Philippines in the Task Force (Satgas) for Humanitarian Disaster Management Operations.

The TNI will cooperate with the Ministry of Social Affairs, BNPB, Regional Governments and related agencies by making field kitchens and providing health facilities. According to Puan, in addition to the troops deployed, the TNI can also help distribute aid materials by TNI ships.

"Take advantage of the sea route for the distribution of aid and evacuation because by air it is still difficult. Including what the Pelni ship did when helping evacuate tourists from Labuan Bajo," he explained.

Lewotobi Male eruption occurred after the mountain experienced an increase in volcanic activity from Wednesday (23/10) to Sunday (3/11). Until this morning, the eruption continued to occur with an eruption column height of 2,000 meters above the crater. The eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki killed 9 people and several residents were injured.

Puan also encouraged the Government to prepare a complete assistance post for affected residents. Moreover, some of the displaced residents have livestock such as cows who are still at their homes.

"Make sure the community's needs can also be accommodated. When residents have to return home, officers must be able to ensure conditions are safe," said Puan.

"The government must be able to facilitate so that the rights of residents affected by the eruption can be fulfilled properly. In particular, it is the right to security and health of citizens," he continued.

The volcanic eruption disaster can cause respiratory infection disease or an acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) disease. This disease has been experienced by refugees due to being affected by volcanic ash and lack of masks.

Puan asked the government to send aid immediately via TNI aircraft or ships because commercial flights had many cancellations.

"The government must record with what details are lacking and needed by the refugees so that they can be met immediately considering that access to NTT via flight is still constrained," said Puan.

Currently, the refugees due to the eruption disaster have reached 11,553 people. The refugees are spread across eight refugee points. Puan advised that the needs of displaced communities must be considered in various aspects.

"Health facilities must definitely exist in every evacuation post. It is also important that there is handling from the psychological side of residents by providing trauma healing facilitators," he said.

For handling long-term disasters, Puan asked the Government to mitigate what infrastructure is needed in disaster-prone areas. According to him, the construction of earthquake-resistant houses for affected residents must be followed by good quality.

"There are already plans for the relocation of the refugees after the eruption subsides. Earthquake-resistant houses that will be built for residents must of course have good quality and not carelessly," said Puan.

In addition, Puan also reminded the Government to ensure that children's education rights remain guaranteed. The East Flores government itself has stated that all schools in its area must accept refugee students from the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki.

Puan assessed that the Government could also prepare teacher assistance for students who were in refugee camps.

"To maximize education services for children who are victims of the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Male, the Government can facilitate the presence of educators at every evacuation point so that students are not left behind in lessons," explained Bung Karno's grandson.