Getting To Know Galang Batam Island, A Reference Location For Humanitarian Problems

Galang Batam Island (djkn.kemenkeu.go.id)

YOGYAKARTA Galang Batam Island has become a conversation again. The reason is, President Prabowo gave directions to help treat 2,000 Gazans on Galang Island. This is not the first time Galang Island has been involved in solving such humanitarian problems.

Previously, Galang Island was also a quarantine location for COVID-19 sufferers until it was proposed as a shelter for Rohing refugees. In fact, long before that, the island was used as a shelter location for dozens of Vietnamese boatmen in May 1975.

Galang Island is an area that has an area of approximately 80 hectares. The island administratively entered Galang District, Batam City area, Riau Islands province. To get to Batam City, residents of Galang Island must travel as far as 7 kilometers through a bridge that is a liaison between islands.

The history of Galang Island is also quite long. In the Dutch colonial era, the island will once be used as a rubber planting ground. However, the plan was not realized properly because of the entry of Japan.

In a book entitled GALANG ISLAND: FACE OF HUMANISM INDONESIA, it is explained that at the end of 1945 Galang Island was used as a shelter for Japanese soldiers before being returned to his country. The selection of Galang Island as a human shelter was carried out because it was close to Singapore.

One of the historical events involving Galang was when the island was used as a refugee camp for Vietna. In the 1980s, the island was used as a destination for Vietnamese refugees due to civil war that occurred in their country.

The Vietnamese refugees occupied Galang Island from 1979 to 1996. The number of refugees is also quite large because it reaches 250,000 people.

The name Galang Island resurfaced in the era of President Jokowi, precisely when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Indonesia. At that time the Government decided to build a hospital on Galang Island to accommodate and treat patients infected with the virus.

At that time, the Indonesian government built a Corona Special Emergency Hospital (RS) with a budget of Rp. 400 billion. At that time, the hospital was said to be able to accommodate 1,000 patients.

Most recently, the government plans to change Galang Island as a location to accommodate and care for Gazans who are victims of war. Even President Prabowo has given directions regarding this matter.

Head of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO) Hasan Nasbi explained that the government plans to provide assistance to treat around 2,000 Gazans who were injured in the war.

"Regarding Gaza, yesterday's President also gave directions for Indonesia to provide medical assistance to around 2,000 Gazans who were victims of war. Those who were injured, may be hit by bombs, ruins, and all kinds of things," Hasan said as quoted by Antara, Friday, August 8.

That's information regarding Galang Island Batam. Visit VOI.id to get other interesting information.