Coordinating Minister For Human Development And Culture Has Not Been Able To Confirm Victims Died Due To Starvation Disasters In Yahukimo

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy. (ANTARA/Asep Firmansyah)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy has not been able to confirm the news that 23 people died from hunger in Yahukimo, Papua Mountains.

"So we can't confirm that he really died of hunger," said Coordinating Minister Muhadjir at a press conference on the handling of hunger at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, Jakarta, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, October 25.

Previously, it was reported that 23 people died from hunger in Amuma District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Mountains, due to crop failure as a result of the extreme weather that hit the area.

Based on the explanation of the Yahukimo Regent, said Coordinating Minister Muhadjir, there is no evidence that they died from hunger. The reason is that on a time basis, the dozens of residents who died were quite long from February to October.

"This means that there is no connection, there is no evidence that it has anything to do with hunger," said Coordinating Minister Muhadjir.

However, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture did not deny that there was a food crisis in 13 villages in Amuma District, Yahukimo, as a result of crop failure.

The food crisis, he admitted, left 15 thousand people affected by hunger. To overcome the hunger disaster, he said, the government immediately sent aid to overcome the food crisis in Amuma District.

"That's why we will supply (assistance). If it was true earlier, it was caused by hunger, yes, this could be a solution for us to immediately prepare sufficient food," said Coordinating Minister Muhadjir.

Previously, BNPB Chairman Lt. Gen. Suharyanto said the assistance to be sent was in the form of 20 tons of rice, 10 thousand packs of ready-to-eat food, 10 thousand packs of protein biscuits, and an operational budget of Rp. 1 billion.