It's time to relocate residents

Jakarta, NU Online
Indonesia’s Former President KH Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid urged the government to immediately relocate the residents being victims a result of hot mudflow when the Lapindo Brantas company drilled a 3.2 km deep exploratory well looking for natural gas. According to Gus Dur, the relocation was really important to avoid people’s anger.

“I think, it’s not important anymore to conduct any efforts in stopping the two cases (hot mudflow and explosion of a gas pipeline). That (relocation) is more important than others,” he told reporters at the NU office, Jalan Kramat Raya, Jakarta, Monday (27/11).

While, the Executive Board of the Labor Party urged the government to take over the responsibility in handling the Lapindo mud case.

"The government should take over the responsibility by declaring the case as a national disaster," General Chairman of the Labor Party Muctar Pakpahan said here on Monday.

Anything relating to the disaster is actually under the government’s responsibility including the compensation for  houses and land inundated by the mud.

As said by Bakrie Group's Boss Nirwan D Bakrie, the disaster victims could feel the government’s responsibility. As to the cost and other matters, the government could file a claim to PT Lapindo Brantas.

The Sidoarjo mud flow is an ongoing eruption of gas and mud from the earth in the subdistrict of Porong, Sidoarjo in East Java, Indonesia. It is considered to be a mud volcano. It appears that the flow will continue for an undetermined amount of time. So far, all efforts to stop the flow have failed. (rif)