-Updated on October 6th, 2009-Did you get any SMS regarding the donation to Sumatera?
The SMS turned out to be a hoax..
I don't understand why some people love to use this kind of condition for their benefit, what do they get from it anyway?
I hope that this kind of thing, the disaster that happened recently.. will bring us closer to God and as a country, we can build a stronger bond, a great unity.(^^,)*
It is said that there's a discrimination on the food aid distribution. The Chinese and minority aren't allowed to get food and were forced to buy them. And their store were also robbed, gasoline were also sold for 30 thousand rupiahs per liter, only for Chinese.
It is said that the SMS was sent by someone whose family also a victim of the disaster that happened in Sumatera.
I don't know whether the message is true or not. It is always a sensitive issue when it comes to race, religions & things like that. I hope we all won't get provoked because we still don't know what really happen there.
Today's Jawa Pos also have an article regarding this SMS. Director of Padang Express, Sutan Zaili Asril, said, on his 4 days observation, the evacuation for the victim in Pondok China is a bit slow. This probably what has cause the issue on the discrimination, about unfair help distribution in some places, including the China Town (Pecinan).
He said that this is because of bad management and incompetent staff on the field.
And again, we don't know which one that is true.
And of course, people (the local government maybe) are really concerned about this.. they're also afraid if the foreign volunteers will stop whatever help they're giving (fund, food, aid or people) and went away because of this issue.
Well, we are all victims, no matter what color our skin are, what we believe, etc.. we all are suffering. Help should be given fairly. You are afraid if the foreigners might stop their donation, it can be said that you're afraid other countries will stop caring and help you.. but if this SMS is really true, how could you expect other people be nice to you while you're not nice too?
Oh well..
By the way, in response on this issue, according to the SMS I just received from friends, you can see the Breaking News on Metro TV this afternoon (October 5th, 2009) WIB 3 PM.
It is said that the AGP team together with the local government and the earthquake's victim who are Chinese will be on the news.. to talk and counter this issue (about the help and robbery on Chinese & minority ethnic in Padang).
For those who are at home or having TV at your office (lucky you!).. please watch and tell me about it..
I'm at the office right now, and yea.. no TV.. haha..
GBU..
This is the Jawa Pos article by the way..
[ Senin, 5 Oktober 2009]
SMS Berisi Isu Diskriminasi dari Kampung PecinanHARI keempat pascagempa di Padang mulai diwarnai munculnya isu-isu sensitif dan kabar penjarahan yang potensial mempergetir nasib para korban.
Warga Tionghoa yang bermukim di sebuah kampung pecinan di pusat Kota Padang, misalnya, dikabarkan telah menjadi korban diskriminasi dalam hal penanganan evakuasi dan pembagian bantuan. Sebuah pesan singkat yang beredar dari HP ke HP kemarin, misalnya, berbunyi: Tell the world, Stop the donation to West Sumatra!!! Primordialism and racism is happening in there, Chinese people didn't allowed to have food and was forced to buy the food aid. Family of mine was at there!!! Please sent out this massage to the world so they know the true!!! (katakan pada dunia, stop bantuan ke Sumatra Barat!!! Primordialisme dan rasisme terjadi di sana, warga Tionghoa tak diperbolehkan mendapatkan makanan dan dipaksa membeli bantuan makanan. Keluargaku di sana!!! Tolong sebarkan pesan ini ke seluruh dunia biar mereka tahu kenyataan ini!!!)
Benar tidaknya kenyataan yang terjadi di kampung Tionghoa dengan isi SMS itu, Sutan Zaili Asril, direktur Padang Ekspres, anak perusahaan Jawa Pos di Padang semalam memberi penuturan. Dari pengamatannya selama empat hari setelah terjadi gempa, proses evakuasi terhadap korban bencana di Pondok China memang dinilai lambat. Hal itulah yang memicu merebaknya isu pendistribusian bantuan yang tak adil di beberapa tempat, termasuk di kawasan Pecinan.
Padahal, buruknya manajemen dan ketidakberdayaan petugaslah yang sebenarnya terjadi. Di sisi lain, para korban sangat membutuhkan bantuan. Zaili menilai, distribusi bantuan yang diberikan pemkot juga tidak mengarah. "Entah kenapa, kesannya pemerintah cenderung memprioritaskan evakuasi di Hotel Ambacang, LBB Gama, Prayoga, Sigma, maupun LBB Lia. Padahal, evakuasi di Pondok China maupun Pasaraya seharusnya juga menjadi prioritas karena jumlah korbannya sangat banyak," terang Zaili lebih lanjut.
Perlu juga diketahui, situasi lebih memiriskan dulu juga terjadi beberapa hari pascagempa tsunami Aceh pada 2004. Buruknya manajemen penyaluran bantuan dan minimnya pengawasan membuat situasi menjadi bar-bar dan tak terkontrol. Di berbagai tempat di Aceh, waktu itu, para penjarah bahkan sampai tega memotong jari mayat korban tsunami untuk mengambil cincin, anting di kuping, dan perhiasan lain.
"Sejak hari pertama gempa, kami belum mendapat bantuan sama sekali," kata Ny Esther, salah seorang warga yang bermukim di Jalan Klenteng. Padahal, lokasi kampung tempat tinggal Esther berada di pusat Kota Padang. Apalagi, rumah wanita 43 tahun itu luluh lantak. Bangunannya tinggal separo, seperti dibelah menjadi dua.
Menanggapi isu sensitif itu, Pengurus Wilayah Muhammadiyah Jatim Sulton Amin benar-benar sangat prihatin. Menurut dia, hal itu sangat memalukan. Terlebih, perhatian dunia saat ini juga mengarah pada kondisi para korban gempa. ''Jangan sampai relawan asing yang membantu di Padang hengkang sebelum waktunya gara-gara masalah ini,'' ujarnya.
Dia menambahkan, sudah waktunya membuang ego pribadi yang muncul akibat perbedaan suku, agama, ras ,dan warna kulit. Perasaan senasib sebagai warga Indonesia dan sesama korban gempa yang membutuhkan bantuan seharusnya mampu melebur perbedaan itu.
Selain itu, dia mengharapkan seluruh masyarakat tetap tenang dan tidak terprovokasi. Bahkan, dia siap membantu kalau langkah prosedural seperti melaporkan kepada pihak terkait tetap tidak membawa perubahan. ''Langkah terkahir adalah menyerahkan bantuan langsung ke etnis Tionghoa maupun kelompok lain yang didiskriminasikan,'' tegasnya. (kit/dim/lea)
