Merapi Volcano Speaks (Gunung Merapi Bertutur)

WHY BERTUTUR?

Certainly, the authors do not want to take the credits due on this book. This is because we are aware that we are merely listeners. At first, we just pin our ears back to the stories of our brothers and sisters narrating accounts regarding their experiences in Turgo and the disaster that occurred on 22 November 1994. And then, we gather those tales together little by little, and here, we have this book.

As stated above, this book is taken from the incident brought about by the disaster that transpired in Turgo in 1994. The authors are afraid that maybe these experiences will just one day be forgotten by the people of Turgo. We fervently believe that the biggest disaster aside from the lost of love-ones, countless injured bodies, and the death of our cows - is the banishment from our memories of the important lessons we can draw from that fateful day.

Whenever people in the community talks about Merapi (i.e. grandparents to grandchildren, wives to their husbands, children asking their father, and neighbor chats with fellow neighbor) we are eavesdropping. Also, some of the stories here are recounted by the victims. Of course, victims do not have sufficient time to come along and chat. Tales from the victims are taken from the interviews by journalists while they are at the hospital or evacuation areas recovering. Therefore, it should be clear that the stories inside this book are not our own story - it is owned by the people of Turgo.

We enclose numerous articles about disaster managemen. Also, we write in language that can easily be understood by everybody. Through this book, we desire that people will realize the social value of volcanoes other than its scientific values. Certainly, whatever the consequences that volcanic eruptions will bring people in near the volcano are the ones who will be the first to be affected. Chronicles of the experiences and lessons of the 1994 eruption will enable them to learn so that they know what to do whenever the volcano will again explode. Always reading the markings and not only hanging-up on the observation post for warning are some of the examples. The book further hopes that people of Turgo will be more vigilant in their reinforcement toward disasters so the harsh effects that happened in that fateful year will not occur anymore.

Moreover, our aim is for this book to be able show the sadness, obstinacy, determination, and defenselessness of the families in Turgo and in other places that was hit by the disaster. Coming up with this book will enable also the children of tomorrow, not just the future children of Turgo but in other places to learn from the experiences as well.

1 | M E R A P I B E R T U T U R

We apologize to our brothers and sisters in Turgo and Kali Adem if there are stories that we miss some of thier details: sometimes that is the problem stories being transferred from one person to another. Aside from this book, it is our desire for the people who have witnessed the disaster to share the stories to the young people. We believe that it is still the best form of educating the next generation.

Finally, proverb says, "begja-begjane sing insensitive, isih begja sing tansah eling lan observant.”

Thank you.


THE VILLAGE OF TURGO

In the Opposite of the Hill

Turgo is special village located in the opposite of the hill exactly within the slope of Merapi. The village of Turgo belongs to the village of Purwobinangun, Kecamatan Pakem, Kabupaten Sleman in the special region of Yogyakarta.

Every mist always covers Turgo during morning and afternoon. It is cold too. The location of the village is high enough, which is around 984 meters above sea level. The site affects the social activity pattern of the community. Usually the people of Turgo work only from morning until the time when the air is getting too cold, when there is no mist or rain.

If we take a paralle line, Turgo is located right across Kaliurang. Kali Boyong which is located in the east side of the village separates Turgo from Kaliurang. When the eruption happened, Kali Boyong is a potential area for the lahar flows. Kali Boyong gets its spring water from Merapi. Kali Ledok Lengkong and Ngandong village, Kelurahan Hargobinangun borders at the west side of Dusun I Turgo. For Kali Ledok Lengkong, community calls it Dok Lengkong. On the south side, Dusun I Turgo is separated with Dusun Kemiri dan North side with Mt. Turgo.

Dusun I Turgo can be reach by two way area, through Pulowatu and Kaliurang. From Yoryakarta to the north until Pulowatu about 20km. Then from Pulowatu until Turgo around 7 km. This way can be reach by cars or motorbikes. The condition of the roads it really good because it’s already asphalted.

The morphology of Dusun Turgo you can find flat surface and hills. The highest slope is around 30 percent or steep, for example in the road turn near observation site Turgo Tegal. The condition of morphology causes the people to find flat area more conducive for living. For housing distribution pattern the people of Turgo can be divided in three major groups: the one who lives in Turgo, Turgo Tegal, and Tritis.

In one group, houses are arranged near each other and usually surrounded by yard or garden. In the middle of the village, they build many houses close to each other with the wide lawn. However, some of them have small lawns also. In the edge of the village, houses are far from each other, surrounded by vast areas which are used for dried-farming. Beside or behind the houses usually they have the animal farms.


The community usually builds houses with local materials like bamboo. Walls, windows, and doors are made from wood. However, many also built houses using permanent materials such as bricks and stones. Stones and sands is very easy to get by the people of Turgo, they just get it from Kali Boyong.

Houses in Turgo are usually built with Javanese traditional architecture, with the shape of sinom and kampung. In the inner part of the house is divided into smaller rooms which are separated by woods or walls. In the front side is for guest room and sleeping rooms, and the back part is for kitchen. In some houses, front part in located that is separated from the back part.

The front parts are usually better than the back part of the house. For example the front part is usually built with permanent materials, and let the kitchen area made from bamboo walls. The kitchens is usually becomes the center of family activities because in there we can find stoves for cooking and also to warm the body.

The main road in Turgo straight across from the north to the south is about 3 meters wide. This road is connected with Dusun I Turgi and other villages below. Until the 1994 disaster, the main road condition in Turgo was ruined and destroyed. This bad condition is getting worse because every day the sand carrier pass through that road from Kali Boyong. Fortunately, since 1998 the road was made into asphalt.

Aside from the main road, Turgo have emergency road. For the community that road is considered good enough for the emergency situations since it is located in the middle of the village that is straight across from Tembusan village inter-junction until near SD Tarakanita, Tritis. So it is easier to reach from any direction. However, the most important is, this road is considered safest because it is far from Kali Boyong and covered by slopes.

Turgo also have 4 watch shelter and 1 observation shelter. Usually the watch shelter is always full of people when the Merapi alert status is increasing. However, when the status is back to normal its situation, the number of people decreased slowly. But from the fourth watch shelter there are always groups of people who guard it.

Before the disaster of 22 November 1994, Dusun I Turgo has 6 RT. Now, Dusun Turgo only consists of 4 RT. The decrease of village government structures because the people lessened. Some of them choose to live in Sudimoro relocation and most of them still prefer to live in Turgo.


Uniquely, although separated and already moved, the people who live in the relocation site still under the authority of Duson I Turgo. Based area perspective actually the relocation site belongs to Dusun Wringin, but governmentally and socially still belongs to Dusun I Turgo.

In the whole, Dusun I Turgo havs around 692 in population. The people are divided into two living areas, in Dusun I Turgo and in the Sudimori relocation site. In Dusun Turgo I the population is around 305 people, consists of 141 men and 164 women. And then, in Sudimoro around 387, consists of 182 male and 205 females.

Hard Worker

According to the sotries, Turgo came from the word nggenturke rogo. Nggeturke means exercise while rogo means body. Not surprisingly, since life in Turgo is like that. Nggenturke rogo, for the Turgo peole it is the way of life, or maybe it is just a common obligation. There is an opinion that human being must work hard not only in their souls but also in their behaviors.

Every day Turgo people are always busy, but they know their limitations. People of Turgo works from morning until evening. Every morning they milk the cow. They bring to KUD in Tritis. In the afternoon they go to field to find grass. And then they go back to take care of their cows. In the houses, the mother cleans up and house and cooks. While the men go to the field again. That is their daily routine until the afternoon. So Dusun Turgo is always quiet.

Almost every community in Turgo lives in farming and agriculture. The area that they use for animals and field is generally located in wide areas around their houses inside their sorroundings or in the area around the village. Ownership of the farming areas in the hill in Turgo is usually wider than the one who have their area in lower areas.

Fortunately, people of Turgo have fertile farming area. For them, that is one of the blessings Merapi which they get from volcanic ashes. The community remembers that in the eruption of 1961, the thickness of ash falls in Turgo was around 25 cm. But after that, the soil became amazingly fertile.

The farmland in Dusun Turgo usually cultivates palajiwa. In the yard around the village houses, people of Turgo plants vegetables such as: pumpkin, koro, chili, tomato, pumpkin and many others. They also plants umbi-umbian, for example entik and yams. Aside from these, they have medicinal plants, fruits,


coffee, tea, hard plants likes jackfruit and sengon. In the bon irrigated dry field, principal plants that can be found are cassava or tapioca (manihot utilissima), corn (zea maize), yams spreads (ipomoea batatas poir), peanut (arachishypogea), and grasses.

The people of Turgo, both men and women work together. Sometimes their children help them. The agricultural products are used to fulfill everyday needs of each family by selling it in the market, usually at Pakem Market and in Kaliurang. The crops are usually being sold by women of the village. The profits from it is being used to buy rice, sugar, flavors, salt, soap, or cooking oil or for fuels that the family needs. In Turgo they cannot cultivate rice, so they just buy rice need in the market.

Besides agriculture, their livehood source is from berternak. Usually the livestocks are dairy cattle with stable system that are just located beside their houses. They say Turgo formerly knew and made use of the system of pengembalaan. The livestock during that period were local cow and herd at the forest. The livestock maintenance model of this kind gives benefits to the owner since it economizes the labour.

The changes in maintenance model causes change in results and value as well as livestock functions. Before, its only function is for investment and social status, now it is even more than that. But now, livestock changes the value for agriculture support system. The manure of the livestocks is being used as stable fertilizer to fertilize the farmland. Stable fertilizer is being sold as well.

The increase of livestock value causes the increase of grass value for wool. Perumputan begins from the yard around house, then irrigated dry field, and finally reaching the forest. Whenever the grass at the yard runs out, they will move to look for grass at the dry field. However, during dry seasons, grass begins to decrease, so the people of Turgo just look for grass in other areas like at the slope of the forest.

In Turgo, grass is of vital importance. It is not surprising that the community value the grass. Sometimes they just exploit the field to plant grasses. The unirrigated agricultural fields are being cleaned every month; plant's leaves that are too dense are being cut, so that grass is much more fertile.

Even in the forest, grasses are not available. For example, in the forest located at the northside of Turgo, the community divided the area into plots of land. Every body has its own plot of land so they will not take the grass at other person’s property. The distribution of each plot is done based merely on agreements. There are no written rules on it. However, they all know and acknowledge. Finally, usually people of Turgo doesn't like to take grass from others plot of land.

Closed Relationships


The kinship system of Turgo allows each family to be united which eventually forms like a tribe or clan. The ties between that bonds people in Turgo even though they do not belongs to the same family breeds from friendships which eventually being institutionalize to various club.

Through the system that controls the relationship between people that belongs to a group where someone is a relative or not, the behavior pattern and proof of action that are being agreed in certain social group that cause the possibility to reach cohesion and cultural progress. Without norms that provide mechanism to measure behavior, so the personal integration to the society will become much harder.

The kinship system in Turgo adapts Javanese system, based on bilateral hierarchical principles. Meanwhile, the system is using certain terms to classify the hierarchy according to generation. All male or female brothers from father or mother with their spouses are called siwa or uwa.

The term for uncle from father or mother is differentiated according to gender. Uncle either from father or mother side is called paklik, which is an abbreviation from bapak cilik, and bulik, is an abbreviation from ibu cilik which means auntie. Usually, they just call each other lik.

The people of Turgo is familiar with the system of relationship which is bond each other in their daily life, in the nucleus family or even extended family. Both families are based on genealogies which still have close family relations among each other.

Family as one relational unit in Turgo as anywhere in Javenese society generally is constructed as product marital event is called nucleus family which is usually consist of husband, wife, and children that are not yet married. The head of the nuclear family is called kepala somah. Somah is from the word omah which house. Generally one nuclear family have their own house.

At the moment in the village of Turgo we can find both condition. Some of the children with have married already lives separately from their parents, although usually the money that they used to build the house is from their parents. But there are also young family which lives together with their parents for several reasons. For example, because of financial problems or because they want to live close with their parents.

In the distribution of inheritance, Javanese have two ways: first, through musyawarah and the sepikul segendongan model. The musyawarah way between the person who will get the inheritance which consist


of children or close relatives from both side of the parents. This model is done to determine which relative will get the biggest portion, same or less than the other, in order to provide welfare for other member of the family. It means, if one of the family member already have enough wealth, so he or she won’t get portion as much as the member of the family that doesn’t have much.

The peaceful way that is especially used to split the inheritance like houses, furnitures, pusaka and cattles. The main house usually is given to the male or female children that live with their parents and they will take care of their parents when they grow old.

The sepikul segendogan model is a way of distributing inheritance where the male children gets twice compared to female. The son gets 2/3 of the entire inheritance, and the daughter gets the 1/3. This model is usually used to distribute fields.

The people of Turgo used to utilize this kind of model in distributing inheritance, but now this is not being used anymore. The people assume that male or female have the same position or the same right to have equal shares.

The History of the Village

Next is the history of Turgo and Merapi. In 1954, Merapi erupted. There were no casualties in the village of Turgo I. The village just gets ask falls and in the Kali Boyong lava flows. The people of Turgo run from their village for about 100 days. At that moment the evacuation site is still in tobacco warehouse in Purwobinangon. Although they lived in the evacuation site they can still go back to their village. In the morning they go to the village to find grass and in the evening they go back to the evacuation area. Every family can cook by themselves. The most important for the people is their contribution in the management of the disaster funds. That moment the funds is managed through the village treasurer but still supervised by the community leader.

In 1955, about 8 households of Turgo transmigrated to Lampung. In 1968, Amatredjo, the leader of Turgo village transmigrated to Lampung along with 10 households.

In 1961, Merapi erupted again, Turgo village I have no casualties. Kali Boyong received lahar flows and there were ash falls in the village. In Turgo, the thickness of the ash flows reached 25 cm, so in that moment the people who ran away fell from it. That year too the evacuation site is built in Purwobinangun.


The evacuation sites have no toilet, so if the people wants to use it they have to go the river. The people still remembers, the food management is still done by each family. The clothes that they were wearing then came from people who gave some of their used ones for the victims. When they evacuated, the people of Turgo have just finished harvesting the products of their corn fields. In that moment, people of Turgo is allowed to plant in the forest in the northern part of Mt. Turgo until Alas Patangpuluan.

In 1971 the planting system is prohibited since the wood is already big. In that year also, the water pipe started to enter Turgo. Previously in fulfilling their need for water, everyday the people of turgo have to take from Kali Boyong. Usually they used bamboo petung. The main road in Turgo is not yet accessible, the only road is to the evacuation site and it’s only a pathway.

In 1980 they started to build permanent houses, the first one belongs to Pak Ngatimo. The walls is made of stone. The other houses at that moment is still made of gedhek, in that year also, the village road slowly being fixed. The people worked together to make road in the cliff. They were assisted one by AMD. After the road is finished, about 1982, motorcycles started to enter Turgo. Pak Maryono is the one who brought it for the first time.

In 1981, the people started to raise cows. At first it was assisted by UGM. And then it increased until now. Before that the people is only raising local cows.

In 1970s, there were only two radio in Turgo, in the house of Mudji and Todimedjo. Every Saturday night then neighbors gather around to listen to wayang. In 1993, pesawat handy talky (HT) is only one, it belongs to Sarmin, a worker in the department of forestry. Right now, there is a seven. In 1995, only three people of Turgo village which have television, they are Ngatimo, Sudi, and Marto Utomo. Right now there are plenty of them.

In 22-November-1994, the disaster on the release of hot cloud happened, 42 people from the village of Turgo died, 7 houses were destroyed. The community flee to going to a place where they don’t know or sure about.

In 1996, part of the community of Turgo moved to the Sudimoro relocation site. While the other members of the community just chose to stay permanently in Tugro. That year, the community built an observation post Merapi in Turgo Tegal.


In 1997, Merapi erupted. The victims of the 1997 eruption are not the same. The people of Turgo run until they reached SD Tritis dan there is no evacuation site.


MERAPI BEHAVIOR

A different morning

Each morning in Turgo is always beautiful, but quiet. The moment the mist goes, the weather is still cold dan the smell of morning dew is wonderful, the people of Turgo is already awake. On the average they work from morning until the afternoon. Wake up from sleep, early in the morning, and the cows are waiting to be pressed at. In the morning, around eight, the people of Turgo should leave going to the arable land to look for grasses. After that they go home a moment after administering the cow, to the arable land again and cow again. And on.

The atmosphere in that day in Turgo, 22-November-1994, is very different. In the house of Sudirejo, a member of the community, who lives in RT 06, appeared very crowded. Actually, in Wednesday following that week, there will be party for the wedding of a female child, Wantini, who is engaged with Marijo, also a member of Turgo. Wartini works as a teacher of SD Muhammmadiyah Tritis. For Wartini, this is the second time that she is going to get married. From her first marriage, she has one child – a girl, Amini, around 8-years old.

Gotong royong in Turgo is still really thick, belong when a problem one of the members holds ewu (has desire). So, in that morning the servant in the neighbors in the house of Sudirejo. Many people are very busy in the kitchen. There are also those who went to buy some things in the market. Other people also are arranging the chairs for the program. The air in Turgo is very clean. The sky is clear, perhaps as clear as the face of the bride that moment.

Merapi is still calm. The little thundering voice is just usual for the people of Turgo, because from before, Merapi is always like that. While, since the month of May in 1994, the activities of Merapi actually heightened that experience. In the office Seksi in PGM, 4-November-1994 gave information alert level II which means that people must be careful because there is a possibility of disaster to come.

The news on Merapi as provided by the Office of Seksi PGM talks about the signs of visible eruption since 13-August-1994. When that moment happened magma flows will be from the stomach of the earth. This phenomenon materializes to pass to quake Volcanic A (inside) quake surface (multi-phase) that is indicated in the energy surfaced inside the dome since April 1994, showed that the inclination had increased. Then the third week of October 1994, it appear in the Earthquake Low Frequnecy as many as thirteen times. This earthquake can indicate the happening of the supply of magma that closes the gap in the dome.


Monday night, Merapi is still calm. At 12 midnight, the graph note RSAM (Real Time Seismis Amplitudary Monitoring) at the observation point still shows zero point. That means the amplitude of the quake fallout that happened relatively really small. The shock from Merapi apparently came in the morning. Tuesday at 10:15 WIB, in the RSAM graph registered vibration seismic from the station Seismograph Pusong London suddenly showed an incredible jump, it showed at number 390 RSAM unit. Next at 11:30 WIB the RSAM graph indicates the number around 715 RSAM units.

Unfortunately, the thundering sound of Merapi is heard just like the usual. Nothing special. Even until the arrival of hot gases, the people of Turgo village and the surrounding is just calm. The house of Sudirejo still crowded and busy and a lot of guest arrived. And also below the village of Turgo, in Kali Boyong, people are still busy in building Cek Dam Project in Merapi.

So, around 10:30 in the morning, the calmness in the village of Turgo changed into a chaotic situation. The hot gases flowed through Kali Boyong, and hit the hills in Turgo, and suddenly climbed to Turgo village. The people in RT 06 screamed, panicked, run, and were burned. Merapi this time spit on his own feet, the Turgo village. Merapi is really not affected bibi biyung because the hot gases did not climb up but just break through East slope.

The Hill in Turgo seems destroyed

Some members of the Turgo who saw the eruption on 22-November -1994 were not in the village itself. From Turgo, specially in RT 06 and RT 05, cannot be seen because the hills of Turgo blocks them.

Some members of Turgo witnessed the process of emission of hot gases from the top of Merapi when they are looking from grasses in the vicinity of the slope of the hill in Turgo and working in Kaliurang.

Russi, member of RT 04 Turgo saw the eruption of Merapi when they are looking fro grass in slope of Turgo. “I still can see Merapi when the cloud of wedus gembel is not yet big. But after the cloud is getting bigger, the Merapi is covered already with wedus gembel.”

The employees of the technical coordinating unit of Dinas Peternakan in Kaliurang witnessed the eruption. For example Prawiro Sumarto, member of Turgo RT 04 saw exactly how the process of emission of hot gases. For Prawiro and his friends that morning the event is really interesting. But this


time is different, Merapi released small particles but really a lot of hot gases. Prawiro saw something flowing in Jurang Boyong, but above there were something still cloudy. Before he run to barn and survive, Prawiro warned the people who are still around in Kali Boyong and in the foot of the forest.

In UPT Peternakan in Kaliurang, there were Suraji and Parmin. Both are brother/ First they lived in Turgo village but after the disaster they just chose to stay in Sudumoro relocation site. When the disaster happened Pramin is cutting the grass beside Wisma Peternkan in Kaliurang.

When Parmin saw that Merapi is covered with thick cloud, the hot gases arrived. Parmin was afraid in seeing the coming of group of wedus gembel. He run. Suradji also when he is cleaning in the complex of Peternakan in Kaliurang. “When I saw that wedus gembel, I directly run in the street.”

Another experience happened to Rudi Halimawan, he saw the explosion of Merapi before it was finally burned. Rudi still remembers, Merapi at that moment releases a smoke of hot gases thrice. First it release small hot gases, and then a few second later it relased a long hot gases. And then the final explosion released enormous hot gases, attacking Rudi.

The explosion of Merapi can be clearly seen from the riverbanks of Kali Boyong. Nuryadi, an employee of Dinas Kehutanan who also lives in RT 05 Turgo witnessed the disaster too. The moment Nuryadi was with YU Sugeng in their way home from Pakem. “I saw lightning and heard the explosion three times. Afterwards, there was an enormous explosion.”

Nuryadi saw the hot arrived and covered Bukit Turgo. Without thinking any longer, he took Yu Sugeng to run away. “I felt that Bukit Turgo is already destroyed.”

No time to be afraid

The victims in RT 06 Turgo were less fortunate. The hot gasses came so quick that they cannot escape. Just imagine the people at that moment who lived in the house of Sudirejo were all nearly dead. The only survivor is Maryoto. He is the neighbor of Sudiredjo who helped him in boiling water.

“I was standing in the house of Sudirejo. And then Prawiro Ardjo who went to observe the situation of the slope came back, he said that Jurang Boyong is already filled with lava.”


When I heard Pak Prawira Ardjo screaming and trembling in front of the house, Maryoto was afraid. But then suddenly the house of Pak Sudiredjo collapsed.

Sukirmo also wasn’t lucky enough, when he came to the house of Sudiredjo the hot gases directly arrived. For Sukirno the hot gas is too fast, that he didn’t have enough time to feel afraid.”

Wantini at that moment was inside the room of her house. “Many friends congratulated and wished me that we will live together until we get older.” Afterwards I heard a great explosion, so then I went out of the house.

“The air was hot and there were so many ash falls. Without thinking so long, I run for my life together with Marijo. However, in the middle of the street we got separated. Marijo wasn’t patient enough and he left me. Right now, I don’t know where he is, I am not certain about his condition too. Wantini and Marijo finally died.

When the motorcycle of Hardiyono arrived near the mosque, he heard the great explosion just like the sound of cannon explosion. The SD teacher Muhammadiyah Tritis heard the people screaming. “At that moment I knew that Merapi will explode. So I didn’t of anything else. I just directly find my way to survive.” He turned back to the south and he is safe now.

Wartono, a friend of Hardiyono already arrived in the house of Sudiredjo. “At that moment I rode with another teacher for attending the wedding invitation of Marijo. Since on Wednesday I have another plan, I decided to go to Marijo’s house on Tuesday afternoon. In the middle of conversation we heard an immense explosion. I saw the air became black and dark. Without thinking anymore I directly run away to look for a safe place. And I felt my body was extremely hot.”

Adi Suwanto, a member of RT 06 in Turgo has another story. When the hot gases came, Adi was nurturing his grandson. Suddenly, Adi saw a lightning with a thundering sound. Adi was shocked. Adi run, but everywhere were so dark and he can’t see anything else. Adi fell down and his grandson fell from his grip.

The neighbors of Adi, Samiredjo, still remembers that after the first big explosion the surrounding was so dark. And then the gedhek, a wall made from bamboo fell upon her. Fortunately she manage to survive, although incurring several injuries.


Tukimi just arrived in front of her house, after looking for grass. A moment later, the people who works in Kali Boyong warned her after the explosion. I run to my house with while carrying my son. But suddenly the house collapsed.

That was the situation in Turgo and Kaliurang before the disaster. The people didn’t expect that Merapi is going to explode since its been a long time the hot gases never struck Turgo and Kaliurang.


SIRENE, OH SIRENE

The explosion on 22-November 1994 is a bad remembrance, most especially for the people of Turgo. Throughout their memory the hot gases of Merapi had not yet attacked their village. No wonder they were surprised when the people of Turgo who lives in quiet and peaceful way not until the disaster of hot gases happened.

So what is the problem now? The people of Turgo are aware that the peak of Merapi cannot be seen in all the village of Turgo. In RT 06 and 05, the peak of Merapi can only be seen a little. Aside from that some places it is not certain. If you go down towards the South, in Gardu Pemantauan in Turgo Tegal, the peak of Merapi is much clearer. Beacause the situation in the crater of Merapi cannot be seen so the victims in Turgo are not in the position to save them. In fact they can’t believe that Merapi erupted.

The people believe then that if Merapi will erupt, maybe it will not reach until the village of Turgo. Turgo is the adopted mother of Merapi, so maybe Merapi will not step over her own mother. But in fact, the villge of Turgo before the year 1994, indeed, had not been although was affected by the eruption of Merapi. The hot gases can only be witnessed from far, flows to Kali Krasak and beside it. There were ash flows. That last time it happened was so long ago, 1954 and 1961. Or the lahar in Kali Boyong. The outcome, comfortable and peaceful Turgo.

Who have network communication?

Ideally the communication process of handling natural disasters should be countinuously - before the disaster happens, when the disasters happen, the disaster is finished, and until needed recovery measure had been done. With this, people can process the information or spread and accept the information so that they will be oriented of what action to take.

When Merapi erupted, the primary need of the people of Turgo and the community in the other place is the information about what had truly happened, the development of the situation ensuing the measures that is better for them to do. The information about the sign of what disaster will come and the development of the situation is very important. Because it will be the basic directive in taking whatever decision they have to do.

However, what needs to be remembered, the process of communication should be fast, concise, and clear. The difficulty is, the eruption of Merapi have unforeseen or unexpected factors. The changes of situation


can be very slow, but can also be extremely fast. Because of that, it needs a simple and efficient communication system so the decision making of the changes in the situation can be fast also.

Turgo have two sources of information: the official and the unofficial sources. From both sources, the people can get signs of what disaster is about to happen or the approximation when will it happen or even action that should be talen for securing safety.

The main source of information for the people of Turgo is the observation post. Prior the disaster of 1994, the observation post is located in Bukit Plawangan. The official confirmation of the information source, recognized or not, obviously have role in ensuring calmness of the people in that moment. Why not, because before 22-November-1994 the people of Turgo have high dependence of concerning the Merapi Observation Post in Plawangan.

People are dependent on the information provided by the Observation Post. The information from the agency that bears the warning signs passes through a sirene. Actually, there were no warning signs given to people that time.

The changes of status of Merapi on that time is very fast. At 10 o’clock, status is “Siaga Merapi." But one hour later everything is changes become “Siap Merapi” and on 10.25 WIB become “Awas Merapi.”

When they got the signal from the Obsevation Post, on 11 o’clock, the Head office section of Penyidikan Gunung Merapi (PGM Section) gave a command to their team to send a radiogram to the regent of territory around Merapi. Regency of Sleman, Magelang, Boyolali and Klaten. They gave it too to the governor of D.I. Yogyakarta and Central Java, director of Vulkanology, leader of Merapi Project and the head of Sabo Technical Centre. The letter with a number of 519/PGM/94 says that the office would like to secure the safety of the people living in the dangeoues zones and 1st and 2nd dangerous territory. They did this so that they can be prepared enough to wait the command from the satkorlak PBA. That letter was given with the details of the Merapi activity, at the time, the temperature of the hot cloud is 20 times which started from 10.15 to 11.26 WIB.

Of course that letter depends to the hot cloud. When the letter was sent by 11 o’clock, the village of Turgo had already been burned and broken out because the hot cloud comes about 10.30 o’clock. Imbroglio of PGM bureaucracy and 2nd local government of Sleman regretted it.

The procedure is really difficult. The information from the Observation Post in Merapi which is located in Plawangan or Babadan although another places in slope of mountain sent to the office in PGM section.


From the PGM section sended again to the regent region. After that, go to subdistrict head, village, and the people. The authority of the PGM section is only to look and monitor the Merapi’s situatoin and the evacuation absolutely the task of the local government. How difficult, until the Observation Post on that time didn’t turn of the sirine?

Go along the dream

When the official information sources couldn’t work and certifiable, actually the people can use the unofficial information. A person of Turgo knows the forms of traditional information being by Merapi. The ancestors in Turgo or another slope, they are very clever on translating the sign whatever the form, so that they can live comfortable with Merapi.

People of Turgo has an unofficial information from generation to generation. This includes some belief that Merapi certainly will send a sign before eruption. Sasmita (Wangsit, instruction, sign) through dream, animals goes down or another mystical signs. These are some of their approaches to disaster. Actually, this kind of information still there. However, they just forget it. Include the people of Turgo.

People of Turgo believes that dreams is one of the major source of signs before eruption. To this dream, people of Turgo know 3 kind of dream, such as titi yoni, ganda yoni dan puspa tajem. One of these dreams, puspa tajem is the sharpest and trustworthy. This dream comes when the morning comes and can be direction.

If people of Turgo is still clever in reading dream, maybe the incidnt will be different. The hot cloud November 22 1994 will certainly happen, but will not incur a lot of victims. Of course everything is in God’s will. That death is inescapable; however, because the fact, several of Turgo people actually has get the strange dream that can be the sign that the volcano will explode.

The difficulty is, every people can get that dream, each can translate that dream. Even knowing the direction inside the dream, it’s not easy too. Or because of course there is no shape that “be the old” that can be the translator of dream. Because of that, there is no mistake if the dreams chosen when the disaster 1994 had written, maybe just to remind or fortunately we can take the lesson.

About a week before the hot cloud November 22nd 1994, Adi Suwanto, one of the witness got a dream, so this is the story, Adi Suwanto looked on the east side of his house got a flood. Adi of course feel afraid. After that, came the old man, wears all black. His message was very simple, and clear.

“Don’t be afraid, if you are afraid, you have to go to the west side.” That dream actually already informed to other people when worked together. But unfortunately, Adi’s dream can’t be trusted by the


neighborhood, exactly it became a joke: “the dream happened when you were sleeping, right? Ouch… it’s just because you eat a lot of cassava.“ so, as if Adi Suwanto followed the dream and go a little bit to the west, then Adi has a chance to save. But Adi Suwanto does not want to take an action. He regarded it as just a dream, never will happen, he can imagine that the dream is one of the warning. Another dream had been around by Muhardjo. Before the accident, I dreamed Sudiredjo house became up-side down. And he asked, “I just want to get my dream but why I just get dream like that.” And several days later, Muhardjo dream turned into reality. Sudirdjo’s house collapse caused by the hot cloud and caused a lot of victims. But same like that, the are not perceptive about that. FX. Suwadji, chief of Turgo 1, village had another dream. 4 days before the disaster, he dreamed that he found a lot of water source in the north of village. By Suwadji, he think that dream is nothing, just a dream, 2 days later, Suwadji got an traffic accident in the north of Monumen Yogya Kembali. And he regard that the dream was just a warning of that accident only.

The dream about Merapi, actually indiscriminate, not only to Turgo people, but also another people when on that time, they were live there. The same dream felt Daliyem (45) and Yatiman (18), community of Imogiri, Bantul. Unfortunately, the mother and the son was working in the Dam project of Kali Boyong near Turgo Village. Daliyem was the chef, and Yatiman was a laborer. In their dream, the midnight of November 22nd 1994, somebody came to Daliyem, wears all is white. Daliyem didn’t know the woman. She said to Daliyem, “Bik, I suggest you to move, there will be change here tomorrow.” After she talked to her, and she was disappear. Daliyem translate the dream as the bad things will be happen. She thought on that time that, “(bak air) near where we sleep there will be broken.”

It happen too to her son. Yatiman dreamed that a woman came to him. The woman wears black. Use a black long sleeve and black long trousers. The woman coerce Yatiman to marriage her, “Yat, please marry with me. Like or dislike, you have to marry with me, you should be my husband.” The woman always asks to Yatiman, but Yatiman always refuse it until the woman disappears. Yatiman feels very confuse, but he never tells this to his friends.

Yatiman always tried to work in Kali Boyong. But he had a bad felling. Finally, Tuesday morning Yatiman asked permission to go home. When he asked permission, his mother didn’t allow him. Daliyem’s felt so anxious, “maybe there is relevance with the woman that came to my dream.” But Daliyem works usually and just run when she heard the explosion. Her son and she save from the hot cloud.

The White Yarn


People of Turgo know about the lawe or white yarn, if it will explode. The white yarn is believed to be the limit of the territory that will be passed by lava or the hot cloud of Merapi explotion. Unclear, who set the yarn.

The people of Turgo commonly believe that the yarn set by “tutelary spirit” of Merapi. Maybe that is one of the forms of metaphysical protection belief of people around Turgo to the Merapi or Turgo Mountain.

White yarn, approach the disaster November 22, 1994 appear as well. People of Turgo who a lot of them heard this, one of them, Suwadji. The white yarn passed through upon the village and drawee in trees. But, who knows where the white yarn comes from?

FX.Suwadji think that the yarn because of the children who played kites. “ if the white yarn is in the forest, surely it comes from the Merapi, the yarn believed by the people to be the constraint of lava or the hot clouds.”

Animal descending the mountain

Other than dreams, the sign before the explotion happened is the descending of the animals. Several people, the people of Turgo even though other people had the opportunity to look the accident. For example, Sudiredjo, several days before the accident looked a lot of animals like a pig and monkey wnt from top to bottom.

If the pigs and monkeys go down, it is a usual thing. But until several days, there are a lot of pigs and monkeys who went down. It’s the sign that will explode. Sudiredjo, is one of people of Turgo that become the victim and finally he died.

Similar thing happened Darmosuwito (60), a member of Tlogo Putri Laliurang who at that moment is visiting the house of his brother in Turgo. He witnessed the behavior of the animals in the forest like tiger, monkey, rabbit that walked down to the village. At 3:00 in the morning, the moment Darmosuwito went at the back for wash his hand, “Yes, I’m very surprised, because unusual the wild animal go down with their group.”

When on the way to came home, in the street, Darmosuwito looked something strange. Birds and cows of people have looked worried and noisy. M.Asron so, the student of UII in Kaliurang looked the birds fly unusually. Fly wildly and chirrup like something terrible happened.


The descending of the animal was caused by the changes of temperature when volcanic activity rise up. Several people of Turgo actually had catched the changes of temperature. Such as Adi Suwanto, feel it.

“Although it was not too clear, but the feelings like hot and not well in the body” and the animal has an instinct to save their life is stronger than people. The alteration that happened to the environment, directly catched and translated in the action.

Value of Wisdom

Feels very wise and fair if the people can accept the official information sources from government and never forget the traditional Sasmito that heired by the ancestors. Experience the 22 nd of November 1994 proves, the official information sources, the sirine was not caw alias couldn’t be trusted.

Unfortunately, the unity of people concerning yo the unofficial information sources viewed as the susceptible in the fluency of evacuation process. The belief of the people to the traditional Sasmito effecting unwillingness to move. The reality felt by Satlak Regency of Sleman when they evacuate the people.

Finally, the social network between people of Turgo should be powerful. When in the guardhouse, farm, or everywhere, people of Turgo discuss while count the possibility Merapi at this time, so that the people can make their decision, when they have to evacuate, when they have to come home, How?


THE WEDUS GEMBEL

The explotion of volcano even at this time cannot prevent. There are various means that we could do in orde to decrease the number of victim and loss of lives, but it is impossible to make it disappear. To increase our skills in decreasing the amount and loss, we need the appropriate understanding about disaster. Books can provide us with concepts and theory. There is also the truth of the real situation. In the slope of Merapi, people who are the victims of disaster actually can bring the information and their experiences so that we can learn from them.

The experience of the victims is really significant and can provide information to the public who have never experienced the said event. Their experiences can contribute to the comprehension and understanding regarding hot cloud and even in vigilance to the threat of explotion.

For the people of Turgo and other people around the area, the highest risk of Merapi explotion that already happened was caused by the hot cloud. The explotion on November 22 1994 was an effort to know the risk of wedus gembel.

Hot cloud, really hot

Maybe it is strange and unattractive when the people around the Merapi disaster didn’t understand the risk of Merapi explotion. The reality is prior November 22, 1994, the people of Turgo and surrounding villages in not familiar regarding the dangers of hot cloud. It is so strange because the most dangerous explotion that always happened in the history of explosion of volcanoes is often due to hot clouds.

Before November 22, 1994, the village of Turgo actually was never passed by the hot cloud, Kali Boyong also, the hot cloud almost never pass that area. Even from the script of the office, PGM section, said that the last hot cloud comes and pass Kali Boyong happened on 17th century.

How long Kali Boyong wasn’t hit by the hot cloud, so if they can, people of Turgo always forget that Merapi has wedus gembel. So, who is responsible for the misconception of the people to the risk of disaster? Even before 1994, the illumination about Merapi done by government. But why, people of Turgo prefer to know the transmigration procedures rather than know the hot cloud? Don’t be confuse, the argument of people prove that people lacks the knowledge on hot cloud. Wanna have proof?


Maryoto, a member of Turgo, just know that the hot cloud is dangerous after he got burned by the hot cloud. “I don’t know that wedus gembel is dangerous,” Sukirno supported him too that he just knew how dangerous the hot cloud since what happened yesterday.

Supardjo run be he doesn’t know that hot cloud is dangerous. “I don’t know that wedus gembel is dangerous, at that time, I was running because I heard the sound was rumbling and it felt hot.” Different with Parmin who was afraid and didn’t know that the hot cloud was really hot.

Prawiro Surnarto was amazed. “I don’t know that wedus gembel is really hot. In the past, I ever see Merapi produce a big hot cloud, going up, and just to be the dust rain. But accidentally, yesterday it directly attacked this village.”

Sartono, a staff of animal husbandry, UPT, in Kaliurang, said that “actually I didn’t know that the hot cloud is dangerous. Usually it passed Kali Krasak too, but nothing happened there.”

Although it happened in Turgo for the first time, but the people know the danger of hot cloud, not only the experience in the pass, but also the story by people. Adi Suwanto, one of people who know the hot cloud from the experience in the past. Different with Halimawan, know the hot cloud from other people’s experience. Surip know it from his father.

Several people who are not victims knew only that hot cloud is dangerous at that time only. Generally because they look the consequence that caused by the hot cloud.

Wedus Gembel Kuwi Opo Tho?

The excavation started on January 1996, or a year after th disaster, so that it can be remembered by the community. The eruption was said to have 22 eyewitnesses, such as 15 victims and 7 people who are not victim. Victims certainly were present during the time of the event. Eyewitnesses who are not victim on the contrary, saw but they are not victims.

When the explosion of hot cloud happened, eyewitness on the location can be divided into three positions, around Turgo (11 people), around Kali Boyong (3 people) and around Kaliurang (8 people). The estimate of eyewitnesses distance in Turgo and of Kaliurang from the top is about 6.000 - 6250 meters. The estimated maximum of distance of the victims is about 250 meters from the riverbanks of Kali Boyong.


The reactions of hot cloud appearance are different. Some of the eyewitnesses felt there will be bad sign so they decided to run (9 people), felt afraid (3 people), confused (2 people) and liked to know what was going on (4 people). And finally, every people save their lives, such as get into house or the equivalent (8 people), run outside their house (5 people), run to look saver place (6 people) and cannot do something because the house of were crumpling (2 people).

For eyewitnesses, the hot cloud looked like a “new experience.” As a result, the understanding that the dangerous hot cloud is variety. Most of eyewitnesses just know that the hot cloud were dangerous after occurrence yesterday (9 people) or assumed it is not dangerous because the habit of hot cloud direction usually go to Kali Krusak (5 people). Another witness knows the danger because of old people’s story concerning the hot cloud 1961 and the movement of people around Ngori, Patuk, and Sembung.

The result of “new experience” then was the witnesses were inclined that they didn’t gave a warning to each other and felt that nobody gave a warning to them that the disaster will come (17 people). Also, there is no earlier warning from responsible institutions. The warning can be accepted only by little part because they can see the condition of Merapi (3 people) or know, the hot cloud get ready to down (5 people). Incidentally, the witnesses located in a place where they are impossible to see the Merapi because they are close to the hill in Turgo (9 people).

Form, colour and the condition of the hot cloud tend to differ according to the place where the witnesses stand. The witnesses in the west of Kali Boyong said that the hot cloud looked like black thick smoke and red roll in (7 people). The witness who trapped in the middle of the hotcloud saw the hot cloud looked like black, red, and brown dust (12 people). In the edge, the hot cloud looked like red thick smoke and sprinkling of red fire smolder. Ember in the ground was jumping (3 people).

The witnesses in east of Kali Boyong said that the hot cloud looked like grey, black, and red thick smoke, rolling in the down side and cloud bigger. After becoming a big cloud, the colour changed to transparent. After the process finished, the situation became bright.

For some of the victims it felt more condensed dark like night. Hereinafter the condition of normal gradually marked with concentration of hot cloud which decreased, until clear air return, but small hot cloud still scale off.


Speed of Motion and Temperature.

Hot cloud moved fast and located in a short time, this was realized by eyewitness that speed of hot cloud reached the location in a short time or just once (8 people) and less than one minute (12 people). Eyewitnesses in Kaliurang saw hot cloud attacked area of Turgo with broken forest and settlement, and then knock over Kaliurang.

The speed of the hot cloud related with the pressure that have given, depends on the position to the first plot, Kali Boyang and barrier morphology, Turgo Hill and Plawangan. Generally, the movement of hot cloud is very fast. The movement of hot cloud in the west of Kali Boyong is stronger than in the east of Kali Boyong.

The witnesses who saw the attack’s travelling process of hot cloud from in the top of Merapi until attacking Turgo less than 10 minutes. Hot cloud attacked only taking place once and afterwards nothing (20 people). But after hot cloud attacked, Merapi still released the hot cloud but small particles only (2 people).

The spread of grain and direction of hot cloud depends on the position of the eyewitness. Kali Boyong and its morphology barrier, Hill of Turgo and of Plawangan. In West Times; the hot cloud in Kali Boyong look like sand rain from North-East or north direction.

The rapid moment of the hot gases beside the east of Kali Boyong gave more chance for the eyewitness to act safely in order to save themselves. Partly the witness in the east of Kali Boyong, although became victims, in fact was given sufficient signs concerning the dangerous things that members of the village who lives in Kali Boyong.

The witnesses at that moment said that the attack of hot cloud can stand while taking over (7 people). Those who said that people cannot stand because they fall due to the hot cloud (4 people) or fell because the houses were struck down (4 people).

All the victims expressed that they felt something hot in their body the moment the hot cloud hit them. A lot of the victims can smell the hot gases (15 orang). The bad odor that they smelled is different which mainly depends on the place where they are situated. 12 eyewitness in Turgo felt that the smell is like sulphur. While respondents in Kaliurang smelled the sting of sulphur.


The consequence of hot gases according to all victims who experienced difficulty in breathing, tight respiration (6 people) and that they cannot breathe well (7 people). Even though they’ve already done variety of steps to protect themselves, the grain of sand entered their mouth, ears, and nose (14 people). The victims who coverd their faces as a way to protect themselves (4 people) and covering both neck and arms while sitting (2 people). Eventhough the grain of sands already entered their mouths, nose even ears, yet the efforts to proctect themselves in not enough to save the face of the respondents. But, was just able to keep the hands away from further danger.

Cloth, hat, and Sandal

Eyewitness who did not wear hat (12 people), however the condition of their hair is still the same (8 people), and partly burned out (4 people). Eyewitness who wear hat (3 poeple), the condition of their hair is still the same.

The hair condition of the victim depends on their position. The hair of the eyewitness in Turgo who were burned out (3 people) or gimbal and raising (3 people), and nothing happened (1 person). Hair of the eyewitness in Kaliurang disposed nothing (5 people), just minority had burned out (1 person) or gimbal and raising (2 people).

Clothes that they were waering gave protection to them. All of witness felt safe because of the clothes that they are used, because trace of burning scar was caused the opened part. The witness generally use a short sleeve (9 people), and show the burning scar like a hole in Turgo (4 people) and fine in Kaliurang (5 people).

The witness use a short sleeves (6 people). The shirt condition of witness in Turgo full of hole (1 person) and in Kaliurang, it is fine (5 people). Witnesses in Kali Boyong used a shirt with long sleeve (1 person) and showed full of hole condition.

The trousers used by the witnesses generally use trousers (11 people). From that amount, they are fine (9 people) and a little part of them burn out (2 people). The witnesses who used a pants (4 people) their foot burn fully.


Witness that used sandal or shoes (8 people), their foot are not burn out. Witness that didn’t use slope or shoes look abraded in sole of foot. After the hot cloud finish, all of witness said that they still can walk (10 people), walk and carried their child (3 people) and even can run (2 people).

Time that needed to evacuate, start from founding the victim until transportation to the hospital was varied. Victim generally found by helper (10 people), just a little part don’t know because they were fainted.

Medical disruption

Medical evacuation to the hospital depends to the position of the victim related to the quality of the way. From Kaliurang to the hospital is about thirty minutes (3 people) and in Turgo about an hour (2 people). Other witness doesn’t understand because in fainted (10 people).

Hot cloud gave medical problem for victims in Turgo just than in Kaliurang. The first handling and treatment in hospital is varied, such as less than a month (5 people), more than a month ( 3 people) and more than 3 month (2 people).

Medical problem that appeared generally were itchiness under the skin on the burning scar. On a special case such as lost of their ear, hair become bald and couldn’t grow anymore or nerve disturbance. The condition indirectly caused the antibody get down and the productivity will get a disturbance.

So ?

According to the experience of the witness, there are several important and critical realities which can be used as phenomenological on alert to face the dangerous of Merapi explotion, such as:

• Before the hot cloud happened, there were indications like little falls. On this case, the first indication continued about 15 minutes.

• The spread of hot cloud controlled by landslide volume, morphology the foot of Mount Merapi and river way. For this case, the maximum wide of spreading about 250 metres from the rioer side, and maximum long of preading about 6.500 metres from the center of eruption. The centre current of the hot cloud lean to the Turgo Hill/ out bend side of Kali Boyong valley.


• The speed of the hot cloud controlled by the decitivity of the slope. For this case, it needs 15 minutes, or with the speed about 75 km/hr. The movements on the center current give bigger pressure, and decreasing on riparian.

• The temperature of the hot cloud is very high, but only has the concise duration (several second until less than 1 minute). This is advantageously because the burning effect generally only happen when contact directly.

• Medical disruption except the burning effect, caused by the sand and dust that enter the mouth, ears, and nose, and the sulphur scent and sharp soil and make us crowded for a while.

Considering the critical reality above, then the need to do mitigation phenomenological of disaster with “other way.” The disaster needs alertness of natural disaster of Merapi that held and rest on the people. This model started by inviting the people to know the space of the position that in the troubled disaster territory, until the people have the skill to do the alertness to the threat of Merapi explotion. Swadaya hoped the people can protect their self groupings to the dangerous of Merapi.

Look at the critical reality, then its better if:

• People always comprehend and perceived about all of the indication and be able to give the information or doing the member mobilization at the short time. In this case, maximum about 15 minutes.

• People avoid developing the settlement and even doig the activity to the very dangerous area, which is the zona about 250 metres of the rioer side, 6.500 metres from the eruption center.

• Reinforcement in the people skill so that can take cover on the saver place (e.g. bunker) in the short time. For this case, the time limit about five minutes.

• Community where a protection place endure of blast of wind and high temperature, and will not happen directly contact in the short time, for example, like a bath room with interval for breathing.


NENG MBARAK ORA KEPENAK

When mothers were asked about their experiences in barracks, their answers will be, “Neng mbarak ora kepenak” (it is not good in the barracks). Why? Are there differences between the times when you were evacuating comapared to now?

Elders in Turgo still remembers the first time the people of Turgo evacuated in 1954. The eruption of Merapi, but in Turgo there are no victims, just ash falls and lahar flows through Kali Boyong. The people of Turgo evacuated just enough, 100 days. At the moment the evacuation area is still in the tobacco warehouse in Purwubinangan. The thing that they remembered the most at that moment was, even though they lived in evacuation areas, but the people can go home to their villages.

Early in the morning, the people in the evacuation areas can go back to their villages to look for grass and in the afternoon they can go back to the place where they temporary lives. Every family too can call for their own individual families. But, from that context, the most essential for the people is their involvement in organizing contributions. At that moment, the contributions pass through a set of standards instituted in the village but was laid down to the people by the community leader. So the people are knowledgable on how many contributions came and how many goes.

In 1961, Merapi erupted again. However, when it happened there were no victims. Lahar just passed through Kali Boyong and in the village they just experience ash falls. At the year also, the evacuation area in Purwobinangun was built. The evacuation area does not have WC yet at that time, so that the refugees if urinated should only be once. The people still remembers the food were organizers per family. The contributions for clothes at that moment were just relief ones. When they were evacuating, the corn harvest of the people run out.

In 1994, the people of Turgo evacuated without a distinct time limit. The final statuses of the time for evacuation perhaps were none. When partly the big number of members decided to go home back to Turgo or the the relocation site in Sudirmo.

Don’t Like to Relax

Refugees from Turgo and and around it occupied the evacuation area in Purwobinangun. Oya, didn’t said that people of Tugo doesn’t like to evacuate, because they can relax but can eat from the contribution. People of Turgo doesn’t want to do it. There is a Jawa aphorism that says: it is pleasant to be in the house of your brother, still pleasant to be in your own house. Just at that moment too the people of Turgo would


like more to live in their own houses. Directly, what is the difference between your own house at that moment in the evacuation site?

Compare the activity of mothers in Turgi at that moment in their houses and in the evacuations areas. In their own houses, women of Turgo are very busy working. In the morning, around 4 until 5, the women are already in field squeezing milk. After getting milk in Tritis, at 5am until 5:30am. And then, until 7:30 in the morning the women go back to their houses to cook food, to clean the house, prepare the things of their children who will go to school.

The next activity is to look for grass until 11:00 in the morning. And then go home to cook food for lunch. From 1:00pm until 5:00pm, they go to the slope to look for woods. After that go home cleaning the house, take care of the cow and cook food. In the evening at around 6:30, their busy day is about to end. Women can now rest comfortably.

During their time in the evacuation are, women are just living a so relax life. They wake up the same time they used to wake up in their village. However, there are no other activities. What they just do is wash and take a bath.

And then at around 7:00 until 8:00pm, they will eat. Next, they look for grasses until 11:00 in the morning. By 12:00 noon they eat lunch. After that they milk the cow and take care of it, until around 1:30pm. And then rest until 4:00pm. Other activities in the afternoon are visiting hospitals and family members who are victims of the disaster. Or give food to cows. Eat dinner at around 7:00 in the evening, after that relax, watch television or chat with one another.

For people of Turgo, the atmosphere like that felt really boring. The feeling really makes one sick and tired. There are no other things and activities that one can do, so there are a lot of times for rest. Nasib felt not good. In the evacuation area, they are sick and tired because they cannot go home.

The boredom is increasing according to the perception of the people and the government. The evacuees felt that the condition in their villages is already safe, but the government decided to forbid the evacuees from going home. Finally, the evacuees were compelled to go home, or even run away from the evacuation site.


Aside from boredom, people who left the member of their family experienced also the feeling of sadness. For the people, the religious leaders undertook not enough spiritual activities in the evacuation site. Including also chosing various kinds of entertainment is not enough. For the people who are sad, those whose family members were victimized by the disaster, felt more saddened when they heared music.

The objective of the organizer in the evacuation is good, dubbed shows so that people who are sad will feel good. But the truth is, it can be accepted by all evacuees. Unfortunately, evacuees and refugees cannot reject the entertainment mentioned because the choices for entertainment usually is from people outside the village.

Barracks, full of problem

For refugee, queue up bath assumed to become problem. Understand it, we are lack of the barracks bathroom. one special for balita and ten for adult. Ideally, according to mothers in Turgo, each household has three bathroom. Other problem is management of WC which do not adequate. That happened because water less and lthe user less of awareness to manage the toilet.

Didn’t get a food, latter incoming especially, is a daily problem one faced by refugee in barracks. Besides, food quality assessed ugly by society. The example, briny fish and egg parrot have a bad aroma, or noodles of instan which lapse. And also mineral water have lapsed but remain to be circularized to refugee.

Allergy to some food can be the problem for people, for example “rese”. Other example is late to cook, so that the kids late to go to school. According to the people, the man who cooked for the refugee is ABRI and volunteer.

Find a grass. Distance between barracks to the stable and to the location to find grass appreciable by people still too far. Of course the truck for transportation provided to go to that place, but the transportation always late. Or just the refugee left the truck. A little amount of truck become fewer because unimportant people that follow the transportation, for example volunteer of Indonesian Red Cross


Another problem, the people’s grass always get stolen by another people in the stable. It happened because the stable located in Sambirejo, whereas the owner in refugee barracks, in Watu adeg. The transportation problem faced too by people when they want to squeeze the milk, because less of attention.

Barracks is not the comfortable place for refugee, better if there is an measure of the space that said by people unequal to. 1 classroom placed by all of house hold people. Another problem is mosquito, very much….

By society, logistics management assessed not transparent. Societies assume aid that come to the refugee only a small part than contributions which enter. This fact is marked by the existence of fictious aid, for example there is the people ordered to give the signature that he or she have accepted the aid, but actually another people didn’t accept the aid.

Contributor also may not directly tell to the people, have to by logistics. Though by logistics, by society assumed do not. Some contributors feel if refused and brought it to take at home. Society propose so that involved in logistics management.


NOTES OF A VOLUNTEER

How is the condition of the Evacuation Area?

In the evacuation area of Purwubinangun, the total number of evacuees from Turgo and Tritis is around 521. From RT 01 there were about 32; RT 02 there were 27; RT 03 there were 27; RT 04 there were 24; RT 05 there were 21; and in RT 06 there were 22. Until at the moment, 4 already enlisted for transmigration.

In Wonokerto, the evacuation area is not enough, so they used the TK building and the multi-purpose hall. Wednesday, 23-November-1994, the evacuees increased, so that there were about 15 houses around the evacuation site. Evacuees came from Tunggularum, Gondoarum, Tlatar, Sempu, and Balarante.

The evacuation site of Wonokerto provides the facilities such as public bathing, 15 toilets were closed, 5 toilets were halfed closed and 5 bathroom were closed too. The cleanliness of the said facilities were just enough. Unfortunately, the total number of facilities is not enough. Facilities for entertainment provided were just enough too such as, television, film showing three times, karaoke and story telling.

The evacuation site of Umbulharjo is located in the village of Karang Geneng, Keluruhan Umbulharjo, Kecamatan Cangkringan. The evacuees in the site came from 14 families in Pelemsari, 13 families from Ngrangkah I, 19 families from Ngrangkah III, 14 families from Ngrangkah IV, and 14 families from Kinahrejo. The total number of people s 285. The room where the evacuees can sleep is enough, however, there was no border between the room of male and female. Aside from that, there is no place where to change clothes. The place where they can wash is in the river or in the mosque. The rooms are really small.

In the evacuation area in Kepuharjo, the evacuees came from Kaliadem. The total number of evacuees is 80 households, 160 male and 172 female.

How is the management of the evacuation site?

In Purwobinangun, initially, Logistics in the evacuation area is only managed one by family. Logistics committee is only a man from Kaur Countryside and his wife. It is rather bizzare.

Transportation of, purchasing of winding sheet or other requirements is being done by this man, while bookkeeping is the responsibility of his wife. As a result, emerging request which were not sensible, for example there was an officer who came to logistics, asking them to provide 5 new jeans.


The custodian of the warehouse does not think anymore, he immediately looked for it. Also the flesh

aid, however, the man was told that it is not for the evacuees. For whom?

Management of food was improper and extravagant. Many complained that foods were usually

cooked long before they eat it. Some were decaying. One case for example, shallot were sliced too much. Then, goods distributions as assessed were less practical because too bureaucratic. The people

wished, food materials distribution would be better if done per-RT so that it is more synchronized and effective. Anyway, in bond, stock is still abundant.

In Wonokerto, evacuees sleep without mat, mostly they bring it by themselves. The rooms are only

occupied by children and mothers. Fathers sleep in the terrace; core or outside the room but have no

blanket. Most refugees of sleep do not have pillow.

Evacuees eat thrice, in the morning around 08.00 - 09.00, noon at 13.00 - 14.00 and dinner at 07.00. Menu includes vegetable like kol, mustard, chickpea, pumpkin, string beans and gori. Also, there

were egg, briny fish, soybean cake, tempe and sometime chicken flesh. Children every day get milk, while for adults, sweet tea and white water.

On the third day, evacuees received proper clothes and blankets. Next day, they obtained new shirts. Clothes came from aids. Other goods which were given to them were slippers, tampon for woman,

and toiletries and menstruation kits for women.

In Girikerto, initially there were no problems, like other in any other areas. But when officer of the

place start to pour in, services to evacuees started to have problems. On the other hand, there were too

many evacuees also. One problem after another popped out.

How is the activities in the evacuation area?

In Purwobinangun life in the evacuation areas in reality is not happy, especially for children. Television tuned day and night, so that children become fond of watching television. In Turgo

television is very rare. Television still becomes new and foreign goods. Electrics even also had not yet entered. As a result children become lazy learners, and doesn’t like going to school.


In Wonokerto, everyday activity of adult men is working in their houses in the day time and return to the area in the nighttime. But later, the numer of men dwindled, 25 men left. Mothers, if noon return home to take care of the garden and sell the produce to market. For those who remain in the

evacuation area they do almost nothing. There were no activities. Only sometime follow to assist to cook.

Activity of children after going home from school includes, playing football, plastic plorotan, jungkitan, empyeng, and play balloon. Sometimes they play in the field or make boat or airplane made from paper. Next day, about 30 children were invited to draw.

Only just for some days, silence in the area became a common thing, especially during daytime. Adult

male decreased, because some does not want to return again. They chose to return home. At home, they get instant noodles and cooked it by themselves.

In Umbulharjo, activities of mothers were defined; sweep the floor every morning, afterwards mandir hanya-mondar. It was boring, not a productive activity. Fathers that remaind in the place were

3 people, because others went home. Children still can go to school, materials for schooling is

enough.

In Kepuharjo, the evacuees generally didn’t felt angry easility. There were kangen houses especially for children. Aside from that, people feared of the remaining goods in their houses. They doubt the livestock of losing or death.


BLACK AND WHITE TURGO

One day in 1996, Mardjo Utomo met subdistrict a security. Mardjo is one of the victims that were saved. His house collapsed. On that time, Mardjo just rebuild his house, in RT 06, Turgo. The officer, get down from motorcycle andcame to him.

”Sir Mardjo, sir Mardjo, where is the north? He said while pointing toward Merapi.”yes, it is a stone, sir.” Mardjo answered.” how if the Merapi explode? Why do you build your house here?””of course i run, sir. Why just quite. Now, it is not exploding yet.” just get into your house please.

Later, if Merapi explode, it will be difficult for us” he said easily.

Lovely people

Deviating from the direction of hot cloud to Turgo and Kaliurang, November 22, 1994 look like became the legitimation to set the southern slope of Merapi free from people. But what can they do, people pushed the transmigration program. So, what the is the next program, relocation.

People of Turgo of course were worried about all the programs. For people of Turgo, Government at that time seemed so fast to dicide that the territory of Turgo become a “banned territory” that is free of settlement. As the result, not exactly enough a week in evacuation site, 3 people went home. They want to make it sure like what the condition in their village on that time. They were worried if Turgo really is not suitable to be the settlement. On that time, the way to enter the village was closed, taken cared by the police. They came home hiddenly.

They were happy, the Turgo just get damaged in RT 06. Water source of Crowokan, in west slope of Turgo Hill still flows. Just only the pipes had broken caused by the hot cloud, so the water cannot flow to the village. At the first time, they think, the landscape in north of hill Turgo only filled by stone. But their estimation wasn’t true. It was not as bad as they think. After going up to the top of Turgo, in the north side looked clean, but Kali Boyong is still full of lava and burned trees. They were calmed.

In the evacuation site, they were telling happy news. Of course mouth by mouth between evacuees of Turgo. They talked and were counting the possibility to go back to Turgo. So, people of Turgo critically organized the mutual assistance. They work together to flowing the water, so can arrived to the village. All had done by Turgo people self.


Little by little, evacuees of Turgo and others came home. The evacuation site became empty. Whereas actually, the status of evacuees was not already finish. Even until now. The serious condition region, RT 06, Turgo for example, in the beginning, lived by 20 families, now only 8 families choose to go home. Save victim, lived too in Turgo like Adi Suwanto, Mardjo Utomo, and Miss Samiredjo.

The government is excessive so they will not people of Turgo came home. The attitudes of Government to the people of Turgo who push the relocation look like a threat. For example, arguments of Cabinet Minister of Coordinator Kesejahteraan Rakyat, Azwar Anas at that time, “People still try to make an argument that they will receive the risk if someday the disaster came. Does not imputing the government if they were die or get deformity. Because, they didn’t care about government invitation to stay in save region.

People of Turgo maybe full of threats, so they didn’t care about the arguments. When in the beginning the came back to Turgo, people always looked by government. Looked like live in Turgo is collide with the rules or the Turgo now became the banned area.

Heart still live Turgo

Partly people can accept government invitation to relocation. The consideration of people at that time because only just to avoid Merapi. Of course somebody just looked the benefit facility, like house, electricity, water, and den. Several family of victim accept the relocation because trauma to what had happened.

Said Maryoto, one of victim who lived in Sudimoro. Actually Maryoto’s wife prefer lived in Turgo, but because her husband reject it, then they accept the relocation. Maryoto’s wife know her husband fear. “I ever invite him to go to Turgo. But in the night, he was worried, still afraid. Because of that I prefer live in Sudimoro.”

People of Turgo prefer lived in relocation aware of the risk that they have to face. First risk about the cost, go-back cost. Every morning, people of Turgo in relocation site use truck if they want to go to Turgo. The cost to go by truck Rp. 400,-/person. When they want to go back, should pay Rp. 400,-/person. And cost for grass or wood Rp. 400,-.


Quantification crudely, every day, people of Turgo in Sudimoro should pay Rp. 1.200,- to find grass, or go to farm. So, for relocation people should pay at least Rp. 36.000,- “only” for go-back to found woof. It just for one person, how about 2 person.

Second risk, efectivity of work. Mothers in relocation worked in Turgo after 6 AM. Start from 06.00-12.00. after go home from Turgo, mothers always take care the cow, until around 13.00. after that, most mothers in relocation do the homework after that. As the result, if a man in relocation worked until noon, then they have to walk until Sudimoro. Different with mothers in Turgo, can work productively everyday in farm.

Although live in 2 place, kinship among people in Sudimoro with Turgo still good. They sure come if one of family celebrate endowment. They help each other. Group member of jathilan " Turangga Seta" even the member of people of Turgo although Sudimoro. Both of this region has merged into one village : Turgo. Thus, normal although separated by distance, people’s heart still in relocation still in Turgo.

People push the relocation generally had a hunch that the disaster can happen everywhere. By the same token, Merapi is not explode everyday. Not to mention, belief that Merapi will give a sign if will be explode and protection to Mount Turgo. So, stronger interest of people to stay in the Turgo. Just only, now people more give more attention. Everyday, look up and down, see Merapi.

Another reason, caused by the distance among Sudimoro and Turgo was quite far. People unwilling to go-back around 7 Km only for looked the grass or farm out. People feel pity if they should ”left” house and farm. For Turgo, house where nobody lives there, house will be broken. Also the productivity of land, always decrease if they didn’t work on maximal.

People of Turgo was not jealous too for the facility that have given to their brother in relocation. They didn’t hoped, moreover ask some help from government. Several people of Turgo, in fact, give the key house back where they ever live in relocation before choose to live in Turgo.

For example, Adi Suwanto, eventhough until now he lives in his brother, Warto, but he feel better if he lives in Turgo. ”I prefer live here. In relocation, i cannot do anything. In here, I can do anything. Yes, i still live in my brother’s house, but I like this place.”


Contohnya Adi Suwanto, meski sampai sekarang tinggal di rumah adiknya, Warto, tapi merasa jauh lebih kerasan tinggal di Turgo."Saya lebih senang tinggal di sini. Di relokasi saya tidak bisa bekerja apa-apa. Di sini saya tidak menganggur. Memang saya masih tinggal di rumah saudara, tapi lebih enak di sini."

Another several people just has a ”simple” reason when they decide to live in Turgo. For example, sense of food became better if in Turgo, eventhough simple. Or feel that environment in relocation was not suitable because small house and adhere with other house. That was people of Turgo, in relocation or in Turgo, they have a conviction to go back and stay in Turgo

Comprehend people, comprehend Disaster.

Far before the hot cloud disaster, people of Turgo actually always get an illumination. Every government institute, like social official, transmigration, Satlak PB and PGM dilligent to inflate the awareness of people to move.

When illumination, people of Turgo always come. People of Turgo looked the illumination that they have done by government institute basicly good, because give an attention to the people. But, people of Turgo really understand that; something that they need or not for them. People know, transmigration program actually have no need. So, illumination from another institute that finally goes to transmigration actually have no need to do. Also the invitation to go down to the relocation, better if they consider to don’t do it again.

Maybe, government now should be proud for autonomous and ”the naughty” of Turgo that always work hard to stay in their place. The pride can be proved if government can repair the attitude ”love” to people. Government can to support people, like through create the strategy mitigation tackling the disaster can be friendly. For example, make a simple information system of early warning to people. Procedure the early warning that valid until now regarded too bureaucratic and turn around. As the result, people just get the last information.

So, have the government repair the south territory lay-out of slope of Merapi? If not yet, then need ”special foreigh” that control the people willingness so still comfort eventhough live in banned area.

Once again, government looked they have to know the traditonal belief of people for Merapi. Several institute looked the belief of people was a threat, whereas the belief was a capacity that build in people


generation to generation. Of course the achievement for every side if someday Merapi explode without bring a victim.


KALIADEM PREPARATION

Kaliadem is another village in scope of Merapi. For them, flee is not something new. But you can say “lucky”, village beside Gendol River, and Kinahrejo village, during this time, they never “give” sacrifice.

By people of Kaliadem, on 1941 remembered as first evacuation experience. Evacuation of government invitation just does in 4 days in Loji building dutchma’s, only 4 days. Actually Merapi is not already exploding, and people back home. In 1954, when Merapi showed the activity increase, government suggest to the people to flee in Umbulharjo (east village chief) during 2 months. But actually nothing happened with Merapi.

Next, on 1961, happened dust rain. Thick dust, dark sky, eye-shot not more than 3 metres. By own initiative, people were doing evacuation to Petung village during more or less a month. After that, just incident of November 22 1994, when Merapi released the hot cloud, it was unconscious incident. People flee after government “invite” them.

The strong belief of “instruction” from Mbah marijan, “conqueror” of Merapi that lived beside the village, made people of Kaliadem never thought that the disaster will come. The reality it is, until now, there are no meaning victims. As the result, a lot of people just heard that there were an institute that arrange the evacuation and lived in disaster management.

If the institute lived in tackling management of disaster exactly is not well-known enough in Kaliadem. People regard, during this time, they never communicate with Vulcanology directorate (exactly, when Merapi Research section), seldom made a good relation with social official and Satlak PB. So, natural if the institute regarded didn’t have an important value (positive) in the eye of Kaliadem people. Exactly the truth, institutes had known because the argument was opposite with people. Unimportance actually unreflective with “Protap, Merapi Disaster” that people didn’t know that, even though by a big part of village equipment.

For people, institute has an important meaning that is farmer group “Ngudi Makmur”, attendance Bank of Village and village equipment. This things was very fairly, because in the farmer group and in village equipment where effort to solve the problem gathered in Kaliadem.


After incident November 22 1994, the crucial problem that should be faced wasn’t the physics threat, but psychology threat because people felt they forced to transmigrate or relocation. This problem even stay in first grade passed other problem that attack people of Kaliadem. For people, relocation and transmigration was opposite with their willingness to stay and managing the environment.

How strong their willingness to stay, then demonstration looked wasn’t usual to do by people Kaliadem Kinarejo. “sadumuk batuk sanyari bumi”. That was the banner that spreaded out as rejection to relocation and transmigration. Others with, adhere the leaflet words “kula nderek sri sultan.” Accidental, Sri Sultan never commands directly to Mbah Marijan, the sultanate equipment to move to relocation, especially transmigration.

Agreed to do the preparation

If people still want to stay in Kaliadem, while it was a danger area, because alert of Merapi explosion, how it was better? Pointed to the rationale, then the village meeting compromised to make a village programme. First activate the patrol activity and monitoring the Merapi.

Second, fulfil traditional communication tool and electronic. For a while, they had limited of electronic communication tool. Only one. Because of that, KAPPALA felt they have to lend out to Mr. Kadus and youth group.

Third, agreed to build the security room for each family. The form should muffle the hot from the hot cloud for a while. The form was a closed room, enough for a family. Don’t too elegant. The most important was the function.

Fourth, made alertness training to the natural disaster. This training had given to youth in village. Besides study PPPK and SAR, they invited to know practise disaster management. Know farther the position of people house, old folks’ home, mother who were pregnant, and children. Study to know the daily equipment that can be used to first help. For example, long chair for drag bar. Communication system and others.


Fifth, organize the reforestation. According to the experience, on some limit, the trees was barrier of hot cloud movement that quite effective. Because of that, they were agreed to cut and plant the trees. Whatever, that can grow with slip of a plant when rain season came.

Sixth, smooth the way. This is became the important things when needed to evacuation. Givethanks that the way in Kaliadem had asphalt, so that the experience of Turgo Village will not happened in Kaliadem. There was a sad story in Turgo : one day, condition in the street was bad and made the increase of victim. Even several witness said that, very hurt when they brought from Turgo to Yogyakarta. The way still had a lot of stone made car shaking. As the result, skin of victims that opened was adhere each other and scratched by sand. Because the car on that time not only limited ambulance, but also trucks and other car.

So, what the people of Kaliadem, Kinahrejo, Kaliurang and Turgo still are careful? We hope so.


ALTERNATIVE DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Desirability versus Desirability

Last explotion of Merapi november 22 give a bad impact that be wide and long. The bad impact not only directly victims by Wedhus Gembel only, but also come the next indirect victims. The indirect victim such as, government, people of Merapi, that is villagers of Kaliadem, Kinahrejo, Tritis, and around there.

People of Merapi had sacrificed their feel because worry if they are really driven from their home place, and the next, they asked to choose, transmigrated, relocated, or be the worker in Perkebunan Inti Rakyat (PIR), that actually no one of them choose the option. People of Merapi stay with their direction on the reality that as far as this time, there is no one Merapi risk like the hot cloud form attack them. However many times the Merapi get eruption, normal eruption eventhough just vault fall, “Disaster” that accepted people of MErapi “only” like dust rain. And its not too heave compared with the dust rain in Muntilan, west slope of Mount Merapi.

Another side, the local government didn’t want their citizen to be the victim of Mount Merapi eruption. Therefore whose live in forbidden area (Vulcanology Directorate version) ask to evacuate. With the existence of flowing cloud to Turgo hill, November 22, then as an assumption, if a powerful deviation happen, the fallen vault will southerly than southeast.

Local government desirability collides to necessity, citizen of Merapi unwilling to do the relocation, transmigration and to be PIR worker. May the local government did not consider the difference of this pretension as an “sacrifice” of mind and their authority.

Although there is no meeting point, desirability the two of them based on many things. Even separatedly each motive is right. Hence, decision of those each desirability is an eforts to create propriety, although isn’t too appropriate. And how if there is another alternative solution?

Read sign

As we know that eruption and fallen vault of Merapi up till now disposed to west – southwest, maximum deviation to southwest. Because the southerly shape is something that rarely happen. Preference in 50 years ago shown mount Merapi produce hot cloud fallen lava, as Lacroix say. Because of the heat is not


the hot cloud of Merapi explosion that directed (S. Vincent hot cloud type) thenthis phenomenon internationally well known as Merapi explotion type.

This phenomenon is the development of weakness from the previous explotion type, that is vulcanic explotion type (weak). This different eruption caused by the weak power, thick larva, also shallow rumen of magma, so “only” be able to make vault of lava. If the balance disturbance, the active vault of lava will be slide, and make a hot cloud and lava. Lava rain and hot cloud is the result of the fallen lava vault. Prediction of the hot cloud distance depends to the vault volume and possible to slide because unstabil places.

Chemical characteristic of gas, vibration, deformation of lava vault in tilting, rainfall, and various of data and signs in the top of Merapi, apparently has seen and accurate. The signs is sufficient to predicting earlier, the possibility of hot cloud appearance by the institutes. At the least as long as this time, there are 3 institute all together “play” in the top of Mountain, with a different pressure. First, the section office of Research of Merapi, underneath directorate of Vulkanology, Energy and Mining Department. Second, Research and Development of Sabo Tecnique, and the third is Merapi project. The second last is the institute underneath the directorate irrigation of Public Work Departement. In order that has more purpose, data and signs that had gooten by the institute needs to provide in simply information form, and the next is informated to the society to followed up.

Information and society reinforcement

The more important to repaired is the early information system in disaster tackling. We can tolerate that interval time can be day by day, hour by hour or just a moment. Of course it is not humane, many victim caused by less of information that they didn’t followed up by the government and didn’t informed to the society. This things is possible to happen because the institute who find datas and reader of “sign of disaster” not all at once have the power to be competent to command the evacuation. More danger if they regard as the information is not too important. So that the owner of the otority regard they don’t need to informed the people, so that they don’t need the preparation to protection. For a while, in another side, people has “lost” the skill to read the natural sign, physicly eventhough metaphysic, and lost the “reflect” to do the alertness to threat of Merapi explotion.

If tackling information now had done well, then we need to optimize system. Make the information shorter, so that the information of disaster sign need to informed to the people, and its of course more wise. If this system is going well, then hoped there is no incestuous sound of Merapi’s people that said the institute of Merapi should be deleted.45 | M E R A P I B E R T U T U R

Furthermore, good information system need to supported by establishment of infrastructure and people ability to increase the alertness and prepare the mobilization evacuation by their self. Because of that, need to formed th mitigation system and alertness, beside Defence and Security Society System. To support this activity, role of society like boy scout, KPA, KSR, LSM, Karang Taruna can looking the chance to get the role.

In other side, if the short dependence of modern technique signs, need to dig up by people in read the signs of disaster. The writer believe that there is a traditional knowledgement that can be used and useful to read the sign of disaster. Mix of traditional science and modern science for this importance, of course can be better.

Advisable?

To relocate, transmigrate, or another form, that the principle is to avoid the disaster forever, need a form, “mitigation” effective polling, although not sure its true. Sometimes overrided, and forgotten in this process is overriding asset they has and value system.

If it is not wrong, the basic principle of disaster mitigation is “decreasing the loss” caused by the disaster, not “die” in location. If developed is model of “mitigation” and left the location, maybe tens of sediment dam that paid by people, billions of rupiahs, they don’t need to make it. The problem is if the statement “should be empty because located in banned region” had done, then thousands of people who enter the banned region should relocate or transmigration. Even the shaman, is the subdistrict mothertown in regency of Magelang, Central Java who brush past the banned region, and a lot of territory the village enter the banned region.

Seems like thats need to actioned first is renew the policyof lay out with do the study of space characteristic, without rushed. That activity all at once rearrange the criteria of standard dangerous dividing. During this time there are 2 standard criteria that hace known, according to vulcanology directorate and according to the layout structure of province of D.I. Yogyakarta plans that related to the layout of Merapi explotion territory became the dangerous territory, wary and potential territory. Of course each of these terms give a different meaning and we can have a different opinion of that differencies or we just quiet because we are confuse.

The next is tackling the alertness mitigation for disaster strategy, especially in information system and citizen own will reinsourcement in troubled disaster area. If the budget that have prepared for Merapi’s citizen relocation about 5 Billion divert to develop mitigation information system of natural disaster,


maybe its enough for 1 regency. If not enough, we can make “Dompet Merapi” for mitigation and alertness, or ask the support to the Bakornal PB.

Finally, erlier system information for good mitigation and alertness in disaster come true, and people of Merapi will in the homeland, how? Or are there an alternative and another importance?


NATURAL DISASTER AND THE ROLE OF NON GONVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

Different appraisal

The Merapi explotion of November 22 had lots of victims. Not only direct victims, but also indirect victim ones. Directl victim got the hot cloud had clear, broken house, land and plants damaged, sick, or lost of brothers or sisters.

Other victims until now still there, that was the pople and local government. Merapi who is located around Turgo, Kinahrejo, Kaliurang, Tunggul Arum “sacrificed” his feelings, because exactly “not clear” his destiny. They felt uncomfortable, because they worry if they had to choose: transmigration, relocation, or move with swadana and swakarsa. People of Merapi were pushed to move, because the reality that as far as the result of Merapi explotion will not attacked them.

On the other hand, local government didn’t want their people to become victim of Merapi explotion. Because of that, people who lived there are banned in the region and are asked to move away. The currents of the hot cloud to Hill Turgo, November 22, 1994 assumed the fallen vault always going to the south.

Eventhough both of the willingness backed-up by good conviction, actually until now there is no agreed word yet. The difference of willingness showed there are differencies to appraise the risk of Merapi explotion disaster among government and people of Merapi. Moreover, the difference of appraisal caused by the difference to give a level hazard and vulnerability as the determined of factor the risk of disaster. Because of that, a wise government of course didn’t see form to “mbalelo” of people, and then disturb the authority of Government, and the opposite, people is not regard as an excessive form and infallibility of government authority.

Different opinion among people of Merapi with local government, or with “other” people like in the above, had happened and exactly will be happened. With consider there are different appraisal, how if we tried the other finishing alternative? Need found the effort that “every people should be the winner.” For example people of Merapi shouldn’t need to move, but also not to be the victim of Merapi explotion. Is it something possible?

Resuscitation the people


It is with high hope that the analysis of the risk of disaster can help in solving the problem. Moreover, this way is considered too to planning the territory around active Merapi, in risk analysis phenomenological of this disaster, human is the risk factor.

Because the basic side is to increase the awareness of people about the space position inside. The dangerous disaster territory. Mitigation and alertness to face the danger of Merapi will be good if the people understand and aware about their position, banned, 1st danger territory or 2nd danger territory. This possible happen the difference of people behaviour in each territory to demeanor the disaster. People around territory has a higher susceptible, and of course should be more aware and perceptive disaster will emergence.

People’s awareness of the space posisition need to be mixed with the ability in rean and know the disaster signs. Hoped the ability of know and read the official sign from the government institute even the unofficial sign from nature, then people don’t have an absolute dependence. Certainly still left traditional knowledge to read the signs of disaster. Integration on traditional knowledge and modern knowledge is not a something bad.

As for the official signs is undeniably, goods monitoring for approximation the natural disaster is more sophisticated day by day. But as we know that different time among appear the sign of disaster and event of disaster is unsure. Hoped the information catched by the reader of disaster institutes can be arrived to the people in a short time. For problem of utilization of time looked need a repairation “information bureaucracy.” Or, if the reader institutes “disaster signs” need authority to lead the evacuation.

Next step, good information system need to be supported by expedience of infrastructure like transportation network and telecommunication network. Condition of infrastructure that unequal to be the skill to do the alertness and evacuation mobilisation became low.

The reality, big part of Merapi disaster danger has no equal infrastructure network; except if the territory is the trip territory.


The condition and high skill of people in natural disaster mitigation possible formed an alert and mitigation system to people-based of threat the disaster. That is the condition and self-developing of people in determine the attitude to face the natural disaster.

Role of NGO-KSM

This system rest on the people. Because this is the first step need to do is consolidate the awareness and skill of people to support the activity, role of “people outside” still possibled and needed. As the skill, society institution like NGO-KSM has an opportunity to play role.

To develop the program, it seems there are division of role for KSM-NGO. Skill of NGO-KSM in chuck the people had not still hang in doubt. Apart from the differencies in posturing gait of NGO-KSM, but sured, pratical NGO-KSM dan touch “directly” can be more accepted honestly by people because NGO-KSM quite rely on doing the resuscitation and reinforcement of people, so that basic disaster mitigation on people come true.

Program hoped can be done honestly, need to avoid the curiosity and prejudice of unreasonable argument. The prevalence, NGO-KSM that look on the dark side of government inclined twisted permission to do the activity. Or the government look that surely NGO-KSM has “udang di balik batu” in agitate the people, if do something.

Supported and coordinated with concerned institute, NGO-KSM can play a role on people reinforcement in natural disaster mitigation like evacuation management, management of barracks evacuation, public kitchen, fund management for help the refugee, and others.

Closing

If that things walk kindly, then there will decrease the accident and appear of incestuous sound : the pile up helpfulness and not connected, fund has corrupted, not until the refugee, unclear allocation helpfulness, lucky committee, etc

So how if we started now? Together we know the risk and benefit of disaster. Wasn’t the disaster attacked us on that time is the godsend to another time.


OUR SOCIAL OFFICIAL: MORE FAIR, BETTER

Not just an accidental if social officer of 2nd grade of local regency, Sleman always try to answer the requirement of tackling the disaster. That was their job, but is it needs the social official do titration of comprehension the people who try to lived in dangerous territory, so they moved from Turgo to Relocation?

Before the disaster happened, the main activity that had done by social official is the illumination especially for villages in banned area. Except social official, they followed other illumination such as Vulcanology or Mawil Hansip. Illumination did for socialize the danger of merapi. For social official, the danger of Merapi need to informed, because the people who always lived in banned area like Turgo was very difficult to moved. In the view of social official, the possibly effort that the most possible to do was; took care and always build the public awareness to always wary.

When the disaster, social official had responsible in logistic supply for victim, because the social official did logging to the amount of the victim head family, the necessity possibility and do coordination with village side. After that, village side was responsible to distribution and arrangement. Social official said that, bureaucracy always rotate so that usually village side fulfil the necessary autonomously first, then engage the social official.

The role of social official pasca-disaster such as socialization, logging, and provide the necessaries. Socialization does for build people motivation so that they want to move from the first village, to the relocation or transmigration. This activity done by social official with related instantion like transmigration institute. Socialization does with illuminations that persuasive remind critical people, so that do carefully.

Response of people until certain limit quite good. People welcome the illumination. “If they were invited, all of them will come. Good response. Every people came, they were active too in illumination. But if they command to go down, it was very hard, because they were belief that Merapi will give a sign before explode. The positive response of people just until accepted the message, but difficult to do because they had a strong belief.

For this problem, social official couldn’t do more. Social official just do the phenomenological that more intensive through illumination. Social official didn’t take the act with hardness, because they don’t have a basic law for that action. Another consideration, people had critic with accept and read the message from


other instantion. Social official aware, there was no certain basic law that banned people live in banned area. As the result, they cannot take any explicit action for people who lived there.

After socialization, the next role of social official is logging. Social official log the people who ready to move to relocation or transmigration. Relocation for Turgo and around there had prepared in Sudimoro, village Purwobinangun, subdistrict of Pakem. Relocation for people in Ngandong and around there, in Pelem, Girikerto, subdistrict of Turi.

For people in relocation, social official totally help them. Start from course and training for increase the prosperity of people, like ranch and Usaha Sosial Ekonomi Produktif (USEP). These activities just do for people who had a willingness to stay in relocation. The opposite, people who prefer Turgo or other banned area could not get those facilities. The problem why there were discrimination? Social help didn’t give to the people who lived in the place where they like or that was just one of the risks that should be responsible by people of Turgo because they prefer to live in their own house.

But, the strategy intentionally had done by social official. They hope the people who still live in the top want to go down and live with other people in relocation. But during this time, people in the top never ask the social official to get help. But until now, social official always do the illumination so the people who lived in banned area want to move.

Except through illumination, social official made “Advertisement” relocation and transmigration through these brochures. On these brochures there were nacked Maryoto picture. The expression of his face looked terrible. Hand, stomach, and face full of injury caused by the hot cloud. Behind the page, there were picture of Merapi that released the lava. There were a clean Merapi too, around wet rice field. Said that, to solve the Merapi disaster such as through transmigration to the river of Lilin-South Sumatra, Sri Bahar, and estuary of Bulian – Jambi and Tebing Tinggi-Riau. Then the supplying the job vacancy through programme AKAN and AKAD that will held by Worker official. Programme AKAN will goes to Malaysia and south Korea. Then programme AKAD to Jakarta and Kalimantan. The last relocation programme goes to Sudimoro and Pelem.

Threat Of Fertile Land.

Analysis SWOT(Strength, weakness, opportunity, and Threat), simply what did they do together with social official showed several interest things.


Strength, first power, social official is an government instatiation so that has the law to work in banned territory. Second strength, social official has responsible to do the job, eventhough many times pushed by people.

Weakness. Weakness of social official was less of fund and infrastructure activities.

Opportunity. Social official has an opportunity because still can provide facility and needs for people who wants to move to relocation. Ability of facility like house, stable, social social helpfulness, etc.

Threat. For social official, the fertility of land in Turgo and banned area became a threat. Logically, the fertility land made people will not move, fine in relocation or transmigration. Second threat, strength of belief to the signs if Merapi will explode. People belief of mysterious signs made people sure that they will stay there, eventhough that was a banned area. The third threat, people worries and distrustfulness to their own land. People thought if they move, then their land will be the tourist area.

That was the strength, weak, opportunity and threat the social official local regency on the 2 nd grade of Sleman in solve the disaster. Eventhough SWOT wasn’t represent social official, in any case, that is it, according to Suwanti, BcHk-section of Help and prosperity Social.

SATLAK KITA : TIDAK HABIS PIKIR


Actually, who ever that can mixed up with the tackling of disaster? So who ever the government should take care about the disaster? People slope of Merapi actually still save like or dislike, happy or sad.

Unity of implementer of tackling the disaster (Satlak PB) is an official organization of tackling the disaster in regency. Satlak PB form based on “Inmendagri Nomor 20 tahun 1997” about institutional who said that in all of territory in Indonesia should had institute of tackling the disaster. The organization should had a clear protap, good organization structure and creative human resource. So, the standard official Satlak PB can be guaranteed.

Although government organization, but to do Satlak PB have to engage the people actively or passively. The leader of Satlak PB was chief of local regent and helped by other instantion. To do the job, Satlak PB was responsible to the unity of executor coordinator (Satkorlak), institute PB in province grade. Satkorlak chiefed by governor grouped by instantion of other government in province grade. To do the effort to tackling the disaster, Satlak PB should be able to know all of equipment that needed, for example permanent procedure tackling the disaster (protap PB) that had by Satkorlak until PB institute in the village grade. Except that, necessary for save the victim if disaster happen, Satlak PB have to determine evacuation way.

For necessary of PB in the long time, Satlak responsible to do society development to increase the awareness and knowledge to the disaster. Society development did through illumination and training. The training activity called Gladi Lapang, celebrate every year. When the training was doing, it engage the people to be the active participant. People learn techniques tackling the disaster and they practical it. Model looked better thatn old model. People just watch. Old model, people just to be the spectator so that make an wrong meaning to the people. It is natural, because people just watch so that cannot understand ostentation deeply. For example, when the disaster happen, people run while bring their son, cow, etc.

Except training, Satlak PB always make an Illumination. Illumination method used to socialize the information about the disaster. For example about the map and danger limit territory. And condition of Merapi and characteristic, can some day explode without extimation before. Except it, anticipation methods to save life if someday happen the disaster.

To do the job, Satlak PB engage others instations like Social official, communications, public job. Healthy and people. The involvement of people to tackling the disaster had done very well before the disaster happen, until the disaster happened.


On the pra-step or pasca-disaster, people joined to be a good participant in illumination. Training or studies that held from Satlak PB or other instantion. In that activity, people just want to follow as the entertainer. But to mixed up farther, like do the message, still difficult.

Suggestion to move to relocation for example, people cannot accept all. People difficult to accept the relocation, especially because the agriculture land where the source of their life were in banned area, like Turgo. Programme for transmigration became more difficult, because the people had emphaty. “if move to relocation, of course it is not efficient because they had to work. So the only alternative was transmigration. But this is still difficult to accept the people”

Different with pro-step and pasca-disaster. The involvement of people was very good, but the involvement especially looked in the dangerous territory, but they were not attacked by disaster. People just be the first side that accepted. Luckly to face the disaster of apparatus, usually had 3 skilled person that prepared to the necessary. The tackling of the disaster still need the involvement of another side of victim, self-handling looked people cannot be able.

People of Merapi according to Satlak

Maybe Turgo had a big challenge for Satlak PB regency of Sleman. In the eye of Satlak PB, Turgo was a first dangerous territory that exactly free from settlement. Satlak PB looked, if happened the Merapi explotion, then Turgo will get a primer dangerous of explotion so that should be empty and may not to use as settlement. But actually, until now, more than 250 people still stay there.

For satlak PB, sosialization effort to build the awareness always do. Through illumination, satlak PB with local government had informed the danger of Merapi, statue Turgo territory and illumination about transmigration. And training to increase the skill of people that act to save their life when disaster. The training always routine every year.

After Merapi disaster November 22, 1994, local government has prepare facility and necessary to relocation with supported by many instantion. But all of the effort look no purpose. Illumination Satlak PB to people of Turgo can accepted well. People didn’t fight it. But the reality, people wasn’t change. They ignore messages from Satlak PB. Illumination just unpurpose.


People want to accept the information from Satlak and cannot to easy trust of that information. People prefer trust and accept the information from informal figure like Mbah Marijan depends to official source like Satlak PB. As the result, Satak PB ever “Banting Setir”, try to enter through the figure of people. For example with Mbah Maridjam. The “closeness”proved with socializationing the procedure on tackling the disaster to the people like Mbah Maridjan. But failed. For Satlak PB, the failure can be see such as the belief in people still strong. The belief be a strong root not only in people heart, but also the figure.

For Satlak PB, belief is not always true. Satlak PB looked that in Merapi disaster November 22, 1994, people didn’t get any information from their favourite figure. “when disaster 1994, there was no information, and Mbah Maridjan wasn’t instructive us too to flee.”

Satlak PB always thinking, because eventhough the hot cloud disaster had eat a lot of victim but people still want to live in Turgo. Satlak PB effort to ask the people to move. But people didn’t care about that. Satlak PB admit, ever ask to the people and engage military. “for a while, we cannot use hardness there, but “eviction” wasn’t working. Funny, after that tackling the disaster was a government necessary, not people necessary. “people of Turgo always work hard, while who want to move to relocation look like spoiled. If the lamp was broken, they told to Satlak PB, if water was off, they told too to Satlak PB, if they didn’t repair it, they threaten wanna go back to the Turgo. It seems like the government need to get save.

Satlak PB appraise, actually, one of reason why people of Turgo still wanna there because the mistake to build the stragegy. Many facility like way, development of cultivation of Salak Pondoh caused people interest and like to live in Turgo.

The problem of people “bull headed” actually will not happen if there was no development in Turgo territory. Vision of Satlak PB, Turgo will different with Kaliurang. Actually they have the same status, dangerous I, but there was a different character among both of that territory. Kaliurang still can be developed because domination of function not for settlement, but for Hotel. For a while, in Turgo still develop but not for settlement.

Except difference of function domination, development in kaliurang has a different dangerous level. For Satlak PS, dangerous on Kaliurang only the hot cloud that moved like water flow. Except that, there was barrier to protect Kaliurang, that was Plawangan Hill. How about Turgo Hill? “ Was the hill of Turgo short, wasn’t it?”


A lot of friends, a little enemy

SWOT Analysis to Satlak PB at the least the institute showed inclination: a lot of friends and a little enemy. Strength, first strength, Satlak PB regency of Sleman had an hardware or software to tackling the disaster, for example skilled people and support equipment. Second strength, Satlak PB had funds from government although people contribution.

Weakness. First Weakness, Satlak PB was not really trusted organization by society to took an action when disaster happened. Second weakness, understanding of personel of Satlak PB still less to conception natural disaster management. Third weakness, mutation personel of Satlak. Member of Satlak which is Public Servant Of Civil is each time moved and changed new, so that they have to learn the tackling the disaster concept from the beginning.

Opportunity. Opportunity of Satlak PB, is the only one organization to tackling disaster. Second opportunity, there was change generation in people of Turgo, so that, possible to change the attitude.

Threat. For Satlak PB, threat to success in tackling the disaster always come from people. All it happened because people had belief higher to the supranatural character depends to government or Satlak PB.

To do the holy job, Satlak PB need support from the other side. For Satlak PB, almost all. Institute of Government had enter to Satlak. Support when disaster happened usually came from UNG and social worker. And also the people not victim and mass media, always open the ”Dompet Sumbangan”. People give help for example bussinessman or student to be volunteer. Other support came from religion personage. All of them was Satlak PB’s friends.

So, didn’t you think Satlak PB didn’t have enemy. There were people who exploiting the situation when disaster happened, for example, looked like volunteer, whereas they just want to take the benefit for their self. And also the people who will not compromise, although not ”enemy”, but could enough be ”problem” for Satlak PB.

People of Turgo who want to lives in the up, maybe represent the independence community, because push something that they want, the relocation. People prefer to live in their own”Ancestors land”. People will not compromise. Is that an enemy of Satlak PB? It’s really unic. But that was the view and perception of


Satlak PB, Drs. Urip Sahagia version, the head of Potention and Training section Satlak PB second grade of local regency, Sleman. (FM. Nawitaningrum).


OUR VOLCANOLOGISTS : MBOK SAMPEYAN PAHAM

The Volcanic Agency is for what?

On the duty of Vulcanology, people recognize more, compared to the name in fact that moment: Section Investigation of Merapi. Or name now, what more long : Hall Investigation and Development of Technology of Kegunungapian, residing in Sandalwood road in the street of Yogyakarta. The duty of Vulcanology “understanding" the behavior of Merapi. At least in comparison with other governmental institution, We enunciated, because the attendance of (it) is true “destined" to comprehend Merapi.

Contiguity of the duty of Vulcanology and the Merapi is realized through the development of programs and methods concerning technology of Merapi, counselling of danger story; level of gunungapi, monitoring and perception, also business arrangement of institution and administration efforts. Once again, the obligation of Vulcanology is to give recommendation regarding the change of status of Merapi to local government which will be the basis for people’s action and decision making.

The duty of Vulcanology is to watch technically Merapi’s activity supported by visual data coming from the Observation Post’s report. Pursuant to the datas given regarding Merapi’s activity, the progress report including informing forecast of what eruption occurred to the local government and the community. For the Volcanology, their duty also is becoming one of the “spraging" with other institution and society.

In society, especially in disaster prone areaa, there is a confusion of understanding regarding the activity of Merapi. The Ketidakpahaman is influence by the image in the agency. For the people, Merapi can erupt and release hot cloud at any time. In the understanding of the community, hot cloud vomited by the eruption, become hot cloud. The community does not comprehend the activity of guguran lava dome which also can result hot cloud danger.

The problem is, the lava flows were not forecasted. Guguran also do not have any signs of eruption. The people were unable to understand the forecast regarding the eruption, so the they became victims.

The agency assumes that the people desires to know everything regarding the eruption. The people whould like to know everything so that they can be prepared for it. Compared to the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines where the people are really clueless.


Again, the problem of Merapi is not only the eruption, but also the problem with forecasting the eruption. The organization can only detect the direction of the explotion but not forecast when it will happen. There are not yet technologies for that.

With that, the main duty of the volcanic information agency is to inform the people of increase their capacities by doing various activities so that it will decrease the number of victims or casualties brought about by the disaster.

Aside from counselling, the institution will do other things for the children who were victimized by the disaster. Socialization of Gunungapi will be conducted through extramural activity like Boy Scout. This will be included in the school curriculum.

For the institution, since the children lives in a disaster prone area, it would be help to have that kind of program. This Program was conducted in the year 1999 and started in the area of Klaten, Magelang. The expectated output would be the socialization of children.

Aside for the people in the disaster prone areas, so that the socialization done too for the people will be wider. For example, by passing through leaflets inside tourist dstination brochures.

The agency responsible for volcanic activities will do monitoring of Merapi also. The result of the regular monitoring will be reported, and the reports will be the basis for future actions and decisions. If the condition is normal, the reporting would be at least once a week in a regular basis. The reports will give warning regarding the activities of Merapi.

The agency too is conscious, until this moment they predict the explosion, but not when the lava will be relased from the crater of the volcano. The result is, they can only provide warning and activity pattern of Merapi to the people once there are increased in activities.

SWOT Analysis

Strenght, for the agency responsible for the volcanic activity, the primary fear is having no experience on the matter as well as the a little kowledge on the art of volcanology. Technical ability that is needed is so


high. Another fear is, the agency, for one instance, doesn’t know whether the governement is the one who will handle the volcanic problems in Indonesia, or Merapi in Yogyakarta.

Also, the agency have enough funds, good institutional operations, and for the levying of the treatment of instrument. Their strength also includes their members who are in the legitimate postition to talk and handle natural disasters. That only means that their duty is valid and reasonable in managing disaster.

Weakness. Thier inability to forcast is the primary weakness. One the organization can do it to only estimate. But the estimation is uncertain.

Opportunity. Opportunity for the agency for example is to develop a plan; build a Volcano Centre in Kaliurang. If that plan happenes, hence that will become a opportunity for them to solve whatever misunderstanding between them and the communities. In Volcano Centre, people can see and try by themselves the peripheral and monitoring equipments of Merapi. "The people can wait and can look over the monitor which isn't only by themselves.

Others opportunity for the agency is, still they can conduct resuscitation of society, for example passing activities in schools. Then the agency also feels that mass media had not yet earned to be exploited in an optimal fashion. During the time article concerning Merapi, only news about it are present. Seldom there are articles concerning the study of Merapi.

Threat. The misunderstanding on communications between the institution in-charge, other institution, and the people is the primary threat. Also the negative image of the people to the agency, even its image to the international community. Negative image are evident in their communications.


MERAPI NOT JUST THE EXPLOSION

Is there a change

Merapi is known as the most active volcano in the enitre world, with an eruption type that is very specific. Hot clouds are not only famous, but is also being daunted. But that way the wedus gembel of Merapi had proven itself, Merapi just proves to be the most active one, not to mention the effect of it to the communities around. The lava that Merapi exploded gave a good stone for sculptors. For all farmers, their mineral supply was affected by the ashes coming from the volcano. Also, providing "his body" make poke irrigation for the community around it. Therefore, no wonder if Merapi both blames Merapi for what happened.

Merapi with its ”keindahan,” its hot cloud were inhaled by all people. Only few people paid attention to other potential that Merapi have. The potnetial actually already kept the people around Merapi boiling: the forest and tembu that became the sources of life.

The forest of Merapi, is where the people usually gets their resources for living, now, they feel the great pressure. The nature is now not sufficient for everybody due to the many things that people do to it. There are illegal logging in which the money usually goes to the government official and not for the planting tress. This should be change so that we could have a great life free from disasters. Our lives now is different from the kind of life that our ancestors lived. Before, there were still many natural resources around. But then, due to the unending activities of man that destroys the environemnt, almost everything is destroyed and ruined. Almost everything is lost. And what is the good of it to us? What would be the danger that it will bring to us?

Merapi is gracious

Merapi also have grass, trees, and woods. All these things are the benefits that people are blessed for, which they can used for economic profits; also, some of the materials in the forest can be ingredients for medicines and other things. These are the blessings of the gracious Merapi.

If we will walk inside the forest, in the slope of south of Merapi, from Telaga Putri to the village of Kinahrejo, there are various kinds of medicines that can be found there. Misal and Kina tree are treatment for malaria. Cabe Jawa, for rheuma. Sombiloto, for the snake bite.


Red jamur that is so rare and so hard to find, can be found in the forest of Merapi. There are other kinds of medicine too for liver infections can also be found in Merapi. This only means that in the forest of Merapi a lot of things can we be thanful for.

Aside from red jamur, there is also leaves of the foot of the horse or Centela asiatica or pegagan, which can used as medicaine to take the scars of burn. The primary burn that’s recovered already. This is a powerful medicine to that kind of sickness.

According to Marjo (a young man from Turgo) coffee leaves can be used to cure pain of bengek or of mengi. It can be plucked while still young, marked with the colour red chocolate and not yet green. If have run dry, this young coffee leaf made tea, mixed with hot water and drinked can take away chilling.

Still many plants can be used by Merepi citizen, sauch as Wind, Balseman, Serean, Ndas Thief, Lempuyang, Mushroom’s elder brother, Girlfriend of Banyu elder brother, Forest banana, Arum Ndalu, Isn'T it, Clover Mount, Mbilung Don of Rumbet.

And also for materials tetumbuhan menyimpan of bioinsektisida. Insecticide which has poisonous compound of earning terdegradasikan, so that it will not poison the environment, for example Girlfriend of banyu elder brother, Green cane, Arum Ndalu, Pacing, Bakoan, Errand and of Kalikadep, Bioinsektisida is a breakthrough material for and friendly agriculture for the environment. This Tetumbuhan is very useful when kia was developed. But still a lot we need to comprehend, for example: seed ways, conservation, crops, shares of ampuh and also measure it need to be effective.

Also for providing alternative foods : Ferny, Sugar palm, Den, Tai Bajing, Uwi, Suweg, Mushroom Ear, Mushroom Lot, Mushroom of Grigit, Kaloran and of Parijotho. This Tetumbuhan if developed will improve earnings of the society. Even can be made for pledge commodity and Merapi’s individuality. So that one would interest for the visiting Merapi from the countryside needs to get this Merapi typical crops.

Also it provides a decorative tetumbuhan able to be developed as pledge product; for example Poke of semar, Balanophora, Angrek screw pine, flower of Cokro, Ferny, Nampu, Sesuruhan, Senggani and Isn'T it. Merely local commununity should be able to conduct seeds beforehand. Don’t take the wild ones. It taken, the results would be the destruction of the species will happen. For example, Orchid Screw pine in this time cannot be found anymore in the south of Merapi forest because it runned out already. Destruction of orchid in natural forest happened since year 1995. Orchid Screw pine price moment [of] Rp 25.000, - per crop.


Also the "seed garden" potential of tetumbunan for industry can be seen in the forest of Merapi for example Braiding, Screw pine, Pring Tutul, Pring Apus, Pring Legi and of Pring petung. We need to improve one’s capacities to recognize importantly regenerating tetumbuhan, and for recognizing not to exploit potency for industry. Expected with this matter will give added value and continue the availibility of source subsistence of citizen.


HOW TO BETTER THEN?

After reading a lengthy of words, the questions that we have to go back is: is our disaster management good enough? Or Can better?

The cycle of disaster

Disaster have been interpreted in multifarious manner, both for having the character of public or adapted for "importance" organizational which “interpreting". The general characteristic of disaster is:

• Change life of normal patterns, • Harm on human beings• Damage to social structure, • and also requirement of gambol appearance

Management of disaster literally is understood as an effect of collective result of threat component, crisis and danger, susceptance which is by together in that region. In disaster management context, disaster comprehended by a "cycle" management of handling of disaster which compose of:

• Occurence of disaster• Handling of emergency, • Rehabilitation• Reconstruction• Development • Prevention• Mitigation • Reduction of impact• Readiness

The dangers could emerge because of the existence of:

• Natural event ( landslide, floods, forest fire, eruption, tsunami); • Because of deeds of human being ( pollution of industry, riot); • Because of the combination of both ( landslide, floods, fire/burning, dryness)

Danger can pop up for a long time. This danger can become disaster if community’s capacities in that region are lower. Impact arising out earn directly (primary) and indirectly (secondary).


Disaster Management is a dynamic process and have goal to able to conducted through mechanism of of external and internal. External mechanism is mechanism of management which is more on the element of mobilization outside society. Disaster mangement with internal mechanism is mechanism making society as protagonist and central.

Condition at this moment

For a while management of disaster in Indonesia still tend to use external mechanism. This matter can be seen as where outsiders dominating the entire/all disaster cycle component. Even we can say, almost entire/all activity of planning, preparation and execution of disaster management program always "go down from the top to bottom".

Society only acts as an object with all the elementary ascription of being weak. This mechanism is based on the idea that victims are powerless and always depends on the external aids. The bad side of this mechanism is the lack of people’s participation and role in managing themselves. As a result, strarting from the essentials until simple things are being decided by outsider. For example: when have to evacuate? Evacuating where? Still may live in countryside initialy or [do] not? Today eat what? Of that problemses, is it correct that society have unable to decide and handle?

The uppermost matter in this mechanism is people as merely an object. Nothing other than, the involvement of society which only as executor of the programs and plans decided by other. The people are not "owner of" the program, because they do not see the relation/link between requirements with program which is being implemented to him. As a result society’s participation and support to that program is so weak. In evacuation, does a person have a program for it? Society becoming not have program when them feel that the condition of have peaceful, and conscious that expanding later; then in evacuation areas things becomes outside thier control. For example, there is transmigration bargain, bargain of relocation and there is prohibition order to come home.

The selection of external mechanism to be applied in Indonesia likely is in a form as well as impact of tendency of politics also. Most of the times it boils down to politics. People have no choice but to follow the order of the authority.


A Bargain

Alternative disaster management in while people does not participate in the planning or decision making process is so week. So what is the requirement now? Internal mechanism is better choice. The challenge is how to start and the transfer the skill of that planning and research?

Participative method is one of the best approaches which can done to support internal mechanism. This means that we are getting and respecting the opirions of the commuties. This also means that we are doing things not just based on the ideas of the people outside but rather from the ideas of the people in the community itself.

The real form of this ground is the importance of help from government agencies, private sector institute, and non-govermental organizations. But, after society have enough capacities, let the people determine appropriate action. The community is the subject of management mechanism of the disaster management.

Obligation in this situation and us to make the communities, most especially those who are living in dangerous zones, become more prepared and fully capable. Finally, making them overcome all threats so that they will not be become victims of disasters. We of course trust, strongly the capacity of the people. We also wish that the threat will as much as possible be eradication.

The communities in the mountainside of Merapi as a case gives us a picture of the ills of having no proper management plan. Merapi’s eruption is a threat that will produce disaster. But as we always say, we can overcome or go away from disaster if we have a proper disaster management plan.


TRANSCRIPTION OF A WITNESS

Following the statements of the eyewitness regarding explosion of hot cloud that occurred on 22-November-1994, either the victims or non-victims. This transcript is a data for the study and evaluation of the hot cloud through the eyewitnesses which was held by the end of 1995.

Maryoto, Knee-cap was riffed-off

Right now Maryoto lives in the Sudimoro relocation site together with his kids and his wife. Before he lives in RT 04, Turgi. The moment the hot gases attacked, he was helping the Sudiredjo family. He is the only victim, but the rest of the family survived. Fortunately his wife was not in the house while his children wer on the school. Right now, his face, ears, legs and arms are not in good condition anymore.

“I was at that moment inside the house of Pak Sudiredjo. I was just alone, then Pak Prawiro Addjo who went to see the edge of the cliff already came. Pak Prawiro informed me if Jurang Boyong is already filled with particles from Merapi. At that moment no one warned me about the hot gases. Then I suddenly felt afraid when I heard Prawira Ardjo screaming and trembling in front of the house.”

From the place where he stands, he cannot see the condition of Merapi because his is inside the house. If he went out of the house, Merapi is still cannot be seen because it is covered by Bukit Turgo. “I don’t know that wedus gembel is dangerous.” Even though Maryoto actually about to run, when he heared the scream of Prawiro Ardjo. However, suddenly the house of Sudiredjo collapsed.

For him, wedus gembel were black with reddish colar just like gas. “At the moment I felt so hot, until I can’t feel anything anymore.”

Fortunately, the hot gases attacked Turgo just only for a moment. In the beginning, he heard a loud sound. And then, everything became dark just like night. “I can’t see the particles of hot gases. I was inside the house and the situation inside was so dark also.” The inner part of hot gases were dry and the ashes were so hot. It smell like sulphur and made me hard to breathe. The sand entered my mouth. When I arrived at Sarjito hospital, I was still coughing and vomiting sands. My throat was so dry and made me desire to drink a lot of water. At that moment the feeling is like I am wearing a traditional head cover, but not. Because he was wearing a short shirt, so the part that was burned only was his legs and face. Actually my shirt was not burned but when I fell off back were exposed so it was burned also. I felt like the skin of my knee-cap was melted. At that moment, I was wearing sandal. But then when I walked out, the sand in the ground was so hot. Maybe I am not wearing any sandals anymore.


When the hot gases attacked he cannot stand anymore since the gedhek wall collapsed. Maryoto realized that the house collapsed upon him after the attack of hot gases was finished. The sign that the attack of hot gases is finished according to Maryoto was the the situation became brighter. “Before it was too dark. So, in that situation I heard a sound as if houses were collapsing. That house collapsed and it fell upon me. When it became brighter, I was able to crawl outside the ruined. I then walked. I was surprised when I saw the skin of my knee-cap was ripped-off. I was walking to the yard, and then I sat on a box. At that moment the situation was still quiet.” Maryoto was carried to the Sarjito hospital around 11:00.

Rigth now, Maryoto still feels itchy in the scar of his wounds. The condition of his hearing was affected too, since his ear hole became smaller.

Adi Suwanto, Lost everything

Adi Suwanto (45) lives in RT 06, Turgo. However right now his still chose to live in Turgo than in the relocation site. But his house is still destroyed, so Adi lives in his brother’s house, Warto.

He is not only a crippled, but also lost almost all of his family members. His wife, Legiyem died. And so does his daughter, Sri Lestari and two of his grandchild, Ika Setianingsih and Irwan Santoso. They all died.

“At that moment I was outside the house taking care of my grandchild. The distance between the house with me is only 3 meters. Suddenly I heard a loud sound and saw something like lightning. So, bang!!! The sound of explosion, and I run. Everything was dark and I can’t see anything.”

According to him, previously no one warned him that the disaster will come. “Merapi Observation Post didn’t gave any warning either, if Merapi is going to emit lahar, or lava. Usually there is a warning for example if it is the sound of kentongan then it means that Merapi is going to emit lava. And if the sound of bende, then it means that Merapi is going to emit hot gases. However, if it was the sound of sirene so all of the people should already get-off. But on the last disaster, there was no any warning from the sirene, so peole think that the village is safe. They think that there were ni danger at all.

“I remember in 1969 in East side in Sembung there were wedus gembel too, everything was burned and the shape is just like what happened yesterday. So, when the disaster attacked this village, I felt so worried when I saw the wedus gembel.


Right when I heard the sound of explosion, Adi is actually going to run. “I run inside my house with my grandchild, but senddenly the wedus gembel attacked. I fell and my grandchild was loosed from my grip, I felt that I am going to fain. I still cant see the tiles of the roof falling down and exposed the houses.”

According to Adi, the hot gases were thick and round, just like wedus gembel. The color is red, just like smoke that is about to become heated coal. The direction of the hot gases were diagonally. It didn’t go straight downwards. The hot gases attacked didn’t take too long. Only for about two minutes. I felt the attack of hot gases only for a minute, just like when a wind pass through your body. The smell of hot gases is like sulphur, I can’t remember anymore, but I remember that the smell made me sick.

The pressure of hot gases is strong, which made Adi fell-off. “I fell off not because I stumbled or hit anything, but because I can’t stand against the pressure of hot gases. When the attacked happened, Adi covered his face using both of his hands. The hot gases didn’t enter my ears, mouth, or my nose. I was just laying down. But since I was carrying my grandchild, so my grandchild fell-off and died in the hospital.

That moment Adi was wearing T-shirt and shorts, but all were burned. “I also wore sandal but perhaps were loosed when I run.

The sign that the hot gases attack was finished is the situation became brighter. It was dark before. “After it became bright, I am able to walked outside the house while screaming for help. But no one came since they are all afraid. Outside I can see the wood covering the street. Everything fell down.”

At 12:30, Adi Suwanto was carried to the hospital. “I remember that in that moment my neighbors came from the south helped me.” The travel from the disaster area to the hospital is one hour.

Right now the skin of Adi is often felt itchy, especially if it is cold or sweating. Adi used to have four cow, but all of them died.

Supardjo, He left his hammer


Supardjo (29) lives in Kelapa Sawit Relocation Complex, Girikerto. When the disaster happened he was working in the Cek Dam Kali Boyong. Sapardjo managed to survived, although he became crippled.

“I was in Kali Boyong working in the Clean Water Project, so I was in the valley of Kali Boyong.” When the hot gases came Supardjo cannot remember anything. “It was so sudden after the hot gases attacked my conscience said that is this the end of the world? But if its true I felt that something is not right.

From the place of Supardjo, Mt. Merapi can be seen a little bit. But he didn’t pay attention since he was too busy working. Moreover, there were no one who warned him about the disaster. “There is no one but one is for sure that there is no more time to warn other people.”

Unfortunately, Supardjo didn’t know that hot gases is dangerous. “I didn’t realized that wedus gembel is dangerous. I run just because the thundering sound and the air feels so hot. I was trying to escape. Below Kali Boyong suddenly feel so hot, so I run.I haven’t run far enough when I remember that I left my hammer behind. So I run back to take my hammer. I kept on running upward, when I reached Gardu Pandang, Kaliurang, everything became so dark, after that I felt my body was being showered by sand and pebbles. I saw all of my friends died, only me and Margino who kept on running. But all of my body was teared-off. I kept on running; I didn’t care with the blood that spilled off from my legs.”

The form of hot gases accoriding to Supardjo is like a group of cloud. “The hot gases cannot be seen, but just the buring woods. The temperature was different from the usual. We cannot see the color but the woods were suddenly burned. So we can’t see the form, but can feel the heat.”

The attack of hot gases took only a few minutes and the heat is only for once. The inner part was so dry. “Dry, the inside part is so dry. Dry, just like a wind breeze. But it’s so hot.” The pressure also was so strong. Supardjo said that, people can fell of because of the pressure. “But the drops of it is just like the rain. So, it seems likes someone just threw ashes that eventually carried by the wind.” The sign that the attack of hot gases is finished is the changed of situation from darkness to bright. Everything went back to normal. After that there wer no big hot gases anymore.

There were no problem with Supardjo’s hair because he covered it with a piece of cloth. “I used to have a long hair. But because I was wearing cloth, so it was just fine. Supardjo was wearing a long shirt, a short pants, and a sandal. My shirt wasn’t burned, it just have some holes due to the heat. The worst wound is in my legs, it was teared off. I still can run when the hot gases attacked. My body is just fine but the palm


of feet was teared-off. So I run unstable. I felt that my body was just fine too, but when I arrived at the hospital and was carried by the nurses my flesh sticked to their hands.

Supardjo, even though he was burned, but he still keep on running towards the south. “After I was hit by the hot gases, I still can walk up to about 2 km towards the south.” Not really long, Suparjo met people who helped him. He arrived at Sarjito Hospital around 11:00pm and I was there for about 80 days. Until now , Supardjo often feel itchy, but when he scratch the feeling of itchiness didn’t go. I feel that the itch is inside my flesh not in my skin, especially when I sweat or in the extremely cold weather. Sometimes I feel afraid when I remember how I used to run and saw my friend died.”

Sukirno, for his wife and children

Sukirno (34), son-in-law of Adi Suwanto. He lost his wife and children. He was also crippled. When the hot gases came, Sukirno just arrived in the yard of Sudirjo.

“I at that moment arrived in the house of Pak Sudiredjo who just celebreated a wedding ceremony. When I came to the front of the house, wedus gembel arrived, but we cannot see the ashes and the mud yet. From inside the house, I can hear people screaming.”

Sukirno was not afraid of the hot gases because it came so quick. On the other hand, he didn’t know that the hot gases are dangerous. “I just realized that wedus gembel is dangerous from the incident. When I heard people were screaming I run, run until I reached a mosque. But suddenly I remember that my wife and children were still in the house of Pak Sudiredjo. So I run back there, but my body was already burned. If that moment I didn’t go back, the wound would not be severe. But it’s for my wife and children.”

“When hot gases came, the situation is just like now, but the leaves were burned suddenly. We cannot see the color, but it reached out skin, it will make our skin tear-off. It didn’t take any long time, just for a moment. According to Sukirno, the sign that the attack of hot gases is finished is the changed of situation from darkness to light. Every went back to normal. And there were no big hot gases anymore.

The inner part of the hot gases were dry. Just like a wind breeze, but so hot. “But the drop is just like rain. Yes, precisely like a person threw a handful of ashes, so it just being carried by wind. Automatically, I


cannot breathe. And after the hot gases passed, I can smell the sulphur.” The pressure also is so strong. Sukirno realized that when the hot gases arrived, his mouth, nose, and ears is full of sand and ashes.

“Enter. Definitely they entered my mouth, at the moment, my face was so black and full of dust.” The hair of Sukirno was just fine since he wore a hat. “I was wearing blazer, sarung, and hat. Cap because I felt my head was so heavy and hot, I took of my hat. I also wore sandal, the brand is Lily.”

“When I reached the mosque my body was already burned. But I run back to the house of Pak Sudi to find my wife and children. The house of Pak Sudi already collapse. I search the ruins to find the body of my wife and children. When I found my children, I brought them in front of Pak Sudi’s house. And then I walked to the south.”

“Just a moment a car came. I arrived at the hospital at around 10:30am. Perhaps I was the first victim to arrive in the hospital.” Sukirno was in the hospital for about 4 months.

Right now, Sukirno often feel itchy, but when he scratches it, the feeling is still there. That feeling usually came when he is sweating, feel hot, or in the cold air. Sukirno feels so sad when he remembers the condtion of his child. “I often feel sad when I remember carrying my children while he was badly injured.”

Parmin, Really hot

Parmin (29) previously lives in Turgo, RT 04. After the hot gases incident, he chose to live in Sudimoro Relocation site. His family survived. Only Parmin and his brother Suradji became victims. Parmin experienced wound in his arms, leds, and behind his neck.

Parmin, when the hot gases arrived, was working in Kaliurang. “I was at that moment cutting the grass beside Wisma Peternakan Kaliurang. I was afraid. I was afraid wedus gembel arrived massively.” Merapi at that moment was covered by thick clouds. While usually he can see Merapi from the place he was standing.

From that disaster, Parmin felt that no one warned them. “There was no one. I also didn’t take any notice, suddenly wedus gembel arrived so close.” The one that made him so sad is that he didn’t know that wedus gembel is hot. At first, I didn’t know that wedus gembel is hot, but since the distance is getting closer and closer so I was afraid. But when I remember that my wife is still in the house, in Wisma


Peternakan, so I went back, I just passed the street when I stumbled on a stone and fell off. That’s when I was attacked.”

The form of hot gases is rolling, above there were black, and the below part is red. “It was so huge, it was my first time to see a group of wedus gembel that big. The victims like me didn’t pay attention about the shape of wedus gembel, but other people from far distance can see the shape much clearer. Fortunately, the attacked was for a moment.” Parmn just saw the hot gases once. Next, there were no hot gases anymore. The inner part of hot gases is so dry, and the sands, if it touch our skin, our skin is like being burned by fire.

The smell? I don’t know about the smell. At that moment I can’t breathe, like there is someone who covers my nose. And then when the situation is much brighter, I can smell sulphur.” The pressure of hot gases is so strong. When the attack of hot gases is finished, so the pressure is gone too. Although the pressire is so strong, Parmin didn’t fell off. “No, I fell off because I stumbled on the stone. And then, the hot gases attacked me. He said that the attacked of hot gases was finished when the situation is much brighter. It was so dark before, but when it was finished, it became much lighter. However, the situation is so different since everything is covered with ashes.

Parmin when the disaster happened was wearing shirt, trouser without a hat and sandal. So his hands, his feet, and the back of his neck were burned. His face was just fine, since he covered it with his hands. His hair is okay, just full of dust. Also the sand entered his ears. In Panti Rapih when I cleaned my ear, there were a lot of sands.”

Although he was wounded, Parmin still can walk to the Peternakan Office, but no one was there. “ And then I walked to the south until in front of Kinder Garten someone helped me. And then they brought me to Panti Rapih.”

Prowiro Sumarto, run to the pen

The commotion of the disaster, Prawiro Sumarto (54) moved to the Sudimoro relocation site. At first he lives in Turgo RT 04. He at that moment works in the office of UPT Peternakan in Kaliurang. When the disaster happened, Prawiro works in cow pen that is owned by the office in Peternakan.


“I was outside when the disaster happened, near the cow pen. I am having a rest for a while while observing Mt. Merapi.” Merapi is really clearly visible from the complex of UPT Peternakan in Kaliurang. For Prawiro and his friends, that morning Merapi is visibly interesting. “Usually Merapi releases hot clouds but only small ones, there is no problem with that and it is just usual for the people. However, that morning was so different. Originally the amass of hot gases is just few, that time it was a lot. I saw that there was a pour out of it to Jurang Boyong. Above the group of hot cloud is visible.

He felt that no one gave him any warning that hot gases is about to come. However, he was just the one who warned his friends. “I told them to join me to the cow pen, but they don’t want. Fortunately, I still could run going to the pen, I run entering the cow pen while screaming Jesus! Lord Jesus help me!” Unfortunately, his friends kept on watching the event, until they died.

He also warned the people who were still in Kali Boyong and border of the forest. Surprisingly, there was no one who taught that the hot cloud is really hot. “I don’t know whether wedus gembel that was released by Merapi was hot. Before I already saw Merapi exploding big hot clouds, run going upwards, but just became ash falls. But what happened yesterday directly attacked the villages here.”

Prawiro was so lucky because he was quick to save himself. “I still have enough time to run towards the pen. And then I stood up behind the door facing the wall. The hot cloud attacked through the door and also upwards. From upwards the roof collapsed but then it didn’t hit my head.”

For Prawiro, the shape of hot clouds is clotty black, if evening maybe it is reddish. “It seems like a clotty of black mixed with gas and carried by the wind, the shape was also changing and increasingly being spread.” The approximation of Prawino, the attack of hot cloud is only for a moment, maybe just for three seconds. But for Prawiro, that moment felt like bitten and so hot.

The ash falls were not visible, but when they reached the roof it sound like gravels are falling carried by the breeze. He has sufficient time as well to see that the forest of Turgo being burned out. “I still have sufficient time to see the big trees broken, burned and disappear with that hot clouds. I can see it because I was in a place in Kaliurang and trees were burned and disappear in the forest in Turgo.” The moment the hot cloud attacked, he can’t breathe properly. “It seems that not strong any longer and the smell is like sulphur.” The stength of its pressure felt like a big blow of wind breeze, but it didn’t a long time. After the attacked was finished, there were no more big hot gases again.


Luckily he felt safe because of the clothes that he was wearing. At that moment he was just wearing shirt, pants, shoes and hat, it turns out to be he wasn’t burned. His wound is just in the arm and face. His hair is still intact. Even that was the case; the grain of sands didn’t enter his mouth, nose, and ears.

It turned out to be that the hot cloud wasn’t that really strong. “I stand up behind the door. And then the hot cloud attacked from the door dan from above, in the middle when I fall. The hot cloud just attacked for only 3 minutes. The feeling was like the breeze will subside, and subside again.

The sign that the explosion of hot cloud is finished is that the atmosphere in already clear, yellow and calm again like just before. Merapi also did not release anything again, although released but just a little. As soon as it was brighter, Prawiro hasten to get out of cow pen. He walked to look for other friends. “Out from the pen, I looked around. I saw in front of Pertenalan that there’s still a motorcycle. And then, I went there. And there was Paiman, my officemate that was hiding under the table. Paiman was saved. Then he helped me. On that accident until I met with Mr. Paiman, it was about 3 minutes only.”

Then Prawiro brought to Bethesda Hospital and stayed there for 3 days. The injury wasn’t that really serious. “In the hospital I was directly taken cared of maybe because the injuries were not really serious.”

Suradji, felt choking

Suradji (31) Parmin’s brother, when the disaster happened he was working in Peternakan of UPT inKaliurang. Since the first time, Suradji lived in Turgo but now he lives in Sudimoro’s relocation. “When the accident was happening, I was in Kaliurang, in animal husbandry site, cleaning the outside.” When he saw wedus gembel came, Suradji ran immediately to the street. Suradji didn’t see Merapi on that time because closed by thick cloud.

When the disaster came, he felt nobody reminded him. Luckly he knew how dangerous the hot cloud, so he ran immediately. “I know that wedus gembel is dangerous, because Merapi always release the wedus gembel, ya, because Merapi always release the hot cloud, so I know that it is dangerous.” So, when he saw wedus gembel rolled above Tlogo Nirmolo, and he immediately ran. “But I was in front of animal husbandry public building street, I got it.” He felt, wedus gembel consist of dust and sand. The color was black and a lot. The form was rolled and after that dilated. According to him, the end of the hot cloud signed by the situation became bright. “On that time, the situation was dark, when the hot cloud attacked, then became bright again.”


Inside the hot cloud felt dry and temperature of sand felt very hot. The hot cloud moved with big pressure, like throwed sand, in a moment, less than 1 minute, after that nothing. After that he didn’t see the onset of hot cloud. Also, he couldn’t see the grain of hot cloud in the air. “I couldn’t see. Distance one metre, we cannot see anything.” When the hot cloud came, I smelled like sulphur and choke. He had opportunity to closed his face by his hand. His body was save, but hand, hair, and neck got burning injury. “The hot cloud on that time enter my mouth, nose and my ear. Felt hot.”

On that time, he used t-shirt and jeans, but didn’t burned. Part of the body that burned was unprotected area, like hand, the back of neck, and sole of foot. He sure, his sole of foot burned because he ran and didn’t have an opportunity to use sandal. And also his hair, didn’t use a hat so his hair got burned.

When the hot cloud attacked, he could stand, and walked after the hot cloud finished. “although slowly, I could walked until intersection of Tlogo Nirmolo.” I met somebody who helped me there.”

Around 10.30 AM, Suradji met people who helped, “ I don’t know what time I arrived in Panti Rapih, but felt it took a long time. when I stayed in Panti Rapih for a week, then moved to Sardjito about one a half month.”

Rudi Halimawan, always remember his son

Rudi Halimawan (29) lived in Kaliurang. When the hot cloud came, he was working in the animal husbandry of UPT. He save, but son, wife and his parent became the victim.

“I was in animal husbandry of UPT. Yes, I lived in animal husbandry site, Kaliurang. On that time, I was working.” Rudi remembered, the hot cloud came around 10.30 AM, when he went to outside, he was talking with his officemate, Suranto, member of Turgo. When the hot cloud came, immediately Rudy shocked and couldn’t think. “I ran, but not for save my life. I ran too see what was happening exactly, because it wasn’t clear from that place, closed by trees. I ran to the backside of office. I saw Merapi clearly there. On that place I saw a lot of people worked in clean water project. Then I screamed to them to go up. On that time, I didn’t run yet or think the safety of my family.”

Rudi understood that the hot cloud was danger because he remembered people stories. “I just remember on that time, somebody tell that in north of Mount Turgo, there were somebody got the hot cloud. This is just people story ok. They said that if somebody have gotten the hot cloud and sitting, then the man will be just sit. But when you touched it, he will changed to be dust. Here, now I know it’s danger, well, that just the story.”


According to him, the hot cloud was coiled and dowdily direction. Coloured brown, grey and black, mixed. “but how long and how big that was, I couldn’t presume it.” When Merapi released the hot cloud about 3 times. First, released the hot cloud, but small, several second and looked again it released the hot cloud and flew quite long. The biggest was the 3rd, that attacked Rudi. After abated, Merapi still released the hot cloud but small. When the hot cloud worked, Rudi could see the hot cloud blundering against the Mount Turgo. Trees flung away and fly followed by shooting sounds. “I thought, that was the sound of the broken woods.”

According to him, the hot cloud attacked fast and just a moment. “just a second, like thud .“ situation on time was dark because the sun closed by the thick cloud. Inside the hot cloud was dry. When he got it, Rudi couldn’t breath. “if on that time I get it, automatically I couldn’t breath, because the contents only sand, dust, and pebble. So his breath hold out. Actually you can sniff it, but when you just sniff a little, taste was unfresh. Automatically I hold my breath.” The smell of the the hot cloud in Rudi’s nose mixed, but protrude was sulphur and smelling burnt.

For him, the reeze of hot cloud is so strong. “I collapsed when the hot cloud came.” I fall towards the north and my child fell to the west. I still remember when I tried to hold so that I won’t fall, but on the contrary we both fell. My child fell as far as two meters. Surprisingly, I didn’t have any idea that my child was released from my grip.”

When the hot cloud attacked, the atmosphere was so dark. Afterwards When the attack was finished Rudi was confused because the atmosphere and everything in the place suddenly changed. “When I stood up, whenever I put my eyes, I see colors of gray. Even the grasses which are supposed to be green became gray or same with the color of ash. And then I looked at the North that is the only object that I saw which has a white color.

Rudi felt that grain of sands entered his mouth. While his clothes is safe from the hot cloud, it wasn’t burned compared to his mothers. His hair wasn’t burned too, but the moment he stands up, his body is full of grain of sand.

From the very start of the disaster, Rudi wishes to help his parents. They were separated from one another maybe at around 25 meters from Rudi’s behind.

So, until in front of the guardhouse of Pandang, his wife fall, there were no more strength to run more. I still want to assist her but I don’t have the strength anymore. His skin was peeled-off already. I tried to bring my child towards the south. But I am hurting due to the rays of the sun. And then I went back to the north to look for some water.


Rudi stayed in the hospital for 50 days. His parents died. Same with his wife and child. So he is left alone.

Sarimejo, was strucked down by gedhek

In 1996, Samirejo (60) died. However, before he died, he had an experience with the hot cloud.

Samiredjo lived in RT 06, Turgo. He felt that no one gave him any warning regarding the arrival of the hot cloud. He was surprised too the the hot cloud attacked Turgo. When the hot cloud came, he is just staying in his house near the cow pen.

Samiredjo remembers, the explosion was so loud and the atmosphere became so dark. The hot cloud came in groups. The color of it is mixed. Inside it was dry and hot, his skin might be burned. According to him fortunately the hot cloud just came only for a few seconds.

At that moment he was wearing short sleeves. His hair should be cut because some of it was burned. When the hot cloud attacked, he can still breathe, he but was having a hard time.

Sumarjiyo, Not became ash

Sumajiyo (40) lives in Kaliurang. When the disaster happened, he is residing in Tlogo Nirmolo, around swimming pool. "My job is to clean the Inn in Tlogo Nirmolo. "

"After cleaning, I threw away the garbage in Kali Boyong, but only throwed above the mountainside.” After that is just sit. And then, I saw Pak Panut running from the above. I asked him what is going on. He told me that Merapi is exploding cloud of hot gases that is so big.

Panut agaun run towards Plawangan. Sumarjiyo climbed to the forest that is a tourist spot located near Tlogo Nirmolo. “I supervised from there and then communicated to Pak Panut. But sometime later the sound from the above was lost. I directly run, then climed to supervise the terminal while looking for visitors.


At that time there are four couples who are visiting, so eight people. I find three couples in the forest, and then I run in order to go down. I wasn’t able to find the other couple. Maybe they climed Plawangan and I don’t have the strength anymore to climed again, even when I reach below, the cloud of hot gases is already big. I saw that hot gases until the north of Mt. Turgo and struck the forest there.”

Surip, His hair don’t grow anymore

Surip (30) lives in Desa Girikerto. He was a victim too. The moment the cloud of hot gases came, Surip was working in Cek Dam Kali Boyong. ‘That moment I was working to break the stones in Kali Boyong, and then someone said that the mountain will explode through Kali Boyong.

From his place, he can see Merapi, but he didn’t pay attention. He runs because of his friend’s warning. When his friend asks him to run towards the south, he immediately collected his tools. “Then I asked, run to which direction?” Run to the hill or go to the west? There I look at left and right. My friends just ran to the south.”

Surip understands that wedus gembel is dangerous from the stories of his father. “He said that wedus gembel is hot.” The exudos of the people of Patu and Ngori village was because of wedus gembel.” When I heared the sound from the north and weather became hotter and the four of us runs immediately. “I, Parjo, Tugino, and Pakde Wiji. Runs to the south, and then to the east. At first, I want to hide beneath a tent, but if I hide in that place I might be carried by the lava flows. I reached near Kaliurang, and I saw the hot gases for the last time and it was just behind me. Suddenly, everything is dark, I can’t see anything.”

The color of wedus gembel is yellow and white. The form is cloudy like a thick fog mixed with ashes. In the inner part of the hot gases is dry just like ask shower. “That trickle above was invisible, like a black smoke. But, when it hits my body, I feel like sandy. The drops is like rain, but it is a sand.” My nose and ears were protected from the sand. “In that moment, only my nose, mouth, and face became black and full of dust and sands. Also, I just run and keep running.”

Surip at the moment wears jeans and T-shirt. “I also wear hat but when I run, the hat fell off. My shirt and my pants were fine, but my feet, palm, face, and my head were severely injured. Perhaps my hair was burned, but I didn’t know. Unti know I am balb, my hair doesn’t grow anymore.


For Surip, the end of hot gases is marked by bright light. “Vanished, the thick smoke is gone. It was dark before and then it increasingly became brighter and brighter, and the vanished.” Surip felt attacked the of hot gases just for a moment. He presumed that it takes only few seconds, the pressure is also strong. Surip even he can’t stand when the hot gases attacked. “It sprays very hard, but when it was over, there were no winds at all.” He was injured when he was trying to find any help.

“That moment there was a friend who said, “common Surip let’s go to the south.” I and my friend kept walking, until I reached the house of Pak de Wiji I fell off, I can’t stand it anymore. And then, I went to the south, to find water to gargle. When I reached the high way, the palms of my feet were peeled off, so I just crawled.”

It doesn’t take a long time when peole rescued me. “I kept going to the south dan I met a car who helped me. I was in Panti Rapih Hospital for about 16 days, and then in Sarjito Hospital for two-and-a-half months.

Tukimi and Poniyem, lost their children

They are couples, Tukini (45) dan Poniyem (40). They are handicapped. They left their children and parents. Now, they already moved in the relocation site in Sudimoro. At first the family of Tukini lives in RT 06, Turgo. Tukimi until the door of his house went out to look for grasses. Suddenly the cloud of house gases came and made his house collapsed. “A while ago, the atmosphere outside is still bright, but when I reached the front of my house suddenly my house collapsed.” On the otherhand, Poniyem, at that moment is tending the cow. “I haven’t tied the cows yet when I heard the explosion. Then I tried to go to the house while holding my son. But my house suddenly the collapse befalls me.

Actually, Tukimi heard the warning from the people of Kali Boyong. “People who are working in Kali Boyong already informed us the Merapi will explode. I then went to the house of Pak Sudirejo to see if Merapi is really Merapi is going to explode. The people of the village who are in the house of Pak Sudirejo, some believed and some did not.” Tukimi and Poniyem at first didn’t expect that the explosion will be that dangerous. Even he didn’t know, they actually wanted to avoid, they entered the house. But due to its power, the house collapsed.

Form of the hot gases in the eye of Tukimi dan Poniyem smokey and full of ashes. With many colors, there is gray, red, yellow, and cloudy. “But when it falls down, it carries sands and hot stone.” Tukimi is sure the attack of hot gases is just for a moment. “Less than a minute.” If it’s more than a minute perhaps the casualties will increased. Around half a minute just for a moment.”


Previously, Poniyem heard the explosion three times. The last explosion was the loudest and carries the hot gases. “If I heard the explosion and then I run, I will survive. The sound of explosion was even louder in the far places, while if the location is on the site where the explosion happened, the sound is not that strong. Just the last was the loudest one.”

Both Tukimi and Poniyem cannot see the springle of the hot gases because the house fell upon them. However they remember, the part of the hot gases was dry and the sand is so hot like burning charcoal. The moment the hot gases came, they were having hard time breathing. It felt like it soffucates them. After that, they can smell the sulphur and gases and the smell is so bad. For them, the pressure of hot gases was so strong that can even break down a house.

That moment Tukimi wore a shirt, short pants and wear slippers. While Poniyem, she was wearing skirt. The hair of Tukimi was burned. On the other hand, the hair of Poinyem became sticky and dry.

After the explosion of hot gases is finished, Tukimi was helped by her mother. “Simbok was the one who helped me, but she was the who died. I still can walk towards the south to the house of Pak Dukuh.” After the hot gases were gone, Poniyem tried to get out from the wrecked house. She was surprised when she saw the neighbor’s house had collapsed. She mumbled because she can’t believe it. “Lha, in the south and the east the condition is fine. However, in this area everything was destroyed.” Poniyem then walks to the south towards the house of Pak Dukuh. “I can still walk towards the house of Pak Dukuh and in the street my neighbors helped me.”

At that moment, they were treated in the Panti Rapih Hospital. But then, they were moved to Sarjito Hospital. They complained that their skin will feel like hot once it is exposed to the rays of sun. And also once they sweat, they will itchy. Now its only two of them who survived in their family. They lost Sarjuanto, Simbok Juminten and Rejowasito.

Sugeng, Almost hit

At the time of the incident, Sugeng (38) is residing in the house of his mother, Mbok Samirejo. He was almost hit, if he did not run so fast.

As a matter of fact, that moment Sugeng will look for grass. So when he heard a great explosion and saw a dark atmosphere, Sugeng run as fast as he can. Sugeng soon run going towards inside his mother's house. Sugeng runs fast because he heard a warning from the people of the village working in Cek Dam Kali Boyong. “Those people were warned already, but the people of the village didn’t believe that hot


cloud of gases will come in Kali Boyong, because usually it is only in the direction of the east. People in the village who helped in the house of Sudiredjo actually had already run before the cloud of hot gases came. “Like Paji, Jaimin, and Sikar.”

But from Pos Plawangan Juga there are no signs at all, so the community is just calm. I don’t know if Merapi will release hot cloud of gases, because Metapi already enveloped Bukit Turgo. I just know if the atmosphere at that moment is dark and suddenly the cloud of hot gases came. “It’s not even a minute. I saw the atmosphere were blurred even there is no cloud of hot gases yet. Then I heard explosion dan when I saw above that the hot gases is already in Bukit Turgo. I don’t even had the opportunity to stoop down, but the hot gases from east sea already attached this village.”

Sugeng saw the hot gases with black color, it’s getting more and more bigger and clearer. “Previously the changes took too long. But yesterday it was not really long, from the explosion until the release of black materials; the scattered materials became really big, and from Kali Boyong already overflew the village.” Sugeng had an opportunity to see the ask falls. “I saw, but just a moment, the sand that fell is not really soft, but had lumped and crashed after it fell.” Sugeng also smelled the cloud of hot gases. “The smell is not good. Like a smell of sulphur, smelled like lendut mud. Mainly not good, made narrow mampet dan if released the materials are sands.”

For Sugeng, when the cloud of hot gases is finished the atmosphere became brighter. “I felt hot and darkness was about one half a minute. Afterwards it more colder but still dark. After than redness, the trees started to be seen but no leaves anymore.

Rusdi, Runs so Fast

Rusdi (55), the people of RT 04 Turgo saw Merapi erupted when he was gethring grass in the slope of Bukit Turgo. “Around 10:00am, my drinking water was empty. And then I climed up to get some water. I saw people working in the Kaliurang farm is yelling while making sounds with their hoe and they also points their fingers to the north.” People in the Kaliurang Farm Complex gave warining to Rusdi. They make sound with their hoe, grass basket, or anything they got. The position of Rusdi is quite far from Kaliurang, separated by Kali Boyong. Fortunately, Rusdi was aware. He runs to the west. Not escaping, but wishing to know what is actually happening. From the place where he stands, Merapi is blocked by the slope of Bukit Turgo.

“And then I climed up a little. When I already saw Merapi, I directly went down. I can still see Merapi when the cloud of wedus gembel not yet that big. But after it became bigger, Merapi is covered with wedus gembel.” For Rusdi, it is usual for Merapi to release that kind of sound. “I heard a stranged sound.


When I saw the clouds of Wedus gembel reached Kali Boyong, I directly went to Kali Boyong. I run to the south then climbed up again until I reached Kaliurang.

From the place of Rusdi, the color of the hot gases were black and white rolled with each other. “The size, yes… very big.” It moves so fast. I saw wedus gembel climbs from Jurang Boyong still clouded and finally spread above.” Rusdi predicted, the cloud of wedus gemberl started from the top of Merapi, flows to Kali Boyong and attacks the villages only in less than five minutes. “Very fast, so when I run to Kaliurang, I must run so fast.” I saw the grain of sands is like rain drops. When the the winds blows to the north, the direction of the sand is also leaning to the north. Rusdi is sure that plastic materials that hit by the hot gases will directly melt. “If the trunks of the tree is wet, it will be burn out, but if the trunk is dry it will be just fine. The wooden chair is also fine.

The most horrible time is when Rusdi saw the people who work in Kali Boyong is being carried to the near observation site. “Thir skin is already peeled-off. And also in the street I saw foot prints which is covered with blood.”

Mbok Sodimejo

Mbok Sodimejo (55) leaves in RT 05, Turgo, She survived, however her two kids Parjan and Sarmin became victims of Merapi. She saw the hot gases destroyed Turgo from the façade of her house. “At the moment, I was in front of my house, and then I saw a cloud of wedus gembel already covers Turgo.: Mbok Sodimejo soon asked her daughter, which at the moment is pregnant who went outside.” I asked her because I am afraid that the house will fall. The tremble” Asctually they will run to the house of Sugeng in the north. She thinks that the house of Sugeng is much stronger since it is made of rorcks. “So I went across the north. But after I reached the southern part of the Mosque I saw fire in the air. So I spoke to my daughter, walah kok seperti ito Nok? The ashes fell on the body. Not so long after, I saw Pak Sikadi walking while carrying his son who is not wearing any clothes at all. His skin is already peeled-off. When he arrived in my house Pak Sukadi fell down, then he dies.” Mbok Sodimejo felt no one warned them about the coming of hot gases. And also the danger that hot gases might bring to them, I just know from the wood that was burned.

“I know that wedus gembel is hot after I saw the wood being burned. The day before I also saw the houses in the north like burning, but after rather clear the houses just fell down. Mbom Sodimejo remembers, the color of hot gases is brown mixed with black, red, and white. It is cloudy and very big. The duration of the attacked of hot gases is only for a while. She thinks it is less than a minute. When the hot gases faded-away the wheather becomes bright again. Bright, it is getting brighter and the clouds of wedus gembel vanished.


“I can see the sand falls. I stand around 100 meters from the clouds. So I saw the sand fell carried by winds, like Sawuran. At that time, I smelled some bad, just like sulhpur.” She is sured that the pressures caused by hot gases is strong. “if the place is affected the wind must be really strong. But I cannot feel. I just felt the sand. I also didn’t felt the heat of wedus gembel.”

When the hot gases vanished, the neighbors helped in gathering the victims. “Nh, around 11:30am they brought the victims to the hospital. In that time the cars that arrived here is so many. I have two sons who died. My eldest son, Sarmin (31), until now cannot find his body. And then my third son, Parjan (23) died right then and there. At that moment Parjan helped Pak Sudimejo in his house. Right now, I have only one child left, Saryem.

Nuryadi, Soon to Run

Nuryadi (40) is in the Riverbank of Kali Boyong, in his way home from Pakem. He lives in RT 5, Dusun Turgo. He saw the Merapi explosion.

“I saw lightning three times, dan not too big explosions three times. Afterwards, I heard a big explosion.” In that time NUryadi is with Yu Sugeng, the hot gases already covers Bukit Turgo. Soon Nuryadi run along with Yu Sugeng. “I felt if Bukit Turgo already destroyed.” Nuryadi felt no one warned them regarding the hot gases explosion since they are only two of them in the place. Actually, Nuryadi already saw Merapi erupted hot gaes since from Pakem, but she was still young back then. After he arrived in Kaliurang, he heard a big explosion.

The hot gases from the place of Nuryadi stand is colored with black with a dash of gray, and then when it became bigger the color is clear. “The ash falls is from the southeast.

FX. Suwadji, kuatir

FX. Suwadji (34) Head of Dusun I Turgo, Saw the hot cloud from the SD yard in Tarakanito tritis. When I saw the conditon like that, i was so worried and afraid. I remembered that my younger brother and my mother is in house. I wanted to go home, however, I was afraid.”

FX. Suwadji is certain, there was no warning from whoever that a hot cloud is going to come. For him, hot cloud will threaten after the impact surfaced. "It was dangerous because I saw the trees collapse and outside you will hear the sound of a crack or rattle when wedus gembel striked." The hot cloud from place


where Suwadji stands formed a thick smoke, the colour was reddish. But in Nempel, I saw a redhot fire falling down. The color was red blazed. I saw all of it because the place where I stand is not that far, but it allows you to see directly the impacts of it. "

Marjo Utomo, Confused

Marjo Utomo lives in PT 06 in Turgo. After the disaster, Marjo already tried lived in the relocation area. However, only for three months, aften that he went back Turgo. The moment the hot cloud comes, Marjo is walking towards his house in Sudiredjo.

"The moment I came home from Kang Sudiredjo. Formerly, I went just to put the cow inside, and then I will return again to house in Kang Sudiredjo. The moment I am walking going to my house Kang Sudiredjo, suddenly the shabs came to assault me. Then the houses collapsed."

Marjo Utama felt there are no people or sign that warns a hot cloud is coming. He also did’t saw the condition of Merapi. It is clear in the moment that the top of Merapi can be seen from the house of Mardjo.

For Mardjo Utomo, the wedus was black and reddish. The hot cloud pressures according to Mordjo are also very big. Mardjo even felt blurred the moment hot cloud came. “I was flunged-away so far. It was hard for me to see anything. The moment when everything becomes blurry, my shoulders were just strucked to tree. Up to now I still often feel the pains."

For Mardjo, the hot cloud smelled likes sulphur and piercing in smell. The moment the hot cloud came, Mardjo felt that he can not breathe because the hot cloud brings forth sands. The sand grain also enters into the mouth. "My mouth was so thirsty then. I drank water, and then I felt thirsty again. "

Mardjo wore short sleeve shirt doubled with a coat, shorts pants doubled with slacks, a cap, and sandals. “My coat was intact. But my shirt, short pants and slacks were burned. My cap was clouded by ashes and my hair was burned too."

For Mardjo, ashes subsided when atmosphere becmae brighter. At the time the hot cloud came, Mardjo thougth it dark, like evening.


I can still walk until the house of Pak Paimin. In going there I rested. My skin was so painful. My sole were aching. The people in the village helped me in going their. When the mobile came, Mardjo was brought to RS Sardjito.

Now my scars are starting to heal. It is just that Marjo still often feel itchy, especially in his feet and arms. The consequence of the event, Mardjo lose hss daugther Tumirah and grandchild Nugroho.

Hardiyono left his friends

The commotion of the incident left Hardiyono (53), a teacher (51) Muhammadiyah Tritis. The plan of Hardiyono is to will visit Wantini, together with other seven teachers. Until he reached Tritis, he left behind his friends. In Pertigaan, near the patrol guardhouse, Hardiyono stopped, because he will not be able to see his friends again. "I was confused whether I will go to north or the east. But then, I finally decided to head in to the north, because I saw Sri Lestari already and the north is so far."

So the motorcycle of Hardiyono reached near the Mosque, he heard the sound of the explosion likes a cannon together with an outburst of hot cloud outburst and people screaming. He directly went back going to the south. At that moment I am sure that Merapi exploded. So I didn't think twice, I decide to save myself. Hardiyono saw first hot cloud. "I saw that shabby wedus before the incident yesterday. if previously I just heard fromthe stories of people."

According to Hardiyono, the monstrous hot cloud, exactly like wedus coloured with thick black shabby. As estimated Hardiyono, the hot cloud assaults only several villages, not even until a minute. Hardiyono also didn't feel heat and wind blows. " However, according to my friend who is teacher who was sent to hospital before dying, that wind was so hard." Hardiyono only smells the sulphur, after hot cloud subsides.


Merapi Volcano Speaks (Gunung Merapi Bertutur)

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Transcript of Merapi Volcano Speaks (Gunung Merapi Bertutur)