JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Thousands of people affected by the Lapindo mudflow in Porong, Sidoarjo, East Java greeted the presence of presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in the 8th Anniversary of the Mudflow on Thursday (May 29).
Jokowi answered the invitation of the Lapindo mudflow victims to visit the mudflow location and the Jakarta Governor signed a political contract offered by the victims at that place. The victims, then by symbolic, put the mudflow into Jokowi’s hand.
Jokowi, in his speech, promised to resolve the case and to find better solution to the victims.
Jokowi and his running mate Jusuf Kalla enter the July 9 presidential election with support from a coalition of PDI-P, PKB, Nasdem, Hanura, and PKPI.
The mudflow disaster started eight years ago on May 29, 2006, caused by oil and gas drilling activity under the operation of PT Lapindo Brantas, a subsidiary of Bakrie Group, a business group owned by the family of Golkar Party Chairman Aburizal “Ical” Bakrie.
In August 2012, the National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) classified the case as a serious violation of human rights.
Ical, meanwhile, currently joined Jokowi’s opponent, Prabowo Subianto, a presidential candidate endorsed by a coalition of six political parties (Gerindra, Golkar, PAN, PKS, PPP, and PBB).
On many occasions, Ical repeatedly claimed that he had spent Rp9 trillion to pay compensations to the mudflow victims. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)