Residents get wind of sluice gate rumors

Anissa S. Febrina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Head pounding, Cengkareng sluice gate operator Syaifuddin was trying to catch some shut-eye after three nights on his feet when 30 or more residents of Rawa Buaya in West Jakarta stormed into his house.

Frustrated by the extent of the flood damage to their homes, they insisted that Syaifuddin opened the sluice gate wider.

"Look at that," he said, indicating the cables that held the gate. "It has been pulled to the max."

Realizing they were not going to get very far, the residents retreated, muttering to themselves that the gate operator had been bribed by the residents of a riverside housing complex.

"People have been demanding we go to the Cengkareng Drain and force the operator to open the gate," said H. Mahmud, a neighborhood unit chief in Rawa Buaya, two days after the incident.

"They have been led to believe the flood is worse than the last major inundation in 2002 because the gate was not fully opened."

"Luckily I've been able to talk some sense in to them -- they can see for themselves that it (the gate) has been opened," Mahmud said.

Five years ago, when many areas of the city were affected by floods, including Rawa Buaya, rumors swirled that residents of Pantai Indah Kapuk had bribed the operator not to let extra water flow into their area.

Fauzi, who lives right beside Cengkareng Drain, said Army officers had guarded the gate in 2002.

"But, this time round, we know for sure the gate has been open since Saturday."

All rumors aside, there are obvious connections between the land surface characteristics of Pantai Indah Kapuk and the movement of the floodwaters.

The complex lies in a former conservation zone. As the land was converted from woodlands to residential area it lost its ability to absorb water.

Flood control structures and a sewer system -- the ponder system -- were built to aid in removing excess rainwater from the complex. While this protected the complex, it increased the risk of flooding elsewhere.

The conflict is similar to the argument between residents of Kelapa Gading and Sunter -- both in North Jakarta -- in 2002, over whether the sluice gate at Sunter would be opened.

Then, there were also rumors of a manufacturing company hiring Army officers to guard the gate.

While the phrase "money talks" is true of Jakarta, relying on hearsay can be just as dangerous as the flood itself.

"In times like this, we just do not know who or what to believe," Mahmud said. "I think it was only natural for residents to be angered by such rumors."

Sociologist Imam B. Prasodjo criticized the authorities for failing to professionally manage information in times of disaster.

"People must constantly be updated during a situation like this," he said. "Otherwise, they jump to the wrong conclusions."

"That is what we get when the body that handles disaster is managed by politicians and not professionals."