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Elders urge Jokowi to postpone Jatigede Dam filling

West Java elders and community figures held a ruwatan ritual on Thursday, urging President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to delay plans to fill Jatigede Dam in the face of pro-blems and conflict

Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post)
Bandung
Fri, July 31, 2015

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Elders urge Jokowi to postpone Jatigede Dam filling

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est Java elders and community figures held a ruwatan ritual on Thursday, urging President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo to delay plans to fill Jatigede Dam in the face of pro-blems and conflict.

'€œThe ruwatan aimed to ward off negative things related to the government program. So evil things will not happen,'€ said event coordinator Budi Dalton in front of the Gedung Sate gubernatorial office in Bandung.

During the ruwatan, dozens of activists, artists and Sundanese cultural observers presented offerings such as rice cones, grilled chicken, rotten duck eggs, fruits and vegetables, rice and coffee, which symbolizes life on Earth.

The participants opened the ruwatan by burning incense to convey their hopes and prayers.

They sat cross-legged in front of the various offerings as they closed their eyes.

Budi, who is also the founder of the Bikers Brotherhood motorcycle club, said the rally protesting the dam filling would also go viral through hashtag #SaveJatigede.

'€œAwareness will spread and people will know what'€™s going on in Jatigede. If need be, the whole world should be informed,'€ said Budi.

He said the informal leaders had sent a letter to Jokowi, urging him to cancel the filling of the dam. The letter, dated July 27, was delivered by former West Java governor Solihin Gautama Putra, cultural observer and musician Darmawan Harjakusumah, better known by his stage name Acil Bimbo, and Sunda Environmental and Forestry Observation Council (DPLKTS) head Mubiar Purwasasmita.

The letter consisted of five points, among them stating the condition of the dam structure, which sits on a quake-prone area, the fertile dam location and the presence of at least 40 heritage sites.

One of the heritage sites located in the area of the dam is Cipaku, believed to be the remnants of Eyang Prabu Aji Putih. The seventh-century site, remnants of the Tembong Agung kingdom, preceded the Sumedang Larang kingdom.

Residents living in areas to be filled with water also voiced their concerns. At least 806 families in Cipaku village, Darmaraja district, Sumedang regency, agreed not to sign forms for compensation from the government.

The dam project, initiated by former president Sukarno'€™s administration, encompasses 28 villages in five districts.

Cipaku village chief Didi Nurhadi said the Area Inundation Village Chiefs Forum was able to collect 3,000 signatures of residents who opposed the dam filling.

'€œWe continue to urge Jokowi'€™s government to relocate us in a humane manner. We are not animals. Garbage alone has its own place. Residents must be relocated humanely,'€ said Didi, adding his jurisdiction is inhabited by 550 people who did not obtain relocation rights from the government.

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