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TABLE OF CONTENTS Wanadri Citarum Ekspedition 2009........................2 Muara Gembong, Bekasi.........................................4 A Portrait of Estuary Society ...................................

9 Water Pollution: A blessing or A Disaster?...........18

Photography: Veronica Wijaya, Candra Samekto, Diella Dachlan Editor: Candra Samekto. Text & Layout: Diella Dachlan
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Wanadri Citarum Ekspedition 2009


Going through the Citarum river from its upstream to downstream was one of Wanadri expedition activities in 2009. Wanadri is an association of jungle adventurers and mountain climbers, which was founded in 1964, located in Bandung. During this expedition, Wanadri collected some data as well as documentation along the Citarum River. While making some observations on the conditions as well as the problems of the river, the social life of Citarum people was also recorded through several interviews and discussions. Preparatory activities have been carried out since mid 2009 with the support from various parties, including the contributions of senior Wanadri members and other funding sources. This expedition was implemented within a period of about six to nine months, and was attended by Wanadri members from different years. This year's expedition was especially devoted to recording the Citarum estuary in Bekasi. In addition to obtaining recorded data and documentation on the physical condition and social life along the river, it was also expected that this activity can form part of an awareness campaign aimed at the public on Citarum issues and problems.
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Muara Gembong, Bekasi


Muara Gembong, Bekasi Muara Gembong, Bekasi Citarum River estuary is located in Bekasi Regency, in an area called Muara Gembong. It is approximately 64 km from Bekasi city center. Administratively, this is a district between North Jakarta and Kerawang Regencies. Fisheries are mostly found in the area, for example, milkfish ponds, fish cages in the river and sea run by groups of individuals, marine fish, crabs and shrimp caught by fishermen.

According to local residents, until the late 80s, this area was a massive mangrove area. Monkeys were mostly found there, as well as other animals, such as birds and snakes.

Nowadays, the area looks very different. With the rapid population growth in this area, the transformation of mangrove forest lands into business and residential area, the existence of these animals have been increasingly marginalized and is today rarely seen. In term of environment, the river has also experienced a decline and in fact, become a source of various problems. One of the most common complaints voiced by the residents concerns the disposal of industrial waste which allegedly comes from Karawang. Waste not only make the water stink, but also result in dead fish, which is disadvantageous for the fishing businesses in the area.

Flooding which comes every year between the months of December and February has caused a variety of losses for the local residents, such as fish pond business lossed, crop failure, and diseases. The point where the river and the sea meets has become more and more shallow due to the increasing sedimentation. In this location, the water level in some areas only reaches half a meter. This makes it difficult for fishing boats to remain buoyant. According to media reports, around eleven estuary in the north shore of Bekasi regency are becoming more and more shallow within a distance of 2 kilometers to the sea. These eleven downstreams are as follows: Muara Bendera (Citarum), Muara Mati, Muara Besar, Muara Kuntul, Muara Jaya, Muara Gobah, Muara Blacan, Sungai Labuh, Cikarang Bekasi Laut, Muara Bungin, dan Muara Beting. (Koran Tempo, July 15th, 2008)

Disasters due to polluted water resources do not seem to stop there. Abrasion hazards continue to threaten today. A few decades ago the shoreline was about 200 to 300 meters closer to the beach than it is today (Republika, June 16, 2007). In the last two years abrasion appears to worsen. It has in fact removed about a thousand hectares of farming lands. Local residents believe that sea sand theft and destruction of mangrove forests have caused acceleration of the abrasion (Koran Tempo, August 19th, 2004).

A Potrait of The Estuary Society

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A Potrait of The Estuary Society


Most people found at the border between the river and the sea are fishermen coming from northern regions, Cirebon, Java Island. In general, they work for employers in the fishing industries. Today's fishing villages were initially built from one or two semi-permanent houses (made of bamboo, plywood planks.) One house can be occupied by more than two families and is often visited by nomad fishermen who stop to work and stay for a while. The women in this area typically assist their husbands and take care of the family. However, many of them choose to work abroad as migrant workers (Tenaga Kerja Indonesia - TKI) in neighbouring countries such as Malaysia.

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There are also people on the banks of the river who earn their living by assisting people to cross the river using wooden boats. This type of transportation is an option for traveling around the community because it is cheaper and relatively faster to get to regional trade centers such as Marunda / Cilincing. Occasionally, however, there are boats which sell daily goods. For shopping and trading, people in this area prefer Cilincing or Marunda (North Jakarta) compared to the city of Bekasi, which takes approximately two to three hours by boat and by land to reach. There are Infrastructure conditions in such fisherman villages are still very limited. The roads are dirt roads that will quickly turn to mud when it rains. Some public facilities, such as health centers and schools, but they are still very limited.

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Houses in this village are mostly made of gedhek (woven bamboo walls), plywood and timber. When it is too windy, walls and roofs are oftenly blown away and when it rains, it is common for houses to leaks. Most people in this village use the river for bathing, washing and as a toilet. There are no waste management facilities found, so the garbage piles up, both in the village and along the river.

The availability of clean water is still an unresolved problem. People living along the river and around the estuary have to buy clean water they have no other alternatives to meet their basic needs. Clean water can be purchased from water sellers on boats. The price of water in Muara Gembong ranges from IDR 7000,- to IDR 10.000, - per 20-liters. They use the clean water for cooking and drinking only, whereas for bathing and rinsing raw foods they choose to use the water from the river which is available for free at the back of their houses.

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A Portrait of The Estuary Society

Mrs. Wani
Mrs. Wani (55 years old), a fried-snack seller, earns approximately Rp. 15,000-20,000 a day. She has 5 children, the youngest is aged 11 and still at elementary school. Her aged husband is sick and so it is impossible for him to help her make a living. Therefore, besides selling fried snacks, Mrs. Wani also collects firewood and api-api leaves that can be used to build a roof, and she also works in her neighbor's fish pond. I cannot say exactly how much I earn, on average I earn IDR 5,000 15,000. Sometimes it is not enough to buy food for my family, but I thank God because I can still send my kids to school, She explained.

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Her village has just been hit by strong wind. The walls and roof of her oldest child's home were completely ddamaged, making the house uninhabitable. There isn't enough money to rebuild the house, so they're staying with me at the moment, said Mrs. Wani without showing any signs of desperation.

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Water Pollution

A Blessing or Disaster?
The fact that the general public and industries treat Citarum River as a garbage dump is a huge concern. Local people are normally found gathering along the banks of the river to collect floating dead shrimps, crabs, and many other kinds of fish. Apparently, this is a result of water pollution caused by waste disposal which the society claimed to be the acts of irresponsible large textile industries. On one hand, this pollution is terribly harmful for the environment and the ecological life in the river. On the other hand, the residents nearby take it as a blessing as they can easily get fish to sell or for their own daily needs without considering the long term effects of poisonous substances contained within the fish.

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www.citarum.org

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