The Indonesian government is paying serious attention to the drought and famine disaster that occurred in Agandugume, Lambewi and Oneri Districts, Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province, West Papua Indonesia. Indonesian President Joko Widodo immediately ordered the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency and the Minister of Social Affairs to handle this problem as soon as possible.

Following up on the President’s direction, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy immediately moved quickly to Central Papua to deal with the problem of drought and frost phenomena which caused famine in the region.

Initially it was planned that Muhadjir Effendy together with the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency, Suharyanto, would go directly to one of the affected locations in Agandugume District and at the same time bring logistics assistance. However, due to weather constraints that made it impossible to fly to Puncak Regency, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture handed over some of the aid to the community at Mozes Kilangin Timika Airport.

Muhadjir Effendy said that the dry season and drought in Puncak Regency, Central Papua always occurs periodically in the middle of the year starting from May, June and July. He explained that every time the dry season and frost occur, it will result in crop failure, as well as shortages of food and clean water.

From Muhadjir Effendy’s discussions with Suharyanto, the Regent of Puncak Regency, and the Cendrawasih Military Commander, the alternative solution that emerged was the construction of food barns to supply food for the population during the dry season.

“The temporary idea is that we will build a kind of food barn in the Agandugume District near the airport. That way we can anticipate that in the month before May there will already be food stocks distributed by the National Disaster Management Agency and the Ministry of Social Affairs. So that when these periodic disasters occur it can be resolved automatically,” he explained when handing over symbolic aid to the residents of Puncak Regency, at Mozes Kilangin Airport, Mimika Regency, Central Papua.

Muhadjir said that this plan would be reported to Indonesian President Jokowi and a more careful study would be carried out until it became part of permanent anticipation in dealing with periodic phenomena in Puncak Regency. Then there will also be security officers who will monitor the barn and monitor the distribution of food stocks when needed.

“We will discuss it with the President, we will carry out a more careful study. But the temporary idea is that we will build a kind of food barn in Agandugume near the airport which is in a strategic position to be able to reach the 3 districts,” he said.

Then, to realize this plan, limitations in logistics transportation due to difficult terrain and weather constraints are still problems. In terms of security, Puncak Regent Wilem Wandik has provided security guarantees.

Muhadjir hopes for cooperation from all parties to help smooth the delivery of logistical assistance from the government. Therefore, he hopes that all parties can work together and launch the process of handling the dry season in the three districts of Puncak Regency which will save people’s lives.

“I hope that there will really be no disruption to the cooperation in this place, including sending aid goods so that they really reach those who need them,” he said.

On that occasion, Muhadjir handed over Ready-to-Use Funds in the form of logistical support and equipment for emergency management of famine disasters in Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province. Assistance was given symbolically to representatives of the people of the three affected districts, namely Agandugume, Lambewi, Oneri Districts and witnessed by Puncak Regent Wilem Wandik.

Details of the assistance provided by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture on that occasion include: 50 tons of rice, 10,000 packages of ready-to-eat food, 3,000 packages of rendang, 3,000 packages of protein milk, 3,000 packages of basic necessities, 2,000 roll-up tents, 10,000 blankets, 2,000 mattresses, 2,000 folding mattresses, 2,000 children’s clothes, 2,000 adult clothes, 4 refugee tents, 20 generators, and 3 trail motorbikes.

Coordinating Minister Muhadjir said that other assistance had also been distributed by the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency, and the Indonesian Army. He hopes that all parties, including the private sector, can help in handling the disaster that occurred in Puncak Regency, Central Papua.

“We hope that we can complement each other’s assistance from the Indonesian Army, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency and private parties such as PT Freeport and other private companies can participate. This is really to save our brothers and sisters in the three districts so they can escape a terrible disaster. we don’t want it,” he explained.