Victims of toxic mud make market new home

A boy was sleeping with only a thin green carpet to protect him from the cold floor, in a traditional market thousands of people from Sidoarjo now call home.

The residents of the regency in Porong district, East Java, have been forced off their home by hot mud flowing from a nearby gas well.

The boy's mother, Sujantini, 44, said her eight-year-old son, Muhammad Ubaid Chikditiro, was not feeling well. "He's been sick and dizzy, and has missed school for the past two days," she told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Since the hot mud began flowing to four villages -- Siring, Reno Kenongo, Kedung Bendo and Jatirejo -- on May 29, residents have been forced to abandon their houses. More than 4,400 have taken shelter in the market while the rest are living in offices and mosques.

Thousands of people have squeezed into the 282 kiosks in the five-hectare market, with three families sharing a 24-square meter space. In the kiosk, a simple curtain separates each family from the others.

"Since there is not enough space, we didn't take all of our belongings, only important documents and valuables," said Sujantini, who has been living in the market since last week.

Although the market has enough facilities, including 15 open halls, a mosque and public kitchens, problems start early each day when the temporary residents rush to take baths.

With 109 bathrooms, including 22 permanent ones, the residents have to line up to bathe. Sujantini wakes up every morning at 3 to wash and prepare for her morning prayer. "Even at 3 a.m. people have line up, never mind later," said the mother of two.

Bathrooms here are far from standard. Each is set up in a parking space, separated only by bamboo walls and equipped with a bucket and a toilet.

In the morning, Sidoarjo regency administration staff arrive to distribute a breakfast of rice along with bottled water. The displaced villagers are also given a regular lunch and dinner.

At nighttime, the market becomes lively, as most residents settle in to watch the World Cup on 26 television sets scattered throughout the market.

"It's true that everything is prepared here, but if we could choose, we'd rather go back home," Sujantini said.

As the poisonous hot mud continues flowing from the drilling site belonging to PT Lapindo Brantas Inc., many residents have started to get sick. More than 130 people had been hospitalized in recent weeks.

According to the Sidoarjo Health Office, more than 980 residents were suffering from breathing problems and at least 170 were experiencing stiffness.

"More than 170 people are experiencing nausea and headaches," said Hinu Tri Sulistyowati, coordinator of a field hospital.

She said in addition to these three health problems, more than 120 people have started suffering from diarrhea, which she blamed on poor sanitation and poor bathroom facilities.

"If we want to keep the residents healthy, there should be more bathrooms since the number of people keeps increasing," she said.