Yogya to build rehabilitation center

Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

The provincial administration of Yogyakarta has allocated Rp 30 billion (US$3.30 million) to build a rehabilitation center for survivors of the 2006 earthquake suffering physical handicaps and psychological trauma as a result of the disaster.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a seminar on post-disaster reconstruction here Monday, Yogyakarta provincial secretary Tri Harjun said the center was designed to accommodate some 480 wheelchair-bound survivors and a further 50 people paralyzed by the disaster.

"The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2007," said Tri Harjun, adding that it is hoped the center will enable the earthquake victims to become self-dependent.

With regard to the location of the center, Tri Harjun said the provincial administration had yet to make a final decision on the matter.

"We are still considering a number of alternatives, but most likely it will be built in Bantul regency, simply because most of the handicapped survivors live there," Tri Harjun said.

The provincial secretary also said that in addition to physically handicapped survivors, the center would also accommodate those who were psychologically traumatized by the earthquake.

Yogyakarta's government has asked for assistance from a number of related institutions to help realize the project, including from the school of medicine at the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University, Dr Sardjito Hospital, the Yakkum rehabilitation center and other parties concerned for the wellbeing of those affected by the disaster.

"We really need their assistance to make this project a success," said Tri Harjun, adding that the aid from the medical institutions would not come as financial support, but rather in the form of equipment, management expertise and ideas.

"We are still in the process of identifying who will support what," he said.

The powerful earthquake that rocked Yogyakarta and parts of Central Java on May 27, 2006, killed nearly 6,000 people and injured over 150,000, some 15,000 of which sustained serious wounds.

Over 500 survivors are permanently handicapped and a further 480 must now use wheelchairs. Fifty others were completely paralyzed and are unable to leave their beds.

The earthquake destroyed over 300,000 homes in both provinces. The overall estimate of losses inflicted by the disaster is US$3.1 billion -- the third largest damage bill in a developing country after the Aceh tsunami, which cost $4.7 billion, and the Izmit earthquake in Turkey, which cost $10.3 billion.

Yogyakarta has received praise for the quick progress it made in rebuilding its damaged houses. In less than a year, nearly 200,000 collapsed homes and 80 percent of the province's educational facilities had been rebuilt.

"We have here some local values that account for the quick recovery. Among others is the ability of the community to accept disasters as a reality and have the awareness to deal with it and not cause desperation," Tri Harjun said.