LIFE IN THE SWAMP
By: Dewi Linggasari
Asmat district is located at the end of the east coast of South Coast Papua province with an area of 119 749 square kilometres and is situated between 137ᵒ30 - 141ᵒ01'47 East longitude and 3ᵒ30 - 10ᵒ43 south latitude. Boundary region north is Jayawijaya and Yahokimo, boundaries south is the District Mapi and the Arafura Sea, boundaries east Tolikara and District Digoel. This position put the district on the South Pacific rim region --Australia and New Zealand and the countries of the Pacific Sirkum. "Asmat region, where the sculptor settled reachable via two means of transport, air and sea. The journey to the Asmat either from Merauke or Timika is always preceded by the precision of measuring time, for aircraft and ships were never willing to wait for passengers. Instead, passengers in the framework of mobility is in need of transportation. Constraints in taking sea transportation is the Arafura Sea waves that can cause hangovers for all passengers. Ships Tatamalau and Flores will take about 12 hours cruise from Pier Pamako, Timika towards Agats as the capital of Asmat. Furthermore, the ship will continue sailing to Merauke in the next 30 hours and then turned again to Agats take the same route. Pioneer boats or speed boat is another alternative in achieving the Asmat region in urgent circumstances.
Other means can be used to reach the Asmat region is to use air transport, there is no road from a place that can be taken in order to get at Asmat. Ewer Airport as the main gateway runway is a very important one in the context of population mobility. Damage airport will lead to the flight schedule stalled, so the mobility of the population regularly experience serious obstacles. Similarly, the tide at the turn of the year which will submerge the entire surface of the runway causing the plane can not be landing. Bad weather, aircraft damage or alteration of other routes to the destination is a serious issue that surely can cancel scheduled flights to Ewer.
Musamus, Twin Otter aircraft belonging to Merauke local government-run airline Merpati never set a specific schedule of Merauke - Ewer - Timika. However, various obstacles can cause disrupted routines, so in the context of mobility of people who live at Asmat or people from outside the region with an interest in the region should look for alternative means of transportation. Cessna water and Trigana is one alternative that can be selected when low obstacles. Distance Ewer - Timika can be reached in the air within 45 minutes of the flight, while the prices always fluctuate, so depending on the number of people interested in mobility. Every week number is always higher than the mobility of air capacity to accommodate the number of passengers, so the ticket prices increased to follow market demand. Ticket Trigana Ewer - Timika reached Rp. 1,200,000,00 higher than prices Musamus Rp. 750,000,00. The price of tickets to Timika water Cessna Rp. 1,100,000,00, tickets to Merauke in one hour and thirty minutes is Rp. 1,600,000,00. Ticket prices Musamus only Rp. 1,000,000,00, six hundred thousand less than the price of tickets Cessna water. Cessna water will be landing on the surface Asuwetsy River and docked at the ferry dock. While the mobility of the population Agats Ewer to do with the speed boat ride, Rp. 100,000,00 per head. The distance from the ferry dock to Ewer can be reached within a fifteen-minute drive. Asmat, not a position that is within easy reach, in the absence of land transport infrastructure. Muddy marshland that flooded 98% of the region it is possible for the construction of roads. Muddy water marshland with ups and downs throughout the year are also a fundamental issue that must be handled for a model home and highway infrastructure. Water level reaches 5-7 meters, seawater plug it in as far as 50-60 kilometres, some of the salt water intrusion. The entire building is made in the form of houses on stilts, the entire road is made as wide as a two-meter wooden bridge, connecting the entire city. Muddy marshland preclude wells with crystal clear water that meets the health requirements for the purposes of eating, drinking, and taking a bath.
Asmat human settlements were in the middle of the vastness of the rainforest with rivers flowing in it. Rain forests store water that evaporates, because the sun, reached a saturation point and then poured as water throughout the year as a source of clean water. Nature describing the wisdom, the rainfall in a year an average of 3,000 millimetres to 5,000 millimetres, with about 200 days of rain a year. Rainwater gushing every week accommodated in the drum and tension of the water and into the fresh water consumed each day for the purpose of food - drink and toilets.
Such conditions occur in almost all the Asmat region consists of 19 districts, namely District Agats with Agats as the seat of government, the District Akat, Jetsy, Sawa Erma, Joerat, Pulau Tiga, Suru-Suru, unir Sirau, Atsy, Ayip, Becbamu , Kopay, Shaphan, Der Koumor, Sirets, Suator, Kolf Braza, Fayit and Kausari Beach. The average altitude of the area is 0-100 meters above sea level, undulating and hilly areas in the district are Sawa Erma until Suator District. The great rivers that flow is Wedelmen river, Siretz, Asuwetsy, Lorentz, and Bets. These rivers as well as a mean of transportation among districts with vehicle speed boat or outboard. The price per liter of petrol industry is Rp. 16,000,00, prices increased more in line with rising fuel prices nationwide.
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