As Far As The Eye Can See ...

 

.... are mountains of urban trash generated by the growth of Jakarta's middle classes who live for the day with their credit cards. For some (most?) of them, garbage disposal is a game with little thought given to the process.

As Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, chief editor of the Jakarta Post, wrote recently in a truly excellent opinion article, "People in the middle class no longer see political activism and social reform as an ethical obligation, but as an intellectual hobby for the few. If those who can propel change refuse to - and if the bureaucracy proves unwilling to - then what hope is there for the underclass, other than wallowing in decay as others grow wealthy?"

Pemulung (scavengers) are a common sight in Jakarta ...

... some with a sack on the back 

... and others with a cart  ... 

... which provides a 'home'

Some of the middle classes live in gated communities and overtly forbid entrance to pemulung, threatening mutilation - a hole in the head - or even death!

These blinkered parasites would surely benefit from watching and/or downloading the BBC programme Toughest Place to be a Bin Man.

Last Saturday, along with Dan Quinn, Our Kid and a mutual friend, we were given a tour of the Sumur Batu landfill site where one of Jakarta's satellite cities, Bekasi, has its garbage dumped. It lies next to Bantar Gebang which landscapes Jakarta's waste and can be seen in the background of the top picture..

Dan has written of our visit: "The witnessing of this kind of environment requires a considerable time for its effects to be fully felt. Or perhaps nothing can touch your heart when you’ve grown accustomed to daily scenes of poverty in Jakarta. Despite the stench, filth, danger and extreme poverty, I find myself lacking the levels of feelings of empathy or horror that I had been anticipating."

Maybe this is why I haven't posted my thoughts earlier. Most of are aware, if only from snippets of news and the occasional documentaries on TV, what Asia's garbage dumps look like, but experiencing the vastness of the quiet alien landscape from afar and within is surreal. It is strangely quiet; the vast army of pemulung, perhaps 10,000 strong over the two dumps, have little to say as they work rapidly, gathering loads of plastic bags which they can resell at between Rp.300 and Rp.500 per kilo.

And it comes by the ton, every day.

Dan has said much of what I'd like to say, and much better than I could, so please make the effort to read his account. And remember how lucky we are not to have been born or have to live among our garbage.

This is not an instruction!

........................................................................

Dan's pictures are here and mine are here.  
Taylor Samuelsen visited Bantar Gabang in 2012 and his account is here. 
An audio report about the scavengers of Bantar Gabang.