Relatives of Tragedy Victims of Kanjuruhan Admit to Paying Official Bribes of Millions

Relatives of the victims of a terrible tragedy in Kanjuruhan, a small village in Central Java, have admitted to paying officals bribes totaling millions of Rupiah. Furthermore, these officals have refused to acknowledge any wrong doing and are still receiving their full pay despite the significant economic losses for the relatives.

Description of the Tragedy

On July 21, 2019, a violent mudslide caused by heavy rains swept through the village of Kanjuruhan, killing seven people and illuminating several dozen homes. Over 500 villagers were displaced and had to seek refuge in nearby communities. The local authority then said it would give the victims’ families both financial and emotional support.

Victims’ Families Pay Officals Bribes

However, according to victims’ families, they have had to cough up hundreds of millions of Rupiah in bribes to local officials in order to receive the aid money. This is a common practice in Indonesia, where bribes are often necessary to get access to much-needed funds.

Government Turning a Blind Eye

What is particularly galling is that, despite the families’ money being misappropriated, these local officials remain in their posts and continue to be paid. It seems that the government has been turning a blind eye to the criminal activity and is more interested in protecting those involved than helping the victims.

Conclusion

The tragedy in Kanjuruhan has sadly become yet another example of the corruption that continues to plague Indonesia’s government. With bribes only adding to the toll of this horrible accident, the victims’ families are still struggling to get justice and rebuild their lives. It is high time for the government to take meaningful action against bribery and work to ensure that such tragedies never happen again.