Syamsu Alam*)

The recent rains that have hit Gowa and Makassar have raised concerns. Why worry? Isn't rain a blessing from heaven, bestowed by God upon the earth and its inhabitants? It may or may not. Experience is the best teacher in life.

In mid-January 2019, the South Sulawesi Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) reported that many residents were affected by floods and landslides in 13 cities and regencies, resulting in at least 59 deaths and 25 others missing. Around 79 houses were damaged, 4,857 houses were submerged, 11,876 hectares of rice fields were flooded, 10 bridges were damaged, two markets were damaged, 12 places of worship were damaged, 22 schools were damaged, etc. (bbc.com)

Disasters are like two sides of a coin. They bring both disaster and blessings—that's the law of nature. Disasters bring suffering to those affected, but they can also be blessings for others. For example, disaster management agencies can see their budgets disbursed and increased, local government budgets for disaster relief increased, and vendors of snacks, mattresses, chairs, and other building materials for post-disaster renovations benefited. This includes the blessings of charitable giving to social institutions.

The Quran states that disasters occur due to human activity. This is a doctrine widely understood. But why is water absorption reduced, drainage ditches dammed, and developers building housing complexes like ponds with only a small water channel? Water flow into rivers is dammed with concrete, drainage is narrow, and so on. Why does this happen? It could be due to greedy egos that overwhelm the relative safety of life from disasters.

From a political economy perspective, disaster management involves various parties or institutions. Economics is understood as the science of wealth (Adam Smith) or the logic of action (von Mises). Politics, on the other hand, is understood as who gets what, when, and how (Harold Lasswell). From this theory, we can explore the effectiveness, efficiency, and economics of disaster risk management in South Sulawesi. Who is involved, how is the coordination, and is there synergy or are they still trapped in individual sectoral egos?

The threat of the Bili-bili dam overflowing in Gowa Regency is a latent danger that could manifest itself at any time. Heavy rainfall, coupled with landslides from the upstream Jeneberang Watershed, further exacerbates the threat of disaster that constantly threatens the residents of Makassar and the surrounding area, including us. Who is responsible for ensuring residents' safety from this disaster risk?

WALHI (Indonesian Forum for the Environment) notes that of the total 78,480 hectares of the Jeneberang Watershed, only about 16.8 percent of the remaining water catchment area (forest catchment area) currently comprises approximately 16.8 percent. Meanwhile, the remaining 83.2 percent has been used as non-forest areas, with details as follows: 28.3 percent for rice fields, 41.2 percent for horticultural agriculture, 8.9 percent for residential areas, 1.3 percent for the Bili-bili Reservoir, and 3.5 percent for other activities (Walhi South Sulawesi).

Government Solution

To prevent recurring flooding in Gowa Regency, Makassar City, Maros Regency, Takalar Regency, and Jeneponto Regency, South Sulawesi, the government is immediately building a new dam. The construction of the new dam is a short-term program following a closed-door meeting between Jusuf Kalla (then Vice President) with several ministers and local government officials at the Bilibili Dam monitoring office (Kompas, 2019).

The Regional Government also agreed, citing the strong currents of the Jenelata River, coupled with water from the dam when the gates are opened. Therefore, the construction of the Jenelata Dam is urgent. The suggestion of a high-ranking official from Gowa Regency (Kompas.com)

Is that really the only solution? Why areprojects requiring large sums of money always the solution? Are there no other alternatives? The universal philosophy, the sunnatullah (the law of nature) teaches that where there is a problem, there is a solution.

The data, facts, and phenomena above should be recognized by everyone living under the shadow of disaster. Whether by watershed managers, the Jeneberang Watershed Management Agency (BBWS), the provincial government, the Directorate General of Water Resources (DGA), the Public Works and Housing (PUPR), etc. This includes all of us ordinary citizens, NGOs that often act on behalf of the community, the police, the military, and everyone else. This is not simply a matter of economic rent in short-term projects, temporary programs, or simply absorption of infrastructure budgets; this is a matter of our lives, our livelihoods, now and in the future.

Resistance and Alternatives

We support the efforts of Walhi (Walhi) and other alliances to review the Jenelata Dam construction plan. Here are some simple considerations.

First, learning from experience, the Bilibili Dam was built for economic and disaster safety reasons. A dam to increase food productivity in Gowa and its surroundings. As a power plant, the water source of P