Minister of Social Affairs Faces Difficult Terrain to Meet Suku Anak Dalam, Here’s the Assistance Provided

BATANGHARI (August 20, 2024) – Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini undertook a challenging journey to deliver aid to Suku Anak Dalam (SAD), who live deep within the forests of Hajran Village, Batanghari Regency, Jambi Province, on Tuesday (20/8/2024). Suku Anak Dalam, also known as Orang Rimba, is currently undergoing its tradition of “melangun,” a nomadic practice of relocating due to mourning, usually after the death of a group member.

Minister Risma visited two locations that serve as temporary settlements for Suku Anak Dalam. The first location was within an oil palm plantation owned by a company, while the second was in an industrial forest area. The journey started from Simpang Koto Boyo, a settlement located along the Muara Tembesi-Sarolangun road. The Minister's group had to travel two hours to reach the first location. The route was quite difficult, with unpaved and dusty roads, steep descents, and sharp inclines in several areas. Vehicle speeds had to be limited to 30 kilometers per hour due to road damage, and only high-clearance vehicles could navigate the route.

Minister Risma acknowledged that delivering aid to Suku Anak Dalam faces significant challenges. Aside from the difficult terrain, the nomadic lifestyle of Suku Anak Dalam poses its own obstacles. “Yesterday, we had difficulty finding Suku Anak Dalam. It wasn’t until late afternoon that we were able to meet them,” Minister Risma said, explaining the experience of her staff from the Ministry of Social Affairs when they searched for Suku Anak Dalam in Batanghari Regency. She emphasized the urgency of distributing aid, given the unpredictable weather conditions that make it harder for Suku Anak Dalam to obtain food supplies.

During their “melangun” period, Suku Anak Dalam set up simple tarpaulin tents tied to trees, with no walls, flooring, mattresses, or pillows. Despite their nomadic lifestyle, some members now own motorcycles. However, the tradition of relocation has left some without identity cards, preventing them from being registered as social aid recipients. Minister Risma is working to persuade Suku Anak Dalam to undergo data recording while respecting local wisdom that prohibits photographing women and female adolescents. This data collection process will involve cooperation between local governments and MoSA.

“We have groups where most members already have identity cards (KTP) and family certificates (KK), although some still do not. So, it’s not 100% covered,” said Tumenggung Ngalembo, the leader of Suku Anak Dalam. Minister Risma met with several groups at two different locations. At the first location, she met with Tumenggung Ngalembo, Tumenggung Ngalembu, and Tumenggung Jelitai. At the second location, she met and held discussions with Tumenggung Nyenong, Tumenggung Minang, and Tumenggung Ngirang.

MoSA provided various types of aid to Suku Anak Dalam, including 270 tarpaulin units, 125 mats, 250 mattresses, 500 blankets, 135 portable family tents, and one dome/main tent. Clothing assistance was also distributed, including sarongs for men and women, underwear, towels, children’s clothing, and adult clothing. Additionally, basic food supplies, personal hygiene items, educational play tools, children's nutrition, and sports equipment were provided. The aid was distributed to 125 families from two groups of Suku Anak Dalam.