Desy Nurhayati , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Fri, 05/22/2009 11:43 AM City Dance the trauma away: Several children, victims of the
Situ Gintung dam burst, perform a traditional dance during an art and charity night for Situ Gintung victims in Jakarta on Saturday. JP/Desy Nurhayati This event, organized by an alliance of NGOs and groups of university graduates, was held to help traumatized children heal, build their confidence and become self-reliant. The event’s committee head Kumara Sadana Putra said the organizations that formed the alliance agreed to focus on the psychosocial elements of the victims’ trauma, an aspect that is usually neglected after a tragedy. “I remember in the first days after the disaster, many people came to give money and things to the victims and then left … thinking the victims’ problems would be over after that,†Kumara said during the event. “Most people think about giving financial and material assistance, while victims — especially children — also need psychological treatment.†“If we only give them things and money, they will not learn about self-reliance. And every day they will keep asking ‘What will we receive today’â€
The event featured a number of singing and traditional dances performed by the children, in collaboration with their peers from art groups Lembaga Etnik Khatulistiwa Indonesia (Lekhi) and Sampan Bujana Sentra.