Field Stories Series #3

Kel. Jombang – Friday, 5 Juni 2020

The Covid 19 pandemic that has hit almost all over the world including Indonesia has made very significant changes. Routine activities at both the community and village level were eliminated. Except for activities related to Covid 19 and public services at the Kelurahan office. The activities of Pos Yandu, PKK, recitation were temporarily stopped as well as worship activities in mosques such as Friday Prayers in congregation, Taraweh and Eid Al-Fitr prayers.

Pak Rifki Aprilian, Secretary of the Benda Baru Village, said that currently people in the Kelurahan are tired of this situation. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Kelurahan has sprayed disinfectants throughout the region, socialized about Covid 19 and urged the public to live clean and stay at home to avoid Covid 19.

Next, collect data and distribute social assistance to people affected by Covid 19. Many problems arise, including:

1. Assistance comes without coordination with the kelurahan and arrives at inappropriate times, such as midnight, during the day during the fasting month, or at night Takbiran
2. There are no operational costs for aid distribution
3. The amount of aid does not match the number of recipients
4. The community protested because the aid was not evenly distributed, and the rice was of poor quality (Pak Sodikin said that the rice from Empatiku was of good quality)
5. RT or RW must think creatively so that the assistance is distributed evenly, for example by repacking and reducing the amount of aid so that more recipients will minimize disturbance in the community.

After listening to complaints related to Social Assistance, I asked about other issues that were developing in the community. Pak Sodikin conveyed that there was an issue raised that the current government was a Kafir government because it prohibited people from worshiping. In the Benda Baru area, many people continue to pray in congregation at the prayer room or mosque. It’s just that the congregation is the closest resident and does not use loudspeakers.

Pak Sri, Binamaspol Benda Baru, PAMULANG POLSEK, added that the community continued to worship in congregation. They feel that the ban is only an appeal. Religion is a matter of the hereafter while government is a world affair. Many families “broke up” and ended up becoming enemies because of this problem. The police, through BIN, only monitor and do not prohibit them from keeping their distance and wearing masks.

I asked Mrs. Maryanih, what about majelis taklim? Mrs. Maryanih explained, since the Covid 19 pandemic, majelis taklim has stopped its activities. Usually 20-30 mothers attend majelis taklim activities. The material presented was about the procedures for reading the Qur’an, worship such as prayer, fasting, Zakat, including about family, which usually discusses how to be a good wife. Never discussed anything related to radicalism. The Taklim Council for mothers and fathers has separate activities.

After discussing social assistance and developing issues in the Benda Baru area, we discussed the SK SITI village team. I gave an example of the Kelurahan Decree that has been discussed by the Management of Empatiku. Pak Rifki agreed with the urban village decree draft that we gave, and would discuss it with the village head but asked for time because this week the Social Assistance will be coming again to be distributed immediately.

Pak Sodikin, the SITI Team Coordinator, said that there was a change in the names of the kelurahan team members because some people became KPPS members so they could not be active in the SITI Kelurahan team. Rifki will immediately send the fixed names to be followed up in the SK later.

It was getting late, we said goodbye. Before saying goodbye, Pak Rifki advised that the training should be in a relaxed place while being able to refresh.