Annual Homecoming Exodus Continues despite Internal Travel Ban in Indonesia

KOMPAS.COM - The annual holiday homecoming or locally known as mudik in conjunction with the Eid al-Fitr celebrations has been banned for the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. 

This year as the Muslims will soon celebrate Indonesia's biggest holiday, only authorized people can travel around the country from May 6-17 in efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, which its number of infections will usually increase during the holiday season.   

Toward the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan - before the travel restrictions took effect - Indonesians from urban areas began to return to their respective hometowns. But, many people continue to travel despite the internal travel ban. 

Besides, confusion has arisen about the travel ban whether it can prevent the coronavirus from spreading as the government allows intercity transportation modes to operate. Public confusion over this out-of-sync government policy has made the people refuse to obey the travel ban. 

Thousands of Indonesians who travel by motorcycles for their annual homecoming rammed security barricades on the border of Bekasi-Karawang regency in West Java despite the Eid al-Fitr travel ban, causing traffic congestion and forcing the security officers to let them pass through. 

According to epidemiologist Dr. Windhu Purnomo, it is not surprising that the officers in several locations are overwhelmed by an influx of travelers who desperate to return home.
"This is because the government makes policies that are paradoxical (contradictory); they are out of sync between sectors, the central and regional governments," said Windhu.

WAHYU PUTRO A Thousands of motorcycles clogged the road, causing traffic congestion for five kilometers as they continue to force their way through the security checkpoint in Kedungwaringin, Bekasi Regency, West Java, on Tuesday, May 11.

WAHYU PUTRO A Homecoming travelers move their motorbikes to the the opposite direction to avoid the security checkpoint in Kedungwaringin, Bekasi Regency, West Java, on Monday, May 10.

ANTARA/ HO Indonesia's marine patrol officers intercepted service boats carrying homecoming travelers amid Idul Fitri travel ban during the Covid-19 pandemic.

KOMPAS.COM/IRWAN NUGRAHA Homecoming travelers hide their motorbikes in a boxcar to avoid security checkpoint.

(Writer: Gloria Setyvani Putri | Editor: Gloria Setyvani Putri)

Source: https://www.kompas.com/sains/read/2021/05/10/163943323/ribuan-orang-nekat-mudik-ahli-ada-kesalahan-komunikasi-publik-sejak-awal?page=all.