November 06, 2010 (KATAKAMI / THE JAKARTA POST) -- Yogyakarta government considers relocating people displaced by Mt. Merapi eruptions to stadiums and big buildings that can accommodate thousands of people in order to facilitate supply of food.
Governor Hamengku Buwono X said Saturday he would coordinate with the Sleman regency and Yogyakarta municipality administrations to relocate the refugees to Maguwoharjo Stadium in Sleman, and Mandala Krida Stadium and the Youth Center in Yogyakarta.
Refugee camps are scattered across Sleman, many of them accommodated at Maguwoharjo Stadium.
The governor, who is also the Yogyakarta sultan, also offered the displaced people to camp at Pagelaran Sitihinggil square in his palace compound. “The place is open to the refugees if they feel secure and comfortable there,” he said as quoted by kompas.com..
More than 202,000 people from four regencies around Mt. Merapi have sought refuge after a series of eruptions, 56,000 of them in Sleman. (*)