Find a community in Indonesia disaster again

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Last month, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia’s West Java province, flattening thousands of homes and buildings. The devastation left hundreds dead, and many more are still missing across the region. From day one of the disaster, New York Times contributors in the area have been covering the rescue effort and its aftermath.

Dera Minra Sajabat, who reports on Indonesia for the Times Center in Seoul, worked alongside photographer Ulet Ifansasti to show the world the realities of the devastation. In a recent interview, Mr. Sajabat and Mr. Evansasti, both of whom live in Indonesia, talk about staying safe as they navigate rubble and aftershocks, tracking down accurate information and working together to make their coverage robust. This interview has been edited and condensed.

How do you approach people after an earthquake?

Dera Manra Sajabat: When you attend a funeral, for example, you are at it and feel sad. But then, I went there to work. I had to do my job, I had to ask questions, I had to do the report.

Sometimes it’s time. I need to be patient and wait for the right time to ask questions. It’s not an ordinary interview where you have 10 questions that you can ask right away.

Olit Evansasti: We say “deep condolences” or whatever we respect them because taking pictures isn’t easy.

I have family here, so I know what it feels like if they lose someone. It is very difficult. One of the mothers was still looking for her daughter. You go to the destroyed house, pick up everything and find dolls and shoes. I can feel it; I have a young son. I tried to talk to her and she spoke to me.

Yollette, your photos often hit the community tone. Is this something you are looking for?

Evansasti: Every time a disaster happens, people build something positive. Life must go on. The pictures are very sad, but people are recovering together and walking together. Yesterday was a disaster. Now we have to think about the future. I know it’s hard – many disasters happen here.

Dera What are you looking for in your coverage?

Sajabat: People help each other and are very flexible. This is what I saw on the field in this last earthquake and in other disasters.

The volunteers here are just regular people. I met students of the second year of the university. A rice seller. Guitarist, then Comedian. Someone with a clothing line.

Cooperation in society is very common. You can find it in everyday life, not just during disasters. In disasters, we can even see how people embrace each other.

This is the thing I want to tell our readers all over the world. I know that the same thing happens in any part of the world when disasters happen – people help each other. But disasters in Indonesia are very frequent.

Dera, how much do you and Ulet depend on each other during the coverage?

Sajabat: The internet connection was really poor. Since it’s graphic, it’s more mobile in a way you really need to get the moments. Sometimes he’d have the right sources to talk to, and then he’d say to me, ‘I’m in this place, and I met this person. The story is the summary of that person’s story. Sometimes he manages to get a phone number.

When I arrived, I could visit this person. Cooperation is really necessary.

We have our own chauffeur and our own cars, but we always communicate. On the other hand, sometimes I also find the right characters for the story, and I say to him, “Maybe it’s a good idea for you to portray this person.”

How difficult is it to obtain accurate information from officials?

Sajabat: Some of them were afraid to talk to reporters. A lot of them, when we approached them, were like, “Oh, I don’t have the authority to speak to the media.” Just wait for the official press conference. But I did spend some time hanging out and then talking to them like friends and asking them about their days, trying to put them at ease. Building a relationship is very important.

How do you stay safe, especially when aftershocks happen?

Evansasti: While covering the earthquake, I never locked my room. If something happens, you just have to get out.

Sajabat: I had this one, and we were talking in a building. But it’s very close to the valley – you can see the landslide from there.

When we were talking, suddenly there was an aftershock. It was really powerful. More than 25 people were in that building. We are running away, and there is only a very small way out. It could collapse at any time and we could die.

After several minutes, there were no more aftershocks. My source called me and then said, “Come on, let’s continue the interview.”

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