The Damn Community

Last October, I was invited by my kanid Kelvin to visit four villages located somewhere in the Bengoh mountain range. Robert from Kampung Danu and this beautiful woman from Norway came along. Kelvin's been to all four villages months before this trip and he was curious in the prospect of meeting up with the folks again. Rob on the other hand, used to teach at one of the village primary school many years ago. The villages are only accessible through jungle treks.

It was going to be my first and like all first times, you just don't know what to expect. But after hiking through the secondary forest, rubber and cocoa orchards I can safely say that it was one memorable experience. The walk along the narrow jungle treks and under the canopy of trees and bamboos, the familiar vegetation and smell and the sound of the river reminded me of my own village and at that very instant it felt like I've been to the place. The place in its entirety is beautiful and so are its people. It felt just like home.

This here is a beautiful old lady - the dude is just one insignificant bastard. I was told there are twelve of these ladies left in the entire Bengoh mountain range who are still seen adorned with traditional brass rings on their arms and legs. The black top and red bottom is also traditionally the prefered colour. I was fortunate to meet one of them on our walk and was amazed by the sheer strength she still possessed. She had an empty rattan basket which later would be filled with rice, sugar and other items on her way back to her village. It was almost midday and two hours into our journey when we met and when I asked her she told me she had started walking since 6:00am and was on her way to Bengoh to buy rations for the week.

But if there is one thing the community here can be proud of, it would be the engineering feat in the science of suspended bamboo bridges. I swear, I've never crossed so many bridges in my life. I counted more than ten. And most hangs precariously three to four storey high above the river connecting the parallel path across. I must also add here that bamboo bridges sometimes breaks on weight and this actually happened to a friend and his entourage. One of the bridges broke and well, everyone fell into the river. Villagers later reported, much to their amusement that the bridge was old and was about to be replaced. My friends were humbled by the experience although none were seriously hurt.

When it came to my turn to cross the first 'difficult' bridge I was very careful and put on a brave front. I was in fact, scared shitless but I found out that all one need to do is to get it right the first time and the rest is manageable. Its a bit like sex.

But it is easy to romanticised about the place and if you didn't know yet, a dam is going to be built here and the construction of access road to the dam site is now on going which will dramatically alter the landscape. Apparently, the dam which is aptly referred to as 'the Bengoh Dam' is to be built to supply the city at which I live, with water. It seems that there's not enough water to go around in my city. It seems us urbanites are water deprived. The reservoir will trap water from the Bengoh river and create a huge freshwater lake covering some 1,500 hectres of land. Yes, we urbanites are that thirsty.

But I digress.

The trail starts from Bengoh, a village about an hour drive from the city and where the excess road to the proposed dam site is.

Four villages namely, Taba Sait, Rejoi, SembanTeleg and Pain Bojong are directly affected by this dam. At least 200 families will be relocated to a new settlement proposed by the government. We arrived at Kampung Taba Sait after two hours of easy walking and this village lies on the lowest point and when the water rises, Kampung Taba Sait, its farms, orchards and all will be no more.

We spoke to a few villagers and while some were vocal at expressing their displeasure at the prospect of being displaced to a government proposed settlement, some kept to themselves assuming the wait and see stance. Some eyed us suspiciously asking if we were from any government agency. We pointed to our Norwegian friend and told them we were tourist guides. Government representatives are looked upon with some suspicion here.

We arrived in Kampung Rejoi late in the evening. Late because it rained and we had to stop at one of the few sheds cum pit stops along the trail. Two young men were already there. They had each a gas cylinder in their rattan baskets. They told us they were from Kampung Semban Teleg and when I asked how many hours it takes them to walk from their village to Bengoh, both smiled and said, "Faster than you". I later found out that it takes the locals about four to five hours or so. Urbanites like me adds two or three hours to that.

That night we were invited to one of the elders house where we heard the people talk about their fears and anxiety about the dam project. And we listened.

I was already overwhelmed by what I experienced earlier that day and was also very tired at the end of the night. I had mixed feelings. Months before this my kanid Kelvin had given me an insight on communities affected by dams in another part of the state having studied and lived with that community. It is disheartening having to listen from a friend on how peoples lives, culture and communities social fabric is affected or destroyed in the name of development but having to listen to the very people affected is another thing.

I didn't sleep very well that night although the rest lying next to me would protest to this admission.

We woke up early the next morning and a slight change was made to our original plan. Rob decided that we forgo Kampung Semban Teleg mostly on account of our physical and mental state. So we walked to Kampung Pain Bojong which was nearer. Kampung Semban Teleg is about three hours from Kampung Rejoi negotiating steep hills, I was told. I was glad the change was made.

Along the way, we saw the building of new huts, new fish ponds and just planted pepper farms. I was told that it was the peoples reaction and response to the situation. A message to the government on their resistance to the dam.

Back in the city, much of the conversation with my friends down at the coffeeshop during breakfast every morning these days are focused on the dam. Its truly amazing how people who have never been to the place, let alone know where Bengoh is, can be so caught up with the issue. And most of the time none at the table are experts on legal issues, the environment and sociology.

But all are able to skilfully ‘argue their case’ as any seasoned lawyer or researcher with years of litigation and research experience. Coffeeshop arguments are best left as just that, coffeeshop arguments. But have we not overheard and scoffed at many an experts at the next table offering their prognosis to all and sundry who would care to listen? Opinions are like assholes and everybody has one. We all have opinions and like assholes, not two are alike. And at the end of it when asked if they were willing to contribute and put into action their opinions and views, their reaction was obvious. None was committed.

Me? I don't know.

I've been to and have seen the place. I've also heard the people and it is not going to be easy for them. They are the ones that will suffer resettlement and as much as I want to, I won't be able to fully understand their situation or feel what these people are going through. After all, I'm just an urbanite.

I don't know.

Oh, by the way, the new settlement is going to be called Kampung Tun Abdul Razak?

Cool name for a village, right?