The New York Times is the first American paper to pick up the tale of woe of people living near the Mount Kelud volcano in Indonesia. The situation became more critical yesterday and people were being forced to leave their farms on the slopes at gunpoint by the local authorities. One article compares their reluctance to leave with the local American hurricane people who try and "ride out" the hurricanes because of false reports of impending disaster that have happened before. Not much more about the local spiritual adviser, Mbah Ronggo, who advised his followers not to leave, since his visions said the volcano was not ready to blow its top just yet. He was interviewed briefly and went out into the fields to tend his crops after returning from staying in a shelter overnight. But here is an odd twist which I will quote from another local resident:
Sugeng Walujo, a 37-year-old villager, also said he does not plan to leave. He, like many others, believes he will be protected if he follows the guidelines of an ancient myth.
"If I don't scream for help or turn on any lights, the lava and ashes will not reach my home," he said. "I'm not going anywhere."
So the reverse logic is that if you scream and turn on the lights the lava and ashes will go right to where you live. So don't complain and raise a ruckus and the volcano will leave you alone.
